I bought the 27TX yesterday and mind you I was being plagued with anticipation as I was opening the box. I used the whole afternoon in setting this Gem up and boy was I blown by its performance and features. Even with the old Definitive Technology 2000 System that I have had for 2 years, the 27TX gave me a new and totally different experience all together. Dig that Digital output, with it my connections to my CD Burner is more simplier. A true work of art and highly recommended! Grab it while its HOT!

After five trips to attempt to get a working Sherwood Newcastle R-945, I shelled out the extra cash for this beauty. In case you¹re curious, my first Sherwood Newcastle unit had rear channel hum. The second unit wouldn¹t turn on at all. The third would turn on for three seconds then shut down. And the fourth unit made creaking and groaning noises when heating up, as well as having a volume control that worked intermittently‹whew. Talk about quality control issues at Inktel. This should be a lesson for those looking to save a few pennies ordering on the internet. I would have been S.O.L. if I bought this unit over the internet. The service I received from Audio-Video City in Santa Monica was understanding, professional and courteous‹in a word, excellent ( ask for Uki). Anyway, after unhooking and lugging a fifty pound piece of hardware back and forth five times, I was ready to try something that I¹d be happy with. Enter the Elite VSX-27tx. Unpack this beast and you¹re presented with an unusually handsome piece of equipment. The redesign of this line is a bulls-eye. Elegant, understated, substantial. In my opinion, there isn¹t a better looking receiver out there. Period.

I had heard many negatives about Pioneer ergonomics in the past. Well, rest assured, because this receiver is almost perfect in that regard. Set-up is fairly straight-forward. Although one thing I do miss on the Sherwood Newcastle is the ability to adjust channel levels directly‹without having to navigate nested menus. That said, the menu system is very straightforward and is not a chore.

Build quality is evident throughout this unit. Large, aluminum heat sinks dominate the chassis and the ability to drive low impedance speakers is something that I really appreciate. One of my big gripes with the Newcastle was how hot it got and the associated groaning noises the unit emitted‹noises that invariably distracted you from the film. Also the Newcastle could not drive difficult speakers. A problem for future speaker upgrades, as most speakers dip below 8 ohms. Plus, all knobs rotate smoothly and confidently and the high gloss finish is simply stunning.

How does it sound? Masterful. Stereo is lush, detailed and three-dimensional, much more so than the Newcastle. Multi-channel movie sound is stunning. Perhaps the biggest complement I can pay this unit is that you are no longer conscious of your speakers. Sounds just seem to float in the air. You are in a bubble of lush, dynamic sound. You simply enjoy the movie. The Newcastle was always dynamic, although, I found myself constantly raising and lowering the volume because of the bright and harsh treble (my opinion). And I often had a headache after watching movies. The Pioneer has THX to tame bright sound tracks, but I doubt you¹ll need it. This unit is that smooth. Also a nice surprise, the DSP modes don¹t suck. A few are actually worth using. (The Newcastle DSP modes were a joke. Like listening to a movie in a subway tunnel.)

Oh, and get this. The remote is actually decent.

Now a few very minor nits. Banana plugs are too close together. Makes hooking speakers up a pain in the ass. And no ability to quickly adjust speaker levels on the fly while watching a movie. That¹s about it.

Here¹s my two cents on receivers: Yamahas are too bright and overpriced. Denons are a little weak on music and look cheap. Sony ES is a pain in the ass to operate and can sound bright too. Build quality is suspect on the Sherwood Newcastle. And NAD is on drugs to charge $1600 for the 770. Again, these are only my opinions and they are not intended to offend owners of the above equipment.

Anyway, my rating should be obvious at this point. Good luck. I¹ll follow up after a few weeks/months.

