Overview

NAD is not a brand to follow the masses. In fact, while the AVR herd are grazing on features and connecting to the milking machine of network integration, NAD receivers are more 'free range'. The T757 goes a step further and is truly feral.

What we have here is a significantly wallet-wrenching AV receiver that has thrown off what are considered basic features on even budget models costing one-fifth of the price. Instead, this chunky beast concentrates on sonic performance, delivering your speakers an ultra-clean analogue signal designed to make your ears love you.

I would even go so far as to say that its dark grey exterior and clean lines make it the best-looking NAD receiver yet, too.

Not as EQ as others

So let's look at what the T757 doesn't do. There is no Room EQ as NAD believes in the more purist 'hi-fi ' approach to sound. There is no fancy GUI, no App-based remote control and no networking functionality.

While the relatively frugal 4-in/1-out HDMI connectivity has 3D/deep colour switching compatibility the T757 has no upscaling or Audio Return Channel functionality. If you have an old DVD player or standard definition broadcast TV the NAD will convert analogue inputs to HDMI, but only at native resolution. Given that anyone in the market for a £1,500 AVR probably already has an upscaling Blu-ray player or upconverting TV anyway, maybe this isn't such a great loss after all.

Connectivity is pretty comprehensive, but the lack of USB input is a pain for those with a penchant for digital music devices, or who regularly use their notebook PC as a source.

The T757 does offer some iPod integration, but only by using the optional IPD-2 dock, which will cost you another hundred quid.

Fully-powered zone 2 audio output can be achieved using channels 6 & 7 and NAD supplies a credit-card style second zone remote for this application. Alternatively you use those amplifiers to run 5.1 and bi-amp the front channels, which works a treat with the T757.

NAD has significantly upgraded its user interface and onscreen menus for the T757. Its simple text menus are speedy to navigate and presented at 1080p over HDMI. An onscreen mini-menu is also available that shows base-line info (volume adjustments etc) for a few seconds overlaid over the on screen content.

The menu methodology is straight forward enough, albeit after getting used to a quirk of the remote control; when you have highlighted a feature in the menu, you have to press the right arrow to select it rather than the more usual 'enter' key. Surreal.

And then there is the specification sheet. While supremely low distortion and excellent signal-to-noise figures are indeed impressive, 60W per channel is not. Looking at the beefy power supplies and solid internal build of the T757, I can only conclude that some of the smaller components, such as the transistors, have been chosen for their sonic abilities rather than their power output.

That said, if it can actually produce a genuine 60W for all seven channels when the going gets tough, it will then perform on par with most AVRs that like to claim power well over 100W on paper.

From an installer's point of view, the T757 is also well up to spec with RS232 control and plenty of 12v triggers and iR repeaters.

One of this NAD's most appealing features is its Modular Design Construction. Claimed to enable users to embrace the ever-changing world of AV technology without having to ditch their original investment, MDC means that most sections of the T757 can be swapped out and upgraded as and when they are available.

Theoretically, when we are all loving 4k x 2k video the NAD's HDMI board can be swapped out for one capable of handling this super high-definition format. The MDC concept has won NAD a prestigious Reddot Design Award.

Teething problems

The built-in Audyssey auto setup is a trimmed down system with only single point measurement and relatively coarse adjustment of dB levels and speaker distance. It also had quite an epic hiccup indicating that my monster Tannoy Dimension TD12 loudspeakers were 'small' and the Velodyne DD18 subwoofer was out of phase, irrespective of whether it was set at 0˚ or 180˚ phase.

Several re-runs with the microphone in different places failed to get any different result, so I resorted to manual setup. So, thus far we have an AVR that is rather expensive, bereft of features, low powered, hampered by a quirky remote control and utterly beleaguered with set-up issues in my room. As receiver reviews go, they don't start much worse than that.

However, in a come-back that The Who would be proud of, the T757 pulls magic out of the bag with its unfettered audio muscle and a soundstage richer than a tray of Belgian chocolates.

It sounds warm and robust with an engaging atmosphere that actually makes it difficult to concentrate on how it sounds, without falling into the plot of the movie. Such is its enveloping nature the speakers seem to disappear, leaving you cosseted by the smooth and inviting soundstage.

Performance and verdict

Packing a punch

Big action blockbusters have palpable clout too. Those 60W per channel seem to punch well above their weight, although the subwoofer channel is relied on heavily to build the real sub-sonic presence that underpins the movie.

In fact, I wonder if the penchant of the auto-set-up to set speakers to small is not actually engineered to off-load more current hungry low frequency output to the subwoofer. It's an interesting conspiracy theory, but play Fast & Furious 5 and it really doesn't matter. The cars howl, the gunshots pound the room and the girls look fabulous.

I realise that this has little to do with the AVR, but it is of note that the T757 does nothing to get in the way of one's appreciation. The more esoteric Paul on Blu-ray is a feast of effects from the opening sound of the huge door shutting to the crowd scenes at the San Diego geek convention. The soundtrack moves along at a pace, while dialogue is bold and solid.

The lack of EQ allows my room's 60Hz boost to get a little noticeable, but it never gets overbearing. The upshot is the size of the soundstage and the positioning of effects in it is not quite as crisp and precise as some of the NAD's peers, but the sheer presence more than makes up for it.

TechRadar Labs

Power consumption: Watts

Idling: 48 Watts

As with all AVRs, you might want to switch it off when you're not using it.

Powered: 85 Watts

In five-channel mode and at a comfortable listening level, real world consumption averaged 85W.

Power ratings: Watts (8Ω , 0.5% THD)

2-channel 8Ω: 80 Watts

80W-per-channel is above NAD's own specification...

5-channel 8Ω: 77 Watts

...as is this five-channel measurement. We recorded 77W with seven channels driven, too.

Untainted: Watts

NAD T 757: 68 Watts
Anthem MRX700: 130 Watts
Yamaha RX-1067: 120 Watts
Pioneer VSX-920X: 60 Watts

Fidelity firewall: A measurement of power untainted by distortion (0.02THD, 8Ω, 1kHz).

Signal/noise: dB

20Hz: 48dB
1kHz: 70dB
20kHz: 69dB

S/N tests: Low-frequency test not as impressive as the rest.

Musical talents

While I don't usually mention too much about stereo music reproduction, the T757 rather demands it. With the front channels in bi-amp mode, there is plenty of power and no hint of the top-end grain that can afflict some AVRs when listening to a high quality two-channel source. It laps up a range of musical styles, eking out the detail in complex classical music, while rocking the sofa with more up-tempo material.

