Pioneer Elite 74TXVi vs Denon 3806 vs another (1 Viewer)

[HarpSingh]

Elite 74TXVi vs Denon 3806:
What would be the reasons for me to choose one over the other? Is there another brand that I should consider? What about Yamaha?

Thanks.

 

[Steve_Blazer]

Depends what features you are looking at and what you want to use the receiver itself for.

Do you have HDMI compenents etc etc.


More info might help folks give you informed opinions.

 

[Bobby T]

what kind of speakers do you have?

 

[Chris>JEN]

I like it!

 

[HarpSingh]

My room is 18x14x8 feet, with one side completely open to the kitchen and dining area. There is another open doorway leading to the stairwell foyer. My listening style is 70% movies, 30% music (jazz and lite-rock), and mostly at low to mid level volumes - seldom at very loud settings.

I have the Panasonic 50PX500u Plasma, so I could use the HDMI switching. However, my current equipment has 2 HDMI pieces, a HDMI DVD player and a Motorola Cable DVR. I have heard that the Motorola has HDCP related issues to HDMI, so I don't know how much the HDMI switching will be useful to me.

I'm still deciding on speakers, and am looking at setting up a 5.1 system with either the B&W CM1 or Totem Mite or the M&K B-1500. I am very close to ordering either the SVS PB12-Plus or the EP500 sub.

I hope that provides some details regarding my requirements and needs.

Thanks.

 

[Nick V]

I'd probaly stick with the Denon for the simple fact that once the upgrade bug bites and the warranty is up, you can significantly upgrade it's performance with modifications. In this one, the modifications are performend by Parts Connexion (largely Sonic Frontiers engineers). By all accounts, they do fantastic work.

 

[HarpSingh]

I'm not able to find any reason why one would prefer the Denon or the Pio over the other. Some comments in the 74txvi thread talk about the Pio sounding more livelier and full, the Denon sounding dull. The MCACC & Audessey seem comparable, as do most other features; even in feature-set, I'm not able to find many differences.

Anyone?

 

[Jongyoon Lee]

Denon and Pioneer are like Toyota and Honda. They are all around mass market receivers and you can't go wrong with either one. On the other hand, one can go on and on arguing why Toyota is better than Honda or vice versa, but why? Given the spec and performance, you should be able to decide which one you like better. I also find Denon sounding more laid back when I had AVR 5700. But it's very subjective at this point. One's accurate sound can be another's laid back, and dull sounding for someone else. And ultimately, the selection in the speakers will determine how your system will sound.

 

[Steve_AS]

I highly doubt they sound intrinsically different. Differences will be due to application of different room correction EQ and related settings.

What sold me on the Pio was the ilink capability ( have an ilink SACD/DVDA/CD/DVD player) , and the USB connectivity (for all my sound files from computer), along with its improved MCACC compared to earlier models.

 

[Bob Barker]

I have just recently upgraded to the P.E. 74txvi from a 47tx. I can't answer about the comparision between the Dennon because I didn't listen to the Dennon but I can confirm that there could be issues with HDMI and the Motorola HD/DVR cable box. I haven't had any luck getting it to work yet. I got sound but no display other than a warning that kept flashing on and off but never quite long enough to read it.

I think that this is a function of the cable box, though, and not the reciever.

 

[HarpSingh]

Still trying to find hidden differences in these "Honda-Toyota"s.

I recently learnt that the Denon allows setting of the crossovers individually for each channel and Pio does not. That can become a very useful feature for those of us who use smaller speakers in rear and larger in the front. Even if you have small but different speakers in front vs. rear, that feature would help.

Comments? Do you think it would be as useful as I think?

 

[Dave Moritz]

Both recievers are nice and that allways makes the decision more dificult. So then it comes down to what you are looking for and what kind up features you might need now or in the future.

Denon AVR-3806

Key new high-end features include HDMI switching, 7 channel amplifiers, HDCD decoding, built-in XM-satellite radio capability, and multi-zone functionality. The AVR-3806 also incorporates Audyssey MultEQxt Room EQ to calibrate your audio system and is packaged with a microphone to make your set-up even easier.

THX Ultra2-Certified, THX Post-Processing – DPL (4.0), DPL2 Cinema, DD/DTS (5.1), ES Discrete (6.1), ES Matrix, Neo:6 Cinema. DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 Decoding, Dolby Digital Surround EX Decoding, Wide Screen 7.1 Mode.

