Pioneer Elite vsx-53tx or Yamaha rx-v1400

I am looking for a new receiver and am considering these two. I read a lot of comparisons between the Yamaha and Denons, but only one or two comparing the yamaha and pioneer. Personally, after listening to both of them at a local store, I liked the pioneer sound a little better. However, the pioneer is also about $200 more expensive. I can't decide if it is worth spending more for the slightly better sound, so any comments I get from this post may decide it for me.

Anyone have any thoughts about either receiver, especially with respect to quality? I have read really good comments about yamahas - how does pioneer compare?

Also, I will be running B&W 600 speakers, if that makes any difference.

Anyone have any thoughts, please?

If you like the Pioneer sound and has a GoodGuys near by, try the Pioneer VSX-2012. Not the Elite model but close enough and at close out discount of $500.

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Originally Posted by sy_lu

If you like the Pioneer sound and has a GoodGuys near by, try the Pioneer VSX-2012. Not the Elite model but close enough and at close out discount of $500.

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I thought the VSX-2012 just came out? Or has it been out for awhile and will be replaced with i believe the new numerical notation is 2014?

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Originally Posted by Goldmember

I am looking for a new receiver and am considering these two. I read a lot of comparisons between the Yamaha and Denons, but only one or two comparing the yamaha and pioneer. Personally, after listening to both of them at a local store, I liked the pioneer sound a little better. However, the pioneer is also about $200 more expensive. I can't decide if it is worth spending more for the slightly better sound, so any comments I get from this post may decide it for me.

Anyone have any thoughts about either receiver, especially with respect to quality? I have read really good comments about yamahas - how does pioneer compare?

Also, I will be running B&W 600 speakers, if that makes any difference.

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And you will not regret buying it. I've had, and have several Pioneer receivers and have gotten good service from all of them.

Pioneer's had a somewhat spottier reliability record over the years than Yamaha, but a lot of it ultimately does boil down to market perception and reputation. Yamaha is where it is because they've maintained a consistently good level of product quality over the years, and until a few years ago, their products could only be found at specialty audio stores, which also adds to the perception of quality.

Whether fair or not, a brand that gets sold at a mass market retailers is often viewed differently than something only found at higher tier stores. Pioneer's always been more of a mass market player than Yamaha, even though their price points are somewhat similar. Pioneer's Elite line put their products into the types of stores that Yamaha traditionally dealt with exclusively. Remains to be seen if Yamaha's relationship with Sears and Best Buy that started about four years ago affects their standing in the market, how their products get perceived, and how well they can maintain relations with their dealer network. Yamaha created the separate HTR and RX-V models to keep their dealer network happy, but the model lineups are still very similar (at least for the entry level models) and a couple of stores in my area have dropped Yamaha in the past year.

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Originally Posted by soonerczech

I thought the VSX-2012 just came out? Or has it been out for awhile and will be replaced with i believe the new numerical notation is 2014?

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It has been out for a while and is on its way out. I don't know whether Pioneer is going to market its replacement as the better Pioneer models are competing with the Elite series. If you check Pioneer's web site you will notice they only list low end models. Actually, I think this whole Elite business to let them and the dealers to charge higher price as they do not seems doing this two brands thing in Japan and Europe.

Some people think Pioneer is not that good compare to Yamaha or Denon but I think it is important to be open minded and not being fooled by hype and marketing. I got the VSX-2012 after my Denon 3300 went dead on me. I can say without doubt that VSX-2012 is better than 3300 in every way. I think it is a good value at $500.

Thanks for the input - makes me think twice about paying more for the Elite or RX-V series.... Unfortunately, the only place I could test out receivers with my B&W speakers was a high-end store that only stocked the Elite and RX-V receivers. I may have to pay a visit to goodguys.

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Originally Posted by Goldmember

Thanks for the input - makes me think twice about paying more for the Elite or RX-V series.... Unfortunately, the only place I could test out receivers with my B&W speakers was a high-end store that only stocked the Elite and RX-V receivers. I may have to pay a visit to goodguys.

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Forgot to mention, if you look at the spec, VSX-2012 is some what in between VSX-53tx and VSX-55txi and closer to VSX-55TXI. The only two things it seems VSX-55txi has and VSX-2012 does not are the i-link and OSD output to component video. VSX-2012 does have the USB link, RS232 and phono input which and VSX-53tx does not appear to have. The weight also is same as the VSX-55Txi. The VSX-2012 comes with the same remote as the VSX-55TXI. I think it is a far better remote than the VSX-53tx.

P.S. I have opened and looked inside my old Denon 3300 and the VSX-2012. I do not feel the Denon 3300 was built any better than the Pioneer. To the contrary, the Pioneer feels like better built and weight heavier.Some one may tell you the Elite uses better parts, I doubt it as N. America is the only region has this two branded marketing thing and a good reason for Pioneer to stop offering overlapping models in the two brands. What is true in general is higher end models uses better parts and Elite models are at the top end of Pioneer's product line and that makes this close out overlapping model a good value.