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Conclusions & Overall Perceptions

by Clint DeBoer last modified December 07, 2006 06:41

I am hesitant to say anything too negative about a $365 receiver, but for good reason. The VSX-815 offers a tremendous amount of features for the money and is not overtly lacking in anything that others in its price range might offer. Combining a host of video and audio options with a solid interface, and an auto setup feature that may or may not be to your liking, this Pioneer entry level receiver can power your home theater to very high SPL levels. We also were impressed by how well it tackled the unfair challenge we put before it with our Reference System speakers - and our ratings take this into account. While those demanding only the best in terms of signal to noise ratios and amplifier power will have to shell out for more power, this unit should be more than sufficient to drive any 8-ohm home theater speakers within its comparative price range. There are a host of retail dealers that carry this unit and you should be able to give one a test drive and see if it has the features you want at this price point. My guess is it will and you'll be able to enter the world of home theater with a smile on your face and some money still left in your wallet.

The Score Card

The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:

Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating

Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.

Audioholics Rating Scale

  • — Excellent
  • — Very Good
  • — Good
  • — Fair
  • — Poor
MetricRating
Multi-channel Audio PerformanceStarStarStarStar
Two-channel Audio PerformanceStarStarStarStar
Bass ManagementStarStarStar
Build QualityStarStarStarStar
Fit and FinishStarStarStar
Ergonomics & UsabilityStarStarStarStar
Ease of SetupStarStarStarStar
FeaturesStarStarStarStarStar
Remote ControlStarStarStarStar
PerformanceStarStarStarStar
ValueStarStarStarStarhalf-star