1080p HDMI switching, High-Current/Discrete Amplifiers 120 watts x 7 channels, Multi-source/Dual-zone capabilities, 8-Ch. External Analog Input, multi channel eq settings.

http://usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/623.asp


Pioneer Elite 74TXVi

Key new high-end features include HDMI switching, 7 channel amplifiers, The VSX-74TXVi is also equipped with i.Link, and multi-zone functionality. improved Advanced MCACC calibration system, Burr Brown 192kHZ / 24-Bit digital to analog converters.

THX Ultra2-Certified, THX Post-Processing – DPL (4.0), DPL2 Cinema, DD/DTS (5.1), ES Discrete (6.1), ES Matrix, Neo:6 Cinema. DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 Decoding, Dolby Digital Surround EX Decoding.

HDMI switching, 140 watts x 7 channels, Dual zone capabilities, 8-Ch. External Analog Input, +12v Trigger Output - Assignable (2).

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pn...584179,00.html

The Pioneer has more power and assignable 12v triggers with good auto room accustic set up. The Denon has 1080p switching, multi channel eq, high current amps and processing. It depends on what features you need and what brand fits your needs. Personally my money is on the Denon and I am actually going to replace my Yamaha RX-V995 with a Denon. Pioneer Elite is a good piece as well and I cant say I would be unhappy with it ether. But since it does not seem to handle 1080p, for me that would seal the deal with the Denon. If you are going to be purchasing a Blu-ray player here in the future I would go with the Denon. Unfortunantly no one seems to have plans to offer Dolby Digital Plus or DTS-HD any time soon. That means we ether buy yet another reciever later or end up decoding any HD audio format outside the reciever.

 

[mylan]

Denon 3806 does not have THX, click on the link again and see that there is not a green check by that spec. The first model with THX is the 4806.

 

[mylan]

Hmm, I must be the "notorious thread killer" everyone on here talks about!

 

[HarpSingh]

Here are some more differences I have figured.

Denon:
1. Has Parametric Equalization - however this is only in the automatic equalization. You cannot manually change these settings, as far as I know
2. Has Channel specific crossover settings - maybe useful for people who use different speakers in front and back.
3. Can be bi-amped, but that feature is not officially supported, and you lose the ability to auto-eq

Pioneer:
1. No Parametric Equalization. However, since you can't tweak Denon's parametric, Denon is at par with Pio if you want to manually adjust anything. This can also cause some sound quality issues with Denon, as in the Audioholics review, auto-eq did as much as +8 db on some bands, making the sound harsh and fatiguing (subjective, though).
2. No seperate x-overs in Pio. Since right now I would use the same speakers throughout, not a negative for me. To maintain sound-field continuity, I might want to keep the same x-over even on different speakers.
3. I think the pioneer officially allows biamping and thus the auto-eq works when biamping the fronts. Since my system is for a family room with lots of challenges, and I would like to bi-amp the fronts, since I'll be running a 5.1, auto-eq might be important for me.

 

[Guy Usher]

I own the 3806 now and just sold the Elite VSX56TXi. . . I sold my 56 with intentions of going seperates then after that fell through I needed another receiver. I looked at the 74 and 76 Pioneer and in my opinion they couldnt touch my older 56. . .The only deal I could get on an Elite 56 was a used demo for 1100 bucks while I could get the 3806 for 800 new in the box with full factory warrenty so. . .I bought the 3806. BTW it took me 20 years to get that price from an authorized dealer, story for another day (no emails please because no I can't get you one).

Bad
3806;
1)- Volume goes up and down either too fast or too slow. . .
2)- You cant read the display over 8 feet away
3)- Complicated to setup properly
4)- The worst remote on the planet

pio
1)-Less power (real power not rated) my 240 HK blows the doors off the Elite 74 (loaner)
2)- Attached power cord
3)- didnt have it very long

Good
3806
1)- Good Power
2)- flexibility
3)- High resale
4) - Looks
5)- Name

Pioneer
1)- Looks
2)- Elite name
3)- Better remote
4)- Better display
5)- Heavier (56 not the 74)


I know these are snapshots but things like the volume control and remote on the 3806 do bug you enough to complain. . .I think both are just fine and what differences will be related to user functions and preferences not performance. . .

 

[mylan]

I just brought home the 3806 today. I have not even took it out of the box. The remote does concern me a bit but the new one on the 4306 is not much better. Sad, but I may opt for the Harmony 880.

 

[joe_pre]

What about the VSX-72TXV vrs the 3806? Does that one do 1080p switching? Sometime things like that are hard to find on the website. I am considering going with the Elite over the Denon, but I want the 1080p switching.