I recently bought my Pioneer VSX-29TX from www.4electronicwarehouse.com. I was questioning spending the extra money to go from the VSX-27TX, but I am glad I did. I love the new LCD remote and the reciver sounds fabulous. I am very impressed with the sound quality on audio as well as the home theater. I am using the Energy E:XL-26 fronts with the E:XL-r and E:XL-c and the system really sounds good. I am a really beleiver in this new Pioneer Elite line. Pioneer really did their homework. They did not cut any corvers I love the new Motorola processer sound with the burr brown d/a's and the Crystal chip set. If any one has any questions on the VSX-29tx compared to the VSX-27tx email me I would be more than happy to discuss what made me jump. I would also highly recommend talking to the specialists at 4electronicwarehouse.com they did not steer me wrong on convincing me to jump up to the VSX-29tx. I know they carry the whole Elite line, Denon line, and Yamaha line. They also made me a great deal on the VSX-29TX. If you want to talk more techinical details email me. I would definetly give the Pioneer Elite receivers a 5 star. I love to hear what others think.
One Satisfied Elite Owner

MOSFET stands for Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor. These devices operate differently: they are turned on (biased) by voltage rather than by current, as are bipolar devices. In this respect, they operate like vacuum tubes. MOSFETs have other technical attributes, and MOSFET amplifiers often have a characteristic sound, particularly a smoothness in the treble. - Robert Harley, The Complete Guide to High
End Audio Second Edition

Well, I may have to quote Mr. Harley on that since I could appreciate the fine sound this Reciever produces in real time on my living room.

Since my earlier review of this unit (two reviews down from here) I have recieved numerous emails regarding the enhanced temptation that my critique has caused potential buyers of this unit, and I'd be lying if I told you that wasn't my intention.
I feel that although my first review was detailed, it was based on an out-of-box audition, and somehow wasn't complete. My attempt here is to give a second review that spans the time after my system has been calibrated. My hope was that the advice that I have given you all here was just, and that I was not suffering from the smell of new on my reciever.

Now that the new has worn off, and the elite has been calibrated to perfection --or as perfect as I'm going to get it-- then I will give part two, for your reprusal.

First, there's been a change. My system has gone from Klipsch KLF-20's in the front, C7 Center, and KSB3.1 in the rears...To all KLF 20's. that's right, all five. Extreme indeed. I couldn't resist, what with J and R music world selling them for 499.00 each!

My video section has also changed...I went with a Sony VPL-w400Q, at 8 feet diagonal and super sharp image from my puny 36 inch Proscan. Needless to say, I am in a new enviornment. I will come back to the review of the audio because it has meaning regarding the sound, but suffice it to say that I auditioned the new setup before the big screen and after. It has bearing.

SUPER SPEEDWAY: I'll say it again for those of you in the cheap seats. There is no sense spending your hard earned money on anything remotely related to THX and Dolby Digital and DVD if you do not purchase this disc! I have completely obliterated the minds of friends and neighbors that couldn't give a damn about Indy Car Racing. This disc is HANDS DOWN the best Dolby Digital soundtrack out there. The feel of the begining logo was crippling! My tactile transducer bolted beneath the couch and almost threw me in the floor! And when we started the ride around the track the steady hum of the transducer put me in Andretti's lap. I love sitting freinds that haven't heard the system yet in the sweet spot and telling them to hang on. They look at my in that jaded way that says, "yeah, we've heard it all before", and then the intro screen kicks them in the teeth rabbit fast and mean as hell. I swear to God on my soul that my best friends wife got a bloody nose! (not that I'm proud of that --heheheheh)

PATRICK LEONARD'S RIVERS: After speedway you have to calm them down, and nothing touches this DTS cd when it comes to beautiful, full, lulling sound. Another highly recommended disc. With these two, there is no need for movie demonstrations, but who could resist.

THE RECEIVER: from bottom to top, the best RECEIVER I have ever seen. It's the midrange and treble that reach out and slap you in the face. Cellos, violins, voices all sound smooth and on rails, cradeling you with a whisper of silk, beckoning and subtle. I detect no brightness from this champ and that's a major feet considering the brightness typical of horns (Klipsch). The highs sound fifth gear, without being accentuated or dull, maybe a little sweet would better describe it. Not to say that the bass isn't great, it's killer, spiraling and at you in a punch that forces the wind from you in hot thumps or a slow and steady push, what ever is called for. On the demanding track by Holly Cole "Train song", her voice is raspy and ragged, just like a higher end system would produce. No air. No rattle.

This is the first fully integrated system that I have ever seen where I would not consider seperate amplification. And I have McIntosh Monoblocks laying around!!!

Here's a tip for anyone looking to get the most bang for their buck regarding upgrades...Tactile Transducers

I did find the THX Theater to be the only real setting worth watching for home theater, although I liked DTS musical for Rivers. The idea here is to keep the sound stage up front and not to overdue the envelope. This setting works it nicely.

