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Pioneer Elite VSX-82TXS

Pioneer Elite VSX-82TXS

Editors' rating

Excellent

8.3

out of 10
  • The good: Pioneer's high-end 7.1-channel A/V receiver is tightly packed with a full range of top-notch features, including a Faroudja HD scaler that converts all analog video inputs to your choice of 480p, 720p, or 1080i resolutions over the receiver's HDMI output. It offers three 1080p-capable HDMI inputs and highly accurate autosetup. The THX Select2 certified receiver is also XM-ready and--with the included connecting cable--offers iPod compatibility.
  • The bad: Densely packed menus will intimidate novices. Analog-to-digital video conversion has some issues which may bother discriminating videophiles.
  • The bottom line: With an extensive feature package, rock-solid build quality, and awesome sound, the Pioneer Elite VSX-82TXS is a worthy combination of everything we expect in a high-end A/V receiver.
  • Reviewed by:
  • Steve Guttenberg
  • Edited by:
  • John P. Falcone
  • Review date: 11/27/06

Intro of Pioneer Elite VSX-82TXS

Elite, Pioneer's designation for its flagship audio and video components, definitely looks the part. Finished in a gleaming, high-gloss black, the A/V receivers were designed to match Pioneer's gorgeous plasma TVs, and in this case, the beauty is more than skin deep. The receiver's Faroudja HD Scaler converts lower-resolution video signals up to 480p, 720p, or 1080i resolutions over the receiver's HDMI output, and there's audio and video switching (to as high as 1080p resolution) for three HDMI sources. We were happy to see the VSX-82TXS comes with the most advanced automatic speaker-calibration technology we've seen from Pioneer. The receiver's massive signal-processing capabilities will mostly be of interest to buyers who enjoy tweaking the sound to the nth degree. About the worst we can say about this dream machine is that its somewhat overly complex menu system may intimidate novices. But considering that it's widely available for more than a third off its $1,200 list price, we suspect there will be plenty of home-theater enthusiasts willing to master the learning curve.