Denon 4306 vs Pioneer VSX-84TXSi

[solomr2]

Well, here's the deal.

My stupid local BB took my money for the Pioneer TSX-84TXSi, then 2 weeks later when it was supposed to be shipped to me, they tell me they screwed up. Now they want me to wait for another 3 weeks, or they are willing to give me the Denon 4306 for the same price ($1200).

So, what would you do? Take the Denon, wait for the Pioneer, or go somewhere else and tell BB to go jump off a cliff?

I know the Denon MSRP is $2000 vs. Pioneer's MSRP of $1500, however, looking at the various features, side by side, this is what I see;

Pioneer vs. Denon
THX Certified vs. not THX Cert.
140W/channel vs. 130W/Chan
Built-in IPod dock vs. optional $60 Ipod cable
MCACC vs. Audyssey MultEQxt Room EQ
4 x HDMI inputs vs. 3

Any others I may have missed?

Why would I take one over the other?

 

[Gov]

Even though I am a Pioneer owner, in your case I would take the Denon!!

 

[Thunder18]

Very tough choice.
THX cert...take it or leave it. Denon would probably pass the test but didn't want to pass the extra cost on to the consumer.

140 vs 130 watts. Not that big a deal.

*I guess the built-in Ipod dock is a big plus if you have an Ipod

*Mcacc vs. Audyssey. I've never read a review where Audyssey beat out MCACC. Every review I've read seems to think Pioneer's automated set-up is the best of the bunch.

*4 HDMI inputs vs. 3. You'll never know if that's a big idea until you need that 4th input, then you'll realize how important it is. In my case, I have 1. an upconverting dvd player 2. a digital cable box and 3. a PS3 that can all use HDMI. I don't suppose it's likely that I'll need more than 3, but they did just announce that black Xbox360 with the HDMI output...

Still a tough choice. Have you googled to see if maybe you can find a review comparing the two in the same test?

 

[solomr2]

This is a bit frustrating, but I can't seem to get much more info at this point. I didn't find any head to head reviews anywhere.

I did find out the Denon's HDMI is 1.1 vs. the Pioneer's 1.2. Neither one seems to support 1.3 yet.

As for HDMI inputs, the PS3, the 1080p DVD and the Comcast DVR/Cable box take 3 HDMI inputs right off the bat. I can't think of what I would use the 4th one for at this point, but it can't hurt to have another one.

 

[solomr2]

I got this from Vanns, they let you select two items to compare:

DENON
Denon AVR4306 Details

With a robust 130 watts for each of its 7 channels and Denon's exclusive Dynamic Discrete Surround Circuitry, the AVR4306 is sure to please. It includes auto setup/room EQ with an included microphone. You can connect portable music players as well as stream audio from a Windows-based PC. It upconverts video to HDMI and is XM Satellite Radio ready.

130 Watts x 7 Channels (8 ohms, 20Hz - 20kHz, 0.05 Percent THD), 170 Watts (6 ohms, 1kHz)

3 HDMI Inputs/1 Output, 3 Sets Component Video Input/2 Output

7 Digital Audio Inputs (5 Optical, 2 Coaxial), 2 Digital Audio Outputs (Optical)

1 Set 8-Channel Analog EXT. Input, 1 Set 8-Channel Analog PRE Output

7 Composite Video Inputs/3 Outputs, 7 S-Video Inputs/3 Outputs

New 32-bit Floating Point DSP

iPod Connection Terminals, USB Terminal

XM Satellite Radio Ready with Optional Connect and Play Antenna

EL Remote Controller for Easy Operation

New DDSC (Dynamic Discrete Surround Circuit) -Digital

AL24 Processing Plus for High Sound Quality

DENON Link, Enabling High-Speed, High-Grade Digital Signal Transmission

1 Set Multi Zone Output, 3 Analog REC Output

Auto Set-Up and Room EQ, with MultEZ from Audyssey

Video Up/Down Conversion Capable of Output to HDMI Port

High-Speed, High-Accuracy 12-Bit/216-MHz Video DAC

RJ-45 Ethernet Port and RS-232C Terminal for External 3rd Party Control Systems

Stabilized, Independent Power Supplies for Each Circuit, Chassis Construction to Suppress Internal/External Vibration

PC Setup And Control

Pure Direct Mode, Pre-Amp with Variable Gain Volume

Configurable Surround Back Amplifiers

3 Source and Zone Capability

Variable Subwoofer Crossover Switching (40/60/80/90/100/110/120/150/200/250 Hz)

Dolby Digital EX, Pro Logic IIx, DTS-ES, DTS 96/24, DTS Neo:6, HDCD

Auto Surround Back Channels ON Function, for Auto-Detection of Supporting Sources

On-Screen Display, Front Panel System Setup Control, System Surround Parameters Lockout

11 Sets Analog Audio Inputs, 3 Sets Analog REC Outputs

Muting Level Settings, 3 User Mode Buttons

Large-Output Power Amp Section and Power Supply Configuration

Dimensions: 17.09" W x 6.73" H x 16.89" D

Weight: 40.81 lbs.


