This review is written from the perspective of an iPhone user. I've had this radio in my car for almost a year and I like it very much.

I don't need much in an AVR. I need it to route AV signals from my components to my TV over HDMI. I need it to connect to my home LAN so that I can control it over IP using the Roomie iPhone App. I need it to make good-sounding noise come out of my 7.1 speakers. And I need it to not bug me. By these standards, and considering the blockbuster price I paid for it, I'm thrilled.

Let me first tell you why I bought a Pioneer A4 and why I'm so happy with it. Then I'll go over its features and do a little nit-picking, which boils down to "this is an RTFM product in a post-RTFM world." All things considered, I love my A4: it's a great product at a terrific price.

I've finally made the transition from my Etymotic Research HF2 Earphones to a set of over-the-ear noise canceling headphones. This month I've tried the Sennheiser PXC-450, Audio-Technica's ATH-ANC9, and the tried-and-true Bose QuietComfort 15. I wanted so much to pick this set from Audio-Technica, because they're fresh and new and because I started with a bias against Bose. But of these three, the ATH-ANC9s came in a disappointing third in my order of preference. I'm sending them back. Here's how I stacked up the three products:

Worthy of your attention, if you can find it at a reasonable pice. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is a bit of a joke. Pioneer is selling it directly to consumers at less than half the MSRP, and I found it at my local big box members-only store for 70% off MSRP. I bought it on impulse, and I'm keeping it despite my three-star review, because I like it and I have the technical skill and patience to manage its ease-of-use issues.

If you need a small set of good-sounding speakers with a rechargeable battery that works with your iPod or iPhone, look no further. But this unit is definitely a compromise, and it won't be the best sounding system you've ever heard.