The VSX-1015TX is the flagship model of Pioneer's A/V receiver line, and as such it certainly raises expectations. The good news is that Pioneer's product planners didn't let us down. It's one of the more affordable receivers with THX Select 2 certification, which guarantees the receiver's performance in rooms of up to 2,000 square feet. It turned in stellar sound on CDs, DVDs, and high-resolution SACDs and DVD-Audio discs. We're also happy to report that the Pioneer VSX-1015TX's abundant feature set exceeds our expectations for its midline retail list price of $650.
Most of the lesser-used controls and buttons on the Pioneer VSX-1015TX live behind a large flip-down door on the handsome front panel. The exposed controls are well labeled and easy to use. The onscreen menus and navigation are more logical than most, and we felt right at home just a few minutes after opening the box and hooking up the necessary cables.