Pioneer VSX-82TXS Receiver Review

[gene]

<A href="http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/Pioneer-VSX-82TXSp1.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 94px" alt=[pioneerVSX82TXS] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/pioneerVSX82TXS_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>With a receiver at this level, it is easy to get bogged down in the details. What the masses want is a big picture. And the big picture is that the VSX-82TXS is capable receiver with some caveats. For the majority of the people out there, setting up the Pioneer VSX-82TXS will be a breeze. The balance the Pioneer VSX-82TXS strikes between ease of initial set-up and depth of configuration will please the audiophobic and the audiophile alike!

[Read the Review]

 

[zoran]

Sneak Peek.

http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/Pioneer-VSX-82TXSp1.php

good review man!!I personally think, if u have up-scaling dvd player with dcdi etc, or that is decent, there is no need to upscale through the reciever!!this is mute point!!I'll trust my dvd player over receiver to do my upscaling and deinterlacing!!

but unfortunately this is new gimmick that has been included in the receivers to milk extra cash from enthusiasts imho!

Even pass through hdmi in 1080i, was giving me artifact laden picture with 74txi elite so, i had to connect my yamaha c 950 directly to tv, and this defy all the purpose of pass through or upscale by receivers if it is boosting/downgrading image by adding noise/artifacts.

hopefully 82txv is sending noise free unaltered or without adulteration image through hdmi pass through?

 

[Tom Andry]

hopefully 82txv is sending noise free unaltered or without adulteration image through hdmi pass through?

I didn't have any problems with pass through or HDMI switching. It was only during conversion that the problems manifested themselves.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Tom,

That was a very well written, informative review. Probably the best I've read on the site. Nice job. The pictures blow up well, too.

 

[JohnA]

Think you can get your hands on a VSX-1016 to test...for a Sub $500 THX Select 2 receiver I would like to see how it stacks up...considering not "everyone" has thousands to spend on a system.

 

[papostol]

Nice review!

Question: do I need an amp to power a THIRD zone or am i able to use internal amps. I'm trying to have a 5.1 in the main room while having two additional zones.

Thanks!!!! Pete

 

[krabapple]

Good review, but I was disappointed not to see before/after room measurements of the MCACCC function. I have the 74txvi and have always wanted to see this sort of data.

Also, Tom, did you actually EQ each channel/tweak standing waves yourself in the 'me' columns? If so, by what method?

 

[Tom Andry]

Nice review!

Question: do I need an amp to power a THIRD zone or am i able to use internal amps. I'm trying to have a 5.1 in the main room while having two additional zones.

Thanks!!!! Pete

You'll need an amp for zone 3. There are 7 amps internal to the unit. 5 for the 5.1 and 2 that can be used for zone 2.

Also, Tom, did you actually EQ each channel/tweak standing waves yourself in the 'me' columns? If so, by what method?

No. I wanted to see how the MCACC handled the EQing. In the ME columns, I set the speaker size and distance (for the sub) and let the MCACC set the EQ.

 

[krabapple]

You'll need an amp for zone 3. There are 7 amps internal to the unit. 5 for the 5.1 and 2 that can be used for zone 2.



No. I wanted to see how the MCACC handled the EQing. In the ME columns, I set the speaker size and distance (for the sub) and let the MCACC set the EQ.

So, for the 'Pio' columns, the AVR is assuming mostly LARGE speakers, as per its initial determinion of speaker size?

 

[Tom Andry]

So, for the 'Pio' columns, the AVR is assuming mostly LARGE speakers, as per its initial determinion of speaker size?

You are correct.

 

[krabapple]

Thanks. I'm also curious about the subwoofer distance -- I've seen some claim that 'acoustic' distance is not necessarily the same as 'actual' distance for subs -- so such AVR 'mistakes' might be right after all. Your thoughts?

Also interested to know how you had audio running from the DVD player to the 82 -- optical, HDMI, or analog?

 

[Geoh]

Great review!
In particular I was impressed (and a bit surprised) by the amplifier performance... "exceeding specs", how often do you see that happen

geoh

 

[Geno]

Keep up the good work

This review reinforces my opinion of Audioholics ethics and courage. For a $1200 receiver to have the flaws that you point out takes guts. I've written off so many other publications' reviews as being "fluff pieces", because they mostly never find a product they don't love.

I've always had a high opinion of Pioneer, so maybe they'll take your criticism and fix the problems instead of bring a lawsuit (like Bose)
Of course, that's just my opinion...I could be wrong.

 

[gene]

Thanks. I'm also curious about the subwoofer distance -- I've seen some claim that 'acoustic' distance is not necessarily the same as 'actual' distance for subs -- so such AVR 'mistakes' might be right after all. Your thoughts?