Now a word regarding larger screens: I have said it before and I will say it again...A bigger screen will make your system SOUND better. I have seen it a hundred times. The reason is that when you watch a small television and hear big sound, your brain acts as a filter in order to better serve what your eyes see. If your eyes see a 36 inch picture and hear large sound, your brain will simply remove the abundance of information to itself pertaining to sound. When I added the 8 foot diagonal image I immediately noticed the overall sonic feel of the room that my theater is in. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. Ask anyone who has made the change.

Finally, a receiver that can caress and baby your senses, and beat the hell out of you with equal ease and fantastic power! I've run her like a scalded dog and she hasn't so much as growled at me. Put her on your shopping list today, and if you think later that any of what I have said here is exagerated, then call me collect! Email me and I'll give you the number. then call me and we'll discuss it...My treat.

God! you'd swear I was a pioneer rep. They couldn't script and ad this well.

regards,
Chris

Well, I took forever to decide. I had long been a Yamaha fan and thought their 2095 or DSP-A1 would be the best thing out there for the money. It took me six months to make up my mind about which of the two to buy. How Anal retentive is that?
I (for reasons unknown) finally settled on the Pioneer vsx-27tx. Maybe it was the THX ULTRA logo or the 120 watts per channel, who knows? I could not wait to get this puppy hooked up.

Luckily my new speakers were already broken in (Klipsch klf-20s and ksb 3.1 and 2 12" ksw 12 subs, C7 center) and were ready for the Pioneer's first audition. I hooked up the sources and the speakers (which by the way is a pain in the ass, the posts are too close together --my only real gripe) and set up the system. That part was very straight forward. You go through your list of speakers and define their size small or large and then you input the distance from each to your ears! Easy. Select auto detect source and load the DVD.

I chose to start the test with movies because that is primarily what this system is for, although music is important to me too. I put in what I think is the mother of all DVDs for testing your system and pushing it to its limits: Super Speedway...This is hands down the best Dolby Digital mix out there. From the opening logo (which in itself is jaw dropping) to the ride around the track. It is essentially a ride around your living room. If you do not have this DVD, then you are putting 87 octane fuel in your Ferrari!! Trust me, to spend thousands of dollars on a complete home theater and not own this disc is to buy an Opus X cigar and bite the head off it!

Now, what I know you want to hear...Keep in mind that I have owned 6 seperate completely different systems over the years and consider myself to be well steeped in cinema sound. I have also installed numerous super high end systems as well. In short, I know what I am talking about, and if you follow my directions, you will see that I am right, which is a rarity.

Holy Christ! What power, what clean almost clinical sound! This pup delivers! Only after several minutes of gaped-jaw confusion did I believe what I was hearing. This is it! Keep in mind I hadn't really tweeked this thing at all, nor did I spend serious time with speaker placement. I don't know what difference it would make. I suspect that this system is already delivering sound beyond what I can detect.

On the Eagles DTS hell freezes over DVD the buzz of high pressure sodium stage lamps are evident. During breaks when various artists are speaking to the crowd, you can hear the buzzing, for a while I thought it was a glitch in the system! Nope.

On Dances with Wolves DTS DVD the opening suicide scene is precise and bang on. I still have a problem with the intrusion of the score in certain places but that is the fault of the filmaker. I can live with it.

Patrick Leonard's Rivers DTS CD is fabulous, and gives the amp no room to breathe! It's dynamic and full of deep resonating sound. The reciever handles it flawlessly.

Holy Cole's "Train song" was in my face and shook the acorns off the trees outside...What are all these squirrel carcases doing on the ground? Lukily I live in a rural area.

Jewel's "Foolish Games" was equally stunning, I usually test speaker to amp marraiges with this song because it takes a really well matched system to remove that airy and tinny sound to her voice. This reciever got the job done!

So here I sit, a snifter a third full of Hennessy XO and a Don Carlos Cigar watching Stevie Ray Vaughn on stage. Am I happy? But of course. and that is the only reason to buy anything out there, whether it's the entire "Saved by the bell" series on DVD...or a Ferrari Testerossa...Whatever makes you happy. And I must say that my finiky appetite is curbed.

One more gripe...Why couldn't they give me the LCD touch smart remote with this one like the 29??? What's up?


Now, if only my wife would come back home...

