Hi,
Are these 2 Receivers comparable?? Will the prices drop considerably after New Year's based on previous years/models? Need advice on deciding which one to go after.
Thanks.

They're comparable from the power standpoint, but the deciding factors, as almost always, are the features which you prefer. The 43TX has already dropped into the $500 area since it's being replaced by the 53TX. Whenever the 3804 is officially announced the same will happen wih the 3803.

In that price range I'd suggest the 53TX instead of either, since it's been upgraded with automatic MCACC. Another possibility is the new Yamaha 1400.

argh...yes John, I meant the 53TX. they are in the same price range aren't they, plus or minus a few hundred?!? Hopefully it'll be sub $1,000 by New Year's.

The 53TX is available around $700 and the 3803 $850. The MCACC would decide it for me.

I agree with John - I have the 45TX and the MCACC is amazing!

Mark

Yes, for the record, I too second John's and Mark's comments. That said, one strength of the 3803 is its video upconversion feature (from composite or S-video to component), it it matters to you... I think the Yamaha 1400/2400 has both YPAO and video upconversion -- definitely worth checking out!

Yes Masa, they both upconvert to component. Tom B's report on the Yamahas from CEDIA was informative, despite the language problem. It didn't all quite fit, though; for example I calculated 25 mid-points at 1/3rd octave increments as running up to about 36,230hz.

I bought the Yamaha RX-V1400 yesterday for $700 and also looked at and listened to the Pioneer 53tx..I don't have enough experience yet with the new system to say I love it, but it sure sounded better that the Pioneers I listened to.. the Pioneers sounded brighter, but then I realize some folks like bright..and yes, it has the equivalent, some say better, of the MAAC feature on the Pioneers...I also bought the system based on Sushi's recommendations..so far I'm glad I listened to him!!!

oh no. you didn't just call a receiver bright, did you?

DUCK!!!

Fish, as promised by Peter and Ken, here comes your spanking. You've bought an excellent receiver, but neither it nor the Pioneer nor any other properly designed receiver are either "bright" or "warm". Depending on what the difference in the listening conditions may have been the sound could have been different in the two situations, but it had nothing to do with the basic qualities of the two receivers; both are transparent with a ruler-flat frequency response. Also, you'd better not tell an "audiophile" about what you heard; many audiophiles suffer from the delusion that Yamahas are "bright" and Pioneer Elites are "warm". You would likely be derided and be told that you've got things bass ackwards.

I stand corrected...the Yamaha sounded "warmer", is this an acceptable term??...actually the store had a 41TX display model they were almost going to pay me to take if I wanted it, which I compared the Yamaha to in addition to the Denons 2804 and 3803..I certainly am not at the level of expertise in reviewing the specs as some of the other participants on this forum, but on the surface the 1400 seemed to have more bang for the $$$, there is a software switch to switch from 8 to 6 ohms..I seemed to remember reading somewhere that some of the high end speakers need 4 ohms???...don't think this will be a problem for me...

fishIsland:

People on here liked getting spanked once in a while ...be it the giver or taker

When I listen to my HK 525 I feel all warm and fuzzy...Does that count???

No, that's just from the heat wafting off of it. ;-)