Denon AVR4306 Warranty Details
2 Years Parts and Labor




PIONEER
Pioneer VSX84TXSi Details

This top-of-the-line Pioneer VSX84TXSi Elite home theater receiver takes your breath away; it's THX Select2 certified and XM Satellite Radio ready. Four HDMI inputs, one HDMI output, and dual i.LINK advanced resolution audio interfaces keep your digital content digital from source to screen or speakers through single cables. Pumping out 140 watts to each of seven channels and with Advanced MCACC auto room equalization, you'd better be prepared for powerful home theater experiences.

DTS-ES Discrete, DTS 96/24/NEO:6, Dolby Digital EX/Pro Logic IIx, WMA9 Pro Decoding

140 Watts x 7 Channels (20Hz-20kHz, 8 Ohms, 0.09% THD--FTC)

4 HDMI In/1 Out (1080p/DVD-A Compatible)

Dual i.LINK Audio Interfaces; 2 Coaxial, 4 Optical (1 F/3 R) Digital Audio In; Digital Optical Out (1 F)

8 Multi-Channel Inputs

3 Component Video In/1 Out, 5 S-Video In (1 F/4 R)/2 Out, 7 Composite Video In/2 Out, 4 Audio In/3 Out, Phono In, USB PC In

Sharc EX + 48-Bit Freescale DSP

12 Advanced Surround Modes, Virtual Surround Back Mode

TBC Digital Upconversion Composite/S-Video/Component To HDMI

2 Preset Multi-Operation Learning LCD Remote Controls (Main/Secondary)

Advanced MCACC Auto Room Set-Up/9-Band EQ/3-D Display Via PC

THX Select2 Processing And Certification

XM Satellite Radio Ready (XM-HD With Neural Sound)

192KHz/24-Bit Audio DAC, 96 kHz/24-Bit Video DAC

Direct Energy Amplifier Design/Rigid Trans-Stabilizer Construction

Large Banana Speaker Terminals (L/R/C/LS/RS/SBL/SBR)

iPod Audio/Photo/Video Compatible

Sound Retriever For Enhanced Portable Audio Playback

Faroudja DCDi Video Scaler (480p, 720p, 1080i)

Assignable Surround Back Speaker (Normal/Zone 2/Front Bi-Amp/MR & MS Modes)

AM/FM Audio Tuner With 30 Random Preset Stations

SR+ (Smart Remote) Terminal Output

12 V Trigger, RS-232C Control, IR In/Out

PQLS Provides Jitter-Free Multi-Channel High Resolution Audio (DVD-Audio/SACD)

8-Channel Audio Pre-Output

Multi-Room/Multi-Source Output (3 Zone)

Dialog Enhancement, Headphone Output, Midnight Listening Mode

X-Curve Compensation, Hi-Bit Sampling

HDMI/Component/S-Video/Composite Monitor Outputs

On-Screen Display

Dimensions: 16.54" W x 7.36" H x 18.35" D

Weight: 35.3 lbs


Pioneer VSX84TXSi Warranty Details
Two-Year Parts And Labor Warranty


From this I also found the Pioneer has a 48-bit DSP vs. Denon 32-bit. Also, the Pioneer seems to have 24-bit DAC vs. Denon 12-bit DAC.

This is not looking too favorable for the Denon.

 

[EdS]

I'm a 4306 owner, so I might be a bit prejudiced. With that said, the 4306 is at least the equivalent of the Pioneer (let's not start the argument if one is better than the other). See the 4306 review here at the Audioholics site. If you can get that receiver with Denon warranty for $1200 (I paid $1500 for mine from an authorized dealer, and thought that was a good deal), I'd jump on it. Worse case is you decide that you don't like it and return it.

 

[solomr2]

As it turned out, I went and spoke to the rep at BB and I asked him if they would loan me 4306 while they track down a Pioneer for me. They were happy to let me have it. So here I am with a new Denon 4306 right in front of me in my audio rack.

I guess I'll have to play with it for a little while

Already I'm having a challenge trying to figure out how to get my MP3 player to work with it. The instruction manual says I can do this through the USB port, but when I switch to Aux Network... nothing there. My iRiver MP3 player sees that it is connected to a USB source, but the Denon just doesn't get it. What gives with this?

 

[EdS]

The 4306 will play MP3's from USB Memory Devices like memory sticks, hard drives, etc. It doesn't play MP3's from MP3 players, unless you have an Ipod with the cable or docking station. If you have your MP3's on your PC, you can also connect the 4306 to your PC via a network connection and stream music to the 4306.

 

[solomr2]

I tried connecting a USB hard drive, and I tried a USB MP3/Memory stick. Neither seemed to be recognized. What sort of settings do you use?

