DL, I've seen them, but not next to each other. My impression was that the Pioneer, while excellent, was not better than the Panasonic and was priced much higher.

In the Consumer Reports tests the Panasonic and Pioneer were ranked at the top, essentially equal. You might find this review of the 60U to be of interest. Note that you can save a few hundred dollars if the relatively minor additional features of the 600U aren't essential to you.

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Enjoy the music, not the equipment.