After living with the T757 for a week, it feels more like a good hi-fi amplifier with the added benefit of providing stellar AV surround sound service as well. And I might even be able to live without those missing features yet.

Overview

Whether through luck or design, Marantz has created something rather special with the NR1602.

Driven by a desire to innovate within the often stultifying constraints of hardcore AV, the company has taken the traditional hefty AVR form factor and chopped it in half. The result is a component with a good deal more va-va-voom than its peers.

But there's more to the NR1602 than downsizing. The brand has also rebalanced feature priorities. Network streaming, internet radio and AirPlay are as important to this AVR as multichannel audio. If you were to reboot the home theatre market tomorrow, the NR1602 would be the benchmark.

Signature livery

The machine has a distinctive, Marantz-flavoured fascia: all curved edges and fussy buttonry. It's also available in both black and 'silvergold', the latter harking back to an era of champagne-coloured separates, and I must say I approve.

Standing 105mm tall, this receiver is not much larger than a Blu-ray player. However, the NR1602 is a 7.1 model boasting solid connectivity and every key audio codec (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, DD Plus, DTS HD, plus DSX height/ width processing).

It has four 3D-compatible HDMI inputs (all with support for Audio Return Channel compatible gear), two component and three phono AV inputs, digital optical and coaxial audio inputs, plus Ethernet. There's also an accessory Marantz-eXtension Port for an optional Bluetooth receiver, enabling you to wirelessly stream from your Windows or Android mobile.

All speakers benefit from decent binding posts. Connectivity extends to the front with a USB input that doubles as both a digital iPod/iPhone connection and media reader.

The NR1602 is just as comfortable browsing external hard drives as large USB sticks. It certainly wasn't fazed by a full 160GB drive.

Hero GUI

The set-up routine is polished and painless. An easy-to-follow wizard guides you through the system configuration, speaker connections and room calibration.

The user interface on this AVR is terrific. It's high-res, fast and intuitive. Assigning inputs is particularly simple, thanks to a neat tabular layout. Why doesn't everyone do it this way? There's also a video overlay for volume and channel selection, still something of a rarity on HDMI kit.

The NR1602 comes with Audyssey's MultiEQ auto-calibration system. A supplied microphone plugs into the front of the AVR and, when prompted, issues a series of squawks to assess distance and level. It can take measurements from multiple seating positions (the 2EQ Full Calibration mode), or just one (Quick Start).

However, as I've found with previous Audyssey calibration systems, accuracy can be a little suspect; in this instance the unit miscalculated the relative distances of my rear speakers and subwoofer. Still, this is a simple fix. You can always forego auto-calibration entirely, manually setting distance and levels for yourself.

Audyssey's MultiEQ system comes saddled with Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume technologies, neither of which I much care for. Dynamic Volume should be switched off immediately. Designed to smooth out the dynamic peaks in source material, it's of use only to those who don't like loud bangs. Like kittens.

Once on your LAN, this DLNA-savvy receiver quickly sniffs out other like-minded devices. It found my assorted uPnP and DLNA NAS devices instantly. The receiver also rocks a very nice internet radio implementation, and includes support for Last.FM, Napster and even Flickr, the photo-sharing site.

While there's an AM/FM receiver onboard, I can't see it getting much use when there are so many net music options. Not only is there a bigger universe of choice online, but quality is generally better, too.

As it happens, having Flickr on an AVR alongside 'net radio proves to be a wizard wheeze. While the NR1602 does have a screensaver to prevent image retention, letting it slideshow Flickr images is a great way to fill the visual void.

Streaming audio file compatibility is solid across LAN and from USB. The NR1602 has no problem with MP3, Ogg, WMA, WAV, FLAC and AAC files. It also correctly read artist and album metadata.

Of course, the centre of attraction for iTunes and iOS users will be the provision of AirPlay. It takes no time at all to set up, and you'll soon be streaming from either PC or Mac, or iOS device. As a user experience, AirPlay verges on the transformational. It's a very cool way to explore a music collection, especially via an iPad.

Performance and verdict

The balance of power

One inevitable consequence of the smaller form factor is that the NR1602 can't compete with the heavy power reserves of larger muscle amps. Its paper specification is 7 x 50W. Is this a deal breaker? My guess is that this is not going to prove problematic in the average living room.

Given that even in dedicated home theatres you're unlikely to run amplification at more than -15dB, this shortfall in welly is not difficult to live with. Indeed, I ran both music and movies in multichannel mode and never felt short-changed.

Surprisingly, the little NR1602 does a splendid job driving large speaker loads. I used it with sizeable Definitive Technology Reference boxes. Laced up to a more sensible speaker package (maybe something smaller from sister brand Boston Acoustics) and it'll rock the house.

Multichannel Super Audio CD on the NR1602 is a treat. Hooked up to Marantz' UD7006 Universal Blu-ray player, this AVR sounds relaxed and open. Emi Fujita's MOR crooning (Camomile Best Audio, Japanese import), not only exhibits terrific width, but also has tangible depth. It's like 3D for the ears.

The NR1602 also handles fast transients with snappy ease and exhibits more than enough energy to cope with the sonic excitement of the Tron: Legacy bike duel. Tron's 7.1 Blu-ray soundtrack remains one of the best of the year, and this little box does a thumpingly good job with it. Not only is the directionality of its steering effortlessly sharp, there's a roundness to the dialogue and a depth to the LFE, which makes for surprisingly rich listening.

It's worth stretching to a full 7-channel speaker complement if you can. The smattering of 7.1 Blu-ray audio mixes is worth the indulgence. And while the best you'll get from broadcasters at the moment is Dolby Digital 5.1, the NR1602 can evenly distribute this using Dolby EX to all channels. This post-processing mode works well and I'd recommend using it if you're running with an expanded setup.

If you don't plan on running rear back speakers, you can assign the spare channels as a stereo feed to another room.

TechRadar Labs

Power consumption: Watts

Idling: 35 Watts

Lower than much of the full-fat AVR competition, but still quite high.

Powered: 75 Watts

An average consumption figure with movie footage at a sensible listening level.

Power ratings: Watts (8Ω , 0.5% THD)

2-channel 8Ω: 55 Watts

We measured 55W per channel in stereo mode, a smidgeon over Marantz's spec.

5-channel 8Ω: 30 Watts

The usual drop off in multichannel mode, but 30W should be fine for many setups.

Untainted: Watts

Marantz NR1602: 35 Watts
Yamaha RX-V367: 79 Watts
Pioneer VSX-920-X: 60 Watts
Onkyo TX-SR308: 40 Watts

Fidelity firewall: A measurement of power untainted by distortion (0.02THD, 8Ω, 1kHz).

