Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Another Question About Receivers

I think there is a sound quality difference between AVRs, but actually hearing that difference is something most people can't perceive (IMO).

So I would rank "sound quality" as possibly the least important part of the decision (assuming your not looking at a Sensui ). Features has to be number one, can it do what you want. Sounds like you have an idea in what you want them to do. Build quality (and reliability). I can tell you as an owner of an AVR630 that HK builds the heck out of their receivers. Weight really does mean sometime for amplifiers (power wise). Then asthetics, I really would prefer to not own something I believe is ugly, althought I will admit its a lower priority, but if you come down to a close race between two models it would be the tie breaker for me.

Just a couple cents there.

SK, if you "keep reading" that Axioms and Pioneers are "bright", then you're reading sources which are misinformed or uninformed but continue to spread audio mythologies. Again, Axioms are accurate speakers which reproduce the characteristics of the source material, be it dull, bright, just right, or whatever.

Your Pioneer, along with all competently designed receivers has a flat 20-20KHz frequency response and there's no way that it can mysteriously add some sonic characteristic of its own which would require a substantial deviation from flat response over a wide band. This is what modern audio technology teaches us and claims to the contrary collapse when put to a carefully controlled blind test in which the ears alone have to actually be trusted.

As to scaling in a receiver, keep in mind that all HDTV sets have to scale incoming signals if they don't match the sets' native resolution. Scaling in a receiver or player would only be of advantage if it happened to do a visibly better job of it than the circuit in the set itself.

You have no reliable way to "test" those other receivers. You have excellent equipment; relax and enjoy.

Since my last post on this thread I have taken the time to read up on the specs of your receiver. IMHO your Elite should hold its own. Unless your looking for a features in another receiver, I believe you have a keeper.

Thanks everybody. That is great information. The Pioneer definitely has all the features I want (and more than I'll ever really use), so I'm going to stick with it. As I mentioned, I think it sounds great, and its automatic equalization feature seems to have set everything up real nice (my room is pretty standard, but my surround speaker placement is not what you would call "ideal").

I do have one additional question. I bought my Pioneer on Superbowl Sunday (had problems with my prior receiver). Was in a rush because was having folks over, so bought the Pioneer because of its features without any real shopping. The guy at Best Buy very quickly played some stuff through the Pioneer and then through a Denon, and the sound did seem different. Is your guess that is a result of different settings or different speakers? I am just curious why you think it sounded different to me based on the information you guys were discussing above. (It was such a quick listen it really doesn't mean much.)

As an aside, I read a post where somone was talking about how nice folks on this board are. You really are a great and helpful group, and it is nice knowing I can get honest feedback on these types of things. Hell, you guys even go check the specs on things! The folks at Axiom also have been great. (For example, one of my full metal brackets had a problem. I sent a note to Axiom asking what I should do, and they just stuck another one in the mail.) Couldn't be happier that I chose the Axioms for my speakers.

Skimble, there is no telling what setting the two receivers may have been on at Best Buy. And, if different speakers were hooked up you were probably hearing the differences in their sound and not the receiver. There are a lot of possibilities as to why you heard things the way you did.

If the Pioneer does everything you want it to and sounds good to your ears, stick with it.

I'm guessing different speakers. If you're in the area again it wouldn't hurt to ask.