Pioneer DV-563A Review (1 Viewer)

[Ron Reda]

I really want to hear what SACD has to offer, so I may pick one of these units up. However, I'm not a big fan of surround music, so here's my question...will I notice the same difference between CD and SACD when using the 563 in two-channel mode with my fronts set to large?

Also, does anyone know of the availability of this player in B&M stores around the North Atlanta area?

 

[Lee Bombard]

OK guys, I need some help with my new 563A.

I hooked everything up to my Elite VSX-49 and all played fine. I bought 1 each DVD-Audio and a SACD to try. Both initally played fine but now I can't get any audio at all from the SACD!!!

I have everything hooked up so I'm at a loss as to what changed. I mean I have the digital co-ax, the standard audio left and right and also the 5.1 connectors. I've been over the settings dozens of times and can't figure out what's wrong.

Any thoughts?

Regards,
Lee

 

[Brian L]

Well, if it played fine, but now it won't that would imply that something has changed.

Note: I am not saying that YOU changed anything, but like a Windows PC that suddenly starts acting up, something, somewhere has changed.

Does the 563 have a menu choice to allow you to select the CD layer of a hybrid SACD? If so (and I would guess it MUST have such a setting), toggle it to CD, and see if that plays (hopefully your SACD is a hybrid). And then of course, toggle it back.

Failing that, there may be a specific reset procedure (the Pioneer 45A has one) documented in the manual. Its equivalent to Cntrl/Alt/Del. You might try that, however, you will also likely need to re-do your set-up.

And lastly, if all else fails, the time honored tradition of unplugging the thing for a few minutes would not hurt either.

I have a keen interest in this, since I just suggested this player to a good family friend (and she ordered it). I sure hope this thing ain't buggy.

BGL

 

[Lee Bombard]

I guess I'll have to chalk this one up to "The learning curve."

All I needed to do was change the input on the receiver to 5.1 input and it works great. When I first hooked it up I only had co-ax and stereo audio hooked up. I then added the 5.1 inputs and fiddled alot with the players settings. Silly me...I thought I'd get audio from everything by just pressing play. I've got some learning to do regarding DVD-A and SACD.

This does indeed appear to be a pretty terrific player. Watched a complete DVD last evening and am happy with it's video as well. Great value for the money. (Picked it up yesterday at Best Buy for $170.00.)

Thanks for the help.

Lee

 

[Brian L]

Glad its working, but I thought I read a post from another user that said that the stereo pair AND the L/R pair of the 5.1 outs were both active all the time (assuming you have the 5.1 outs enabled)?

If you have a 2 CH SACD, DVD-A, or CD, I would have expected that you would get signal out both L/R pairs.

Was that not the case?

BGL

 

[Kelly Williams]

Brian L,

On the 563A in my case using a Yamaha RX-V1000 if you leave the set up menu for SACD on 2ch thats all you get no sub. You have to switch it to 5.1 to activate it?

I will have to play with it more when time provides but so far it has performed wonderful for the price and the picture is good but I'm running it through a 27" Wega because my 32" XBR is in the shop. Setting 13' away with my bad eyes if I can see it anything looks OK

Later
Kelly

 

[Brian L]

Don't know for sure about the 563. I think the question Lee had was WRT the 2 CH outs, not the sub per se.

Most uni players do not do any BM on a 2 CH source, be it SACD, DVD-A, or Red Book CD. So, you may have to connect the L&R stereo pair (in addition to the 5.1 outs), and do BM in your receiver.

With my 45A/ICBM, I have two choices for 2 CH. I can obviously use the 5.1 outs (there will only be output on the L&R pair) and let the ICBM do the BM.

Or, I just use the stereo pair to my receiver, and let the the receiver handle the BM.

I will be doing a virtual start-up of a 563 sometime this week. I spec'd it for a friend who is not really savvy with this stuff. Unfortunately, she is in Burbank, CA, and I am in Albuquerque, thus the virtual nature of the start up.

Should be interesting, since I can't get the manual from Pioneer yet. Oh well, having gone through the whole deal with my 45A, it should not be too bad.

BGL

 

[Jeff O.]

Brian,
I got mine last night and didn't have too much time to play with it. You shouldn't have much trouble with the manual though, because it looks virtually identical to the one that came with my 45A. Setup and everything seemed nearly identical.

