Update: This deal is still available.
Adorama has
Pioneer Elite VSX-LX505 9.2-Channel 8K A/V Receiver on sale for
$649.
Shipping is free.
Thanks to Deal Editor
iconian for finding this deal.
Note: You may need to add to cart to see deal price.
Key Features:- Dirac Live Room Correction
- HDMI 2.1
- Ultimate 4K Gaming Experience
- 9 Channels of onboard amplification with 11.2-Channel Processing
- 120-watts/per channel
- Imax Enhanced
- Powered Zone 2/Zone 3 Audio
- Bi-directional Bluetooth with aptX HD
Includes:- Pioneer Home Audio Elite VSX-LX505 120W 9.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver
- RC-974R Remote Controller with 2x AAA Batteries
- Speaker Setup Microphone
- DAB/FM Antenna
- Indoor FM Antenna
- AM Loop Antenna
- Power Cord
- User Manual
- Pioneer Home Audio 3 Year limited Warranty
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I even bought the higher end tuning mic for Dirac and the special mic stand. I got deep into all of the tuning curves, laptop software, and all that jazz well before actually getting the receiver. For months I combed AV forums to get tips and expert advice.
In the end, in spite of days of tuning and tweaks, I returned the Pioneer. The Pioneer's sound was just flat compared to my older Denon. The 3 dimensions of sound were just 2D and too crisp. I thought for sure I got a defective Pioneer and after returning it, continued searching obsessively for any one of these three extremely similar models.
I was on the Crutchfield waitlist for a few months and finally got the Onkyo. I hooked it up. Did all the initial, standard calibration but got the exact same result. I did the curves and tweaked and tweaked. Things changed but never got close to my older Denon. Just flat sound that made me sad. I ended up returning the Onkyo too. It killed my soul.
So now I have the Denon x4700. It sounds amazing like my x4100 but a little better. The new Denon has some features my old Denon did not and that were critical at my house - having volume control on-screen and being able to turn everything on and off with a simple remote.
I'm not arguing with all the people who love these receivers. On paper they look awesome. My experience was less than awesome, but what pleases people's ears is ultimately a very personal experience and wanted to share mine.
That being said. This Pioneer is still a quality receiver and at this price definitely a slick deal. But I'll warn you not to invest as much time as I did trying to tweak it if you aren't impressed after your first calibration. Tweaking helped but in my case did not work out.
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I need to see where you're getting your data to say "plenty".
You mean the ppl that post on AV forums? Those ppl probably constitute waaaaay less than a quarter of those people that even own and use AVR's. I've been in this hobby for 30 years and have had at least 10 AVR's in various systems and never used an external amp. And I AM an AV hobbyist. There's always been a lot of "talk" about it, but nothing I've read indicates it's "plenty" of people actually doing it. It's might be "plenty" of the AV hobbyists, but NOT your average consumer putting together a home theater.
Lol. If it was "plenty" don't you think the smart people at Denon, Yamaha, Pioneer, etc who STUDY these markets would know this was such a popular thing to do and would be offering separate amps just for powering the front 2/3 speakers? They're have all the parts and factories. They could be making a killing with this add-on external amp market. Why are they totally ignoring it?? Not only that, they'd be offering preamp outputs on lower tiered AVR's just to get a better chance of selling their add-on amps. They know ad-on amps is a small niche market. They put the preouts on the AVR's because it has become a feature hobbyists insist on, by rarely actually use. Lol.
The many people I know that buy/bought an AVR with pre outs did so because they either had external amps or planned to get one in the near future.
Many times people have to buy things in stages, they can't buy everything at once.
Those limitations can be an issue also.
Keep in mind the Pioneers(305/505) have global crossovers & their preouts are not all assignable.
Here is a comparsion of the two to see all the differences.
https://www.zkelectroni
I don't think there is but just going off memory sorry.
Either way what makes the onkyo rz50 quite a bit more intriguing seems to be so often overlooked when comparing it to the lx505 and that is that it it weighs 10lbs more (28 vs 38 lbs).
I bought an lx505 and it's good, but it's let down by its power supply. Adding a power conditioner actually made an audible difference, which is not the case for the 51lb THX Ultra SR876 it replaced. I also have a Denon S760 which weighs a pathetic 19lbs and it sounds as hollow as it feels. Btw all of these amps are class AB.
Either way this receiver is hard to beat at the price just for the processor capabilities. DIRAC live for PC was a pleasant surprise at how easy it was to setup. Using the PC let's you configure multiple setups (my TV pulls down over a mantle). It also lets you load custom target curves for each channel, select how wide or narrow you want your listening zone, and effectively set cross overs with custom slopes and Q factors.
