I have owned this fine receiver for 3 weeks now and I upgraded from an older Pioneer (non-Elite)receiver. From the moment I turned this thing on I was awed! The workmanship and quality of materials used made a great impression and the sound from this thing is monsterous. Full, rich, clean and deep. I'm running thru some older but recently re-coned Klipsch KG 5.2's and set of Infinity center, sub, and QPS surrounds. The quality and wide selection of sound fields is worth more that you will pay for this. If you see one....grab it.

Excellent Sound Quality. Interface & Power is wonderful.

Can't auto-detect Digital/Analog, not a big deal, but would be nice to have.

I love this unit. I wanted a receiver with more power than my JVC. This has it! The dolby digital processing rocks. I did have DD before, but sounds much better with this one. My speakers are mismatches. 2 Front Yamahas, JBL Center, JBL SUB and 2 generic rears.. I'm sure if I standardized I would even get better sound. Remote control is excellent. Learning feature is definately a MUST. Recommend BUY! I got mine from www.soundpros.com for $825 Shipped. Arrived in 3 days!

Similar Products Used:

None, Upgraded from a JVC RX-884VBK

Power, THX, Remote, Cost, Assignable Digital Inputs, Optical Digital Output, OSD, Quality of Dolby Digital Decoding

Plastic Face Plate, Cross Talk over Analog inputs, Bass management, Audio quality on music, Runs HOT!

This was one of the units I tested to replace my Yamaha 992. I purchased it locally for $899 even though it can be had for $750 on the internet (I knew I may bring it back).

Power - 5 Stars:
Wow, what power! This receiver powered my Paradigms all-most as good as my external amplifier (750 watt THX Carver).
It does run very hot. If you are looking for pure power, I don't think there is a better deal for the buck. It deserves it's THX Ultra certification.

Home Theater Digital - 4 Stars:
I tested it in Dolby Digital from my DVD and Satelite dish sources. Excellent imaging and channel separation. Overall it was very exceptible despite some dullness to it. It just didn't seem to roll the highs properly mainly in the center channel (even with thx off).

Analog 2 ch Stereo / Analog Pro-logic Home Theater - 3 Stars:
The dullness was much worse in analog Dolby Pro-Logic Sources (VCR / Satelite / CD). Again imaging and channel separation were excellent. My favorite test is to listen to classical music. This really showed the limitations of the range of music in this unit.

Features - 5 Stars:
This receiver has an excellent amount of features. Besides having THX, it has other DSP's that seemed usable as oppossed to most other receivers. Theses DSP's are Action, Drama, Musical, and a few more I can't remember. The unit has an Optical digital output and 5.1 channel inputs as well as pre-amp outs. The remote control is capable of learning other remotes and would be good enough to buy on its own. The On-Screen-Display is excellent and setup is easy which makes up for some poor bass management. You need to set your sub-woofer to PLUS in order for it to come on with LARGE fronts when listening to Pro-logic.

Craftsmanship - 2 Stars:
Plastic face plate says it all!

Overall 3.8 Stars:
I would recommend this receiver to people but warn to test it with your speakers. I truely believe this unit is speaker sensitive and it just didn't match well with my Paradigms. I returned it and got an excellent deal on a Marantz SR-19 (no comparing to this model).
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Testing Equipment:
Paradigm CC-350 Center
Paradigm Monitor 7 Left and Right Bi-wired
Paradigm PS-1000 Sub
Epicure Rears
Toshiba 3109 DVD
RCA DRD-4280 Satellite Receiver
JVC HR-VP674U VCR

DVD Movies: Armegeddon, Twister, Saving Private Ryan, Godzilla
VCR Movies: Jurrasic Park, Star Wars THX
Satellite: Dobly Digital Movie Trailers, Music channels

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha RX-V992, Marantz SR-880, Marantz SR-19

Build,interior components,sound,performance,VALUE!

?????are you kidding???at this price?!

For the last 4 years,I had been using the Marantz SR96 THX Digital ready,pro-logic reciever.A very accurate and smooth sounding performer.I paid 1600$ for it in late 96. Well,upon getting a new HDTV ready 36 inch Toshiba,along with Toshibas progressive DVD player,I felt it was time to upgrade to a fully loaded,and upgradable reciever. After doing excessive research and review readings of this model and its bigger brothers..I.E..27tx, 29tx,the 26tx fit the bill.I subscribe to all the major Home Theater mags,and high marks were given this Elite line in Stereo-Reviews Sound and Vision,Stereophiles Guide To Home theater and Home theater magazine.I had been very pleased with the two Pioneer Elite products I had owned,and knew that I would be getting a great performer. I challange any dissenters to find a comparable ULTRA-THX reciever in this price range that includes the high-end components offered in the Elite line..(hint,theres none!)The motorola DSP chip and Burr Brown DACs are the best on the market,and are found in units costing thousands more.Burr- Brown,Crystal,and Motorolas best DSP chip all on a reciever costing less then 900 dollars!! That alone should make you run and get this unit!!(Unclestereo,shipped I paid 801.00) The performance of this unit was beautiful.I loved my Marantz,however technology has come along way in just 4 years,so what the Pioneer has going on inside would have cost 2000-3000 dollars back then.! The 26tx,in stereo,offered a smooth tranparrent soundstage.Instruments were enveloping,never fatiguing as in some other recievers.The 24bit decoding gave music a satisfying,relaxed you are there quality,and it wasnt harsh after long periods of listening. In movies..!!!WOW,great debth and accuacy, including superb surround effects decoding.The 100watts per channel were more than enough to provide life-like sound reproduction.Unless you have a lasredisc player,or want the cool touch screen remote control.I would say stick to the 26TX.The interior components are identical,and although the 27tx and 29tx have larger heat sinks,this only matters if you play movies and music loud all the time,or you keep the reciever in a closed rack cabinet.I find the looks of the model elegant and a joy to look at.Throw in the high-tech performance going on inside and you have the best value on the market!

