Slimline receiver for the non-demanding only!
Written: Nov 18 '02
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Pros: Very slim profile, sleek styling
Cons: Limited controls on unit, confusing remote
The Bottom Line: One of the few (only?) slimline receivers for $200. But, difficult to configure and use, very remote control dependent, and ventilation is minimal possibly shortening life-span.
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| mattvrablik's Full Review: Pioneer VSX-C300 5.1 Channels Receiver |
After extensive internet research into available low-end receiver/amplifiers, I found this unit to be one of only a handful that was designed with a slimline profile (most other units were 6-8 inches in height, and needed to be placed at top of stack). It is not easy to locate, as it is not carried in many stores, online or local.
My opinion after setting it up? Sound is decent, but I'm frustrated with the lack of configurability: you can only choose between a set of preset 'sound modes', but there is no direct control over bass, treble, and balance on the unit - for me, that's a big negative. And on the actual unit, you only have power, volume, source buttons, and disply....if you want ANY control over the tuner, sound modes, speaker setup, etc, etc, you need to use the remote. This remote is not exactly 'intuitive' (I'm looking forward to ordering my Sony RM-VL700 Universal Learning Remote), and the manual is ESSENTIAL to figure it out. I consider myself very technically competent, and I couldn't get the tuner to work without looking at the manual, and again for setting stations, setting audio modes....it's all doable, but you will need to be patient, and I definitely wouldn't recommend this unit for a beginner - I think they would be overwhelmed a bit.
Finally, although this unit has a fan built into the back, the fan only runs when the unit 'overheats', and that would take a lot of heat....heat does tend to stress components, so I'd give this thing a negative life-span rating, although I can't say for sure until I've run it for awhile.
Again - I'd summarize this way: if your primary goal is a slimline unit, and you're not picky, this will do the job at a good price. But if you're concerned about usability and customizability (and life span), I couldn't recommend this unit less...it's sole strength is it's profile.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 185
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Epinions.com ID:
mattvrablik
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Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 1 member
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