*Get the Pioneer Receiver here amzn.to/3DYth56 or use the 🛍️ tagged product link* ★ *QOTD: Who makes the best AV receiver, right now?* ★ *CLICK 🔝 “SHOW MORE” in the description for answers to many of your questions* Sponsored Message: For your chance to win $4.3 Million Los Angeles Dream House & support a great cause enter www.omaze.com/andrewrobinson
My judgment on the QOTD is based on your reviews so I’m going to say Onkyo but I’m really in over my head on this one. I love my Yamaha RX-V1085 but it’s limiting me to 5.1.2 for Atmos so I’m looking to upgrade.
@@SeanVedell I have the same receiver also and as you mentioned love it. I was actually thinking of getting a 7 channel amp instead of getting a new receiver since there ain't no 8k content available
@@michelfagan4891 Not a bad strategy but a seven channel amp is overkill to get those two rear Atmos channels I want. A two channel amp would get it done but finding one that’s decent and under $1,000 is a chore and gets real close to the Pioneer reviewed here.
Great review as always, Andrew and Kristi! I think Pioneer VSX-LX505 Elite is probably more equivalent to Onkyo RZ-50 in terms of power output (120W) and 9 channel amp plus 2 channel Pre-Amp. But I heard one negative for Pioneer is that LX505/305/105 does not allow individual crossover settings for the speakers. You're stuck with the same crossover for all your channels, while RZ-50 would allow that. Can you comment on that. Is that a big issue for common folks who just want to enjoy movies and music?
I just purchased the LX305 based on this review and I DO NOT REGRET IT! This system is the best sounding of all the receivers I've ever had! The Direcac Setup was a breeze, and watching movies is a pure joy! I can't believe how much of a difference this receiver has made! I kept the same speakers I've had for the last 8 years, yet they sound so much better! Thank you for the great review! I purchased this and do not have any regrets!
Hear me out. I'm in awe of your experience and knowledge. I've been a wannabe audiophile since 1983 when my dad bought me a Sound Design stereo, 😂 a lot of fake Vu meters and a multitude of EQ options with 4 ft tall speakers.. after a month of listening to those speakers I had to pry off the grills that were glued onto the cabinet and found one 4 inch speaker cone. I felt ripped off. From that moment on I wanted every stereo system I had to be the best that I could afford. I dabbled in Sony ES recievers, Infinity Kappas, Carver amps, Monster interconnect's and thick speaker wire. Boy has the world changed.. I was most proud of myself when S-Video came out and I could not believe the picture. I felt you couldn't get better than that.. And in 2022, I'm ready to retire. I have you to thank for steering me in the right direction of today's options and products. I bought a Sony ES receiver to start my journey again and I think the main reason I returned it was no phono preamp. After seeing this video at least 19 times, I purchased the Pioneer Elite vsx lx305 and I could not be happier. I want to thank you personally for that. I have commented before and told you you could sell me saltwater in the ocean. It still holds true. Thank you Andrew. Keep up the great work! Thank you for talking to us wannabe's and communicating with the true audiophiles in this community. Good luck in your new home and I hope for peacefulness to you and yours.
I've had Pioneer receivers my whole life and I upgraded a few months ago. Long story short, I waited for the new 2021 models to come out before deciding. I went with the 2019 model SC-LX704. I found a great deal on E-Bay. It's more powerful, more efficient and I don't need the HDMI 2.1 at all. Even if I got a gaming system in the future I would just connect it directly to my LG C1 and eARC the sound to the receiver. Problem completely solved. 8K doesn't interest me at all especially when first generation 4K went obsolete within a year. The 8K is just marketing. Even when and if it does roll out this version of HDMI 2.1 will be obsolete as well. So the 2019 model was the ticket for me. It's got Atmos and all the bells and whistles of the 2021 models and are actually more efficient.
@@MegaDevsta Find the eARC HDMI on your TV and connect that to the HDMI eARC on your receiver. Go into the menu of the TV and turn on the eARC feature. Now everything connected to the TV the sound will automatically get routed to the receiver.