Signal/noise: dB

20Hz: 78 dB
1kHz: 78dB
20kHz: 78dB

S/N tests: Consistent measurements across the frequency range.

Winter warmer

While most users will naturally rely on HDMI for sound and vision, the NR1602's analogue inputs offer toasty warmth. Compact Discs played on the aforementioned UD7006 and routed in via the stereo analogue inputs with Pure Direct selected, are as smooth as a cauldron of Swiss chocolate.

Mozart's Violin Concerto in D Major (from 2L) offers no sense of no digital harshness – it's just delicious. While the NR1602 may not throw quite the same long shadow as traditional home cinema receivers, it doesn't lack in audacity.

In the maelstrom of mass market AV receivers, it's a slimline oasis of style and substance. Indeed, when it comes to networked theatre, it has few peers at the price.

Pioneer's VSX-2021 is a receiver for the Apple generation. It's all but intrinsically linked to the company's wares with iPhone/iPad control Apps, dedicated music sharing for multiple iPods, remote control of the latest OS devices and full AirPlay integration. Even the user manual and set-up navigator are fully interactive iPad Apps.

Okay, this £800 receiver can be operated with its own remote control and you can ignore the Apple-centric features, but that would be like buying a BMW and never using the iDrive. Even those VSX-2021 buyers with a penchant for Android devices (there is an app for that platform, too) might find themselves considering an iPad for its Pioneer-centric features alone.

Where that Pioneer/Apple allegiance really excels is in the control interface. Pioneer's iControl AV App of a year or so back was so far ahead of the curve that no AVR maker has yet caught up.

The latest iControl AV2 App adds a raft of new gizmos alongside the truly inspired, tilt-sensitive level adjustments and gorgeous animated App UI from the first edition. You now have access to a wider range of the AVR's features including finer adjustment of phase control, PQLS, group delay, virtual speakers for depth, height and virtual rear back and access to Pioneer's Auto Sound Retriever, which spruces up lossy MP3 and low bitrate net radio streams.

For those social ravers out there, another Pioneer App called AirJam can be used in conjunction with the optional AS-BT200 Bluetooth adaptor, allowing up to four Apple devices to be simultaneously paired to the VSX-2021. Each user cues up songs from their device to form a giant multi-party playlist, which is simultaneously displayed on the screen of each device. Among my friends, I reckon this would lead to complete bun-fight by track three.

Widget daddy

However, the ultimate widget among widgets award goes to iControlAV's Finger EQ feature. This brings the concept of a graphic equaliser into the iPhone age by mapping a frequency response curve to the sweep of your finger across the screen. Great fun.

More sensibly, the App also affords Zone 2 and Zone 3 control, videos explaining various features (see these on Pioneer's excellent YouTube channel) and a readout of precise audio and video signal information.

While all this works beautifully on an iPhone/iPod, the dedicated iPad version of iControl AV2 is even better. It makes you realise why Crestron and AMX touchscreens have always been so popular. And, frankly, a decent App on an iPad is both better and cheaper than dedicated controllers.

Just to prove I haven't turned into an Apple freak overnight, my ability to get iControl AV2 to turn the VSX-2021 off but not back on again was really annoying [Pioneer reckons you need to fiddle around in the Network Setup Menu – Ed].

Respect to the spec

Apple sauce aside, the VSX-2021 is a very solidly specified receiver and well paced with rivals at this price point.

The THX Select2 badge is proudly displayed at the top of Pioneer's features list, followed closely by the class-leading seven HDMI inputs and twin simultaneous HDMI outputs. These are v1.4 configuration so they support Audio Return Channel from your TV back to the amp, 3D pass-through and, at some point in the future, 4K2K video.

Sadly, there's no Ethernet channel embedded in the HDMI ports to exploit the IP networking feature of v1.4, but you wouldn't currently find many devices to connect an Ethernet HDMI cable to anyway.

The Pioneer offers hardwired Ethernet as standard (with optional Wi-Fi adapter), offers vTuner net radio and is Windows 7 and DNLA-compliant, just to prove that the world doesn't end at Cupertino.

Under the hood are seven channels of power and processing for all our favourite HD-audio movie formats plus Dolby ProLogic IIz for height channel output using terminals at the expense of rear-back speakers. Processing for anything remotely Apple is a given, including Apple Lossless (via Airplay at least), and this is also one of the first AVRs to offer support for ultra-high 192kHz/24Bit FLAC recordings.

For EQ duties you get the latest version of Pioneer's MCACC room EQ system. Alongside the auto-setup and auto calibration features, deep, deep, deep in the advanced EQ Professional menus you will find audio controls of mind boggling complexity.

More equal than others

You can vary the EQ time positioning to best adjust for room nodes that build up over a short period and can run the calibration with different output biases. The EQ emphasis can be put on pure frequency response, phase characteristics, multi-point standing wave control or even balance the surround speakers to match the front main pair.

There is no simple tweaking of frequencies as a manual option, but you do have control over channel levels to +/- 0.5dB and speaker distance in 1cm increments. Quite who keeps their head that still during a movie is a mystery to me, but for the sake of absolute accuracy you can't beat Pioneer's MCACC.

Which brings me to the overall package and what a big old beast the VSX-2021 is. It is tall and deep in stature although I have no idea why. Inside there is a chunky transformer, several PCBs, a relatively compact rack of cooling fins and enough air-space to pilot a Sopwith Camel.

The mostly empty chassis does nothing for the feel or the build quality either. The case is rather tinny, the front flap feels like it will fall off if a child gets within 10 paces, and the speaker terminals flex alarmingly when you hook up even moderately chunky cables.

That said, the VSX-2021 does look rather lush. It is smooth, sleek and black with the biggest knobs I have ever seen outside of a government conference. The style is pure Pioneer, but if you happen to own a black iPad and squint a bit, there is a cosmetic synergy too.

Maybe because Pioneer pretty much expects you to control the VSX-2021 with a portable Apple device, the supplied remote control is pants. It is a small device with buttons so bijou I can hit nine at once with my sausage thumb. On the plus side, it is fairly logical in that it emulates most standard remotes and offers a red backlight for fumbling around in the dark.

If you do already own an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch you might as well leave the standard remote in the box – you won't even need it for set-up.

Pioneer's MCACC is not the quickest auto set-up system these days but it is thorough, has a progress bar and explains what it is up to every step of the way. There are memory slots for different set-up balances and configurations, and the system hand-holds you through the deeper features nicely.

