1. Home
    2. >
  2. Forum
    3. >
  3. Home Audio Forum
    4. >
  4. Receivers Forum
    5. >
  5. Archive through December 29, 2003 Forum
    6. >

Elite 45tx benchmarked?

 

Jeff Plous
Posted on   
After reading some posts around here... Im curious if the elite 45tx has been benchmarked anywhere? How far under the 100wpc does it really go?
Thanks
Jeff
 

G-Man
Posted on   
Are you wondering how many of the advertised 100 watts per channel are actually being delivered with 5 channels--or even 7 channels being driven?

I have only seen the benchmark page that Hawk had posted earlier on numerous receivers from 2-5 years ago. That Sound and Vision benchmark page did not list the 45tx. It had a couple of Pioneer Elite receivers from which one may make a fairly accurate guess.

Now I sincerely doubt it has the robustness of the 49tx which was listed on that benchmark. The 49tx (2002) is advertised as having 130 watts per channel, but with its massive power supply was able to benchmark at 148 watts per channel with 5 channels driven and 144 watts with 6 channels driven. The older 24tx (1999) was listed at 90 watts per channel but tested out at 76 watts per channel wsith 5 channels driven.

Since the 45tx is advertised at 100 watts, I would guess it tests out at somewhere between 80 and 90 watts per channel with 5 channels driven. IKt may have a more robust power envelope than that, but I imagine it is around 85 watts. Of course, there is a chance that it has a similar robustness as the 49tx and the 47tx. If it does than one could extrapolate that the output is around 115 watts per channel with 5 channels driven

That said, in the "real" world of powering speakers, there really isn't a dramatic difference in power between 85 watts and 110 watts that one can audibly discern. You would probably have to get up to At least 130 watts to notice any difference. And for most speakers in average rooms you would never need that much power.
 

G.DawG
Posted on   
Just incase you wanted that site, here you go


http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Hollow/3401/ratevsac.htm
 

Jeff Plous
Posted on   
Anyone else know of the 45tx being tested? Im really curious how it delivers... Especially now that I own it :)
Jeff
 

Jeff Plous
Posted on   
Anyone? Elitefan care to comment?
 

G-Man
Posted on   
Jeff--

I don't think any magazine has thoroughly used instrumentation to take all the measurements you want. You will have to rely on the basic info specs that Elite supplies.

Otherwise, if you are that interested, try sending an e-mail to the Pioneer Tech department and ask them which benchmarks you are interested in knowing. I am sure they have tested everything--but who knows whether they will tell you.

You should be satisfied with the knowledge that you have a very good receiver that is more power than your speakers need, has much lower distortion and much higher signal to noise ratio than most similar receivers, looks great, has a great chipset, and a great feature MCAAC for balancing the speakers. You'd have to spend considerably more to get any better audible performance.
 

G.DawG
Posted on   
Jeff,
If you dont mind me asking, why do you want to know? Is it because you think that the 100 watt rating is an inflated marketing trick? Or is the Pioneer's power not enough for you?

If you want REAL power you are going to have to buy a power amp. I have a NAD 216TX powering my front speakers right now.(Its only rated at 125w per channel but sounds like it has quite a bit more kick at the low end at high volumes)

I think that the 45TX would have ATLEAST 90 watts on tap with all channels being driven. Even if not, its easily loud enough for me!
 

Jeff Plous
Posted on   
No its plenty powerful. Im just curious - I want to see how high quality they made the power supply. Im just one of those guys that buys a product and then keeps trying to figure out more and more about it :)
Jeff
 

Jeff Plous
Posted on   
Okay I actually emailed pioneer about this to see what they had to say... I dont really understand what theyre saying here... But heres the email..

Pioneer: The power output ratings are based on the FCC rule for rating amps in the owners manual. Now if you change the test and the rating in a lab you can increase the receivers power outputs , But burn up the outputs quicker and shorten the like of
the amp. So Pioneer's ratings in owners manual may be conservative ratings.

Anyone?
 

G-Man
Posted on   
For whatever reason they aren't willing to give you the test results. One could come up with a nefarious reason, such as its amplifier section doesn't outperform the specs as does the 47tx and the 49txi. But it could be as simple as the 'droid answering your e-mail has zero desire to find the people at Pioneer that know the answers. I find it hard to believe that when they made this amplifier they didn't perform all sorts of analyses and measurements.

So, I get the impression he is "blowing you off" while trying to be nice and obscure simultaneously. Either that or he totally misunderstood the question. The irritating part is when he says-"Now if you change the test and the rating in a lab you can increase the receivers power outputs , But burn up the outputs quicker and shorten the like of the amp".

HUH? That isn't what you aked and is a meaningless answer. You didn't ask that you wanted to push the amplifier beyond its capabilities and he responded as if the receiver was a computer and you were trying to increase its clock speed. It reminded me of a politicians answer to a question that wasn't asked.

You wanted to ask him what was the amplifiers output into 8 ohms with both 5 channels and 7 channels driven simultaneously. You weren't asking to alter any measurements or processes. You just want a REAL WORLD answer to a REAL WORLD question (or problem). Actually, it isn't a problem--you just want an answer. He acted as if it was a problem. He is either defensive or lazy--maybe both.

That said, I wouldn't worry about your amplifier section with the speakers you own. Even if you eventually upgrade to Monitor Audio Silver surrounds or use Monitor Audio Silver bookshelves as surrounds that receiver has more than enough power and will drive them as loud as you can possibly stand.
 

Jeff Plous
Posted on   
Hah I agree with you completely. And yes I am going to get the MA silver surrounds and the MA Silver center channel. - As soon as I have some cash again :) This poor college student is broke from the S8s. I do have to say tho, they sound absolutely amazing. Even 2ch is awesome IMO. And I grew up in a house with fairly serious audio equipment (of it time ie dahlquist dq10s with dynaco 400 amps). I love the sound these things produce - definetely sounds like a MUCH larger speaker than it is.
I guess Ill never find out if the PE is pushin more or less than its advertised number.
Thanks anyway
 

Jeff Plous
Posted on   
Hey Elitefan now that youre back do you have any input on this?
Jeff
 

elitefan
Posted on   
For some reason no one reviewed the 43 or 45 so I have not seen any multichannel ratings. Being that the 45 has a very large power supply I would not be to concerned. The guess of 90 in 5 channel is probably pretty close going by what some of the older models did put out. The newer supplies are even better so everyone who owns one of these great receivers enjoy! Perfect Vision just reviewed the new 55txi but no measured ratings in the review but they liked it alot.
 

Don
Posted on   
Jeff,

Go to Rotels website and download their comparison review on the 1055 (free). They compare it with the P.E. VSX-D2011, which is the european version of the 45tx (same in every way as far as I've seen). The Elite and Rotel are the clear standouts out of the 6 receiver comparison. And the review has in depth power ratings on all the receivers mentioned. Very helpful. You may come back with envy for the Rotel though. It just bolstered my choice of the 45tx though.
 

elitefan
Posted on   
Don,
Thanks for the heads up on the Rotel site and the interesting test. It just bolsters what G-Man and I and others have been saying about the Elites and their great power reserves. The flat response through the entire frequency range is incredible. Nice to see on a bench test how much the 45tx blows away the usual competition. Maybe some of the nay-sayers will wake up but doubt it. Again. thanks.
 

AdamT
Posted on   
Interesting comment from Pioneer concerning the FCC rating system. NAD goes to some lengths to explain the FCC requirements and why they are a *bad* measure of real world results: http://www.nad.co.uk/power/
« Previous Thread Next Thread »



Main Forums

Today's Posts

Forum Help

Follow Us