I have finally shortlisted the receiver I want in the range and features I was looking for. HDMI is not the factor but power (100-110W) and sound does matter. It would be used 80% for movies and TV and 20% for music. The ones I have shortlisted are
Yamaha HTR-5960 (or VX-659) or Pioneer VSX-1016TXV
I am going crazy to pick the one out of the two. Only local Best buy carried both where I could compare them but after three attempts of visiting them I have not been very happy with comparison as each time I got some sales guy who could not put both the receiver on equal comparable settings. I was somehow inclining towards Yamaha but am confused of the quoted neutral/brighter sounding output of Yamaha as compared to Pioneer (as suggested by people)
Please help me choose. I really want to pull the plug tomorrow after a month's of searching and reading. Would appreciate if you can just help me for of the two receivers mentioned above and not recommend any other (took me long time to pick those two). I would be using the receiver with Infinity Primus 360/C25/150s and BIC-H100 in a fairly open room (medium to big size with high ceiling). Thanks.
M,i also bought the yamaha 5960 but not have hooked it up yet,still searching for speakers trying to incorperate existing speaker and add on,hopefully by wk.Had to rush to buy it as the sale was off that evening from Future shop.I did do some research(usually takes me months) but did a rush on this one.Sounds like you and i are both in the same ballpark re. usage.Only thingthat bothered me a bit about the unit overheating regarding prolonged use but with the 2yr. warranty i will take my chances.But the unit has everything that i wanted.Tom
Interesting specs: Yamaha 5960 Power Supply: 400W and total receiver weight of 26 lbs Pioineer 1016 Power Supply: 490W and total receiver weight of 33 lbs and 1oz
Does that say anything (now don't say that you can fry an egg on the receiver ?
You are not reading the power output of the receivers--that is their power consumption. Some of that power is used by the pre/pro section and the general operation of the functions within the receiver. Nevertheless, power consumption is a rough but decent guide for comparing each receiver's relative power capability. If you really want to know what the power supply can do, see if you can find a spec for "peak current capability." That will tell you what the power supply can really do. I know Harman/Kardon will publish it, but most receiver makers will not. More telling than the power consumption figures are the weights of the receiver. Heavier receivers usually demonstrate better power supplies and larger heat sinks for cooler operation.
Why do you limit yourself to these two receivers? Do you have to shop at Best Buy?
If it were me, and those were the only two choices I had, it would easily be the Pioneer. Yamaha rates their receivers driving only two channels at once, so if you drive 5 channels, the power to each speaker drops by 40-50% from the rated power.
I was inclining towards Yamaha initially but I think I might go with the Pioneer. For some reason I have a doubt stuck in the back of my mind that Yamaha sounded a bit shallower than Pioneer. Will try auditioning one last time tomorrow at a different BB store. One feature I guess Yamaha has worth noting down is the Sync Delay. Oh well!!
Pioneer 1016 for some reason is out of stock or backordered at most places. Anyone has a clue? CC and BB carry it for $450 plus tax and whereas Yamaha 5960 is available for $350 shipped
the sounds of both units are determined imo by their pre/pro sections. I like the pioneer better as I find it a bit warm of neutral, not so much a good thing but compared with the yammy which imo is a bit bright of neutral. In a perfect world, they would both sound great and subjectivity would be the only determining factor and you could just listen to each and decide for yourself. So what's stopping you? All anyone here can do is tell you which they prefer and for what reason, but I don't think the weight of either a/v receiver should determine your purchase.
Hi Jeff, Thanks for your input. Nothing had been stopping me. It's just that I shortlisted to these two receivers and then I was not able to audition them appropriately at the local BB store since they did not have it on same settings each time. I wanted to do final pick only after an audition. I am planning to drive and go to another BB store which might carry both of these receivers together so that I can audition them and compare. Thanks.
Pioneer 1016 was not available anywhere other than BB and they were not willing to come down. I ordered a Yamaha VX-659. Will see if I don't it then I will look out for Pioneer and send Yamaha back. In my latest autition of the two receivers, I felt Pioneer to be more fuller in some cases but Yamaha felt louder and more multi channel oriented (i.e. surround was more rich). I had both of them set to Normal Stereo (Dolby ProLogic) and same decibal levels. I guess it was a close tie and due to easy availability of Yamaha, I went in for that one. Pioneer had a bit more power and THX certification while Yamaha had rave reviews, sync delay and more customization possibilities. HDMI would have sucked on Pioneer 1016 so that was not a consideration at all. Moreover my HDTV has an HDCP/DVI input only. I am hoping to like my setup.
as to the availability of the VSX-1016.... Pioneer announced their new 517,817,917 and 1017 models recently at CES. That probably means they stopped production on the xx16 line sometime late last year.
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