Would you and Kristi ever consider making a video of how you guys do your testing/review process for equipment? I think it would be awesome to see all the work you guys put in to swapping out speakers/amps and see how that process works out. Also, sorry if I missed it, but it would be awesome to have a video of you explaining the wording/phrasing you use when reviewing gear. “Forward, heavy, forward, speed, scale, reserved”. Again, thank you both for all the hard work you guys put into the channel!
Its annoyingly pleasing how Kristi comes in after Andrew articulately spills every nuance, detail and emotion; and steals the show. Usually with a few simple words and phrases, and a standout viewpoint or 2. 😂 She's the emperor after a gladiator dual with the almighty fate deciding thumbs up👍 or down👎 to determine the fate of a product based on its performance. I can't help looking forward to it, every video. 😂👌🏾👌🏾
Great review Andrew. I’m in the market for a new receiver. Which one would you recommend between the pioneer vsx-lx305 and the onkyo tx-nr 7100. Would really appreciate any feedback. Thanks.
Any chance you will review the Pioneer VSX-LX505? It’s the direct competitor to the RZ50. It seems to be the better value but not sure on audio differences. Would be an awesome comparison due to both of them having many features and similar price points.
Amazing seeing Poineer thriving after all these years. The 1st cassette deck i installed in a car was late 90's and it was a pioneer 40 watts x4!!!!!! 🤣🤣 great video.
Given that the Pioneer LX305 is basically an NR7100 (just as an LX505 is the same thing as an RZ50) with only a few modest differences, this shouldn't come as a surprise. If chip shortages weren't a thing, Onkyo/Pioneer/Integra would probably be kicking some major Denon/Yamaha backside in the sales department. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of near insolvency, they are killing it.
I think Pioneer will be a force to be reckoned with in 2022 and beyond given that they're now on firm ground alongside Onkyo/Integra. I think the storied brand has a bright future.
I have a pioneer elite receiver as one of my set ups for multichannel music listening and I love it! All the features and sound quality you could ask for totally recommend it!
Hi everyone! We hope you are all getting ready to have a wonderful holiday. First though, how cool is today's video sponsor? I wish we were eligible for this one!! Second, I'm a little shocked nobody has commented on the new Magnat speakers in the video. I'm not sure you're ready. :) Lastly, Thank you so much for all the support you've shown us this year.
I’m trying not to look at them because they look like studio monitors and you’ve already sold me on their sound but they just wouldn’t fit my current AV space. But that doesn’t mean I can’t drool over the pictures. Someday….
I was looking at the LX105, but you've sold me on the 305. It'll sting a bit more when I buy it, but I'll be keeping this receiver for a long time. I'm really curious to try Dirac!
What timing! I’ve been hoping you’d soon review en Elite receiver. I’m debating between the Elite LX505 (gets the pre outs and a touch more power) vs. the Onkyo RZ50 and the Marantz 6015. I’ll be running a 7.2.4 (with an added two channel amp for each). Leaning towards the LX505 based on this review and availability. Not sure I get much more from the Marantz and the $500 higher price. Appreciate any thoughts/advice.
I got the 305 in January here in Germany. I've only done the basic DIRAC measurements until now but am quite impressed already by the sound quality. It just sounds right with the HECO Aurora 700s that I had also purchased as per your recommendation. The versatility of music features is impressive. I can even play 2-Channel DSD-files from a NAS using the Pioneer's Homeserver feature (DLNA). Music playback via Chromecast occasionally stutters, but will recover after switching the Pioneer off and on again. I paid 1,000 Euros for it, which is really cheap compared to DIRAC-enabled DENON AVRs. Thanks again for your review, I'd never have arrived with this great setup without it.
if the 305 is as good as the RZ50. How would the VSX-LX505 Elite 11.2 Channel be compared with the RZ50? and as of right now. there is only a $200 price difference between the 305 and 505.
I own this receiver and wouldn't recommend it. Software is flawed and if you find it lacking in power like I do its not easily expandable. I will still recommend this channel. I love my Monitor Silver 500 7g that Andrew helped to sell me on but take a pass on this Pioneer.
If you’re wondering why the HDMI 2.1 is 40 Gb/s and not the maximum 48 Gb/s, it’s because 40 Gb/s enables all of the HDMI 2.1 modes and resolutions except for 12-bit color. Since there is no plan for 12-bit color content and TV’ panels are 10-bit, most manufacturers don’t think the substantially added expense of 48 Gb/s is worth it. 48 Gb/s is really just a “spec” feature; it adds to practical benefit.
