Pioneer's SC-LX81 is the coolest AV receiver on the market, with two HDMI outputs, Dolby True HD, THX certification, DTS-HD, 1080p upscaling, MCACC calibration, oh, and did we mention its gorgeous?

Not only does its gloss black finery give it a sub-zero rating in the style stakes, its array of Bang & Olufsen ICEpower digital amplifier modules ensures it runs only marginally warmer than a clock-radio.

Adding a frost-bite level of coolness is an awesome GUI onscreen display, stylish remote control with automatic blue backlight and sound tuning by London's acclaimed AIR Studios. But what really makes the LX81 fresher than a polar bear's dangly bits in the middle of winter is its sound. This is the best-sounding receiver around £1,500 – bar none.

Pioneer took a bold step by introducing ICEpower modules into the performance-driven end of the AV market. Early incarnations of the ICEpower all-digital amplifiers were not everyone's cup of tea sonically, but they do offer a lot of well-controlled power for very little electricity expenditure, and are hence about green as amplifiers get. Recent versions of the module, with power claimed to be a staggering 190W into 8 Ohms for each channel in the LX81's case, are staggering.

Supported by Pioneer's own substantial power supply, the sound is clean, potent and wonderfully crisp without harshness. Bass digs deep without any bloom or excess, and low-bass to the main channels leaps positively gazelle-like out of the speakers.

ICEpower performance

The electrifying battle scene in the dock in Matrix Revolutions (Blu-ray) explodes into the room in a huge cornucopia of effects. The rush of the Squidies and the APU's heavy machine guns have stunning transient power. From the cycling of the gun's reloading mechanism, to the percussive blast of each shot strung together in a torrent of sonic violence, the effect is wholly believable and totally engrossing. Push the volume knob deep into ASBO territory and the sound grows into a huge, room-filling, dynamically astonishing soundstage that remains poised right up until your speakers beg for mercy. Man, what a ride!

The ensuing silence after the Hammer crashes into the dock and fires the EMP blast is just as impressive. The LX81 does quiet scenes well; dialogue projects out with all the emotion and inflection that the actors can muster. Lawrence Fishburne's baritone voice is perhaps not quite as deep or fulsome as it is on some of rival AVRs, but it is remarkably precise and accurate.

In fact, that dichotomy sums up the sound of the LX81. While it doesn't have the warmth or sheer mid-bass body of some of its competitors, this perceived lack of 'richness' lets the rest of the sound breathe like never before.

Automatic excellence

Some of this lack of mid-bass bloom is down to the LX81's MCCAC auto set-up and EQ system doing its thing and relieving the sound of room-induced problems. As I'm so familiar with my room's inherent sound, the MCACC adjusted set-up (which did some quite heavy filtering around 125Hz in my room) is invariably going to sound a bit light to my professional lugholes.

Suspecting this might be the case, I set up a mic and RTA (real time analysis) freeware on the lap-top and measured the room response. The resulting plot was, by a country mile, the flattest I have ever seen a 20Hz to 20kHz sweep in my room!