Stout and chunky build with huge power supply and healthy amp stages. Sculpted side panels add class too. Easy setup. Plenty of Audio and Visual connections. Phono stage here for vinyl fans. Terrific sound for an A./V receiver and makes some of my tube stuff earn its' keep.

Maac is not the best audio calibration system, and some tweaking is needed. At least in my experience. Tuner performance is only average. But most A/V receivers are that way now too. Remote does not fit with this receivers build quality.

This receiver while lacks HDMI and some other pressing new tech stocks like the Dolby Digital HD etc, this receiver was/is a good buy if those and other current trend items are not important. I wanted a receiver that would once and for all end my dissatisfaction with my multichannel experience my lowly Sony gave me. While faithful to a fault. It lacked the dynamics and finesse that this receiver has. Smooth midrange, clear sounding without sounding etched.

I don't like the Surround fancy modes like the THX and Advanced Cinema modes, though I found using direct/stereo mode very pleasing for my 2 channel sources. Playing movies were amazing. Very realistic without that typical metal sounding experience most A/V rigs do today. The Maac is not perfect. I will manually tweak it myself and be done. The Denon Audissey is better, but I like the fact that you can fine tune this unit very easily. Setup by the way is a snap. The menus are the easiest I have ever used. Though the menus lack the fancy diagrams some other receivers have, this one makes it quick and easy. One note, do not auto setup at night. The tones are loud and could get you into trouble if you live in an apartment like me. The loud pops, and squeals are very attention getting.

Remote is a LCD touch and button combo that blows away my Sony pre/pro unit of a few years ago. So easy to use, and it takes AA batteries. I am using 2700 mah Metal Hydride batteries. We will see how long it lasts. I don't like to use Alkaline batteries because it is wasteful to me.

My Sony remote would kill batteries in less than a month use. A bit cheap on the construction the plastic is flimsy and creaks if you grip perhaps too eagerly this Pioneer remote. The receiver weighs amost 65 lbs. and has frame modular construction and a copper bottom plate for some noise control I suspect. The power supply and amp stages are very large. I can believe 160 watts per channel at 6 ohms.
Everything about this receiver is chunky strong build. Nice to see in an almost disposable electronic world today.

Plenty of connections, with 3 component inputs and a slew of composite and S video for all the gear I have. No VCR thank god. I use an Xbox, 2 DVD players. One does my mp-3 and jpegs, while the older better one does movies and CD playback. I wonder about the wisdom of VCR input/outputs though. VCRs' are antiques today.

Music on this receiver reminds me of my tube integrated. Well, almost, because it is so smooth. I don't get tired of listening to it for hours unlike the Sony. Good sense of air and depth and a good wide image almost make me forget this is just a receiver. Though a very expensive one. It was $4200.00 new. Now that the HDMI units are out, this receiver can be had for allot less. If HDMI, and blue ray and so on and so forth are not important, than maybe this VSX-49tx is a good idea. It was/is for me at least.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

Denon, Nad, Sony.

Clean clear sound at any volume. Absolute controll of every chanel in frequincey range so if you like to custom set stuff this is the one. Great to look at. Has the most options for conections. Auto calibration. Just as good for music as well as movies.

Will make your friends think their receivers are crap.

can you say awsom this receiver has got it all good looks crisp clean power at any volume. Awsom lcd touch remote that you can create custom buttons and is good on all pieces of electronis for all functions not like most universal remotes. This receiver runs cooler at higher volumes then set low. I realy give it a work out with 2 Klipsch RF-7s for fronts 2 RF-5s for surrounds and 2 RF-5s for back surrounds and the maching RC-7 center. This amp will run all at full volume with no problem. So if you want the real deal in kick ass equipment buy this one. I think it is as solid as you can get.

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer Elite 53 and 43 Sony ES 9000 Yamaha RX-V750 Ti Harman Kardon 7300

Powerful unit built like a tank. Very detail and clear sound.Easy to use.Beautiful finish!

None at all.

After reading different reviews and listening many Audiophiole High End A/V receivers including Denon 5803,Marantz SR9300,JVC,Yamaha RX-Z1, Onkyo TX-DS989ver2 and the B&K AVR507 I decided to bring home the Pioneer Elite VSX-49TX. Why I didn't buy the 49TXi? because I couldn't see myself paying an extra $1000.00 just for one interlink wire. Both Units are exactly the same except for the xtra option mentioned above.This receiver decodes every audio format from A to Z and it decodes it with such detail and clarity. Of course for those of you that know about sound a receiver just doesn't make audio sound good. You need very high end interconnects.Having said this I have to say that the closest receiver that came close as far as sound was the B&K 507 but then again I had to shed another $1800.00 to get the B&K.And when you use this receiver to play SACD in MultiChannel format wether is thru the 2 main speakers or 8 channels this is the closest to real music you may come before going to separates.It drives my 7 system of Definitive Techology Speakers(Including my mains,Def Tech BP2000tl) with no even a sweat!!.This Unit Defines the State of the Art!

Similar Products Used:

B&K AVR507, Denon AVR 5803,Marantz SR9300, OnkyoDs989ver2 and many others.