I recently had the opportunity to sit in a demonstation from Alex Striganov of www.alexhardware.com . The system consisted of a modified Pioneer 49TXi mated with a Pioneer 47Ai. There was a clarity to the audio that I did not hear in the prior demonstation using the same speaker array. The audio was full, but not at all struggling to fill the large room, capable of sitting 16 persons comfortably. The bass pounded but not to be overbearing to the mid and highs. I would definitely recommend the modified receiver and DVD combo unit to anybody wanting to listen to the best of SACD/DVD-A audio. Audibly there was a difference.

Gregg Loewen (Proprietor, Lion Audio/Video Consultants ), used 49TXi, 8 channels modified

During demonstrations in our sound room in Hollywood, California, I found the Pioneer “VSX-49TXi” receiver modified by Alex Striganov to have excellent sound and immense power reserves.  We spent a significant amount of time using a very high end separate processor and amp with the system in question, but when switching to the Pioneer found it to be at just as accurate and natural sounding (despite costing far less than our reference gear).  Even with fairly modest speakers and a very large room, the Pioneer’s fidelity with 7.1 channel processing engaged was exceptional.

 Ron Stimpson (Director, SVS Sales and Marketing), used 49TXi, 8 channels modified

Analogy: I used to play drums in high school and one thing that can be difficult to do is to get snare drummers to play together and sound as one snare. Whether you have two or ten players it can be hard you can one person playing behind the beat another to far ahead, they can have one stick higher and louder than the other, one person may crush there rolls the other may play them to open. With this upgrade it's like all the snare players now play clean and together as one drum. :)

Daniel Smith (DanielSmi at AVS Forum) 49TXi, 4 channels modified

I've had a chance to listen to a few recordings following the installation of the modified DAC board. I am extremely satisfied with the results. Here are my impressions:

Setup: CDs and DVDs played through the Panasonic DVD RP-91, digital coax connection to the 49TXi. Direct mode for CDs (Peter White -Glow and Sade - The Best Of) with Sub on for bass management (crossover at 50 Hz), DTS 7.1 for DVD (Eagles - Hell Freezes Over) I first listened to a few songs off the CD Peter White - Glow. The music was superb with very good clarity and imaging. I noticed that each instrument could be discerned without trying. Saxophone was much smoother than prior to the modification. I next listened to The Best of Sade. I've never heard Sade sound so good. Her vocals came through clearly and smoothly, even during some rather loud passages where I previously had to turn the volume down. Again, all instruments were clearly discernable. Finally, I plugged in my favorite concert DVD, Eagles - Hell Freezes Over. Absolutely incredible how much better this DVD sounds now. Vocals from Don Henley were much smoother even at loud volume, and Don has a rather rough sounding voice. All instruments were heard clearly with seemingly no interference between them. Overall, these recordings sounded more natural even at higher volumes (~ 80 to 90 dB at my listening position). I never experienced a passage where I thought a lower volume was needed as I had before the modification. A significant improvement over the stock 49TXi and well worth the investment.

Bruno Cinquepalmi (brunopc at AVS forum) 49TXi, 4 channels modified

Anyway, what time I've had with my system since you performed the 59TXi upgrade, has been very positive. My system sounds more ALIVE, then it ever has, with this speaker system at least. The entire audio spectrum sounds cleaner, with instruments more easily located and separated. Bass is tighter, cleaner, again more ALIVE... Female vocals ( I listen to a lot of Diana Krall) sound more natural, smooth, her voice just floating in front of me. Her piano more detailed and rich, more like a real piano would sound, I play a little piano and appreciate hearing from my speakers what I hear while playing.

George Messick (DreamCatcher at AVS Forum) 59TXi, 8 channels modified

The modded Pioneer 59TXi is not a phantom, it really does sound excellent. It is in my house and is unquestionable better than a stock unit. Why? I've now done side by side tests. In Fact, for me the constant upgrade FREAK, I'm hard pressed to change! I did not know the unit I was listening to originally was modded, so there was no prejudice towards a modded 59Txi, I just knew it sound great! Better than My Parasound C2. Better than my Anthem AVM20. 2 weeks later I was told of the upgrades and my sanity was confirmed.

The comparison was a side by side comparison with both a modded unit and a stock unit. The comparison came after knowing of the modifications, a friend had also got a 59TXi and brought it over for a listen. FYI, I had a unmodified 49TXi that only stayed in my system for 2 weeks as I did not care for it. From what I heard of the stock 59TXi I do not prefer it to a Parasound or Anthem.