If it was me though, I'd probably wait for the rz50 to go on sale or plan for an integrated further down the line. The extra 10lbs is most likely due to a beefed up power supply, which is the Achilles heel of the lx505.
Should have actually checked the spec sheet though as 37.5lbs includes packaging.
With only 3 lbs separating the two it's quite a bit more likely the power stages are common.
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. Audyssey xt32 is the equivalent to Dirac. .
But I would like to know what Audyssey XT32 enabled products you have owned and what Dirac equipped products you have owned?
I have always used more power hungry full range speakers..Bowers and Wilkins, Vienna Acostics etc and frequently listened to 2 channel audio with no subwoofer engaged( or room correction) at reference levels for long periods of time
I made a Denon 4308 clip and shut down years ago
Pretty much since them I have used a separate prepro/amo combination with XLR connections.
That being said, I would always typically go for the AVR that has the better amp/power supply as a general rule...which is why the Onkyo RX70 intrigues me so much at its price point
I have always used more power hungry full range speakers..Bowers and Wilkins, Vienna Acostics etc and frequently listened to 2 channel audio with no subwoofer engaged( or room correction) at reference levels for long periods of time
I made a Denon 4308 clip and shut down years ago
Pretty much since them I have used a separate prepro/amo combination with XLR connections.
That being said, I would always typically go for the AVR that has the better amp/power supply as a general rule...which is why the Onkyo RX70 intrigues me so much at its price point
I HAVE used external amps in the past in 2 channel systems with preamps. I had a 2 channel system back in the day that used either a rotel or audio alchemy preamp and either an acurus or nad 2 channel amp.
Btw, I do think heat is a killer on AVR's and electronics in general. I use a $50 AC infinity fan on top of my AVR's. Even in the low fan setting, it takes the heat on the top of my AVR's from very warm to the touch, to feeling like the avr is powered off! It's some of the best money I ever spent on AV gear.
But I would like to know what Audyssey XT32 enabled products you have owned and what Dirac equipped products you have owned?
My last 4 AVR's have all been audyssey xt32. My newest has the ability to add Dirac at a cost. I might get it one day in the future after a lot of ppl get it on their AVR's that have audyssey and are able to do some tweaking using the app and do some blind testing. I never trust sighted tests where someone does something to their system (especially when it costs a lot of money) and claims an improvement. Too much bias involved, especially if you're using two different AVR's to judge xt32 vs Dirac.
And then there's MultEQ-X…
This whole room EQ genre is getting way more interesting.
My last 4 AVR's have all been audyssey xt32. My newest has the ability to add Dirac at a cost. I might get it one day in the future after a lot of ppl get it on their AVR's that have audyssey and are able to do some tweaking using the app and do some blind testing. I never trust sighted tests where someone does something to their system (especially when it costs a lot of money) and claims an improvement. Too much bias involved, especially if you're using two different AVR's to judge xt32 vs Dirac.
And then there's MultEQ-X…
This whole room EQ genre is getting way more interesting.
I formerly owned the last two flagship AVR and prepro from Denon and Marantz
Both of them have been replaced with a Arcam units...a pre pro replaced the Marantz and an AVR replaced the Denon
No contest, to my ears, to the superiority of the Arcam units versus what I had in their place
Some of this may not be due to any room correction as I listen to quite a bit of " pure direct" 2 channel audio....still no question as to what are the better units sonically
I still have a Marantz 7015 that I can A/B to the Arcam AVR30.....no contest
While I have not owned a Denon/Marantz unit with Dirac...I still say that Dirac is by far a better room correction than Audssey XT32...to my ears anyway
There are a couple of double blind tests out there from professionals reviews that seem to mirror the same opinion
I formerly owned the last two flagship AVR and prepro from Denon and Marantz
Both of them have been replaced with a Arcam units...a pre pro replaced the Marantz and an AVR replaced the Denon
No contest, to my ears, to the superiority of the Arcam units versus what I had in their place
Some of this may not be due to any room correction as I listen to quite a bit of " pure direct" 2 channel audio....still no question as to what are the better units sonically
I still have a Marantz 7015 that I can A/B to the Arcam AVR30.....no contest
While I have not owned a Denon/Marantz unit with Dirac...I still say that Dirac is by far a better room correction than Audssey XT32...to my ears anyway
There are a couple of double blind tests out there from professionals reviews that seem to mirror the same opinion
Has anyone nailed down what exactly dirac is doing that makes some ppl prefer it? Is it some time aligning thing? Didn't the AES put out some paper how ppl couldn't reliably tell phase aligning from time aligning? Sorry for all the questions but you seem to be up on all this.
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