Hey Andrew. Just some clarification. You said for the initial sweep you set your subwoofer's volume to 12 o'clock but then turn it down to 3 o'clock for the actual measurements. Isn't 3 o'clock increasing the volume from 12 o'clock and therefore turning it up? Glad to see Pioneer back in the game.
Just got the lx305 for $549 to replace my pioneer vsx-1019. Very happy! Sounds amazing and very easy to setup and use! I am running with Infinity TSS-1100 5.1 and an extra pair of 750 satellites. Thank you for the great review! At this price, hard to beat!
Although Mr. Robinson did not answer my question, on the strengths of this review and several others I’ve seen on RU-vid I am throwing my hat in the ring and I just ordered the LX305. I was going to originally purchased a Yamaha Aventage A2A or 4A but was very concerned that all the bugs are not worked out which was confirmed by a telephone call to Yamaha. I then was going to get the Denon 3700 H however that unit has problems with a 2.1 input output and they tend to run very hot and they are internal boards are sourced from all over as confirmed by a call to Denon again reliability issues. Stumbled upon this review and did a final analysis and determined at roughly $1200 price point for 305 would do everything I needed to do and I believe it to be the sister unit of the Onkyo 7100. From my research I believe the Onkyp/ Pioneer to be basically the same although an in person trip to Best Buy told me they thought pioneer to be more robust (questionable). For me the 305 fits the bill less money than a Denon no issues such as a Yamaha and ready to go right out of the box. If I don’t like it I’ll return it.
Having owned Onkyo, Pioneer, and Technics receivers 25~15 years ago when I was starting to get into audio, its great to see these companies come back. It almost makes me home sick for my bedroom in my parents place.
Another great video! Love this channel. Sorry if this is a dumb question. I’m in the market for an avr and was looking at the Denon 4700h because of your Onkyo review saying something about bass heads probably not enjoying the subwoofer outputs. I have two SVS pb1000s already and wouldn’t want to lose any bass from them. What does it mean when you say single source subwoofer out? Does that mean the power is also split so there is less power in the signal going to each of two subs versus one? Or does it mean you just can’t put the subs in stereo mode? Because the Pioneer Elite 505 or Onkyo might be better choices for me and save me money. Might even be a good idea to make a video on this and some other avr features. Happy Holidays!!!
I purchased the Pioneer LX305 recently it sounds incredible coming from an Onkyo TXNR797, very similar sound ,but the Pioneer has a slight warmer tone and being that both are rated 100 watts 2 channels driven the Pioneer seems to be louder and has better stereo imaging at the same volume level, but....my only gripe is I can't seem to calibrate the Pioneer using Dirac Live gives me error codes out the wazoo, so I had to resort to running the MCACC calibration, I'm not sure if I'm missing out on better audio quality by not being able to use Dirac ,but other than the one issue, this receiver is everything Andrew hit on in this review, this Pioneer is great with music and movies and for the killer price I got on Amazon $676.00 , brand new out of the box , it's a definite keeper
I’ve had 3 pioneer elites, it’s all I’ve used until the last time I needed to go 4K and there were no good pioneer options. Ended up with Denon and have been happy but I really liked the Pioneer stuff. All of them still work great, they just became technologically obsolete. Side note, the pioneer elite plasma was one of my favorite televisions as well.
My LX305 was delivered yesterday. Setup was easy but Dirac is twitchy as hell. Kept failing because of room noise which there was none of. I can’t control cars rolling by the house. I ended up only doing the basic Dirac sweep of three positions. Not sure how much it helps. Still reviewing scenes I’m familiar with. All in all though your review here drove my decision to buy this receiver and 24 hours in I’m very happy.
Would the LX305 with DIRAC be worth the price over an LX-304? Most other specs between the 304 and 305 seem fairly equivalent and the price difference is about $600 at this moment. Thanks!
you can tell a lot about any receiver based on its weight. decent receivers are at least 31 lbs. even the Yamaha A4A weighs 34 Lbs and A6A weighs 43 Lbs. I always check the weight.
