AV Receivers

Apple-tiser amp Richard Stevenson considers this receiver as Pioneer’s homage to Apple, and calls it the VSX-2021 Steve Jobs Signature Edition

Pioneer’s VSX-2021 is a receiver for the Apple generation. It’s all but intrinsically linked to the company’s wares with iPhone/iPad control Apps, dedicated music sharing for multiple iPods, remote control of the latest OS devices and full AirPlay integration. Even the user manual and set-up navigator are fully interactive iPad Apps. Okay, this £800 receiver can be operated with its own remote control and you can ignore the Apple-centric features, but that would be like buying a BMW and never using the iDrive. Even those VSX-2021 buyers with a penchant for Android devices (there is an app for that platform, too) might find themselves considering an iPad for its Pioneer-centric features alone.

No lightweight… This slimline AVR re-imagines home cinema for the network age. Steve May hums The Times They Are a-Changin’…

Whether through luck or design, Marantz has created something rather special with the NR1602. Driven by a desire to innovate within the often stultifying constraints of hardcore AV, the company has taken the traditional hefty AVR form factor and chopped it in half. The result is a component with a good deal more va-va-voom than its peers.

A breath of fresh AVR hits the spot Richard Stevenson is bowled over by the entry-level model of Yamaha’s 25th anniversary amp line-up. How far does it punch beyond its price point?

There has been something of a dry spell for new AVRs of late. Months have passed without seeing one then, like buses, Yamaha launches the five-model strong RXV-x71 lineup all at once. To celebrate the 25 years since the launch of its Cinema DSP technology, Yamaha’s fledglings get some cutting edge features and obligatory eco-friendly credentials, too. While the flagship RX-V771 looks stunning on paper, I suspect this was a ruse by Yamaha just to tease us, because the RX-V471 turns out to be an absolute corker.

Raiders of the ARC With its quirky and complex setup, the ARC-based MX-700 still manages to put Richard Stevenson into a state of audio-induced euphoria

Canada: a land of sweeping mountains, pine forests and ice hockey, where maple syrup rules and giant moose walk the streets. But what the country is becoming increasingly famous for is its rather tasty AV equipment.

Denon bites Apple’s Airplay Music streaming to the AVR-4311 opens up all sorts of possibilities for getting audio entertainment flowing around the house

Denon’s AVR-4311 is the first serious AV receiver to feature Apple’s AirPlay media streaming technology. The latter was part of Apple’s iOS 4.2 launch last November and is essentially a new version of AirTunes for Apple’s AirPort Express wireless network system. The difference this time is that AirPlay has a much wider remit, with the capability of wireless media streaming to and from any current iOS4.2 device or to any AirPlay-enabled third party electronics. If that sounds a little familiar, this is just what DLNA promised and has thus far only half-heartedly delivered.

Muscular appeal Denon's upgrade to its esteemed 2310 model is a great performer, but its lack of networking won’t impress today’s AVR buyer, says Richard Stevenson

Coming to the ring in its all- black livery is Denon’s latest middleweight contender, the AVR-2311. The latest in a long line of Denon champions, this model is more an evolution of the heavy-hitting 2310 than a revolution in its own right. That said, the predecessor had a lot going for it, including a fast-paced and exciting sound, plus a feature list that had much of the competition whimpering in their respective corners.

Setting the scene Yamaha's latest lower mid-range AV receiver is sensibly-featured and delivers the goods from movies, says Martin Pipe, but lacks grunt

The 7.1-capable RX-V567 from Yamaha – a company that has played a pivotal role in popularising home cinema – is not the most affordable model in its line-up, but at £400 still looks like a bit of a bargain. The problem is, almost every other AV brand is aggressively targeting this end of the market, so does it do enough to stand out?