Price Paid:  $200.00 from Ebay

Summary:
I've had this receiver for over 4 years now, and I had to write this review. This thing is bullet proof - I've driven it with 4 ohm speakers, it doesn't complain or shut down. I drive it with 6 ohm speakers all around, no problems in 5.1 DD and DTS modes at wall shaking volumes. I use both optical inputs for my HDTV Motorola Cable box & Samsung HDMI DVD, and Sound quality is excellent for a product of this price. I use a second Pioneer amplifier for a home-built isobaric ported subwoofer with JBL drivers, so the VSX-409D only powers my left/right, centers, and surrounds. It does so extremely well, and if you use a powered sub you will be pretty amazed at how well this thing performs. Movies in DD/DTS are incredible, I can't tell you how many people are totally zonked that I spent so little on this receiver but have such incredible, clean sound. I'm primarily a home theater guy, but music sounds fine also to my tin ears. Okay, the remote does kind of suck, but for this price get a freakin' universal already and quit whining. ;)

If you can find one left on Ebay and want something super cheap that sounds great, you can't go wrong.

Strengths:
Excellent Dolby Digital and DTS performance, superb power and stability with lower impedance loads, unbelievable price/performance ratio

Weaknesses:
Sucky remote

Similar Products Used:
You name it, I've tried it - used to work in the industry and have been an amateur "DIY" loudspeaker designer for last 25 years.

Price Paid:  $300.00 from costco

Summary:
use less than 3 years and it died(no completely though), no any sound out from tuner, vcr, analog DVD/CD, from digital DVD, it still have a little sound, volume can not be changed, I guess the analog amp died. Not much used, poor quality.

Strengths:
none

Weaknesses:
no S-video, poor surround sound. short component life.

Price Paid:  $149.00 from Sam's Club

Summary:
Basically, this amplifier was worth my money, with 500 watts of sound, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic, and DTS with 2 optical inputs and 1 digital coaxial input!? This thing is very very hard to distort, less than .07% THD. Also the name brand, Pioneer, you have to spend twice as much on other offers. Even though its build is kind of old, this amplifier is very capable of handling high wattage applications. I have over 25, 75 watt speakers hooked in to this thing. I just know it was a great buy.

Strengths:
Distortion is very low. No matter how many times I play back Saving Private Ryan, the amp will not distort. Even if the level of Dbs is set to -16 (0 is max power) it remains claritable. Features many hookups for mutiple sources, such as for video games, Vcrs,etc. It also has 5 DSP modes for Dobly Pro Logic, and 6 for the factory DSP. It also holds many channel settings such as VCR/DVR, DVD/LD, and a few others. Recommend high build speakers, or this amp will blow it right away. Offers 6 through 16 Ohms

Weaknesses:
Does not provide connections for a S-Video input. Disadvantage for use with tvs that provide this feature. And it does not support an optical out, for cdr-burning devices. Remote control is fairly small, and very hard to use in the dark. Also, the speaker terminals are handy for 16 guage wire and up, it is kind of hard to stick anything below than number to fit anything in it. You see instead of the screw terminals, it has the clip version. It Also has a RCA input protection system, which will prevent it from having shorts when you accidentally cross 2 or more RCA jacks in hookup. But when this happens, you have to wait an hour or two for a input jack to work properly again,but at least it is not blown for eternity. Of course it also features the circuit protection against shorts form crossing 2 or more parrallel wire. Don't try it against lighting tough.

Similar Products Used:
My uncle gave me an 16 year old JVC AX-44 amplifier, so when I got this it was a big step for me. I have relatives who have receivers just like mine, but they paid over 350 dollars for them! One of th

Price Paid:  $299.00 from Costco

Summary:
This is a good system if you know how to setup a hometheater it out performs more expensive Sony's Kenwood's but provides poorer quality than JVC's. If you cannot properly hookup a home theater this receiver will sound awful. It needs alot more tinkering than Sony's and Panasonic units but can give much better sound especially with quality speakers. For the price it's great

Strengths:
Price, 2Optical, 1 coax.100w x 5 chan

Weaknesses:
Remote, Surround Speaker output could be better.

Similar Products Used:
Sony, Kenwood, JVC, Panasonic, Maranatz, Pioneer Elite

Price Paid:  $200.00 from amazon.com

Summary:
You get what you paid. If you are serious of HT and willing to pay $1000 for speakers, avoid it.

Strengths:
cheap with DD/DTS.

Weaknesses:
Sound quality is terrible compare to my Denon 4802. I know 4802 cost 10 times than it.

Similar Products Used:
Denon 4802