Oh wow, I got into this one early! Awesome! I'm really glad to hear the good things about this review as my current AV Receiver is a Pioneer Elite VSX-50. So if I were to replace it, I'd like to stick with the Pioneer brand, and I'm glad to hear that it would be a good choice going forward. However, I'll have to wait as I have a lot of other things that are begging for my financial attention in my home at the moment, and the VSX-50 still works very well.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. When the time is right, there will no doubt be an upgrade path for you and I would encourage you to keep Pioneer in mind when the time comes!
Nicely Done. While watching the video around 5:00 in you are talking about dirac. You set the subs to about 12 o clock for the initial sweep. ( I get that) Then you turn it down to about 3 o clock for the measurements. ( I don't have dirac but 9 o clock seems to be turning it down not 3 o clock) Does it work differently with dirac ? You have worked with many a receivers. Thanks
I watched another video on dirac and would like to rephrase my question. are you making all your sub adjustments via the dirac software or the sub itself ? Thanks.
Finally picked one of these up a few weeks ago. So very happy I did. Dirac Live is a game changer compared to the YPAO on my Yamaha receiver and everything is that much more alive on my Rp8000-F's. Even the wife was impressed.
Your channel is so insightful and therapeutic. Your review helped me make me the decision to go with the 305 and I am blown away by it. This thing is so amazing!!!
Just scored this pioneer on black Friday deal for $759 and 2 weeks latter a pair of Elac Unifi 2.0 5.2 for $379. All just showed up and will be installing over Xmas vacation, just need to order the Sony UBP-X800M2 4K blu-ray player to round out. Looking forward to getting this all together! Small home studio for 2.1 listening and dvd blu-ray for instructional lessons etc. 😊
Your reviews are amazingly literate, and your delivery is eloquent and detailed without being overwhelming. I'm currently in the market for a successor to my still-performing Pioneer Elite SC-71, and you've given me much to consider. Thank you!
I have an older 2006 Pioneer Elite vsx-84tsi avr, totl of that year for Pioneer, and I think it's every bit as good for 5.1 surround anyway as the new Marantz sr7015 that I'm regretting buying for more than $2200... For ease of use, as mentioned about this new Pioneer, hands down the Pioneer wins; I've been futzing with the 7015 for hours and hours and I STILL can't get it right. The Pioneer: almost plug and play. I find the old Pioneer vocal intelligibility to be superior to the new Marantz, and that is critically important, especially at lower volumes. Based on my experience with that old Elite in 5.1 (vs. the new Marantz), I totally believe the Robinson duo on this review; I'm sure the Pioneer 305 is excellent and easy to use, and a great bang-for-buck. Save the money: get the Pioneer AND maybe one of those cool SVS micros that Andrew uses for the same or less than a 7015 or 8015 Marantz. Even the well-regarded 6015 Marantz is more expensive than this new Pioneer, and I'm not sure if Marantz's "softer(?)" sound signature is as serviceable for surround sound, especially for dialogue intelligibility.
Andrew...you stick with that Klipsch subwoofer. Once I purchased a Rogers Speedwoofer my lifelong quest for bass was fulfilled. Also, why wouldn't Pioneer include SiriusXM in it's app list? Seems like Yamaha is the only company that offers sxm.
With the RZ50 tough to get and now the Pioneer VSX-LX505 is available my question is if the LX305 had the same connectivity as the RZ50 would you pick one over the other or are they virtually equal? This will be a great help to either continue to wait on RZ50 or just pick up the LX505 today. As always thanks for what you and Kristi do.
If the connectivity is the same, I wouldn't hesitate to buy the 505 over the RZ50 as their sound quality and functionality should be essentially the same. I'm not saying identical, but likely 90+% the same.
