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This Pioneer AVR seems to have more to offer than many of its rivals.

It's big, the heavy, powerful and packs a great range of features. It's also boastS THX Select2 certification. Already the VSX-1017 is the odds on favourite.

Impressive conectivity

All key boxes are ticked, with two HDMI v1.3 inputs, 1080p switching, vanilla-flavoured Dolby and DTS decoding plus the ability to pass through multichannel PCM via HDMI; and if that's not enough, It has luxuries like an MCACC auto setup mic and 'Made for iPod' compatibility.

It also offerS a USB interface in the front panel, allowing you to access your stored JPEGs, MP3s and Windows Media files via the OSD.

A feature called 'Sound Retriever' is offered to make compressed MP3s sound rather more fullsome.

Sharp pictures

Operation is a bit more complicated than the competition. The auto setup takes care of the calibration, and then it's a case of wading through the onscreen menu system to assign your inputs using the hefty remote control.

The OSD will only travel down the s-video and composite cables, but all other sources can be converted (but not upscaled) to HDMI.

Picturewise, the Pioneer has no problem keeping 1080p images from a PlayStation 3 clean and sharp. The audio is handled with even greater care. The PS3 takes a Dolby True HD feed and outputs its as lossless PCM.

Choose the Dolby mix option on Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Blu-ray), and you'll hear a tweaked and uncompressed version that blows the DVD platter away. In Chapter Four, for instance, the Pioneer makes sure the UFO encounter resonates through every speaker.

Packs a punch

With over 100W per channel available, there are sizable reserves of power on tap to ensure the rumbling bass and surround effects are delivered effortlessly. If you are lucky enough to have a 7.1 THX speaker package you're in for a treat. Just crank the volume up to reference level and enjoy.

That reservoir of power and the ability to bi-wire the front pair of speakers comes in handy for playing CDs. The VSX-1017 can make even the most stubborn high-resistance hi-fi speakers sing in stereo. It sounds even better with DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD.

Although the GUI interface is perhaps overly complex, perseverance is rewarded many times over with this high-value AVR. Hunt one down for an audition.