2008 Award Winners: Best AV Receivers Group Test?

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Hi WFT Team!

Firstly congratulations and good work on the 2008 Awards. I've been reading all the reviews on the AV Receivers which has made me a bit confused as it seems like players which are in a lower price category are beating players which cost much more. I would like to get a better picture on the ranking of the following players based on Sound and Video quality - the Yamaha 863, Pioneer LX81, Onkyo 876 and Denon 2809. Based on the reviews, would it be correct for me to rank the players in the following order regardless of price?

Sound Quality
1. Pioneer LX81
2. Yamaha 863
3. Denon 2809
4. Onkyo 876

Video Capability
1. Onkyo 876
2. Pioneer LX81
3. Denon 2809
4. Yamaha 863

Overall ranking
1. Pioneer LX81
2. Yamaha 863
3. Denon 2809
4. Onkyo 876

Based on the reviews, I got the impression that the Onkyo 876 is beaten by the Pioneer, Denon and Yamaha which means that Onkyo's rivals have progressed considerably given that the Onkyo 875 crushed the competition last year.

Appreciate all your views on this in determining which is the king of AV Receivers for 2008. Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Andrew, Andy, Clare, Simon,

Any thoughts on which amp would win?

And will the review of the Onkyo 906 be posted online soon?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Will have to leave the main part of your post to the review team, but the 906 will be reviewed in the December issue, out in a few weeks.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Andrew

Thanks for the prompt response. And the Yamaha 1900 review will also be in the December issue? Who are the members of the review team?

 

[Andrew Everard]

seakingadvice:And the Yamaha 1900 review will also be in the December issue?

Without a contents list here in front of me at home at 6.25am I couldn't tell you. But I am sure a sample has been requested, and it will be reviewed as soon as we have space.

seakingadvice:Who are the members of the review team?

A secret brotherhood whose origins are shrouded in mystery..

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:
[seakingadvice:Who are the members of the review team?

A secret brotherhood whose origins are shrouded in mystery..

Hi Andrew,
Errr, by saying brotherhood, aren't you missing out on some female members of the review team? 🙂

OK, will wait for the reply from the review team to answer the question.

Dear secret review team - eagerly awaiting your views on the question above. Thank you.

 

[Andrew Everard]

seakingadvice:Hi Andrew,
Errr, by saying brotherhood, aren't you missing out on some female members of the review team?

There is only one, and she's not so much a member of the review team as a divine presence.

seakingadvice:OK, will wait for the reply from the review team to answer the question.

Dear secret review team - eagerly awaiting your views on the question above. Thank you.

Over to you, guys...

 

[Anonymous]

What no Yamaha RX-V1900, I own this maching, in one word FANTASTIC. Steve

 

[Andrew Everard]

I'm told the RX-V1900 will be in the January issue, as we are still waiting for a review sample.

 

[Anonymous]

Hello Review Team,

Any luck in getting your view on which would be the ultimate AV Receiver for both sound and video?

Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

seaking - the Pioneer 71 might throw a few spanners in the works. I have started to look at the receivers too and am interested in the outcome.

[pulls up chair]

 

[Anonymous]

Groberton - Yes, the Pioneer 71 has very similar specs to the Pioneer 81 so I would expect it to perform well and also be good value at a lower price point. Another receiver to look out for would be the Yamaha 1900 and 3900 given that the 863 has been getting such rave reviews here.

The Review Team has yet to reply with their comments. Maybe they are planning to do an AV Receiver group test soon and don't want to reveal too much in advance here in the forum?

 

[Andrew Everard]

seakingadvice:Maybe they are planning to do an AV Receiver group test soon and don't want to reveal too much in advance here in the forum?

Or maybe they think it's self-evident from the Awards and indeed the lists you produced in the original post.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Andrew,

Thank you for the reply. I guess you're the one man Review "Team" holding up the fort for now?

🙂

Is the Pioneer 71 due for review anytime soon. I know Andy mentioned that the Yamaha 1900 should be reviewed within the next couple of weeks but I haven't seen any mention about a Pioneer 71. After a long absence of an AV Receiver Super Test, I think you guys now have reviewed enough models to perform a comprehensive Supertest for the January or February issue.

 

[Clare Newsome]

£400-£600 AV amp Supertest in December issue - out Nov 11th....

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Clare,

I would like to suggest a Supertest in the >$800 category since it doesn't look like there is a clear cut winner in that range. Maybe after you guys have had the chance to test out the Yamaha 1900 and the Pioneer 71.

For the upcoming supertest that will be out in the December issue, I'm guessing that the Yamaha 863 would be the winner given the rave reviews. What would be interesting would be the pecking order of how the other receivers line up behind the Yamaha. I'm thinking that a Denon will come in 2nd and an Onkyo will come in 3rd.