Eek! My partner saw this review and immediately went online, bought it and Dali Oberon fives, plus the matching Oberon Vokal centre speaker. Now I'm thinking I may have to send the speakers back as the fives are 6ohm and the Vokal centre is listed as 4ohm. Guessing the amp might burnout if we hook it all up for movie nights etc. 🤦♂️
Update: The receiver and Dali Oberon 5 speakers plus their Oberon Vokal centre speaker all arrived but I needn't have worried. The receiver has a setting for systems with any 4 ohm speakers and the amp puts on a room filling (14ft x 14ft) performance, adapting with power, detail and dignity to the nature of the source. It is a superb combination, miles better than my former Sony STR-DN1080 paired with budget classics Wharfedale 9.5 / CS. With initial Pioneer calibration, the soundstage was wider and far deeper on movies. Percussive hits were much punchier in movies and music, though the Dali Oberons had slight brashness on percussive highs, and bass, while adequate, definitely confirmed need for a sub to lay a better foundation for higher frequencies to rest upon. The change from sluggish Wharfedale 9.5s which had a bit of a bass bump to Dalis shaved about 10hz off the sub range and only goes down to about 40hz now. The Sony 1080's Atmos had been okay but wow, the Pioneer's own calibration even before Dirac Live added specificity and punch to movements. All went Next Level on finally using Pioneer's App to calibrate using Dirac Live. Some have commented on issues with this, but it went flawlessly and I am amazed. The result is a surer, pin point accurate and detailed sound with any Dali Oberon percussive harshness totally corrected, while using their detail to the max. It is quite breathtaking. First I was socked to hear much more in reverbed layers, then amazingly defined vocal layering in harmonies and choirs etc. The sense of more sub bass being needed isn't hardly there any more. It is like a very refined and exciting live show, whether pop or classical. As for movies (especially Atmos even on only 5.0) ... it is superb.
And here's to you, Mr. Robinson Jesus loves you more than you will know Whoa, whoa, whoa God bless you, please, Mr. Robinson Heaven holds a place for those who pray stereo only stereo only
Oh jesus, they’re bringing back the orange on black displays that I loved from Yamaha back in the day. ❤️ Do you see that Yamaha? Take notes! 🤣✌🏼 I know they won’t though....
Andrew, is this model any different than the new onkyo tx-nr7100 feature wise or is it the same with a different name and higher price? If you have any insight I would GREATLY appreciate it! Thanks, love the review.
If you compare the back panels the two are nearly identical other than the Onkyo has additional inputs where the Pioneer has blanks space. Example component video input. For more features and likely the rest of the guts being identical, the Onkyo seems to be the better bet. I bought the Onkyo after comparing all the specs. Be nice if @Andrew Robinson did a comparison to confirm.
Just bought this receiver and I find the bass and mids are really lacking. I'm have it powering monitor audio bronze 500s. I found my Sony Str-dn1080 sounded much better. Has anybody else noticed this receiver not sounding very powerful?
Funny you say that. And sorry I can’t comment on this new pioneer- I have an older 7.1 system. Originally bought a pioneer and it sounded so hollow. I got myself a sony 1050 and I couldn’t believe the difference. Filled those holes in the mids and bass. Just like you described for this new receiver. I really hope Sony gets building a new line of receivers soon…
Todays QOTD is a tough one! I like where Marantz is going with the compact NR1711 receiver because av receivers are usually so big, finding somewhere to put them isn’t always easy. I might buy one of their compact models in the future if they manage to make one with a higher wpc.
I'm aiming for the the VSX-LX104 or VSX-834. 9.2 channels would be a waste in my open plan space and it's over my budget. But I like their dialogue enhancement feature and the presets mode. The design of the lower front buttons are also a deal breaker for me because they're easier to feel in low light conditions.
Onkyo RZ50 allows individual crossover for the Front LR / Center / Side surrounds / Rear surrounds / Ceilings. I believe the pioneer locks all speakers to one crossover when set to small.
Is this still the case? Any information if it can be corrected with a firmware update? I'm considering pulling the trigger on either a RZ50 or a LX305/LX505. That fixed crossover could be deciding factor.
As an audio technician, I can tell you that in the last two years, I have seen an unusually high number of LX series Pioneer Surround Receivers come in for repair. Many were overheating issues, so if you have one of these, please give it lots of room to breathe. Don't put it in an enclosed cabinet. With chips being difficult to get, an overheating situation could be serious in terms of down-time. You could also ad an external fan. Andrew, nice work on the review. Overall, this is a good receiver.
