Pioneer VSX D859RDS

...the best music is music that you like... stereo-4 HT-5 power-4 looks-5 THX-5 remote-4 DSP-3 price-5 ...and white sticker as quality control

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*/-*/-*/-

Power, sound stage, image, remote

not a review. Friends try DTS DVDs !!!

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so many

HT sound quality, looks, THX

Weak stereo capabilities, remote

Great value for the price, if HT is your thing. Stereo -- look elsewhere, I''ve purchased separate Harman Kardon AV receiver, which is horrible in HT but one of the best in stereo.

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Dantax 2000 , Harman Kardon 4000, Denon 3801, Onkyo 787

THX Select - Not much difference between Ultra except Power.
AC3 RF Input - Great for my Laserdiscs
7.1 Channel Inputs and Outputs
Component In and out
Price, Price, Price

No Motorised Volume Nob :(

I bought this receiver to replace my older kenwood, also I wanted to listen to Star Wars Episode 1 in all it's THX Glory, i was not dissapointed by the quality of the sound, sound seperation is fantastic and get all the inputs and outputs that you need. Having a front optical input is quite helpful if you have any portable digital medium that supports it. My SB Live 5.1 has optical outputs so it is very handy. I'm sure that this Amp is not quite 100W per channel but turn the volume up and it provides enough power to fill a decent sized room. The only downside is i would like to control my Sky Digital and TV without having to change video/audio inputs, but as there is only one TV control function it's a bit awkward. But enough said, This Amp is fantastic and anyone wanting THX EX but can't quite justify spending $1600 for a Denon AVC-10SE should seriously consider this one. Well worth the money.

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Kenwood KRF-V5030

7.1 THX audio. Great price for the Spec. assignable inputs. Future ready (7.1 input).

Too reliant on sub. Remote is a bit ugly

Over all I must say I was impressed with this amps performance. When watching a movie in THX mode the sound is perfect. I watched "starwars the Phantom Menace" and "pearl Harbour" both of which are THX mastered and I must say it knocks the socks off my old Dolby dig. receiver.

The receiver also makes quite a good effort on the music front as well. I personally find the 5CH stereo DSP very good.

Unfortunately though the Amp really needs a sub. I found, especially with music, that the bass was very lacking as opposed to my old receiver. I bought a Yamaha sub and the Difference is unbelievable.

If you are upgrading this is the Receiver for you, however this is not for beginers(unless you have cash for the entire system).

Powerful, clean sound. Heavy, good built, nice design,
no pumped price-good price

No option for decoding discrete/matrix signal for DTS-ES, maybe it could have more DSP modes, no Dolby Prologic II

Well, this is exellent product.
It's true that they had manufacture serial problem and this is no good for trust when you buy product from Pioneer.
But let's look to the bright side. This receiver delivers strong and powerful sound. Sound is clean and perfect for this money. What you could ask more for this money when we speak about the sound.

It would be nice if receiver could decode also discrete signal for DTS-ES. I mean it could be like a option for future. Actually I don't know how manny movies they are and how manny will be with DTS-ES discrete signal but it's good to have anyway.
Denon 3801 has this option and this is good. Maybe they could add also few DSP modes and Dolby Prologic II.

Shortly it's excellent product. Listen and decide.

Bye, Josip

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Denon 3801, Onkyo 787

Clean sound with impact, a lot of inputs/outputs (7-ch), nice design,preouts for 6-th and 7-th chanell for future in case that we need for movies which are in 6.1 ;
normal good price, here we can see how they are other products pumped with their prices

Like reader before me mentioned, no option for choosing between discrete and matrixed decoding signal for DTS ES, no Pro Logic II decoding, maybe it could really have more DSP modes

It delivers punchy sound. I like it very much. Some people told me that this receiver failed because of manufacture mistake. That I will have problems with it etc.
For now it works fine for me and I hope that it will work also in the future.
I listened also Denon 3801 which was also pretty interesting but I choosed Pioneer.
I heard that Pioneer will put soon (Fall 2001) on the market new model VSX-860 RDS, which will be improved with Pro Logic II and discrete/matrix ES decoding. So some of you which you are not in the hurry can wait for new model. I hope it will not have the same problems.

It would be nice that receiver could decode also discrete signal for DTS-ES. It would be like a option for future.
Denon 3801 has this things. Maybe they could add also few DSP modes.

It's very good product for this price.
Go to listen and compare it with others in the same price rang and then decide it.

Thank for your reading, Mare

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Denon 3801

Ratio price/performance

Good product in audio and video.

But 2 questions :

- What the white sticker on the back side means ?
- Normally a red LED lights under the LFE indicator when the DVD is playaing a .1 (LFE) signal. My 859 red LED doesn't work and yours ?

Hervé

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Onkyo 575

Powerfull sound for HT, clean

Bad in stereo, no ES Discrete DTS, no ProLogic II,
no NEO 6, DSP modes are horrible (it should have more),

Well, receiver is great based and made but there are some things which should be fixed. First of all. Every one who's buying AV amplifier/receiver is expecting that it will be good also in stereo at least like a all-rounder. Not something special but at least to be satisfied with stereo sound.
I will also mention that there is no ES Discrete DTS, no ProLogic II, no NEO 6, DSP modes are horrible (it should have more).
I think Pioneer should look a little bit Onkyo and Denon.
As I said it's good for HT but no something special.

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Denon 3802, Onkyo TX-797

THX Select, DTS-ES and THX-EX compatible, can be expanded to 7 channels (with additional amp), sound quality

No 'Loudness' button in the remote... (as if it matters that much)

This receiver is simply great! You don't have to configure anything when you watch movies. Just switch to THX mode and all you have to do is sit back and enjoy! But if you don't like THX mode (who wouldn't want this?), you can choose from the 4 advance theater modes available (and you can play with its settigs too). For music, you have a variety of DSP modes to choose from. Or, you can listen to it in stereo or direct mode (whichever suits your taste) and you still get what you paid for... excellent sound!

With regards to the white stickers that you find at the back of the receiver (my unit also have a white sticker at the back near the serial number). I read in one of pioneer's websites (the U.S. website) that the sticker is just to ensure the owners that the unit they have is free of the power circuit defect which was found on earlier release of (probably) this model (the article i read was for the VSX-33TX model).

Well, I've just used this receiver for less than a week and I'm still trying to configure everything. I still have to find the optimal setting for this config. "Optimal" 'coz as it is, it's good.

front : pioneer SHF-9 3-way speakers (150W, 6ohms)
center & surround : pioneer (SMT5-CK 120W)
Subwoofer : Wharfedale Powercube 12a (100W, blends smoothly with my front speakers, doesn't overpower them).
DVD Player : pioneer DV-S737

Finally, the rating...
I give it 5 stars 'coz I got this receiver in a package that includes the speakers i mentioned above (plus a pioneer DV-233 DVD player).

Overall rating, 5 stars! What more can you ask for?

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SSI Dolby Prologic Receiver