The manual is actually a fully interactive program supplied on PC DVD-Rom and is also available as an iPad App... you won't be surprised to hear. This runs a step-by-step connectivity guide followed by information on using the MCACC setup.

The MCACC knack

Then the AVNavigator gets really cool. It allows you to configure your connectivity, the MCACC features and settings on a PC or iPad and then download them to the AVR over your network. Post setup, the EQ data graphs are displayed in AVNavigator software with ongoing ability to tweak and adjust.

And, even cleverer still, the interactive manual reacts to button presses on the receiver itself. So if you press Phase Control, for example, AVNavigator immediately jumps to that page in the manual. If you keep the program running on your iPad or PC, Pioneer automatically loads updates and information on firmware upgrades.

Running on a PC, AVNavigator is incredibly slick; on an iPad it is the blueprint not just for all future AVR user guides, but probably all connected electronic goods too, from Smart TVs to digital radios as well. It is that good.

And finally, you might just get around to playing a movie, which is immensely rewarding. Running with the MCACC EQ and full-band phase control on, the VSX-2021 is crisp, clean and blessed with a hugely spacious soundstage.

The balance is one of detail, accuracy and special effects etched into the room with laser-like precision. Bass is tightly controlled with breathtaking slam and absolutely no bloat or overhang. Other AVRs may sound weightier, but the breathy-clarity that the Pioneer exhibits right across the spectrum is revealing – not unlike really good hi-fi in fact.

Switch off the phase control and MCACC and you get a relatively cloying and congested sound that is far from ideal. The whole front soundstage is squished together and there is a sluggish malaise that just won't budge no matter how many times you shift the speakers around. Clearly the VSX-2021 is built from the ground up with MCACC in mind and it is essential to use it.

As Leonardo Di Caprio speaks to Ellen Page in her first lucid dream in Inception (Blu-ray), the Pioneer paints an atmospheric portrait of the bustling city and coffee bar, complete with passing traffic and clinking cups. The dialogue is perfectly articulated and projected well out into the room with intonations and accents faithfully reproduced.

As Ariadne realises she is in the dream with the scenery exploding around her, the Pioneer digs deep into its reserves of power and punches out each explosion as a cacophonous mix of bass power and fragment effects. The snap back to the scene in the laboratory immediately focuses the scene on the dialogue and music playing gently in the background. It is as close to genre agnostic as AVRs get, being damn good at them all.

Upping the ante

The VSX-2021 sets new standards of operational flexibility in the AV receiver genre and does so backed up with stunning audio engineering. The latest MCACC is nothing short of a revelation for a sub-£1,000 receiver, and works miracles on the Pioneer's slightly lacklustre un-EQ'd sound in my room.

The rather lightweight build quality aside, the VSX-2021 offers class-leading features, performance and flexibility. In fact, it is truly in a class of its own.

Yamaha RX-V471 review

There has been something of a dry spell for new AVRs of late. Months have passed without seeing one then, like buses, Yamaha launches the five-model strong RX-Vx71 lineup all at once. We got our hands on the baby brother the Yamaha RX-V471 AVR.

To celebrate the 25 years since the launch of its Cinema DSP technology, Yamaha's fledglings get some cutting edge features and obligatory eco-friendly credentials, too.

While the flagship RX-V771 looks stunning on paper, I suspect this was a ruse by Yamaha just to tease us, because the RX-V471 turns out to be an absolute corker.

First off, gone are the symmetrical cosmetics from the 1987-AVR Designer's Handbook. They have been replaced with a slick and thoroughly contemporary, part-gloss fascia. Having dissed the brand's AVR aesthetics in print for nearly a quarter of a century, this is a revelation to me.

And it is equally sleek around 
the back where there are just enough essential connections, such as 
4-in 1-out v1.4 HDMIs, a selection 
of digital connections, component video and a Yamaha accessory 
port. There's no longer a dedicated dock for porting an iPod/iPhone, unless you want a wireless connection, for when both Wi-Fi 
and Bluetooth docks are available.

Instead all five models in the range extract raw digital audio, play lists and even display album artwork from a standard USB input.

In my opinion, this more than makes up for a lack of network connectivity, delivering high-quality music-server functionality for 
the price of an iPod. There is a Compressed Music Enhancer in the DSP modes, but my advice would 
be to buy your iPod big and go VBR 
or lossless for best sound quality.


Of course, at this price you only get five channels of amplification for Dolby and DTS 5.1 formats, at a claimed 100W a-piece (although 
our Tech Labs rate them lower).

Research pays off

It is also clear that more than 
a few months of research and development have been lavished 
on the user interface, too.

The RX-V471 boots up fast with a colourful high-definition image 
of a Yamaha piano on screen. 
A single press of the remote has the full-colour GUI overlay sliding up from the bottom of the screen offering a raft of easy-to-follow options.

Once the supplied set-up mic is installed (in the correct port and not, as I did, into the fascia-mounted 3.5mm input jack) the receiver automatically pulls up the auto set-up menus. Powered up, 
the receiver makes a few suitably eye-watering noises and announces all is well in under two minutes.

The YPAO room EQ system is 
a fairly basic incarnation of the technology and offers no manual adjustment beyond three presets. The GUI overlay enables you to play content and flick between each mode easily to select whichever 
you prefer.

Ironically, in a blind test, 
I ended up plumping for the 'EQ off' mode, but in a standard living room which has less than optimal speaker positioning I suspect the YPAO will come into its own.

The features list is not too shoddy for a £300 receiver and concentrates on those that will actually get 
used rather than specification trumps. There is no video upscaling, but you do get HDMI input switching in the frugal 1.2W standby mode for those days when you just want to watch and listen to the TV.

On fire

At all other times the RX-V471 delivers performance to set your socks on fire. Sounding agile, potent and incredibly detailed, this little receiver would give last year's 
£800 models a run for their money 
in pure performance.

Within seconds of spinning up Iron Man on Blu-ray 
I was hearing little details that 
older models at twice the price 
would gloss over.

As Stark emerges from the imprisoning cave, the LFE handling 
is sharp and visceral. This is no slow-burn performer that you might warm too; this is an immediate wow-factor machine that punches out a holographic surround soundstage with precision that I have not heard in any AVR the affordable side of £500.

I considered it may be the preceding dry-spell of amps that 
let the Yamaha gain my affections, 
so I garnered a second opinion. 
Mrs S has been exposed to a lot 
of AVRs over the years, so I played two scenes from different discs and asked her to guess the price of the Yamaha. She plumped for '£600-£800'. Okay, so it's not just me then.

