AV Receiver Reviews

Comparisons & Conclusion
My reference system consists of an Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro and Anthem PVA-7 amplifier, which doesn't have the same power output as the SC-09TX, but the combination of separates retails for nearly $3000 less. The Onkyo offers superior video processing of both analog and HDMI sources, but it lacks many of the bells and whistles of the SC-09TX, such as Home Media Gallery and the LCD screen. The room-correction software is different—Audyssey in the Onkyo versus the proprietary MCACC in the Pioneer—but both help cure difficult rooms of their acoustical shortcomings. One thing the Onkyo has over the Pioneer is HD Radio, something that should have been included in a flagship AVR.

Other AVRs in the same league as the Pioneer include the Denon AVR-5308CI and Yamaha RX-Z11, but these cost $1500 less. I haven't had a chance to audition the 5308CI, but Wes Phillips raved about it in his review. It doesn't have the cool LCD screen, and if its media-streaming capabilities are similar to the lower-end (relatively speaking) 4308CI, the user experience is much better with the SC-09TX. But if you crave scaling and processing of HDMI inputs, the Silicon Optix Realta processor in the Denon is a best-in-class solution.

I reviewed the RX-Z11 earlier this year, and if I had to choose between it and the Pioneer, I would choose the latter for the additional power, one more HDMI input, the LCD screen, and Home Media Gallery—yes, I really like it that much more. In addition, the Yamaha corrupts the HDMI signal by clipping both above-white and below-black—a deal killer for me.

As you can probably tell, I really enjoyed my time with the Pioneer Elite SC-09TX. It brings a lot to the table with dynamic power, a rich assortment of features, and 10 amplifiers with a plethora of configuration options that includes bi-amping all five speakers in a 5.1 setup—and I love that LCD screen. If money was no object, I wouldn't hesitate to put the SC-09TX in my system. If you are in the market for a new flagship receiver that does nearly everything but mow the lawn, the Pioneer is worthy of an audition—I suspect it will finish near the top of you wish list too.

Highs
LCD screen
Home Media Gallery
6 HDMI inputs
Powerful amplifiers
Exceptional build quality
Excellent 2-channel performance

Lows
No HD Radio
Confusing speaker connections
No video processing of HDMI inputs