UltimateAVmag.com: Buyer's Guide: AV Receivers: Budget Choice

	Ultimate Bang for the Buck. These components establish the Ultimate in price/performance ratio, challenging the performance of the Ultimate and Premier Choice components at a fraction of the price.


	JVC RX-D702B $880 Channels/Power: 7x150W Decoding: DD, DD EX, ProLogic IIx, DTS, DTS-ES Discrete/Matrix/Neo:6/ DTS 24/96, seven proprietary DSP modes Ins and outs: One coax and two toslink digital audio, one 5.1-channel analog, one USB and one USB wireless antenna, two HDMI (spec 1.1), two component video, RS-232, two 12V triggers Features: 24/96 A-D and 24/192 D-A conversion w/K2 processing, Sirius satellite ready, unique automated setup, transcoding of composite and S-Video and component video to HDMI (including HD from component) with Faroudja deinterlacing w/DCDi. The Skinny: Talk about the new school. Courtesy of outrageously efficient, compact digital amplification this JVC receiver packs seven channel of 150-watt power and tons of innovative features into a box about the size of a DVD player. In addition to HDMI switching (spec 1.1, which means hi-res multichannel PCM from HD DVD and Blu-ray is a go), K2 digital processing, and all the Dolby and DTS accoutrements home theater enthusiasts demand, this JVC rig is Sirius satellite radio ready, allows you to use your speakers as a microphone for an auto speaker setup and will stream wireless music from the iTunes library on your computer. And it does all that for just $880! It was love at first sight (and first listen) with MF and this incredibly small, but powerful, full-featured and sweet sounding receiver.
	Pioneer Elite VSX-84TXSi $1,500 Channels/Power: 7x140W ("one or two" channels driven) Decoding: DD, DD EX, ProLogic IIx, DTS, DTS-ES Discrete/Matrix/Neo:6/DTS 24/96, Windows Media Audio, proprietary cinema, music, sports and game DSP modes Ins and outs: Four HDMI (ver. 1.2) inputs, three component video inputs, two coax and four toslink digital audio inputs, one i.LINK IEEE 1394, one 7.1-channel analog audio, iPod interface, RS-232, two 12V triggers Features: THX Select2, HDMI 1.2 switching (processes multichannel PCM from Blu-ray and HD DVD players), iPod dock connectivity, XM Satellite Radio ready, MCACC automated setup and room EQ, Faroudja video processing with transcoding of composite and S-Video and component video to HDMI (including HD from component), multi-source/multi-zone, learning remote (not backlit!). The Skinny: Our man Fred started this review by noting that it doesn't take an elite pocket-book to afford Pioneer Elite products any more. This $1,500 AVR is loaded with an exemplary feature set of both smart convenience and performance, including HDMI switching, a full-on iPod interface, and (yikes!) a good phono stage! The transcoding to HDMI isn't all it's cracked up to be, but the sound quality is natural honest, no matter what the source. FM has heard separates that sound better, but not that often and certainly not for $1,500. If you're looking for a $1,500 AVR this is the one FM would send you home with!
	Sharp SD-HX500 $1,199 Channels/Power: 5x100W Decoding: DD, ProLogic II, DTS, DVD-Audio, SACD, MP3, ten proprietary DSP modes Ins and outs: One coax and two toslink digital audio Features: Two-box unit with integrated progressive scan universal DVD player,1-bit digital amplification at 5.6MHz, plays back DVD Audio and Video, CDs, SACDs and MP3 CDs. The Skinny: Although we've plugged this two-box Sharp solution in with the AVRs, this product practically defies categorization. Each of its two boxes is scarcely bigger than a clock radio, but packed in is a 5x100 digital amplifier with a 5.6MHz sampling rate, a universal disc player with progressive scan, and AM/FM radio and more. While the pure audio and video performance falls short, the form factor of this wall-mountable Sharp rig is essentially B&O for a quarter the price.