Pioneer VSX-LX70 A/V receiver

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By Philip Wong, CNET Asia
Jan 14, 2008

More commonly known for its popular plasma TVs in recent years, Japanese brand Pioneer was, in fact, an established player in the A/V industry. The company was particularly instrumental in the optical disc players business with a strong lineup dating back to the late 1970s. Some of these key products included the world's first DVD recorder, CD/LD player and unique CD/LD/DVD combo equivalent. These components aside, it has also been deeply involved in A/V receiver (AVR) design and developments. In this preview, we will be taking a closer look at its current high-end offering, the future-proof VSX-LX70.

Upside: As part of Pioneer's new premium LX-series offerings, the VSX-LX70 has been given an alluring facelift. Easily one of the sexiest AVR around, this is one kit that will blend effortlessly with any flat-panel TV and modern home décor. For starters, there is a classy black piano finish adoring the front. Simple-yet-uncluttered, the bezel has a perfect symmetry centered on a pair of oversized dials and two groups of six unobtrusive buttons sandwiched in between. To add a dash of color, there is also a soothing blue lighting effect to complement its chrome power button cum indicator.

Hardcore enthusiasts may be quick to dismiss the VSX-LX70 as yet another showpiece but beneath that pretty face are some serious audio-visual processing capabilities. It's one of the new-generation receivers to decode high bit-rate surround sound encoded in Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio and High Resolution formats. To match its audio prowess, there is an inbuilt Faroudja DCDi video-processor to upscale standard-definition video sources up to 1080p via HDMI. This is on top of a film-centric 24Hz signal pass-through for pure unadulterated video output.

Another interesting bit is its onboard MP3, WMA and MPEG-4 AAC playback. Implemented using a set of USB ports and a network terminal, the Home Media Gallery function is compatible with various portable storages such as thumbdrives as well as DLNA-enabled PCs. Furthermore, with Web connectivity, the AVR is also able to access and stream live Internet radio, though firmware upgrade is sorely omitted here. On a separate note, Sound Retriever optimization can be activated to enhance the sound quality of such compressed audio, too.

Downside: For S$2,699 (US$1,937.27), we are sure Pioneer could do a lot more for its bundled remote controller. This lacks button backlighting which is a given nowadays even for entry-level models. Though some may claim this as a deliberate cost-cutting measure, we will have little regrets swapping out its LCD display for some proper illuminations. Additionally, it would be a lot easier to part with the good money if this set is THX-Ultra 2-certified. It gives the users better quality assurance and guaranteed reserve power for large entertainment room deployment. That said, Onkyo is just about the only oddball throwing in this generous certification at such pricing.

Outlook: The Pioneer VSX-LX70 comes highly recommended if high "wife acceptance factor" is a major consideration for your purchase. Its combination of fine aesthetics, future-proof specifications and value-added functions also make this Japanese AVR a worthy contender and an excellent all-rounder. However, if budget is an issue, you will probably be better off with the equally capable and affordable Denon AVR-3803.