I truly believe in a DBT I could tell the difference between the modded unit and the stock. My friend with the stock 59TXi was at my home yesterday and we listened and discussed our previous comparison of the two, and it was definitely a noticeable difference to him and me. He is a musician also, and while are test may have been "flawed" to some I do not believe that is was a placebo. I really don't care at this point, but I listened to over 6 hours of music on my Saturday and it sounded excellent!! I've owned some pretty decent setups and would not believe I have heard or know it all, but this is a damn good sounding unit. I've also never been a Pioneer Elite fan. If if was going to own a high end receiver it would normally be Denon or Marantz. But as previously noted last setup was a Parasound C2 and Denon 5900. I really think there is something to the synergy of I-Link, MCAAC and the combo of the 59TXi/59AVi.

James Elvick (James Elvick at AVS Forum) 59TXi, 8 channels modified, got his receiver from George Messick

The sound is much better for cd, dvd, and satellite but only slightly better for phono. How ever it took many hours for quality of digital to show
itself fully and I only listened to analog for about 45 min. It may take more time for chips and caps to break in. Thank you for your help the audio
is very good.

Ray Wood, 59TXi, the special modification - 8 channels plus analog inputs and phono stage, BG PK capacitors installed

Ok, after a lot of switching between the stock board and your modified board the biggest difference in sound is how smooth the mod. board sounded. I used my, METALLICA on DVD AUDIO, this DVD audio disk sounds great with the stock board, I play it at very high levels....+2 / +5. With the modified board it sounded even better.......smooth, less strained, more relaxed. With the stock board the sound was very "in your face", the mod board kind of kicked it back a notch, theres where my more smooth and relaxed comes from. Next up was my R.E.M FOR THE PEOPLE.....DVD AUDIO, same thing here, I play this LOUD. The stock board sounds great....clear, crisp sometimes the vocals a little sharp and  bright, but the new mod. board tamed the brightness, gave a more relaxed sound, still crisp and clear but less edge, at the same volume. OK, next up my favorite DVD AUDIO....DISTURBED, BELIEVE. This DVD AUDIO disk is recorded so well - its hard to believe it sounds even better with the mod. board. Again, more relaxed, smooth and not "in your face" at loud volumes.....+5/+7. I was amazed how smooth It stayed even while pushing crazy volume levels. The crisp drum beats on the stock board sounded great but when compared with the mod. board I found that crisp I was used to was almost to sharp and crisp compared to the smoothness of the mod. board. One DVD AUDIO...QUEENSRYCHE, EMPIRE, I never liked the sound on this one. For some reason it always sounded stuffy, cramed up, never open and clear. With the mod. board it was able to make it sound a little better, especially at louder volumes, but this is one recording where I told you it made a bad recording sound even more bad, maybe its me who knows. MOVING ON TO REGULAR cd's. My older cd's I listen to mostly in 2 channel stereo. Again all music sounds smooth,clean and very relaxed at high volumes. I also noticed that my BASS, seems to be more smooth, I even had to lower the base a litlle bit to get the same sound with the mod. board over the stock board, it was like with the mod., board someone had turned up the BASS a notch.Over all no matter what I compared it was always the same, mod. board, over all more clean, smooth and not in "your face" sound as the stock board was. I was able to puch even louder volumes with out it sounding to sharp and edgey. One note also, was, the volume level with the mod. board and the stock, was I always had the volume a little bit lower than the stock board but sounded the same level, very strange! Maybe with the mod. board it was cleaner sound so the volume seemed louder. I could be here all day with the different tests and sounds I heard but I'll tell you it was well worth the upgrade. Thank You Alex for a fine MODIFIED BOARD......Sincerely Michael Nunziato...

P.S Im running the 49TXi with an ATI 2505 AMP with the 49 running the back surrounds. :>)

Michael Nunziato, 49TXi, 8 channels modified

Michael had ordered the modified board and kept the stock one, therefore he had been able to swamp the boards by himself and listen to the difference. Please note, that the modification DOESN'T change the volume level in the receiver, due to the reason that op amp's swamp didn't change the feedback and input resistors, which define the gain of op amps in the circuits. The background noise-floor is definitely changed, therefore people can hear lower level signals and get the perfect sound image at lower volume level.

Here are some pictures of Mike's HT system with the modified 49TXi, used as AV processor with ATI2505 power amplifier (his new HT room is on the right picture):