Pioneer 509S Receiver
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A Fine Deal
Pros
Sounds good, lots of S-Video support, runs cool...
Cons
high sub x-over, no TV setup screens
Recommended it?
Yes
Searching for a receiver can be a long, arduous process, but finding a receiver like the Pioneer VSX-D509S at the end of that process makes it worth while. Boasting a multitude of features and steady performance, the receiver is one of the best deals around for those looking to start a nice home theater system on a reasonable budget.
One of the nice things about the receiver is its support for the different audio formats that have risen in the past few years. Dolby Digital & DTS 5.1 audio formats are supported and supported well indeed. Testing the surround sound capabilities of the receiver with my Pioneer DV-333 yielded an enjoyable listening experience. DVD's like Roy Orbison: Black & White Night (DTS) and Fight Club (DD 5.1) created engaging soundtracks superior to what you would experience in most movie theaters. The 100 Watts of power it delivers is more than enough to fill up any modest living room. The receiver comes with 3 Digital Inputs (2 Optical, 1 Coaxial)and one Optical digital out, allowing reasonable room for expansion. There are several surround processing options offered, but they generally aren't very exciting in their effect on either music or films, so it's best to often stick with the standard processing scheme instead of the other options.
On the video side of things, the receiver supports S-Video switching, so you won't have to waste money on a separate, and expensive, S-Video switcher. If you still use a VCR, than you may want to upgrade to an S-Video model, since it appears that you can't use both S-Video and composite video connections at the same time.
Setup of the receiver is quite easy, as the manual contains mostly clear, concise explanations of the set up procedures. The setup is, unfortunately, on the receivers display screen and can't be displayed on your television, which would have made setup even easier. Another quirk that may bother some (especially those with nice subwoffers) is the relatively few options for setting up your sub crossover frequency. Your options are limited to 100, 150, and 200 Hz.
Reliability is difficult to comment on with a relatively new receiver, but I have noticed that it runs noticeably cooler that most other similarly priced receivers. This is a reasonably good sign that heat damage may not occur as easily as in competing models.
Finally, the receiver comes with a very nice remote with Leaning functions, so that you can program it with commands from all of your other remotes. The remote is comfortable and a nice replacement for any rather lame remotes you may have picked up with other components you have purchased.
Overall, I'd have to give a hardy recommendation to this model to anyone trying to set up a good home-theater at a modest budget. At around $320 dollars, it's a great deal and a good step up into more serious home theater sound.
One of the nice things about the receiver is its support for the different audio formats that have risen in the past few years. Dolby Digital & DTS 5.1 audio formats are supported and supported well indeed. Testing the surround sound capabilities of the receiver with my Pioneer DV-333 yielded an enjoyable listening experience. DVD's like Roy Orbison: Black & White Night (DTS) and Fight Club (DD 5.1) created engaging soundtracks superior to what you would experience in most movie theaters. The 100 Watts of power it delivers is more than enough to fill up any modest living room. The receiver comes with 3 Digital Inputs (2 Optical, 1 Coaxial)and one Optical digital out, allowing reasonable room for expansion. There are several surround processing options offered, but they generally aren't very exciting in their effect on either music or films, so it's best to often stick with the standard processing scheme instead of the other options.
On the video side of things, the receiver supports S-Video switching, so you won't have to waste money on a separate, and expensive, S-Video switcher. If you still use a VCR, than you may want to upgrade to an S-Video model, since it appears that you can't use both S-Video and composite video connections at the same time.
Setup of the receiver is quite easy, as the manual contains mostly clear, concise explanations of the set up procedures. The setup is, unfortunately, on the receivers display screen and can't be displayed on your television, which would have made setup even easier. Another quirk that may bother some (especially those with nice subwoffers) is the relatively few options for setting up your sub crossover frequency. Your options are limited to 100, 150, and 200 Hz.
Reliability is difficult to comment on with a relatively new receiver, but I have noticed that it runs noticeably cooler that most other similarly priced receivers. This is a reasonably good sign that heat damage may not occur as easily as in competing models.
Finally, the receiver comes with a very nice remote with Leaning functions, so that you can program it with commands from all of your other remotes. The remote is comfortable and a nice replacement for any rather lame remotes you may have picked up with other components you have purchased.
Overall, I'd have to give a hardy recommendation to this model to anyone trying to set up a good home-theater at a modest budget. At around $320 dollars, it's a great deal and a good step up into more serious home theater sound.
