Pioneer today announced two new Elite A/V receivers which add new music features by directly supporting XM Satellite Radio and Apple’s iPod portable music players. The new VSX-74XVi and VSX-72XV are intended to serve as the "brain" behind home theater systems, acting as a hub for media from diverse sources and presenting that media for the best possible experience.
Both systems feature "Ready for iPod" connectors which enable easy connection and remote control of the iPod, along with on-screen display and playback of audio stored on the iPod. Similarly, XM Radio "Connect and Play" functionality lets users connect their XM antenna to either of the Pioneer’s receivers; the Pioneer’s remote control and onscreen display can then be used to scroll through and play available XM channels.
Both units feature Pioneer’s own auto room-tuning feature (dubbed Advanced Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration or MCACC) to customize audio output for individual rooms using input data about the rooms’ shape, size, and surface information to tailor the overall sound. The technology lets the unit produce different output for different types of rooms—such as those with hardwood floors or high ceilings—to improve the overall listening experience.
The receivers also feature HDMI, iLink, USB, IR, and RS-232C inputs (the latter for customization and future expansion via home automation systems), alongside 10 analog audio inputs (3 out), 7 digital inputs, 5 optical inputs (one in front), 2 coax inputs, seven composite video inputs (three out), five S-Video inputs (three out), and 130 to 140 Watts of stereo or surround amplification. The units are available immediately for retail prices around $1200 (VSX-72TXV) and $1500 (VSX-74TXVi); a limited number are available in silver cases in celebration of Pioneer Elite’s 20-year anniversary.