One thing that I noticed is that the bass seems to be very weak for SACD. I only had a chance to play a couple of discs, but there was plenty of bass for DVD-A (I listened to Kamakiriad sp?) while almost nothing for SACD (Peter Gabrial 1 and Norah Jones). I set it up with the main channels around -4 and the sub at +6, all small and sub on. Again, I haven't had a chance to play with it much yet and maybe I missed a setting. Has anyone else compared bass output on DVD-A and SACD?

By the way, there was a test tone for the sub, but even with the above settings and calibrating at 74 db, I could barely hear it (I should say 74 db out of all other channels).

Jeff

 

[Brian L]

Thanks for the input Jeff.

I will be very interested to hear what shakes out WRT SACD sub level.

A lot of 563 users are new to all this set-up and calibration stuff, but given your experience with the 45A, you obviously know what to look for. I am a bit concerned.

BGL

 

[Darryl]

I haven't studied the bass management on this thing too much, but my impression is that setting speaker size to small cuts the bass from the mains but does not redirect it to the sub. I have read some posts saying that the only format with this problem is 2 channel SACD, but I suspect that it is all formats, or at least both SACD formats. I haven't specifically tested this assertion, but that's what my ears tell me.

 

[Brian L]

I haven't studied the bass management on this thing too much, but my impression is that setting speaker size to small cuts the bass from the mains but does not redirect it to the sub. I have read some posts saying that the only format with this problem is 2 channel SACD, but I suspect that it is all formats, or at least both SACD formats. I haven't specifically tested this assertion, but that's what my ears tell me.

Lets hope that is not the case. If so, it would be a fatal flaw for this player.

I would expect that it may have a problem sending the .1 channel to to the mains in an all Large/No Sub set-up, but not the other way around.

BGL

 

[Dan Hitchman]

Does this player work okay when Bass Management is not used? As in, speakers set to LARGE and sub set to ON.

That's how I'd have to use it anyway with my Outlaw Model 950 pre-amp and its 6 channel analog input and 80 Hz analog bass management setup.

How are layer changes handled on this thing? Slow, average, super fast(mostly unnoticeable)?

Dan

 

[James R. Geib]

Dan, I'm using the 563A with an AVM20, and so the settings on the 563A for me are: All speakers set to large, and subwoofer on. That way my AVM20 handles all bass management, and it works like a champ.

The layer changes seem to be somewhat shorter than a previous Panasonic player I was using. I'd say the layer change is average.

I've been extremely pleased with this player as an inexpensive universal!

James

 

[Mike Darksyde]

Where is everyone getting these, one said best buy, but I am not seeing it on best buys site, and I do not see that they carry pioneer stuff at all. I am going to go to the store later today, but If I had an idea of where to go it would help me out a lot, I would rather go pick one up than order it.

 

[James R. Geib]

Mike,

I have yet to see one at my local BB, and I was there yesterday. I ordered mine from Crutchfield, and the service was great. 2 to 3 day arrival if they have them in stock. I'm not sure about any other stores where the unit can be purchased locally. I have heard of others getting their's from Best Buy, but I don't know which cities.

James

 

[Jeff O.]

Mike,
Got mine from Crutchfield also. Great service and they pay for the return if you are unhappy. My local BB had no idea what the 563a was.

Darryl,
I agree completely. I have not tested the BM in any systematic way, but that was my feeling for SACD. For DVD-A the BM seems to be summing the bass from the mains and sub (so lots-o-bass). With the same settings, very little bass with SACD. With the 45a in my other setup, the Peter Gabriel (2 channel SACD) has good bass. With the 563, there is some bass in the SW (so the player must be doing some BM), but it is very faint.

Jeff

 

[ScottMc]

Just checked my local BB in Albuquerque, and they are on the shelves and on sale for $170. I am thinking of picking one up.

 

[Gabriel_Lam]

Here's a link for those of you interested in the DV563A who want to support HTF with their purchase:

Pioneer DV563A for $152.86 plus shipping, no tax for most states

Price good until 7/31/03. Thanks!

 

[Vince Bray]

Will there be availability at that link or is is sold out and gone?

 

[Gabriel_Lam]

Just contacted them. A load of them should be delivered tomorrow to fulfill orders.