Digital Trends

Pioneer VSX-816-K/S June 6th, 2006 | by Rebecca Day

Setup and Use

Like most A/V receivers today, the VSX-816 has an auto-calibration feature that handles the surround-sound setup for you. You plug a microphone into a jack on the front panel and string it to the listening position (I placed the mic on a plant pedestal) where it takes acoustical measurements based on signals it receives from the speakers. Then the system automatically calibrates volume and delay settings for your particular setup and room. The process was straightforward and the results were fairly accurate. The distance measurement for the surround speakers was off by a foot or less, but that was easy enough to correct in the manual setup (there for those who like to tweak). A lot of buyers at this price segment will welcome the handholding.

The setup menu also includes a no-nonsense process for assigning component and digital audio inputs to your components. What the black-and-white text setup screens lacked in visual appeal, they made up for in efficiency. Setup was a breeze.

I used a Pioneer DVD/DVR as the video source and was disappointed to find that the “universal” remote included with the VSX-816 had no idea it shared a family history with my DVR. I'd have to plug in source codes as though it were any manufacturer's product. You unlock codes for other products using the remote. A built-in alphabet brings up brand names when you hit a letter, and then you find a code for the brand by pressing Source. When a press turns off your component, you've got the right code. When I tapped the letter “P,” first Panasonic came up, then Philips. I finally arrived at Pioneer and found a working code, but not before seeing branding ads for the competition.

Image Courtesy of Pioneer

The VSX-816 remote doesn't pass the darkness test. You need full light to find the buttons you want and even then it's a challenge despite some well-intentioned color-coding and outlining. There are just too many buttons, most are smaller than a Tic Tac, and I kept losing the all-important Mute button, which is hidden six rows up (out of 16) on the right hand side.

On the plus side, there's an LCD to feed back some source info so you don't have to squint at the front panel.