I've been reading that many manufacturers that don't have small internal fans for their hdmi chips needs external fans. Seems like failure is just a matter of time ? The budget Cosco Onkyo Tx-NR6050 a version of the 6100 has an internal fan. Too bad not many people are talking about it :( Any 2021 lower end receivers not reaching your table for repair ? Thanks
Have you seen over heating issues with Denon as well? Are any certain models worse than others? I like the sound, but the warranty is useless, Denon doesn't stand behind their products, but if you get a good one you're golden. I need one for my winter home.
hey andrew, i did alot of research, and couldnt figure out which receiver to go with, after watching your video i was swayed enough to give this thing a shot, and i gotta say thanks! dirac really is worth it. im so glad i watched this video!
The problem I'm having with Pioneer is trying to find out who is an actual Pioneer authorized seller as their products have -ZERO- warranty if bought from anyone that isn't an authorized dealer. I've been all over the web, including the ONE Pioneer site that lists only ONE dealer. And we all know how worthless purchasing an extended warranty is. Anyone have any clues?
@@andrewrobinsonreviews till then i shall hate you more for making me wait another year LOL!!! coz i've been waiting that mcintosh review since your review on the parasound. but still, i shall wait in patience, Mr. & Mrs. Robinson :-)
@@andrewrobinsonreviews If I went this route I would probably get the Magnat Transpuls 1500s and keep my Yamo center and Surrounds for now. Oh and add two of the SVS 3000 Micro Subs for grins
Hi Andrew, thanks for your excellent review as always. I'm about to compromise on the Sony STR-AN1000 for the phantom channels and their 360 magic, because my current setup is a 5.1.2. However, I'm noting that more and more experts incline towards a 5.1.4. Is this case, is the Pioneer a better pick? Would you compromise Sony's room correction extravaganza for more channels? Thanks Andrew!
@@DeepDishPizza I did buy the Pioneer at the end, I must say I'm impressed! And Dirac Live does an incredible job at room correction with some tweaking. Never the less, it's an amazing AVR!
i've had this receiver for 1 month and im very impressed with the detail from music, movies and power it puts out. im very happy with the 305 paired with 240f 450c 160m's in the rear
Pioneer, now that's a name you don't hear that much anymore. My very first receiver was the SX-535, purchased in 1974. I've still got two of their LaserDisc players and a turntable from them.
Pioneer Elite has the been the unsung hero for the last 20 years. I've had a few and they were always better than Onkyo, Sony, or others in that class. Sure there's better, for a small fortune.
The only reason I would wait for the onkyo rz50 over this one is because of being able to add 2 more channels. I have the pioneer VSX-LX304 now and I love it, and looking to do the 8k upgrade. Thanks for this video! I was almost about to get this one until i found out no extra channels. Great video as always!
I bought the onkyo TX-NR7100, which is pretty much the same as the pioneer 305. I was going to get the 305 but found onkyo for $899.99. Also has direc live and my system sounds so much better than my old denon. Now planning on adding couple ceiling speakers. Currently have 5.1.2 system and hopefully gonna make it a 5.1.4.
Andrew - need some advice. I'm looking at an Audiolab 6000a Play amp and can't decide between the Zu Soul Supreme or Kipsch Hersey IVs... thoughts? I'm not an audiophile, yet want a great-sounding sound system for my office that will stand the test of time. Music is classic rock, Radiohead, some jazz, etc. Medium loud to rocking out. Thanks and keep up the killer reviews.
The best AV receiver is the one that is actually playing in your home! All the rest are just imaginary. As you say, the only person your gear has to please is you. Leave the noise outside; thoroughly enjoy what you have. Mele Kalikimaka!
I personally love the Audyssey. The over heating, and poor wifi, not so much. Even less that Denon wants you to pay freight to send their faulty products back to them. If you get a good one you're golden.
I believe pio is back! Also those magnat speaker are gorgeous 🤤 great review a year ago a was debating between a pio or denon receiver I end up getting a denon since I didn't seen much improvement from pioneer.
I returned my vx505 receiver for an exchange, cause did not hear no sound on height and zone 2 connection, also the phono did not work with my turntable,has no ground, sounded bad,also connected w my tv, other then that receiver sounds really good, have 6 floor speakers and 4 ceiling speakers in living room
