Need some advice on which AV receiver to buy...

[sidicks]

Hope you chaps can help me, as I've not much knowledge on this kind of thing???

I NEED (!!) to purchase an AV receiver and speakers and have been reading a number of different hi-fi magazines plus this site to help me decide what I should go for.

I have £2500-£3500 to spend, and am currently likely to choose:
· Pioneer Ax-10i-S or Pioneer Ax-5i-S
· KEF 5005 Speakers

It will be linked to a Panasonic DVD player and Panasonic Plasma TV (TH42-PW5) and be used for Home Cinema and Movies in roughly equal proportions.

Is the Ax-10i really worth more than twice as much as the AX-5I (as, aside from the remote control unit, the specifications look reasonably similar on paper ??)

Will there be a revised Ax-10i (with Pro Logic IIx ??) due out soon ??

I like the features, looks and sound of the Pioneer and have seen this matched up with KEF speakers (2005 and Q7 series) in a number of magazines, so I assume that they go together reasonably well.

I've chosen the 5005s as I think they look much nicer than the 'eggs' and have been told they sound better as well. I'd like the 9000s, but they are much more expensive, and I can't justify the extra cost - how 'new' are the 5005s - are they likely to be superseded in the near future ??

The new Yamaha DPS-Z9 looks fantastic, but that is pushing the budget too far.

I've seen some offers that provide the Pioneer with the KEF and throw in £400 worth of speaker cable and interconnects as well, which seems like a good deal.

Has anyone got any helpful comments to make, before I potentially make an expensive mistake ?

Is there anything else I should think of ?

(I have posted this in the Speaker forum as well)

So many questions - Thanks for your help !!

Sidicks

 

[trevor g]

buy the ax-5i-s its a blinding amp

 

[JIT]

The AX10i is on www.avland.co.uk

 

[bluesfan]

No the AX10 is the blinding one.

 

[sidicks]

What is the difference between the Ax10, the Ax10i, the AX10i-S and the AX10Ai ??

 

[bluesfan]

http://www.avland.co.uk/pioneer/vsaax10i/index.htm and the even bigger one.

 

[dbanugo]

AX10 has no i link input

AX10i-s Has (also newer model model)

Ax10ai same as above.

the Ax5i will match the Kef 5005 better IMHO

 

[Dfour]

Is there any requirement (eg spouse) that you have to go for the Kef eggs?? What about buying the ax5i and a larger set of speakers eg AE evo series. they will blow the eggs out of the water for sound and dynamics or the Kef Q5/7 series.

Maybe also look at the Yammy rxv 2400 as it has DPL2x already. Smae sort of price as the ax5i. You could use the spare money from buying the cheaper amp to upgrade you dvd to a pioneer with the firewire output so you can use the digital output for sacd or DVD-A.

Just ideas.