The RX-V471's winning quality is undoubtedly 
its superb balance, which seems to let the dialogue, effects and action shine through. This pulls you into the movie, letting you forget about 
the electronics and speakers and simply enjoy the plot.

It is the result of a very clean sound through the mid-range; 
open, spacious and free from any congestion. Effects such as the spent bullet cases dropping to the floor have a wonderful metallic quality and the RX-V471 places each one with individual precision. Bass effects are robust and punchy without being overbearing and the top end deliver plenty of sparkle.

On one hand the sound is 
much firmer and fruitier than the competition, yet feed the AVR a 
diet of drama and it offers unrivalled clarity at this price, too.

The King's Speech is delivered with intensity and gravitas, underpinning the anguish of Colin Firth's King George with superb realism. I found myself holding my breath, willing the character to enunciate the next stammered word.

This rare combination of power and precision makes the RX-V471 something of an all-rounder, equally at home with family-friendly Disney fun as it is 18-cert action mayhem. 
To test the point, I slipped in the original Ice Age on Blu-ray and another thoroughly entertaining 
90 minutes slipped by.

Even nudging the volume skyward results in a very pleasant surprise. While most budget receivers start 
to struggle and harden up when the volume gets much beyond –5dB, 
the Yamaha finds untapped reserves, simply powering into seriously 'neighbour-unfriendly' territory.

With 0dB showing on the clock, the sound retains its fine balance and clarity with the bass effects threatening 
to bring down the light fittings. 
Great fun? You bet.

The iPod/iPhone hook-up is simplicity itself, using no more than the Apple supplied USB lead. The RX-V471 quickly lists all the tracks and artists.

Once you hit Play, the GUI pulls up the cover art work from the device a few seconds later – all controlled by the Yamaha's simple remote. Further up the model range you get App control as well, but I guess at this price point you can't have everything.

Benchmarks

Power consumption: Watts
Idle: 41
Powered: 110

Power ratings: Watts (8 Ohms @ 0.5% THD)
2 channel 8 Ohms: 80
5 channel 8 Ohms: 60

Signal/Noise: dB
20 Hz: 85 dB
1 kHz: 85 dB
20 kHz: 85 dB

Style, substance, value

While more affluent receivers offer more power, greater resolution and additional features, I can't remember a time when a budget AVR impressed me so much.

It is stylish on the shelf, amazingly easy to use, offers a useful set of features and tops it all off with comfortably class-leading sound at the price.

Overview

Every year, Onkyo's home cinema hubs top the bestseller lists, appealing to punters looking for an amp that delivers maximum bang for their buck.

And this year, the company clearly intends to retain its position at the top. The 7.2-channel TX-NR609 is the most advanced model in Onkyo's first wave of 2011 receivers, offering full network capability and a couple of exciting world firsts.

Chief among these is its ability to stream music directly from Spotify. With over 10 million songs available in 320k quality, it could put your MP3 player out of a job, although you'll need a Premium account to use it.

Alongside this is a wealth of other connected services, including vTuner internet radio, Napster, Last.fm and DLNA-certified music streaming from networked devices. All of these are accessed at the touch of a button, using gloriously simple menus.

The Spotify interface is particularly good, displaying cover art and providing access to playlists and features such as 'What's New' and 'Starred'.

It's also the first receiver to feature Marvell Qdeo video processing technology, which can upscale any video source to 3840 x 2160 resolution. This may not have any practical use right now, but it could be handy when sets such as Toshiba's glasses-free TV hit the shops within the next 12 months.

Sound

Headline-grabbers aside, when it comes to fundamentals such as audio processing, amplification and performance, the Onkyo TX-NR609 is pretty much untouchable at this price.

Like its predecessor, the brilliant TX-SR608, the NR609 is THX Select2 Plus-certified, decodes any HD audio format and offers 7 x 160W of grunt, with two LFE pre-outs if you want to bulk up bass with a second sub.

There's even a choice of vertical surround processing, with Dolby Pro Logic IIz and Audyssey DSX both vying for your attention. The latter offers greater flexibility, enabling you to use the surround back speakers as front height or front wide channels (although with only seven channels, you will have to give up those surround backs no matter what.)

On the socketry front, you get no less than six HDMI v1.4 inputs (one of which is found on the front) making it ready to receive full HD 3D signals and audio from an ARC-compatible TV.

Other highlights come in the shape of powered Zone 2 output, an analogue RGB input for PCs and a USB port with extensive media playback. The Ethernet connection is currently your only way of getting online, but Onkyo is set to launch a wireless USB adaptor. On the minus side, there are no multichannel analogue inputs.

Build quality is spot-on, and Onkyo has revamped the external design to include a flat fascia with buttons discreetly tucked along the grooves. While classy, the exposed sockets are asking for trouble if you have kids.

On test

Power consumption: Watts

Idling: 45 Watts - Reasonable power consumption for an AVR of this complexity

Powered: 150 Watts - With movie footage, real world use averages 150W with five channels driven

Power ratings: Watts (8Ω, 0.5% THD)

2-channel 8Ω: 100 Watts - Delivers a solid stereo measurement, although below Onkyo's own specification

5-channel 8Ω: 90 Watts - This multichannel figure is very good considering the receiver's market position

Untainted: Watts

Fidelity firewall: 75 Watts - A measure of power achieved before distortion becomes unacceptable (0.03%THD).The Onkyo is up to spec but not as 'clean' as some rivals

Signal/noise: dB
S/N tests: 85dB at 20Hz, 1kHzand 20kHz - Good, but not excellent across all frequencies. High listening levels are afflicted with a noticeable hiss

Verdict

The Audyssey 2EQ auto setup works its magic with the supplied mic and test tones, or you can take the DIY option by delving into the onscreen set-up menu, which uses the same logical layout as last year's models but with swanky new fonts and graphics.

Its performance is magnificent, handling Blu-ray soundtracks with consummate control, roof-raising power and the same deftness of touch as its predecessor.

During the sedate opening scenes of Inception, it gently caresses the lapping waves, teasing out the background ambience. And the expository dialogue is articulated with admirable clarity and body.

But as the dream starts to fall apart, the Onkyo handles the epic-scale action with thunderous power, swift, decisive steering and terrific effects placement.

Debris crashes to the floor with a chandelier-shaking thump, while the wave of water cascading into the room mixes frightening low-frequency presence with clean top-end detail.

It's a top-drawer movie performer, and although you'll get even greater power and subtlety from more expensive models, we doubt you'll hear many better £500 amps this year. The TX-NR609 is a force to be reckoned with.

