Have your say & ask the experts

Sorreltiger:

To be brutally honest, if I were going to spend that much money and have to live with an AV set-up for a considerable time, I'd forget about "tweaking" and orange lights and listen carefully to what sounded best with the rest of my system when set up properly.

I see what you mean. In terms of 'tweaking' ability, would this not play into the goal of setting up the system properly? 

JTD:

Anyways....... I'm worried this demo will confuse me more. In most respects the pioneer is what I want (I dont want heigh channels or a second remote) and it will match up well with my kit. Likewise I am thinking the Pioneer might rob my speakers of bass and character, or is this completely dependant on how I tweak the Pioneer?  If the Yamaha sounds better I will be confused even more as I hate the orange display.....

I replaced my Arcam AVR600 a few weeks ago for a Yamaha Z7. I was fed up with the AVR600 keep locking up and bought the Z7 thinking I'd get a stereo amp as well if needed.

Now that I've got it tweaked how I like it and it's run in, I'm finding the Z7 to be an excellent purchase at £1500. One of my concerns was the orange light and the fact that you can't turn it off except in Pure Direct mode, but I have to say on it's dimmed setting it's far less obtrusive than other lighting I've had on hifi. I can't compare it to the new Pioneer, but I can to the AVR600. For me the surround processing is far superior, it set my 5.1 speakers up perfectly and movie surround effects are definately more dynamic than the AVR600. That follows with surround music, in particular SACD as the Z7 can decode DSD via HDMI. The downside, it doesn't match the AVR600 for stereo music, but I'm surprised how close it's come now it's run in.

When you consider the Z7 is available for half the price (or less) of the AVR600, the Z7 is an excellent buy. Hope you enjoy your demo!

I have been thinking about your problem if I was you and you really wanted a pioneer amplifier and in the demo it was to bright, then I would seriously considered selling your speakers, I know it might seem a bit radical, but you could than pick then perfect speakers for your new pioneer amp.

And after all you sound like you really like the way pioneer amps sound so that's what I would do, these days you can can sell things and get really good money, not mentioning a particular website.

There are at least 2 of 3 speakers systems I can think of that would be perfect partners with the pioneer sc-lx82.

gel:

I have been thinking about your problem if I was you
and you really wanted a pioneer amplifier and in the demo it was to
bright, then I would seriously considered selling your speakers, I know
it might seem a bit radical, but you could than pick then perfect
speakers for your new pioneer amp.

And if that doesn't help, it's probably the room, so buy the Pioneer and move house...

Hey if you want a pioneer amp what can you do

By the way go tip on the Gladiator blu ray at morrisons just watch that again over the weekend - Super

gel:

Hey if you want a pioneer amp what can you do

By the way go tip on the Gladiator blu ray at morrisons just watch that again over the weekend - Super

What Av set up do Morrison's have?

I believe Gladiator is a great demo but didn't realise Morrison's have a dem room

Good to see you took Mr Everard's tip

JTD:

Anyways....... I'm worried this demo will confuse me more. In most respects the pioneer is what I want (I dont want heigh channels or a second remote) and it will match up well with my kit. Likewise I am thinking the Pioneer might rob my speakers of bass and character, or is this completely dependant on how I tweak the Pioneer?  If the Yamaha sounds better I will be confused even more as I hate the orange display.....

 

Also does anyone know what a dealer gets the Pioineer SC-LX90 for? I know my dealer sold me a BDP-LX91 for less than 3/4 the rrp when it was just released!

Top Tip ,Watch the Movie not the display

lesmor:

Top Tip ,Watch the Movie not the display

Very true, its not only the orange display though to be honest. More like matching with the rest of my kit. PQLS for music over HDMI. Being  newer (won't be replaced so soon.)

pete321:

I replaced my Arcam AVR600 a few weeks ago for a Yamaha Z7. I was fed up with the AVR600 keep locking up and bought the Z7 thinking I'd get a stereo amp as well if needed.

Now that I've got it tweaked how I like it and it's run in, I'm finding the Z7 to be an excellent purchase at £1500. One of my concerns was the orange light and the fact that you can't turn it off except in Pure Direct mode, but I have to say on it's dimmed setting it's far less obtrusive than other lighting I've had on hifi. I can't compare it to the new Pioneer, but I can to the AVR600. For me the surround processing is far superior, it set my 5.1 speakers up perfectly and movie surround effects are definately more dynamic than the AVR600. That follows with surround music, in particular SACD as the Z7 can decode DSD via HDMI. The downside, it doesn't match the AVR600 for stereo music, but I'm surprised how close it's come now it's run in.