 

[EdS]

solomr2,
just verified that on my 4306, with a memory stick plugged into the USB port, go to Net/Aux, should show Internet Radio, Network, and USB. Select USB, and I was able to select any folders on my memory stick which had MP3 music in them, the 4306 then allowed you to scroll through the MP3 listings and select the titles you wish to play.

 

[Dutchman01]

works 100%.

no problems here.

 

[solomr2]

I must be doing something wrong, I don't even see those options. Do you need a TV connected for the display to show those options or do you see the options on the unit's own display?

Yesterday I tried for like 30 mins to use the auto-steup room/eq function, but again I wasn't seeing the manual says I should see. I think you can only set it up using an external display, which is pretty frustrating.

I don't have a TV to connect to this system yet. This is all a new setup in my home-office, and I'm still shopping for new flat panel.

 

[awesomebase]

One other advantage

I don't know if it was mentioned explicitly, but I think that the Pioneer is the only mid-priced receiver to completely upconvert all signals directly to HDMI. Some other amps offer upconversion, but there are limits on what signals can be upconverted and whether they need to be through component or HDMI. So, that may or may not matter depending on your situation...

 

[Frugal]

Faroudja

I've seen the VSX-82TXS with upscaling Faroudja chip playing "Over the hedge" on a 106in screen with a Hitachi PJ-52 projector and it was stunning. Walked right up to the screen the lines were staight and clean. Has anyone had any experience with the Denon"s video performance? My feeling though is that you can't really go wrong with Denon.

 

[bigmac94]

4306

As it turned out, I went and spoke to the rep at BB and I asked him if they would loan me 4306 while they track down a Pioneer for me. They were happy to let me have it. So here I am with a new Denon 4306 right in front of me in my audio rack.

I guess I'll have to play with it for a little while

Already I'm having a challenge trying to figure out how to get my MP3 player to work with it. The instruction manual says I can do this through the USB port, but when I switch to Aux Network... nothing there. My iRiver MP3 player sees that it is connected to a USB source, but the Denon just doesn't get it. What gives with this?

The Biggest thing,I see is the " RJ-45 Ethernet Port"
Y`All can play Any Music You have on Your Computer using a Music Bridge & The Ethernet port Plus connect to the Internet.
just a Thought.

If Its Worth Doing Its Worth Doing Best You Can.

 

[solomr2]

As it turned out, I went and spoke to the rep at BB and I asked him if they would loan me 4306 while they track down a Pioneer for me. They were happy to let me have it. So here I am with a new Denon 4306 right in front of me in my audio rack.

I guess I'll have to play with it for a little while

Well, here's a quick update on this situation.

After waiting over 2 months with no word, I got a little frustrated and called to get an update. Rep I spoke with said she would look into it and call back. A week later, and no call back. I called again. Same deal, we'll call you back. Another week and no call back.

On my 3rd time calling, I wasn't going to settle for the same runaround. I threatened to return over $4000 in equipment if I don't get an answer. So now a manager gets on the phone. First they offer to just let me keep the Denon, which I declined. Then they asked me to come in and look around, see if there is anything else I might like, to which I responded that I really don't want anything else, I just want what I ordered and paid for.

The manager then tells me the Pioneer is no longer even registered in their system, there is no way to order it. So I informed the manager that Pioneer recently announced a new set of receivers will be out this summer, including the new top-of-the-line VSX94. So the manager offered to let me keep the Denon until they get those in stock, and then they will let me have the VSX94 at no additional cost.

Okay then, I'll see you in August. I made sure they notated it on the account so I wouldn't have to remind them of this conversation again in August.

Although the MSRP is just $100 more than the VSX74, with HDMI 1.3, 1080p, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio and Neural-THX Surround it should be a bit of a step up from the VSX74 and the Denon 4306. But for now, I'll just keep my fingers crossed until I have the new AVR in my audio rack.

 

[dpnaugle]

Might be time to wait a little longer

So, it is June 07. If you wait a few more months the DD+/True HD recievers will be out. If you have a receiver now that can get you by, you should wait it out.

If you plan on watching HD DVD or Blu-Ray then the the new receivers are a must in my opinion. I have the Denon 2807 and I love it but I can only get HD DVD audio in PCM - 5 channel stereo, and I don't like that at all.

I will upgrade when the 1.3 Denons hit the market or maybe try a Yamaha.

Good luck

DN

 

[solomr2]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I can get by with the Denon 4306 for now. It's a really nice receiver. But for what I have in mind I think HDMI 1.3 will be very useful, if for no other reason than to tinker and play around with the new HD formats.

I'm also considering the new Onkyo models... the 905 seems to have a very respectable set of features, including HD Radio, new Silicon Optix chips and Burr Brown Dacs. The MSRP is $2100, but maybe street prices in August when it comes out may be a few hundred less.