December 2, 2006 5:55 AM PST
2. Pioneer VSX-82TXS
Editors' rating: 8.3
The good: Pioneer's high-end 7.1-channel A/V receiver is tightly packed with a full range of top-notch features, including a Faroudja HD scaler that converts all analog video inputs to your choice of 480p, 720p or 1080i resolutions over the receiver's HDMI output. It offers three 1080p-capable HDMI inputs and highly accurate autosetup. The THX Select2 certified receiver is also XM-ready and--with the included connecting cable--offers iPod compatibility.
The bad: Densely packed menus will intimidate novices. Analog-to-digital video conversion has some issues which may bother discriminating videophiles.
The bottom line: With an extensive feature package, rock-solid build quality and awesome sound, the Pioneer Elite VSX-82TXS is a worthy combination of everything we expect in a high-end A/V receiver.
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