Pioneer VSX-LX505 AVR Review

[TonyJZX]

this is more about delivering whats on the spec sheet

would it be acceptable for a car company to advertise a 230hp sports car but only deliver 20hp after 35 secs because you dont need more under 'normal use'?

 

[gvl]

this is more about delivering whats on the spec sheet

would it be acceptable for a car company to advertise a 230hp sports car but only deliver 20hp after 35 secs because you dont need more under 'normal use'?

Tesla does it, I haven’t heard too many complaints.

Tesla confirms that it limits the power of performance vehicles after too many launches with 'launch mode' [Updated]

Launch control, an electronic aid to assist drivers in accelerating from a standstill, has been known to sometimes have a...

electrek.co

 

[Martin]

Isn’t this Pioneer exactly like the Onkyo that Amir tested previously, if you look at their inner live;View attachment 255698 not much differences to be seen. So also no surprise I guess there are issues measured with the power output. When reading the Onkyo thread you may find in real life the performance to be good. Perhaps the same may apply to its twin brother, or sister for that matter…

There’s a matching Integra, too.

Martin

 

[TonyJZX]

Tesla does it, I haven’t heard too many complaints.

Tesla confirms that it limits the power of performance vehicles after too many launches with 'launch mode' [Updated]

Launch control, an electronic aid to assist drivers in accelerating from a standstill, has been known to sometimes have a...

electrek.co

my guy, I do not hold up Tesla as the champion model of consumer rights as far as I hold up Elon as a model human being.

Put further if the Chinese did something like this how would we respond as opposed to a more 'established' Japanese company?

 

[SoundsGood2Me]

Again, Thank You Amirm!

I seem to say it more and more lately:

"You don't know how good you got it,

Till you experience Bad"

 

[Doodski]

Again, Thank You Amirm!

I seem to say it more and more lately:

"You don't know how good you got it,

Till you experience Bad"

Where abouts are you from @SoundsGood2Me. USA, Canada? EurO?

 

[SoundsGood2Me]

Chicago

Going to AXPONA soon

Maybe see you there?

 

[Doodski]

Chicago

Going to AXPONA soon

Maybe see you there?

All the way to Schaumburg, IL? This time of year. Nope!

AXPONA - Audio Expo North America

Join music lovers and audiophiles from around the world as they descend upon the nation's largest showcase of manufacturers and retailers ever assembled in one venue only at AXPONA.

axpona.com

 

[TonyJZX]

i think the pre processing stage has acceptable performance and in light of dirac then yeah... let us just say this is a good idea

one might just ditch all the processing and buy a pile of Chinese digital amps of say the sabaj a20 or smsl a300 and get more than acceptable performance?

certainly a market the chinese could plug... make us a 3/4/5/6 or more channel digital amp or chassis system where the unit does a good 75-100w? probably good enough with a subwoofer

 

[HiroPro]

Greetings ASR.
Lurker here...

Uh is it possible amirm's 4 ohm amps tests were done with the Speaker Impedance set to "6 ohms or above" in the speaker configuration settings?

System Setup --> Speaker --> Configuration --> Speaker Impdedance
Value can be "6 ohms or above" and "4ohms"

I think this might explain the low wattage output under 4 ohms load.

 

[TonyJZX]

but it does it under 8 ohm load as well...

if it does it under 4 ohms i can accept it

but also 8 ohms???

there's some amps that do warn that 8 ohms is preferered and that 6 ohm is the lowest (these are shit amps imo... i'm not saying this Pioneer is shit but amir would say "you have the graphs and you have eyes")

 

[amirm]

Uh is it possible amirm's 4 ohm amps tests were done with the Speaker Impedance set to "6 ohms or above" in the speaker configuration settings?

I tested both modes even though the "6 ohm" setting is always the right one. Never use the "4 ohm" setting in AVRs as that definitely cuts down power to pass UL heat testing.

 

[HiroPro]

I tested both modes even though the "6 ohm" setting is always the right one. Never use the "4 ohm" setting in AVRs as that definitely cuts down power to pass UL heat testing.

Thanks for the quick reply!
And they both measured the same and had the output throttling and error reset to come back to full power?
I have this unit and it seems pretty good but all I've driven with it is Ascend CBM-320SEII with an easy 8-6 ohm load.

 

[Fidji]

@amirm - which one is worse - Denon 3800 or this engineering marvel?
I would Probably take Denon over Pioneer.

 

[Krobar]

@amirm - which one is worse - Denon 3800 or this engineering marvel?
I would Probably take Denon over Pioneer.

I would say as a prepro the Pioneer is easily better. If using the internal amps probably Denon. Pioneer includes Dirac too which is usually a little better if you are happy to use a PC or Mac to do the initial calibration.

 

[dlaloum]

Yep, all the SC models are D and the VSX models are AB.

Some more pics from here;

View attachment 255692View attachment 255693View attachment 255694View attachment 255695View attachment 255696


JSmith

I have the impression that the SC nomenclature may be dropped with the new TOTL (ie: Class-D) models, we may find that the new ones will be VSX-LX705 - but until they actually formally announce them, who the hell knows!

 

[dlaloum]

View attachment 255700

230 W/ch is very useful information as well.

(6 ohms, 1ch driven, 1 kHz, 10% THD)

@ 10% THD - that makes it a not so useful spec!
I would far prefer to see what the spec power is for a max of 0.5% THD (or better)

 

[dlaloum]

Greetings ASR.
Lurker here...

Uh is it possible amirm's 4 ohm amps tests were done with the Speaker Impedance set to "6 ohms or above" in the speaker configuration settings?

System Setup --> Speaker --> Configuration --> Speaker Impdedance
Value can be "6 ohms or above" and "4ohms"

I think this might explain the low wattage output under 4 ohms load.

Doubt it - as it started at full power, and then cut back after 35s...

 

[Deleted member 19122]

Have one of these in running in 7.4 no issues at all running at mch loud levels.Typical level is -20 db.Bonus is that it is not a BBQ grill like a Denon! You can find these for 900 or so in the EU no way was I going to fork out twice as much for the Denon equivalent.Ive read of zero cases of this AVR shutting down in any of the dedicated online forums.

 

[Robbo99999]

Hang on, hang on, are we saying this power limited 35s timer is going to be activated/triggered during normal use, be it music listening or movies......I'm assuming it would be, but I wanted to check, I couldn't quite understand the specific instances where this would come into effect?

EDIT: I've read all the comments in the thread now. Ok, so it might not be a problem in normal use depending on what size your listening space is and what your efficiency of your speakers is......but either way we seem to agree that it doesn't meet the advertised specs - in which case it's a general miss for the product, unless you know your use case won't be specifically affected and you think the AVR is a good value deal for you usage. (I wasn't as severe in my voting on this product as most of you folks! DIRAC & ok SINAD & not extortionate pricing.)

EDIT #2: after doing a spot of AVR research & comparison here on ASR then this certainly isn't the best value option, but I won't give it the lowest rating, I'm close to giving it the lowest rating, but to me it doesn't quite deserve that.

EDIT #3: well if these AVR's are inexpensive in EU compared to other brands then that does sway in it's favour in some instances:

Have one of these in running in 7.4 no issues at all running at mch loud levels.Typical level is -20 db.Bonus is that it is not a BBQ grill like a Denon! You can find these for 900 or so in the EU no way was I going to fork out twice as much for the Denon equivalent.Ive read of zero cases of this AVR shutting down in any of the dedicated online forums.