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Pioneer 53tx vs 45tx (1 Viewer)

Richard Little

Stunt Coordinator
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Jun 20, 2003
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105
So now that Pioneer has the 53tx out, I'm trying to compare it with the 45tx. I'm not seeing much of a difference other than the new 53tx comes with a less sophisticated remote than does the older 45tx. Am I missing something or should they have called it the 44tx?
 

Don Barduca

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 9, 2002
Messages
66
Am I missing something or should they have called it the 44tx?
Pioneer's model naming procedure is a bit odd. The best way to tell if the previous years model is higher on the list than current year is to go with the second digit. I think they do things the way they do to put a concentration on the new years models.

Anyway other feature differences are that the 45tx has a USB port, a RS232C port, and a headphone input, as does the 55txi. The 53tx does not. The 53tx is a 45tx without those features but can show its OSD thru component inputs.
 

Chris Elm

Stunt Coordinator
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Mar 30, 2003
Messages
120
Yes.
Don is basically dead on in the differences.
See this thread over at AVS about the 53/55TX.

You might want to pick up one of the few remaining 45tx left (street ~700USD).
 

Alan Pummill

Screenwriter
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Jul 6, 1999
Messages
1,262
Don is correct...the second number is the key!!

Until I recently purchased an Outlaw Model 950 pre/pro, I had a Pioneer Elite VSX-09TX. It was the FLAGSHIP receiver when I got it back in 1998. It was my second Pioneer receiver. My wife has worked for Pioneer for over 15 years, so I get some really sweet deals on employee prices!!
 

Niraj Patel

Agent
Joined
Jan 15, 2003
Messages
47
If you want to go refurb, check out www.ecost.com (or pcmall.com or macmall.com or clubmac.com... all the same). I just picked up a refurbed 45tx that got here yesterday. Looks to be in good condition, haven't got a chance to play around with it though. For around $550 shipped, you can't go wrong.
 

Don Barduca

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 9, 2002
Messages
66
Wow! $550 shipped is a great deal!

I just purchased mine NIB for $820 w/ tax, but from a authorized dealer. Either way it should be worth the money. I would think that closeout on the 45tx and the regular price on the 53tx will be very similar as the dealer MAP on the new 53tx is like $200 less than the 45tx. Both are good value but the 45s are going quick...
 

Tom_Es

Auditioning
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
12
Thanks for the tip Niraj, I just ordered it from ecost as well! Doubt I'll get it though, since they don't have it in the warehouse, and I doubt pioneer is shipping out any more of them - but I am keeping my fingers crossed. :frowning:

PS question; I tried to sign up for a year of extra warranty, supposedly on top of manufacturer warranty, but it got lost when I submitted it of course...

Ecost says they only warrant for 30 days, but I assume even factory refurbed must be 1 year from Pioneer? I think that if it works well for one year, I'm probably good to go anyway :)
 

Don Barduca

Stunt Coordinator
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May 9, 2002
Messages
66
Tom,

Pioneer is not shipping any more 45txs, refurbed or not, I called them. As a backup I would lock in one at another place as well that has one in stock. Plus, you might want to inquire as to the Warranty because Pioneer will not honor their warranty thru ecost.com on new merchandise, even though ecost may say differently. (Don't know about refurbed.)
 

Jon_Welker

Second Unit
Joined
Apr 29, 2003
Messages
404
Don,

I can confirm your statement about Pioneer not honoring the warranty through ecost. I bought an Elite PD-F27 cd changer there a few months ago as a refurbed, and sure enough it didn't play right when it arrived. Ecost told me to call Pioneer first, and Pioneer wanted nothing to do with me after I told them where I bought it from. The ecost issued me a refund, and I was out the $15 to ship the thing back to them. They didn't have any more units in stock to replace it with. It was packaged up with official looking Pioneer tape on it, and had a red R on the serial number. Didn't looke like a half-a$$ed job ecost put together or something real shady. I'm just not real sure about Pioneer on all this stuff either. They're kind of shady themselves sometimes. I digress at times...
 

Niraj Patel

Agent
Joined
Jan 15, 2003
Messages
47
Uh oh... I better go take the plunge and switch out my dad's reciever at his place with this one and see if it works (been waiting to buy speakers first but now I think I better just go through with the hassle of using my dad's stuff). I will let you know how it goes...
 

Tom_Es

Auditioning
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
12
Don, thanks for the heads-up - that was what I feared.

Buying it another place is out of the question, I'm afraid, since I have a budget of 500, and that was the only place I could find it for this price. I had to fight long and hard to get a budget of 500 for this, from my wife.. I will wait for the new Yamaha's to come out (1400 most likely) - since that has a feature similar to Auto Mcacc.

Too bad though, I wanted the 45tx - it seems to be of good build quality.

I still have some time, so I will scour the web in search, hoping to find one.

As for warranty issues, I would first threaten Pioneer with BBB, and if that doesn't work, report them to the BBB. I can not understand how a manufacturer can refuse a manufacturers warranty on a product they sold, be it new or refurbed. I understand I am not entitled to the 2-year Elite warranty, but a 1 year warranty should be the minimum by law.

FYI - In Norway, where I come from, the consumer is guaranteed a 5 year warranty on major purchases (which includes tv's, receivers, pretty much anything 400-500 upwards), and 2 years on smaller items.
 

Don Barduca

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 9, 2002
Messages
66
Tom,

That's too bad you can't get the 45tx. Maybe you should look into the 43tx? I realize it has manual MCACC vs. the auto edition on the 45tx, but it's amp section is identical as far as I know. And professional A/V reviewers everywhere rave about the power and performance of the Pio Elite amps (Since the intro of the vsx-49tx that is).

I too was going to wait on the new Yamaha's to do A-B comparison, but the fact that I then wouldn't be able to get the 45tx due to the fact that they would be completely sold out by mid-September put fear into me and I went for the sure thing. The new Yamaha's do look awful appealing, my new 45tx is replacing a Yamaha which I love, and hopefully even more company's will hop on the auto calibration route now.
 

Niraj Patel

Agent
Joined
Jan 15, 2003
Messages
47
Just to report back, I headed over to my dad's place but ended up hooking a pair of crappy speakers to my 45tx (not enough slack in the speaker wires from my dad's setup) along with his dvd player. I popped in a CD and it played fine. All the functionality seemed to be there although I did not try out the Auto-MCACC. I feel comfortable that this is a working model and that I didn't get screwed.
 

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