Overview

Canadian brand Anthem's classy high-end D2V processor and P-series power amps wowed our high-end sensibilities when we saw them, leading to a three-strong lineup of more affordable AV receivers coming to these shores in 2011.

Here we have the range-topping MRX 700 coming in at around £2,100 and competing with the likes of Denon's AVR-4311 and Onkyo's TX-NR5008.

From the cosmetics alone you can trace the MRX 700's lineage from the D2V, but they share more than a few design features and philosophies.

Compared to the D2V's cluttered looks, which we suggested had a fascia ideally suited to an enclosed cupboard, the 700 is positively stylish. The silver buttons and bold white logos on matt black are a long way from the elegance of British or Japanese receivers, but it's nothing like as cluttered as the D2V, and the side flap over the front inputs is a very neat touch.

This contrast between AV receivers from differing nations continues under the casework, too. Anthem has its own state-of-the-art electronics and software design facility in Ottawa, shared with sister brand Paradigm, and it clearly has the cajones to forge its own path rather than follow the herd.

The MRX 700 is no Swiss army knife of functionality, and in a game of pure features strip poker it would be sitting at the card table in nothing but its boxer shorts long before the Denon and Onkyo.

The focus is on delivering the best possible sound quality at the given price without diluting the R&D budget with widgets and fluffery that you may not use anyway.

Features

Of course, it has decoding for all mainstream standard and high-resolution movie and music sound formats, USB inputs with an iPod dock on the way, upscaling to 1080p, Ethernet networking and even a Dolby ProLogic IIz height channel option. But that is your lot for secondary features.

There's no independent multi-room AV, or Airplay, no bespoke anti-jitter digital link-ups and (at present) no iPad app remote control. There is also an amazing lack of big-name component brands such as Anchor Bay, ISF, Burr-Brown etc, and virtually all the electronics are born and bred in-house at the Paradigm Advanced Research Centre, or PARC.

Most notable of these is Anthem's own ARC EQ system, notable for being a lightly pared-down version of the ARC system found on the D2V. And that is the best-sounding EQ system of any I am yet to hear by a long, Canadian country mile.

Set-up

Set-up and installation is not necessarily for the faint hearted, though, because the protocols and accepted procedures used by almost all other manufactures have gone right out of the window.

Unlike the competition, that supply a little plastic bodied set-up mic, the MRX range comes with a solid aluminium USB audio mic, an easily adjustable tripod, cables and software for your laptop. The whole set up procedure is controlled from the PC which runs thorough a complete Real Time Analysis (RTA) measurement before applying its comprehensive filters for best stereo music and multichannel movie response curves.

ARC feels so much more flexible on the PC than an in-receiver-based system, and the filtering range runs from 5kHz right down to 20Hz – a lot lower than Audyssey's effective range. Moreover, the sheer number-crunching power and data storage requirements are moved to a dedicated device (your laptop, notepad, PC etc) offering much greater depth, detail and flexibility in the system.

OK, I admit, the set-up is mind bogglingly complex. The laptop-based EQ will no doubt have some users running for the hills and the onscreen interface is simply not as logical or as well laid out as the slick GUIs on the latest Japanese receivers.

If you do use the setup without the safety net of a dealer installation, I guarantee you'll be flicking back and forth through the manual wondering why certain things just aren't working. Still, we like a challenge.

Sound

The 7 x 120W amps are traditional class A/B design, fed from a chunky power supply to ensure plenty of current for big multichannel swells. As per most receivers, the EQ system defaults to being on, but it is worth spending some time with the MRX 700 with the EQ off to start with.

It's a robust-sounding beast with plenty of 'oomph' on tap. The natural stance is a heavyweight balance that delivers a soundstage forged of granite with lead trimmings and ballast in the belly.

With suitably dense and moody movies such as Hellboy II on Blu-ray, the sense of dark foreboding is amplified with crushingly intense effects,and the bass presence threatens to squeeze the air out of your chest. In Hellboy II, as the tooth fairies fly around the auction house, the scale and dimension of the soundstage is perfectly formed, becoming wide, spacious and uncluttered. The effects come fast and furious with the newly dry and tightly focused bass underpinning each one.

As Hellboy unloads round after round at the fairies, the effect is thrilling and immersive, the MRX 700 punching well above its price point in terms of adrenaline-fuelled action.

But while impressive with the right movie, it's all a bit heavy for Love, Actually or Toy Story.

Stepping the pace down produces sound that is cleaner, crisper and more infectious with the ARC engaged, bringing life and sparkle to slower-paced movies and Pixar classics alike. Dialogue is precision-crafted 'front of house' with admirable tonal accuracy to voices.

Engage the ARC and the effect is nothing short of astonishing. The system's grip and control of the lower frequencies is stunning, turning phat bass with added room reverb into ultra-tight, mega-punchy effects with lightning-fast transient attack.

Better still, it does this without culling any of the bass power. Quite the opposite in fact! Gunfire has incredible power that will flap your bell-bottoms with every round, and explosions attempt to physically pitch you off the sofa in a sharp-edged wave of percussive violence.

The ARC's control over the subwoofer in particular is way ahead of the game, making even Velodyne's excellent built-in EQ on the DD18 sound woolly by comparison.

It's an incredibly impressive and involving sound, but the ARC does have its limitations on the MRX series. For example, compared to the implementation on the D2V, it's not quite as sophisticated, and the upper frequency EQ stops at 5kHz.

This means that any top-end issues borne of, say, feisty speakers with too much treble, for instance, or an over-damped room, packed full of Laura Ashley's finest soft furnishings, are left untouched.

With my elderly Tannoys and their now rather smooth and rolled-off top end, the Anthem MRX 700 never achieved the sheer magic of the full-bandwidth D2V ARC system. That said, it is still very impressive and some seven grand cheaper, too. Cool.

On test

Power consumption: Watts

Idling: 70 Watts – Another AVR that you're advised to switch off when you're not using it

Powered: 120 Watts – In five-channel mode and at a comfortable listening level, real world consumption averages 120W

Power ratings: Watts (8Ω, 0.5% THD)

2-channel 8Ω: 135 Watts – Our Tech Labs measured 135W into 8Ω in two-channel mode, which is above Anthem's specification

5-channel 8Ω: 115 Watts – As expected there is a drop-off in power in five-channel mode to 115W, and to 80W in seven-channel mode

Untainted: Watts

Fidelity firewall: 130 Watts – A measurement of power untainted by distortion (0.03THD, 8Ω, 1kHz), the Anthem is somewhat eclipsed by its Japanese rivals

Signal/noise: dB

S/N tests: 70dB at 20Hz, 70dB at 1kHz and 70dB at 20kHz – A solid measurement across the frequency range

Verdict

With the ARC tuned to perfection, the MRX 700 establishes a new standard of sonic performance at this price point, and leaves the rest of the pack sounding a little lacklustre by comparison.

