# Ladies and Gents...the 2011 Pioneer Elite lineup



## hearingspecialist (Mar 15, 2010)

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers


For those faithful Elite owners please share your experiences and listening impressions. It would be really cool if you also shared your viewing preferences, DSP modes, codec flavor, crossover choices and Advanced MCACC settings. I will post my 3D room views soon before and after calibration if it allows me to.

Happy Listening!!!


Brian in Bakersfield...


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
Looks like my fears about Pioneer no longer using ICE Modules is true with the VSX-53 not offering them and also only weighing 30.65 Pounds. In addition, the 53 as appears to be the Flagship no longer offers THX Ultra2 Plus Certification going back to THX Select2 Plus.

Granted the MSRP is far lower than the SC-37, but I highly doubt it will output over 100 Watts into 5 Channels as the 37 did. Perhaps like Onkyo which has only so far announced the TX-NR1009 and not the 3009 and 5009, Pioneer might later release higher specified AVR's. However, Pioneer has tended to announce the entire Elite Lineup at once so I am thinking the 53 is going to be the Flagship.

This direction of AV Manufacturers no longer offering more expensive AVR's with larger Power Supplies is getting more and more common with Denon not replacing the 5308 and 4810 and Marantz not offering anything higher than the AV7005. At least Denon has Announced an Upgrade for the 5308 and the AVP-A1HDCI where it will offer 3D Passthrough, Audyssey XT32, and Audyssey DSX, and PLIIz.

Just off the top of my head I am pretty sure this means that Onkyo will be the only Brand to offer new THX Ultra2 Plus AVR's when the 3009 and 5009 come out. Given the speed at which HDMI Specs change and how slow 3000 Dollar plus AVR's have been selling, this is not that shocking.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Yep, I am afraid we are going to see more and more of this unfortunately.


----------



## hearingspecialist (Mar 15, 2010)

Just installed my new VSX-30 and it stomps:flex: my mid level Yamaha in every way its really laughable I cannot believe the difference! More to come...


----------



## jimstolz76 (Apr 27, 2011)

hearingspecialist said:


> Just installed my new VSX-30 and it stomps:flex: my mid level Yamaha in every way its really laughable I cannot believe the difference! More to come...


Really? I'd like to hear more. We are a Pioneer Elite dealer but I never get the chance to compare one brand of AVR to another (except Elite to Arcam, but that just ain't fair...) I just inherited a Yamaha RX-V2500 and it sounds better than my (even) old(er) H/K AVR335. I'm surprised to hear the entry level Elite has a 'laughable' difference from another receiver.

Please, more info!


----------



## hearingspecialist (Mar 15, 2010)

Though I chose this model, it is by far no entry level (my opinion & proud owner talkin there:T) and the reason this specific was chosen was that there were zero benefits to purchase a more expensive model just for an extra hdmi connection or two, the other features were of zero interest to me. It wasn't until I started spending close to 2K would I then see the benefits for my setup. I searched and researched with purpose to find features and functions and this was the winner. Here goes:

1. The advanced MCACC is far more accurate and precise than YPAO. Even the basic MCACC would be better and there are so many technical and engineering reasons to support this, full spectrum phase control is one said technology.

2. Video processing is superior by leaps and bounds and just exchanging units with everything else the same it was much better right out of the box before tweaking on it, though the clarity with its 1080p took a few days to break-in, thought that was interesting.

3. Even the DSP surround modes sound much better and i'm a straight decoder kind of guy. Just every aspect of the sound with each and every mode is leaps and bounds better.

I'll just stop there, its just a great product with so much to offer a hearing specialist/engineer like myself. I also got it for $250 off brand new registered with Pioneer, no refurb.

here is some previous thoughts: http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?p=37470#post37470


----------



## Binary (Nov 23, 2009)

This is annoying. I've been waiting for a good reciever to purchase since 2006, there has been NOTHING worth purchasing since then, Only ever a select few that come out, and to buy a $2k reciever to use as a pre-amp, is just plain silly. Especially considering i don't want any of the amplification side of things. 

My current receiver is a pioneer vsx1015-tx and its thx select certified, but i'm looking for an ultra-certified surround sound pre-amp. 

My problem is that i only have a simple 15a breaker to work with where i am situated, and installing a larger breaker isnt a possibility as i do not own the home. Pulling the amp side out of the reciever cuts its power consumption by 75-90%. This is HUGE! 
The only people making a certified pre, are Onkyo and its the same price as their flagship reciever... which has the same features (nothing extra other than amps). I just don't get why the pre-amps are the same price as the recievers!?

/rant


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Binary said:


> I just don't get why the pre-amps are the same price as the recievers!?
> 
> /rant


Its called supply and demand, Receivers offer far more features than a stand alone PrePro in most cases and sell hundreds/thousands more. This keeps the cost down as manufacturers recoup their research and development cost much faster.


----------



## Binary (Nov 23, 2009)

tonyvdb said:


> Its called supply and demand, Receivers offer far more features than a stand alone PrePro in most cases and sell hundreds/thousands more. This keeps the cost down as manufacturers recoup their research and development cost much faster.


The problem is that recievers are 3x the weight, if not more, require additional components, and chances are, use the same boards as the pre-amp, but with an amp section plugged into it. I don't care about supply and demand, These guys need to understand that the public knows they are the same unit, one with amps, one without. and almost no other changes. Even if it was only $100 difference, it would be enough to make me happy, but its not. its exactly the same price, for less.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Sadly your in the minority with how you feel. Its all about the bottom line and consumers want the most for the least price.


----------



## Binary (Nov 23, 2009)

tonyvdb said:


> Sadly your in the minority with how you feel. Its all about the bottom line and consumers want the most for the least price.


I guess you're right, I'm not a blind consumer, i know what i need/want my product to do, and know that anything else thrown in after what i want is simply there for the reason you said, The most for the least.

I'd rather they dedicate their time to making a product that is good at everything it does, not just cramming more junk into it to say "it does everything."


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Although I agree that some features that receivers have are just a gimmick in some regards there are many features that you do not get in a PrePro at anywhere near the price of a mid grade receiver that are necessary and why companies like Outlaw and Emotiva do not have thes is beyond me like Auddessy room EQ or even the THX surround modes (very useful). Welcome to the world of consumer electronics


----------



## beyond 1000 (Aug 28, 2008)

I feel a flagship model AVR is too much money spent. I myself have an Onkyo 906, a formidable AVR, much like the 5008 (same power supply) but despite their claims of "massive toroidal transformer" I'm now running it as a pre-pro and just bought an Outlaw 7500 power amp. Looking at two 1.6 kva transformers brings a new meaning to "massive." 

My point is flagship AVRs are just too much money. Case in point, where is Yamaha's Z-11? Gone. 
The thing weighed in a 73 lbs and cost $6000 and no way could it crank out 140w all channels driven. What about Denon's 5805? They decided to go separates. I bought the Outlaw at only $1600 and this 80lb beast can easily destroy the Z-11 in power and control. 

If you are going to pay more than $1000 for an AVR then go for separates or at least a half- decent AVR as a pre-pro and get a good amp. Fortunately, through the AVS dept in my company, I snapped my 906 at $999.00. Now it only powers the surround back speakers and can truly deliver it's rated 145w on the two speakers.


----------

