My search for a receiver is over.
As I had said in a previous installment, buying a receiver used to be easy. You got the one that sounded best in your price range, period. Now, connections are the first concern â€" will you have enough HDMI slots for the next few years
That said, I couldn’t make the purchase based on connectors and specifications alone. This is, after all, audio equipment. How could I buy without hearing it
The Pioneer Elite VSX-60But hearing equipment is getting to be more difficult. There are a fewer independent stereo stores. As big box stores to fight “show rooming†â€" customers auditioning equipment they then buy cheaper online â€" often don’t let you listen.
For instance, I was intereted in a Sony STR-DN1030, which has excellent specs for its $500 price, including a built-in Wi-Fi, unusual for receivers in its class. H.H. gregg had the Sony and many other receivers I was interested in on display, but not a single one was plugged in. Deal breaker.
I tried a Best Buy store with a Magnolia, the higher-end home theater section. The store didn’t carry the Sony, so that model was out of the running. I was able to hear the Denon AVR2113CI, the Yamaha RX-A720BL, the Marantz NR1603, and the Pioneer Elite VSX-60.
They all met my minimum feature requirements, which meant at least five HDMI inputs, the audio surround decoders I wanted, and they had to be less than 16 inches deep to fit my shelves.
I’m glad I listened. To me the Pioneer Elite VSX-60 stood out as the obvious winner. Sound was more detailed and had more dimension than the other receivers.
But I must admit that what I did next contributed to Best Buys show-rooming problem! . I went to see which of these receivers was available from my local independent electronics dealer, Soundscape, here in Baltimore. Almost all of them, although they didn’t have the Pioneer on display.
Ethically, I was a bit torn. But if my purchase is going to keep someone in business, I think Soundscape needs me more than Best Buy. The scales tipped further when Soundscape’s owner offered a discount since I’m a regular there. That settled it.
With the VSX-60 installed I am confident I made the right choice. Even though it replaces an older NAD receiver that cost twice as much, the sound is excellent and surround sound effect is far superior.
I will admit, though, it is not quite as easy to use as my prior receivers. I haven’t figured out how to turn off the scaling, which adjusts the size and clarity of a picture to suit my TV. This comes with the territory of sophisticated new features.
Next up, the Blu-ray player.
