Digital Trends

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

Performance

With 100 watts all around, the VSX-816 has plenty of punch for the most punishing soundtracks. And in the 5.1-channel setup I used, I was impressed by the chopper sounds in the opening of Apocalypse Now as they cycled from channel to channel around the room. Separation was good and I felt immersed just as I should.

I enjoyed listening to George Harrison's DVD Video of the Dark Horse Years and it made me wonder what the Beatles would have concocted with the flexibility of multi-channel recordings. The best I could imagine was a resounding version of "Crackerbox Palace" in Neo:6. Doing so took a trip to the owner's manual for a guide to how to find Dolby Pro Logic IIx and Neo:6, which I discovered were accessible through a button marked Standard on the remote. Surround might have been a better label.

On the music side, Allan Toussaint's resounding rework of “Yes We Can Can” on the Our New Orleans 2005 Tribute Album transported me to a gospel church on the Bayou in both Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS Neo:6. Now I'll never be able to listen to that song in stereo again! But I had to get up and read which version I was listening to from tiny LEDs on the front-panel display since the text display listed DTS and Dolby as simply “Music.” Tiny red print readable from 3 inches indicated Dolby or DTS.

For kicks, I tried Pioneer's 7-Stereo mode for comparison. The experiment didn't last long after vocals come out of the surround speakers. My listening partner, Dexter the cat, who had been enjoying the gospel surround sound with me must have felt the same way. He beat it upstairs when Toussaint's voice unexpectedly jumped out from surround left.

I like that an XM Radio (and especially the Surround version) tuner is built in to this receiver. Setup was a snap and the service sounded clear, albiet a little distant which is tyical for satellite radio. Buyers beware: you need to buy an XM antenna (around $30) and a subscription to the service (currently $12.99 a month) to enjoy the feature.

The 816 has a built in WMA-Pro decoder so you can connect your PC to the receiver directly for Microsoft's Lossless WMA audio format. You must also have the Windows Media Audio 9 codec installed on your PC and have a soundcard that has been specifically designed to output the WMA Pro signal over a coaxial/optical digital connection. Audiophiles will likely be excited by this feature, but it does require that your PC be relatively close to this receiver. Visit the Windows Media Audio Codes page for a list of sound card requirements.

I tried the FM radio and got reception that equaled that of my Tivoli Audio PAL radio. In my basement, that's not that great but it's a tough environment and any tuner would be challenged. The receiver's direct access option to tap in the frequency of your favorite stations (88.3) is convenient. Plugging in presets, though, is a confusing multi-step process requiring front-panel access. I didn't have the patience to keep at it, but I guess I would take the trouble if I owned the receiver.