OK, so there is no Audyssey DSX, AirPlay, full multi-room, Napster, THX modes and so on, but does that matter? Possibly not.

The Yamaha RX-V3067 is a deceptively polite flag-bearer for Yamaha's latest generation of AVRs. It sits at the top of the brand's 3D-capable range, but it's an unassuming hero and certainly doesn't cast the same shadow as its Z11 and Z7 forebears.

This upper-midrange, 7-channel AVR is literally a bit of a lightweight (17kg), albeit one with trappings of sophistication. Build quality, however, is on the right side of prestige, extending as far as its satisfyingly metallic remote.

Rear-side connections are generous, featuring seven HDMI inputs, plus another on the front, and two HDMI outputs that enable you to route to a flatscreen TV and a projector. It's possible to set the AVR to feed both simultaneously, or you can manually select either one.

All the HDMI connections are v1.4, which means there's compatibility with 3D (we successfully tested the unit with Sony's 3D VPL-VW90ES projector) and ARC (Audio Return Channel). The latter enables audio (from a v1.4 TV) to travel back down the cable to the receiver; this saves having to use a digital audio output on the back of the screen if you want to get audio from the TV's tuner through your sound system.

There's also provision for iPod connection via the Universal dock and Bluetooth streaming. While the RX-V3097 supports all the principal surround sound codecs (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution and DTS-HD Master Audio), there is no provision for Dolby Pro-Logic 11z or Audyssey DSX height/width processing.

Instead, the brand offers its own height/presence channels for the front and rear soundstage, provided you're prepared to add an external amp to power them. For this audition, we chose not to add additional amplification and so ran the receiver in a conventional 7.1 configuration.

The V3067 offers connection for two subs, using designated front and rear outputs. Also missing from the post processing feature roster is THX. Yamaha has being playing fast and loose with THX, only buying in the licence for its highest-end receivers. It dropped widespread certification in 2006, only to reinstate it for the RX-Z11 a year later, when it became the first AV receiver in the world to feature THX Ultra2 Plus certification.

Lack of THX

THX is off the menu again for this model and, frankly, it is missed. By way of compensation, there's the latest selection of the brand's long standing Cinema DSP modes, but, to my ears, none of them offers the seamless and balanced movie presentation of THX Cinema.

Room calibration comes via YPAO, Yamaha's proprietary measurement suite. The AVR ships with a small mic and weird plastic Frisbee. The latter is used for measuring the angle (rather than position) of the speakers and is an optional refinement.

It's easy to appreciate the construction values employed here. Extra rigidity comes from the AVR's double-bottom construction, and there's a big new heat sync and symmetrical power amplifier layout to manage heat and power.

Beneath the bonnet are Burr-Brown PCM1796 DACs, while video processing comes courtesy of Silicon Optix's VHD1900 HQV chipset. This offers a surprisingly high level of picture calibration, including auto noise reduction (mosquito, block and temporal noise), variable detail and edge enhancement, plus contrast boost.

I spun up the DVD release of the Angelina Jolie thriller Salt, which is a rather dreary looking disc. But, by nudging the contrast and coaxing some subtle texture out with the resolution tool, the RX-V3067 made it look a good deal more respectable on a large display. Six memories are available to store custom tweaks.

Also provided is an FM/AM tuner, although given that there's integrated internet radio support, it's hard to believe anyone would use it.

Yamaha seems rather pleased with its new user interface, but I don't share its enthusiasm. Learning to drive the RX-V3067 is rather like taking a course in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

The brand has gone its own way when it comes to this UI, eschewing straightforward lists and instructions for a predominantly graphical approach. Selecting On Screen from the remote calls up a vertical bar, which offers access to Setup, Input and other niceties. Choose one of these, and a second bar pops up across the bottom of the screen, sporting more graphics. Click here and another pop-up appears in the centre of the screen.

The brand also expects users to invest a significant amount of time in its so-called Scene presets. There are four dedicated buttons on the remote (for Blu-ray, TV, CD and Radio), from a total of 12, all of which can be edited as required. For me though, this is just more obfuscation masquerading as ease of use.

Graphical WTF is taken to an extreme when it comes to assigning inputs. Rather than just scroll and select text options, you have to decode a graphic that resembles something from a PC puzzle game of the 1980s. Any GUI which forces you to cross reference with a manual constitutes a Fail in my book.

More Scooby Doo mystery is encountered when you want to update the firmware. The process involves all manner of arcane button presses via the AVR's Advanced Setup routine. Why it can't be in the regular setup menu is beyond me. Does Yamaha think we'll not be able to resist the siren call of firmware updating and bugger things up?

Okay, let's rock!

For all its unnecessary graphics, the RX-V3067 does at least know how to kick back and party. Ultimately, this is an AVR with a musical heart, at its happiest with riffing rock 'n' roll.

Keri Kelli and Damon Johnson's infectious axe work on the live version of Poison (Alice Cooper's Theatre of Death, Blu-ray) provokes involuntary air guitar. Alice's ragged yet distinctive vocals are locked centrestage, while harmonies as flat as week old Bud, drift in from the left. It's just like listening from the mosh pit of the Hammersmith Apollo.

Adding Yamaha's own Music Video DSP to the original DTS-HD MA mix of the disc genuinely enhances the ambiance. When the audience sings along to 'I love the dead', it's as if the room is filled with phantom carolers.

If you're looking for an AVR able to integrate with your networked music collection, then this one is a peach; integration of media playback is extremely well thought out. The AVR may be DLNA compliant for music only, but it will scour your network for MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC or FLAC 96/24 files.

It can also read the same from local USB flash drives. A FLAC rip of Serj Tankian's Elect the Dead Symphony was meticulously rendered, the clean vocals being held away from the sweeping orchestral backing, rather than blended in with it.

To make the most of low-bitrate MP3s, Yamaha has a Compressed Music Enhancer, which rather cleverly plumps out their frequency response. The benefit is subtle, but definitely advantageous.

In addition to wide ranging audio support, the display will also present any album art it finds in the requisite folders. The execution is seamless.

Priced at £1,500, this Yamaha finds itself surrounded by AV piranhas in the shape of Pioneer's highly-rated THX Ultra 2 SC-LX83 (similarly ticketed) and Onkyo's THX Select 2 TX-NR808 (substantially cheaper). Both are market leaders for good reason.