Enjoy,
Chris

I bought this reciever before it was even available. I figured since it was THX certified it should be up to snuff. I was not disappointed when I got it home at all. This reciever does a great job with AC-3, DTS, and plain old Pro-Logic. Before this reciever I had the Marantz SR-96, and the Yamaha RX-V995 of which neither can compete with the pioneer. The VSX-27TX has dead on imaging and a very spacious sound field. I am using the reciever with a Carver THX 5-channel amp. Not that the Pioneer needs it, it does very well on its own, but the wife would kill me if I just let a $700 amp lay around. The Pioneer's internal amps produce a very good ambience with no audible background noise or buzzing whatsoever. The Carver amp also rated a 120 Watts per channel will just get louder a little faster and has just a bit more punch when it comes to bass. The DSP modes on this reciever are OK. Some are valuable but others are very echoy and cheesy prior to adjustment. At least they are adjustable which allows you to tune out most of the echo while still retaining some good effects. With movies you should never need to use these DSP modes anyways. With AC-3, DTS, and Pro-Logic the standard processing sounds excellent all by itself. These standard modes have a little more detail than using the THX mode. Don't discount the THX mode though. At higher volumes it does an excellent job of taming down the treble across the front and mixing things up in the rear. Since I use Klipsch LCR speakers with horns across the front brightness has plagued me for some time with many other recievers. The Pioneer does not posess this brightnees like the other recievers. Only ocassionally do I choose to use the THX processing at lower volumes on extremely bright mixed media(example Goldeneye DVD). This reciever also does very well with music. This is where the DSP modes come in. You can create some pretty cool sounding environments, JAZZ mode being my favorite. In stereo the Pioneer also does excellent. The outside of the VSX-27TX is very elegant looking. I would easily say it is the nicest looking piece of gear I own, and I own a lot of stuff. Another very cool part of this monsters appearance is the glowing orange DTS, THX, and Dolby Digital sections on the display. The only things Pioneer could have done differently would be to include a few sets of component video in/outs and a better owners manual. While deciding on this unit I was looking into the Marantz SR-18 and the new Denon reciever which had these component in/outs, but considering these two canidates cost around $2800.00 and do not preform any better or even as weel as the Pioneer(I've heard them all)which cost me $1300, I'm not going to get to worked up about it. The owners manual is pretty straight forward for setup of ordinary playback. I just felt they left some of this recivers functions unaddressed. For instance, I can see another orage light beneath the display that says MPEG2 but it is not mentioned anywhere in the manual. Another thing the manual does not mention, but is really cool is the fact that you can choose which speakers you want activated for each input (audio or video). Since I use an external amp this allow me to hook an additional pair of speakers up in my living room for a four speaker CD playback arrangement. This is a very flexible feature you think they would have wanted to point out. I love the fact that Pioneer included a RF input. As a big fan of laserdisc this should be a must on all Digital recievers. Buy this reciever!!!! You will not be disappointed. The Pioneer will be the last reciever I buy for a great long while, or since they were consderate enough to include 6-Channel inputs, maybee ever. If anyone reads this and has found any other features the VSX-27TX posesses that are not listed in the manual, or if you have any questions about the reciever please e-mail me at Nikko1812@aol.com.

I just cannot say enough good things about the 27. an amazing piece, and a steal for the price. I had my sights set on the Marantz SR-18 for several months but was convinced by my dealer to wait for the new Elite units. Image that, a dealer that actually wanted to keep me from spending more money! The SR-18 has a tad more power and more caps for headroom, but it doesn't have the smoothness of the 27. It didn't come close on music but it was only a step behind on movies. The setup of the 27 is a snap, but you will have to play around with the speaker settings to dial it in. There is no better receiver at anywhere close to this price, and maybe not at all. The 29 gives you a touch screen remote, but save the money and buy the 27 and a Marantz RC-2000mkII instead and still be $450 ahead. This really is a high end receiver that needs to be experienced, but it has to be set up right or you will never know how good it actually is. Can I give 6 stars?

Greetings from the Left Coast!
I had to post a review of the Elite VSX-27tx. I recently purchased one from Sound Distributors in NV for the stunning price of $1200.00 + $24 shipping. I shopped and everywhere I went, the price was $1,650 + tax. So, needless to say, a NICE savings!

