F
or years, Pioneer has
offered both stan-
dard-series AVRs,
thought to offer good
value for money, and more expen-
sive Elite-series models targeted
toward performance-minded
enthusiasts. Recently, Pioneer
surprised us by replacing its
entire standard AVR lineup with
a handful of dramatically im-
proved, value-priced receivers,
such as the $399 VSX-816, whose
feature sets remind us of those
typically found in Elite models.
Features Spoken Here
The VSX-816 is a 7.1-channel,
XM radio-ready AVR that puts
out 110Wpc. The receiver sup-
ports multizone playback or can
assign two channels to bi-am-
plify the front main speakers. The
VSX-816 incorporates Pioneer’s
MCACC (Multi-Channel Acous-
tic Calibration) room EQ system
plus special features such as a
D
ialog
E
nhancEmEnt
mode that
“localizes dialog in the center
channel to make it stand out.” A
S
ounD
R
EtRiEvER
mode promises to
“bring CD quality-sound back to
compressed 2-channel audio.”
Elaborate MCACC test/setup
procedures took around 8 minutes
to complete, but the end results
were worth the wait. We compared
MCACC against Yamaha’s com-
peting YPAO (Yamaha Parametric
Acoustic Optimizer) EQ system and
found that both systems improved
the accuracy and tonal balance
of our test speakers. However,
the Pioneer system went even
further, unlocking an extra
layer of clarity and openness
the Yamaha could not match.
Wide-Open Sound
Actually, “openness” and “reso-
lution” are probably the two
words that best describe the
Pioneer’s sound. These quali-
ties brought alive all kinds of
cinematic and music material,
enhancing everything from the
creaking of the ship’s hull in
Master and Commander
, to the
aggressive snap of Marcus Mill-
er’s bass guitar on “Rampage”
from
The Sun Don’t Lie
[Sony].
The only drawbacks we ob-
served were occasional traces
of excess brightness on vigor-
ous treble transients, and bass
that sometimes seemed too
lightly balanced. But these are
very minor shortcomings com-
pared to this receiver’s strengths.
The VSX-816 offers a user interface
and remote control that are well
thought out. The VSX-816’s sheer per-
formance per dollar is just remark-
able. Highly recommended.
TPV
Chris
Martens
PHO
TO CREDIT
AUDIO REVIEW
Pioneer VSX-816
7.1-Channel Audio/Video Receiver
A Budget Product in Price Only
• Open, richly detailed sound
• MCACC room EQ really works
• Funny, it doesn’t sound like a
“budget” receiver
• Could use greater bass weight,
warmth
Specifications
• Power output: 7 x 110Wpc @ 8 ohms
• Surround-sound and stereo decoding
formats: Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Digital,
and Pro Logic IIx; DTS-ES, and Neo:6;
nine proprietary surround mode for
music, films, games, and headphones;
Sound Retriever (restores CD-quality
sound from compressed sources); WMA
9 Pro decoder.
• Video inputs/outputs: Composite and
S-video (4 inputs, 2 outputs), component
video (3 inputs, 1 output)
• Audio inputs/outputs: Digital audio (5
inputs—3 optical, 2 coaxial), stereo
analog (7 inputs, 2 outputs), 5.1-channel
analog (1 input), analog subwoofer (1
output), XM satellite radio.
• Dimensions: 17.1" x 6.2" x 16.6"
• Weight: 20.3 lbs.
• Price: $399
Manufacturer Information
Pioneer Electronics USA
(800) 421-1404
www.pioneerelectronics.com
The Last Word
Pioneer VSX-816 7.1-Channel
A/V Receiver
(rated in comparison to
mid-priced, sub-$1000 AVRs)
Poor
Good
Excellent
1
0
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Sound Quality, Music
Sound Quality, Films
User Interface
Value
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Electronically reprinted from September 2006