It depends if the subwoofer has DSP processing or if you cannot defeat its LPF. The only auto cal system I have tested to date that accurately determines subwoofer distance is Audyssey. In fact, its smart enough to calculate an average distance if you have more than 1 sub connected to the output.

In particular I was impressed (and a bit surprised) by the amplifier performance... "exceeding specs", how often do you see that happen

well we recently seen it happen on the $500 Yamaha RX-V659 receiver. That receiver simply blew me away with its performance at its price point. I was NOT expecting that!

 

[krabapple]

It depends if the subwoofer has DSP processing or if you cannot defeat its LPF.

Can you expand on this? Most AV processors with autocalibration seem to measure the 'acoustic' distance of the sub. At least some manufacturers recommend using this value. (e.g. http://www.audioholics.com/FAQs/parasoundHaloC2FAQs.php; Pioneer also recommends using the calculated value)

When is this right/wrong? Are you referring to whether bass management is on or off (e.g. bass is summed from other channels, and the sub channel has a LPF)?

 

[gene]

Can you expand on this? Most AV processors with autocalibration seem to measure the 'acoustic' distance of the sub. At least some manufacturers recommend using this value. (e.g. http://www.audioholics.com/FAQs/para...aloC2FAQs.php; Pioneer also recommends using the calculated value)

When is this right/wrong? Are you referring to whether bass management is on or off (e.g. bass is summed from other channels, and the sub channel has a LPF)?

The only way to be certain if the value it finds for subwoofer distance is to measure how well the sub integrates with the other speakers, particularly the mains and center channel. If your sub is 5ft away from your listening position and your mains are 15ft away, yet the receiver thinks the speakers are 15ft away (correct) and the sub is (20ft) away, then the receiver is likely wrong unless the sub itself is adding additional delay due to DSP processing, or a cascaded LPF from the sub. Thus its recommended you defeat the LPF of the subwoofer or at least dial it much higher than the LPf in the receiver.

Don't blindly trust that the receiver is setting the sub distance correctly. Let your ears, and measurements (if possible) determine the validity of the setting.

 

[jbrillo]

Just curious, would you say that the Pioneer Elite 82 is essentially the same as the previous Elite 72 except for the video upconverting & ability to play XM HDsurround? Obviously I own the 72 and was just wondering if the amp section & processors were the same. Thanks.

 

[gene]

Just curious, would you say that the Pioneer Elite 82 is essentially the same as the previous Elite 72 except for the video upconverting & ability to play XM HDsurround? Obviously I own the 72 and was just wondering if the amp section & processors were the same. Thanks.

Unfortunately we don't have a history with Elite receivers, at least I dont since the mid 90s with their products. So I cannot intelligently answer that. From this time forward we plan on covering each generation receiver from them like we do with Yamaha and Denon so we can answer questions like these in our sleep

 

[krabapple]

The only way to be certain if the value it finds for subwoofer distance is to measure how well the sub integrates with the other speakers, particularly the mains and center channel. If your sub is 5ft away from your listening position and your mains are 15ft away, yet the receiver thinks the speakers are 15ft away (correct) and the sub is (20ft) away, then the receiver is likely wrong unless the sub itself is adding additional delay due to DSP processing, or a cascaded LPF from the sub. Thus its recommended you defeat the LPF of the subwoofer or at least dial it much higher than the LPf in the receiver.

Don't blindly trust that the receiver is setting the sub distance correctly. Let your ears, and measurements (if possible) determine the validity of the setting.

Of course, the speaker distance calibration the AVR performs *is* a measurment...and quite possiblyk one that's better than 'ears',which aren't very good at low frequency system integration. Of course I'd like to see validation from an independent in-room measurement --in fact I expressed disappointment taht one wasn't done in Tom's review. Seems to me that any system where there's bass management is going to involve DSP and thus produce an 'acoustic distance' longer than the physical one (most knoweldgeable users will already have either disabled their sub's LPF or set it high enough not to cascade with the AVRs)

Anyway, I found a good thread about this on AVSforum (warning: one post contains a disparaging statement about Audioholics AVR reviewers)


http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=740749

 

[evivbulgroz]

How about VSX-81 and Marantz SR 4001

Great review. Now however I don't know if I should buu this receiver.

I am looking for a good receiver that will last long and that is packed with "features". This receiver looked great and I did plan on using the upconversion with my Tivo and with my DIVX dvd player.

The VSX-81 is cheaper, has a TBC bit no real upconversion. Do you guys have any opinion on that?

The Marantz SR 4001 looks also very interesting and can be had for around $500. The features are decent. I am hearing bad stories about Onkyo/Marantz products however.

I don't know what to do. Any idea?