Pioneer Elite VSX-LX305 9.2 Channel Network AV Receiver

I had a trusty Pioneer SC-1222-K AV receiver that served me well for 12 years until the Texas Instruments DTS chip failed. Seeking a replacement that matched its legendary quality, I initially bought an Onkyo TX-NR6100. Unfortunately, it was a disappointment with thin sound and screen flickering when using Dolby Vision. Realizing I needed to invest more to achieve the same quality as my old Pioneer, I discovered the Pioneer VSX-LX305. The difference is remarkable, and it's a significant step up from the Onkyo I had to return.Decades ago, we sought equipment with perfect response, requiring amplifiers and speakers to deliver a flat response. In the DSP era, all we need is good signal processing and a reliable calibration system. This Pioneer excels in both. It features a 9-point MCACC calibration system and professional Dirac calibration. It's user-friendly with an app for easy setup using MCACC or Dirac, or detailed calibration using laptop PC Dirac software.The benefits don't stop there. After calibration, you can customize the master EQ or add double bass enhancement among all the customization possibilities. Whether you're an audiophile who appreciates the original sound fingerprint or someone who prefers enhanced bass or clearer highs, the Pioneer VSX-LX305 caters to all preferences. Additionally, after a week of use and an extension, I haven't experienced any Dolby Vision flickering, showcasing the superior quality of this Pioneer AV receiver.I'm thrilled with this unit, enjoying music and watching Dolby Vision DD+ content. Even ATMOS works perfectly.If you don't need pre-outs, this is the best unit you can get. Highly recommended.

First, I want to thank everyone who took the time to review this AV Receiver. Your comments, both good and bad, helped me to better understand this product and gave me the confidence to pull the trigger and ultimately buy it. Second, I am not a musician, music professional or a tech expert. I'm just an aging banker who was looking to upgrade my AV receiver (perhaps for the last time) and someone who knows when he hears something good.With some patience this AV receiver is excellent. Set up was easy and the user interface via the TV screen is intuitive. I let the receiver do its thing via the MCAAC sound calibration process, which was a good staring point. I then took my time (here is where the patience comes into play) fine-tuning the speaker levels and tone (bass, treble, etc.) to my liking, which took about three evenings (about one-hour per night). This process was not at all tedious and for me was quite enjoyable, bringing this receiver to life and to its full potential with my existing Polk surround speakers.The surround sound quality is impressive. As an example, I happened to come upon one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies being broadcast on TV and the sound effects coming from all speakers was amazing, so much so that my adult son stated that it was like being in the "freaking" movies. The sound quality for "regular" music is also very impressive.In terms of cons, there are not many. The only real annoyance was connecting the speaker wires since the +/- speaker hook-ups are on top of each other (vs. side my side) which made it a bit difficult to attach the speaker wires with my "fat" fingers. However, this step is typically and hopefully done only once so, all in all, its not a major issue.If you are looking for a new AV receiver, I highly recommend the Pioneer Elite VSX-LX305. I believe that with some patience, you will be very pleased with this product.

Having gone thru my 3rd Denon (HDMI output/input issues) I was looking for a new receiver brand to try. I was going to go with the Yamaha as I have had good luck with them 20 years ago but this was on sale at a great price-to-feature comparison, and I couldn't pass it up. Very satisfied with the sound and picture quality. Setup was about what you expect in a modern receiver and the DIRAC Live software definitely seems to work better than the Audyssey software I am familiar with thru Denon. Sound is coming out of Emotiva speakers and powered sub. The mobile app is somewhat more streamlined and with significantly less overall function control, but the important stuff is there and works well. So far, I'm quite happy with the purchase!

The Bad: The app is a bit buggy, some of the features are not easily accessed, the manual is not included. DIRAC setup is somewhat convoluted on the subwoofer measurements, and you will need a tripod to do the complete setup.The Good: The DAC and sound are good, the streamer function works well, AM/FM performance is excellent, the remote has most functions on it, with the lacking ones available in the app. When DIRAC is setup properly the sound is extremely good. MCACC setup is basic and works well too, but DIRAC is another level higher.One of the functions I really like is the ability to use Zone 2 as a pre-out to another amplifier, that way you can stream music through the Pioneer to another amp and have full control of services WHILE THE PIONEER IS TURNED OFF! Volume control and other features are all fully available on Zone 2 from the remote or the app at all times. I sometimes listen to music in the dark and having the ability to turn the pioneer off to a standby mode with no display of lights on except a tiny "Zone2" icon in red is pretty trick to me.There are many features that the AV uninitiated will not know about, this receiver can do many things, but the manual will have to be downloaded and read. Its 192 pages.the app crashes if you try to do something it doesn't like, no error messages.Overall this receiver provides a very good value.