New receiver Pioneer vsx-516 (1 Viewer)

[Stephan J.]

Can anyone tell me anything about the Pioneer vsx-516. I'm looking for a receiver around $200 dollars for a small home theater, 25'x11'. I read the review of the vsx-816 in Sound and Vision, but I do not need all those bells and whistles, i.e. auto setup, XM compatibility. Just a solid performer on movies. Thanks in advance.

 

[Seth=L]

Stephan, I have a friend who has a similar model to the 516. It is a solid performer with movies and handles music OK too.
As for the bells and whistles part you basically can't escape them in this world we live in today if you get anything less than this like KLH or some other off brand then dig a grave for those cheapies before you even open the box.

 

[Stephan J.]

Thanks. Small correction, the review in S&V was for the vsx-815 not 816. The 815 was one of their picks for 2005. Any other info is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Danny Tse]

Here you go....

Pioneer VSX-516 review at Audioholics.com

Looks like a winner

 

[LanceJ]

From that Audioholics review, page 2 at the very bottom:

Additionally, according to the article, via its "Virtual Surround Back" option the Pioneer is supposed to provide the feeling of a separate back channel.

????

This effect can also be created by a pair of good loudspeakers - it's called "phantom center imaging" a concept thats been around for decades - so unless the Pioneer is performing some kind of processing that makes this (virtual) back channel artificially more prominent, including this option doesn't make sense to me. It's also why I tell most people to not bother with a 6.1 or 7.1 set up unless their rear channels are widely separated or at the very sides of their listening position (a configuration that sounds very UNsurround-like in my opinion, I don't care what Dolby Labs says [my own surrounds are to the sides, but mostly behind, my couch]).

 

[Stephan J.]

Thanks for the link to the review. It sounds pretty good. I have a Pioneer dvd player and have liked it but was unsure about their receivers. Anyone have anything to say about Pioneer in general? Thanks.

 

[LanceJ]

My very first receiver was a Pioneer (bought in 1983, I still have it and it still works very well); my second CD player was a Pioneer; I bought a Pioneer CD player for one of my cars; my dvd-audio player is a Pioneer; I bought two pairs of speakers made by Pioneer; when I sold HT gear me and my boss always used Pioneers for our main demo rig; and my next receiver will be a Pioneer Elite.

So yea, I think Pioneer is a pretty good brand.