Similar Products Used:

Elite 300cd changer,Elite recorder,Eosone Towers,Polk FX surrounds, PolkSW200 powered sub,Toshiba progressive DVD,Sony and Toshiba Hi-Fi VCRs

THX, Optical Connections, Loads of S-Video jacks. Power to spare.

Speaker jacks to close together

I am using 2 Infinity SM-215's for the rear channels, 2 Infinity SM-255 for the fronts, an Infinity CC-3 center, and a Infinity KSW-12 sub which I probably don't even need due to bass coming out of the SM-255's. I run a brand new Pioneer DV-F727 301 Disc DVD player, 2 Sony 200 Disc CD players and a Sony SLV-779HF HI-FI VCR. The amount of S-Video jacks is amazing. Having bought approximately 100 DVD movies so far, I can tell you the Pioneer Elite VSX-26TX receiver is the only one you'll ever need. For the people bashing this unit, come on over and be prepared to be completely blown away. From Matrix to Rambo II, The Stones Bridges to Babylon or James Taylor Live, you will be simply amazed at what this unit can do. Having a Sony, I can tell you it is no comparison. I also have an older Onkyo Power amp with the two VU meters on the glass front and a kenwood preamp. Nothing touches the sound of this Pioneer. I am completely blown away and once you get it set up right, you will too. I bought the receiver at Lets Go Digital on the Internet, around $750.00. I will give these guys a plug. It was 4:14 PM and the salesman busted his butt and got it on the UPS truck by 4:30 PM and I recieved it two days later. Simply impressed is all I can say. This looks beautiful next to my Pioneer DV-F727 300 DVD player. Hey while I am at it, I wouldn't trade that DVD player for anything out there. The ease of having all those movies and music videos at your finger tips. Now thats home theater.

Similar Products Used:

Sony 555ES

Good clear sound with THX Ultra, DD, and DTS

No lite on volume knob, need to turning up very high volume to get the audiable sounds

I have brought this receiver to replace my Kenwood THX Pro-logic receiver. I have listened other elite receivers to chosen elite than other brands. I have read a lot of review of this receiver before to decide purchased this. So far, I am very satisfied with it, and it has produced a clearer sound than my Kenwood pro-logic receiver.

However, I have to turned up a very high volume in order to be clearly audiable. Also, there is no lite on the volume knob. But for this price, I would recommend this receiver than other brands.

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood KR-X1000

It's great when it works.

I have had this unit for almost a year. In August it developed the same problem as described by so many others. No sound (until warmup) and lousy sounding DTS.

I took it to a Pioneer authorized service center. What a disaster. They told me it would take two weeks. They didn't even look at for 2.5 weeks. The tech called me and asked what's wrong? I explained in great detail how I would get no sound and poor DTS.

I got the unit back Saturday. Guess what? It's still doesn't work. I called the tech immediately. He stated that he thought there was only a DTS problem. Not a no sound problem. He chose to hear what he wanted to hear. And the DTS still has problems!

I called Pioneer. They told me to send it back to the service center and opened a case file. They refuse to give me a new one. Plus I have to pay for shipping a second time to get it to the service center. Pioneer only pays one way, no matter how many times it takes to fix!

I am disgusted at this point. All I have received is customer no-service!

Stay away from this maufacturer!

Many features, power

It is not currently working

I purchased this unit in February and was pleased with it until recently. It is not producing any sound. Sometimes, if I leave the unit on for long enough, it will start producing sound - it may take as long as a couple of hours. Other times, I can't get it to play. I am about to take it in for repair, which I predict will be a headache. One of the main reasons I purchased what I believed to be a quality piece of equipment was to avoid this type of problem.

I just purchased this receiver for the media room being built at my new house. I am still waiting on the new line of Toshiba 50" RPTV's, so I can only speak from experience on the music side. I bought this unit mostly becuase of the price. I was prepared to purchase the Yamaha rxv-995 as I have always owned Yamaha since my first purchase 25 years ago (still have that unit). When I went in to buy the Yamaha, I saw the Pioneer on closeout for $579, new, in-the-box. The 24tx was on sale for $800, and the rxv-995 was on sale for $899. At $579, I figured how could I go wrong. That same day, I also bought 6 pair of Klipsch IW250 in-wall speakers for $180/pr. I know they lost money on everything I bought that day! Thanks for your comments on the the 26tx, it makes me feel very good about my purchase. I will review again after my TV comes in.

This rating is for how my VSX-26TX USED to perform! Presently, I have no sound output at all. I will NEVER purchase another Pioneer product again. For a Pioneer top of the line receiver to fail in this mode after only one year is ridiculous! What is even more absurd is the 6 week turn-around time that was quoted for the repair. I am seeing time and time again where Big Business treats the consumer with little regard. I will say that I have not had any problems with my Pioneer DVD player and I hope I don't. I called Pioneer service several times and received nothing but a lot of fluff. This unit has many positives however quality, robustness and service are not among them. STAY AWAY! You have been warned.