When you consider the Z7 is available for half the price (or less) of the AVR600, the Z7 is an excellent buy. Hope you enjoy your demo!

Thanks for your view point. Dimmable will help! Did you try any other amps? possibly for more expensive?

JTD:

lesmor:

Top Tip ,Watch the Movie not the display

 

Very true, its not only the orange display though to be honest. More like matching with the rest of my kit. PQLS for music over HDMI. Being  newer (won't be replaced so soon.)

 

JTD

Seriously though

You should read your posts , your heart is not in it for the Yamaha you will never be happy with the cosmetics

The Pioneer is without doubt a far nicer receiver to look at and will match your blue ray perfectly,it is the only machine that will have PQLS

I like what I read about the MACCD and X curve and was really tempted to buy a Pioneer 81

Even ordered one then canceled because I heard it was too bright , asked the same question as you on hear and everyone recommended the Yamaha Z7 instead which I bought.

Please try and get a home dem in your room with your kit and cables don't go for a shop dem if you can avoid it and forget about the Yamaha you won't be happy and will regret the purchase, you know it makes sense

JTD - I feel for you bc really I feel for me and you sound just like me.

I'm in the same boat'ish and doing my nut trying to buy my 1.5 - 2k amp - except im also buying speakers.

 So I love the pioneer looks and also hated the yamaha orange (what are you doing Yamaha)?   I have seen the Z7 in person and it looks better then the pictures but now the newer amps in the Yammy range are all changing to white displays - hence I worried I couldnt get a matching bluray player should i want to continue the orange theme but I now see they have new orange screen blurays too.

Anyway - I wouldnt mind the onk 3007 as its seems the best value but everyone always seems to critisize the Onk stereo performance (and maybe the heat) and there are no reviews on them as yet and the people that have em suggest the new models sound like the 906 etc so no stereo improvement - but maybe i would like it?

The denon 4310 seems to be the muts but it has 7 channels of amplification and for 3-400 more then the Onk - it seems a shame and expensive.

I would buy the 4810 in a flash but it is just too dear.

So whats wrong with the pioneer - well im getting a projector too and want the Anchor bay (denon 4310 or Z7) or Reon scaling (onk 3007 and 5007)and pioneer wont upscale HDMI I beleive - so its out - or is it - can I rely on the scaling in a 2k projector??? Who can advise me? Every dealer I speak to tells me somethign else.

 Then to make it worse - I need to buy speakers (I know im lucky to be able to get it all but i have saved for 10 years for this and want to get it right so until I buy it feels like a burden).   I like the Monitor audio gold series and the B&W cm series and I sometimes like the focal 8's (on some tracks they are breathtaking and others they are nasty(shrill) to my ears).

So everyone says - go listen - audition - well I'd Bl**dy love to but no-one has everything available for listening to, or available for comparison so I cannot tell if anything would work with the intended partner or not - would the onk sound good with B&W, who knows as no-one carries them both and if they do they dont have the Z7 for comparison or the monitor audio.   Its hard enough to A/B something in the same room let alone a different dealer, environment, pairing (sorry sir we only have a 4k arcam amp for you to listen to or a £300 amp).   I know dealers cant carry everything and the high end gear is expensive to stock but i am finding it impossible to make any headway.

Sony - hmm if the 5400 got replaced - is the 6400 next?

Is the Gold series about to be replaced - ity must be due?

 Can I live with an orange display knowing the latest reviews put the 4310 ahead of the yamaha and nether has more then 7 channels - but they do both have ABT processing?

 Ill tell you this - a review on the z7 shows that with all channels driven the Denon absolutely mullers it - z7 drops to like 100 watts per channel - and the fidelity measurements hand the win to the 4310 by miles as well.

 so - Im going mad

Well fronts will be £1000 to £1760 depending on whether I go for CM7 or CM9, or about £1700 for GS20's or something similar for focals.   I'll get the matchign subs and centres or PV1 sub if I can stretch that far - and surrounds ill spend less on for now - so total around 3.5 to 4k hopefully with a decent discount if i get a projector and amp and speakers all from the one place