In its defence, the RX-V3067 has a melodious character and integrates streaming music extremely well. Those seeking a well-made, multimedia music hub should shortlist it without hesitation.

It's unfortunate that the brand's new GUI does nothing to make this advanced amplifier easier to drive. Consequently, buyers are advised to audition before committing.

With a price that dips below £200 from some online retailers, the Yamaha RX-V367 is the cheapest AVR in our roundup and solid evidence that you don't have to pay through the nose for 3D-readiness.

Support comes in the form of four HDMI v1.4 inputs and one output, which is generous enough to fit your 3D player, Sky box and games console, leaving one for future expansion. The look is classic Yamaha.

A moody black finish and sharp angled lines are the order of the day (it also comes in titanium and silver) while the front panel is a hive of activity, with buttons, displays and sockets aplenty.

Most noteworthy are the 'Straight' button, which bypasses the unit's listening modes, and four Scene macro buttons. On the back, there's evidence of cost-cutting in the shape of springclip terminals for the centre and surround channels and no iPod dock connection or surround back pre-outs.

But the lineup of other sockets is useful, with four digital audio inputs being a highlight. There's no on-board HD audio decoding, though, which means Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks have to be decoded by your player beforehand. This isn't a major problem if you trust your deck's own abilities, but does make you wonder how the others managed it at a similar price.

Redeeming factors

Yamaha makes up for this with an obscene amount of sound modes and virtual surround processing, plus the YPAO auto calibration that makes it a cinch to optimise.

The lack of onscreen menus is a shame, but the logically structured front-panel display makes it easier to set up than you might expect. And, aside from a few undersized buttons, the remote is also terrific.

In general, there can be few complaints about the RX-V367's sound quality for the money, although it inevitably lacks the sonic polish that turns a good receiver into a great one. The sound is dynamic and detailed; the receiver digs out the subtleties during Avatar's many rainforest scenes, filling the soundstage with distant cries and swirling ambience.

Fluid rear-channel steering and crisp separation makes for an absorbing listen. Voices are prominent and cleanly detached from the rest of the action, while punchy bass response lends decent depth to the explosions and gunfire during the Battle for Pandora scene.

However, this scene also exposes brightness in loud high-frequencies that betrays its budget price tag. But if you can tolerate this and work around the lack of HD audio decoding, then the RX-V367 makes a decent purchase.

The key to Onkyo's success is simple: its receivers are packed with the latest features and sound great, yet somehow its prices stay competitive. So it comes as no surprise to find the company, once again, applying this crowd-pleasing approach to the budget arena.

The TX-SR308 is a 3D-ready 5.1-channel receiver, offering a claimed 100W per channel and decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Sockets are predictably thin on the ground, but at least there are three HDMI v1.4 inputs for your hi-def sources, all of which are primed and ready for 3D and the Audio Return Channel feature. They're backed up by three digital audio inputs and four sets of analogue inputs.

Meanwhile, Onkyo's Universal Port lets you connect optional peripherals such as an iPod dock or DAB tuner. Only the front speakers get binding posts, though; the other channels must suffer the ignominy of springclip terminals, which isn't great if your cables are particularly fat.

Black beauty

From the front, the look is of Onkyo's signature black, covered in lights and buttons. It's tasteful and nicely laid out, although there are no sockets besides a line input for MP3 players. Build quality is also impressive for the money.

But given Onkyo's usual generosity I expected even more features, even at this low price point. There's neither hide nor hair of Dolby Pro-Logic IIz, Audyssey processing or 1080p upscaling, but there are plenty of other sound modes to play with, including 11 Onkyo 'Original DSP' settings and vanilla Pro-Logic II.

There's also no automatic calibration, so everything has to be tweaked manually using the setup menu. Thankfully, the company has designed an attractive onscreen menu, which is one of the clearest we've encountered, and puts a wealth of options at your disposal.

Onto performance, and although the SR308 doesn't blow me away like the mid-range TX-SR608, it still does a terrific job with movie sonics. There's lovely harmony and cohesion between channels, while frantic effects during Avatar's Battle for Pandora are conveyed without eardrum-piercing hardness and delicate detail oozes from every speaker.

Bass tones are also taut and nimble, providing a solid foundation to any scene. Encouraging, but it's not always the breathtaking home cinema experience I was hoping for.

When it comes to huge blockbuster scenes that require a real sense of wall-shaking power and scale, the Onkyo is just too polite and restrained to do them justice.

Pioneer's 2010 receivers are the best looking on the market, and that applies even to the bottom-end of the range, represented in our roundup by the VSX-520. The build quality is up to Pioneer's usual impeccable standards, too.

Cleverly, most of the front panel buttons are tucked into the cracks and crevices, which makes this AVR look clean and uncluttered despite its fairly high button count. Sadly, there are no AV connections on the front, just a headphone jack and a port for the setup mic.

The Pioneer's budget credentials are further confirmed by the disappointing presence of springclip terminals for the surround and centre channels, which means only the front ones are connected to binding posts. Otherwise, the feature list is pretty solid.

Aside from a healthy amount of audio and video inputs (including three HDMI v1.4 inputs ), there's an adaptor port for a Pioneer Bluetooth wireless adapter that lets you stream music from mobile phones, laptops and so forth (although there's no iPod support via USB), and Dolby Pro-Logic IIz processing, which uses dedicated pre-outs.

The VSX-520 also decodes HD audio (unlike the Yamaha RX-V367) and there's a wealth of DSPs and other sound options, including Pioneer's Front Stage Surround and Phase Control.

Tweaking the sound is easy thanks to the Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration feature, but the lack of onscreen menus makes further adjustment via the front panel display feel laborious. The remote is also fiddly to use due to its tiny keys and cluttered layout. You even have to use a shift key for certain functions, which feels too much like work for me.

Audio steerage

Thankfully, the VSX-520 atones for its operational faux pas with solid audio performance. Avatar's DTS-HD MA track is conveyed expansively, firing effects to the far-flung reaches of the room and steering them from speaker to speaker like Lewis Hamilton around Silverstone.

Meanwhile, burly bass tones lend authority to pounding footsteps and explosions, while the elegant high-frequency reproduction ensures that sounds such as tinkling glass and metal on metal sound crisp, but not grating. There's a level of control and cohesion during action scenes that's a joy to behold, and it also displays a deftness of touch that makes quiet scenes absorbing.

The Pioneer does, however, lack a little punch and dynamism.