I decided to opt for the Pioneer Elite because I've always been impressed with the Elite line and have read so many wonderful reviews on it here. I had to replace my Yamaha 992 model as the remote control feature went out and was not cost effective to have it fixed. Besides, I wanted to delve into the THX aspect of Home Theatre. I'M GLAD I DID! The main problem I see with now owning this receiver is I'm going to have to watch ALL of my 460+ DVD's as I am hearing things in the soundtracks which the Yamaha NEVER picked up! The soundstage of this receiver is HUGE! The DSP modes are more than functional and the crispness and detail of the sound is Stellar!

I'm using this receiver as I did the Yamaha, as a Preamp. For amplification, I'm still using my Onkyo M504's, (3 of them), attaching to 4 Definitive Technology BP30 speakers, a Definitive Tech. CLR2000 Center channel and finally a Velodyne FSR18 subwoofer!

I was astonished by the clarity of the soundtracks of movies and pleasantly surprised by how wonderful music sounds playing through the VSX-27tx! The ONLY drawback I see with this receiver is that it only affords one Center channel Pre-out as opposed to two of them. I say this as I like to bi-amp my speakers.

I checked out several receivers, including other top-of-the-line Yamaha's, (A1), the new top-of-the-line Marantz, one from B & K, Denon's top receiver and several others and to my surprise, the VSX-27tx was the best sounding one of the bunch!

Way to go, Pioneer!

I was a recent owner of the incredible 07TX, which I owned for approximately six weeks! (Hey kids, can you say Divorce!) I was all prepared to purchase another one when I found out about the up and coming new 27TX. After reading the specs I was just in total awe and amazement! I couldn't wait to get my hands on this incredible new piece of equipment. I started scouring these pages for reviews on the 27TX before there ever were any! Then, one by one, they started showing up. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was as impressed with this beauty as I was. Then, slowly but surely, I started noticing and unprecedented occurance, something I had never seen before in AudioReview. A piece of equipment so AWESOME that it just kept on getting five star ratings, one after the other! Each and every owner it seemed could immediately sense this Receiver's beauty, craftmanship, quality, and most of all, sound! I've owned the 27TX for about six weeks now. I wanted to make sure I had it set up as best as possible, and then to put it through it's paces testing with all the different formats that I have (Phono!, CD, DD Laserdisc, DTS, and of course DD DVD). So after becoming thoroughly familiar with what this puppy can do, I waited until this special day (9/9/99) to post my review of this most incredible THX Receiver. What a sad day it was when I logged on only to find some moron had ripped it to shreds for nothing more than a rating. Going on what he wrote, it sounds as if he doesn't even own the piece of equipment for Christ's sake! It sounds as if he hasn't a clue about the new Ultra THX rating. It sounds as if he doesn't have a clue... period! It's really sad when someone so uneducated can undermine what true owners, with actual experience and knowledge, have built up with pride. A sad day indeed..... Okay, on to the review... After having pulled this magnificent receiver out of the box, I trembled with excitement. I literally had goose-bumps. I carefully set it down in the middle of the living room floor and just marveled at it's simplicity, it's beauty, it's elegance. I sat and just stared at the georgeous ergonomics of this thing for probably fifteen minutes... I swear! The layout and design was much sweeter than it's predecessor. What few complaints owners had about the 07TX Pioneer addressed and took care of. They (Pioneer) then added more goodies to make this simply an unmatched Receiver in this price range, or maybe any price range, for that matter! Set-up was a piece of cake. I had it right the first time, but went through it a couple more times just to make sure. The sound, in every way imaginable, is absolutely superb! It's simply awesome, eclectic and down right astounding how pure, sweet and perfect the sound truly is - in every mode available. The receiver didn't even start breathing heavy when put through my "Live Concert" tests. I'll swear I was sitting first row, looking up at Mick Jagger, and then Neil Young, just knowing I was REALLY there. Movies have never, EVER, sounded better - whether DD or DTS. I'll swear I have one of the finest sounding theaters in this city! (I've new DefTech speakers all the way around!) Whether the quiet sweetness of a soft piccolo, or the raging raw power of a live concert, or the atomic explosion in the movies "The Peacemaker" or "True Lies", the Elite 27TX can deliver - no matter what! Pioneer, I congratulate you for such an omnipotent piece of equipment... kudos to you! BTW, the remote is outstanding, also. A far cry better than before, and it's back-lit! I recommend this unit to anyone and everyone - bar none! A Masterpiece... period!