Pioneer 509S Receiver
Out of stock |
Similar in Receivers
- Type: Receiver
- Overview
-
Reviews
-
Compare Prices
User ReviewRead All Reviews »
Pioneering a great receiver...
Pros
delivers great sound and picture for modest price, easy to setup, digital ins/outs, s video
Cons
channel looping on the remote
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Looking for a high quality receiver with support for most audio formats as well as digital audio and S-video ins/outs? Look no further...this is it.
Overview
I started with a 19" TV and a mid-range DVD player. By the time I was done aspiring to home theater greatness (given my severely limited budget) I had achieved 27" on the TV, a VCR, a pair of Paradigm stereo speakers, and a Sega Dreamcast to go along with my DVD player.
Knowing that all home theaters are driven and supported by the receiver, I began to concentrate most of my efforts on finding a quality entry-level to mid-range receiver to service my needs. About 8 months ago, I ultimately decided on the Pioneer 509S model and have never regretted the decision. This receiver is the best around for the price that you pay. You will not find a receiver with a wider array of features, support, or sound quality for under $400.
Purchasing
Most of my research was done on the internet. I went to sites like bestbuy.com and jandr.com to see what was out there and the price ranges. I looked at a few of the upper tier Pioneer receivers but the THX support was beyond the scope of my American Express card. I also went to Circuit City and got a chance to listen to a few of the Sony and Onynx receivers before deciding on my Pioneer. I wanted something with digital ins/outs for sound and S-video for the picture as well as the composite connections and the Pioneer seemed to give all of that for an excellent price. One thing I will say is that, if you have the chance, please go out and actually take a listen before making a purchase. Sound is a preference for each individual so each receiver does serve different needs.
Setup
To a home theater novice, unpacking this receiver and looking at the back of it can be quite intimidating I must admit. However, Pioneer does a good job of labeling each of the inputs and outputs of the digital and composite connections and the manual.. thank god for the manual... gives detailed pictures of what plugs into what. I give mad props to the people at Pioneer who designed the manual. I was able to follow it pretty simply and except for one minor question to my home theater junkie friend - I was able to pull it off with and actually get picture and sound without a hitch. Currently, I have hooked up everything through my receiver including my Dreamcast and there are still inputs for more components (namely.. a stereo!). When I look at the back of my receiver - I wonder how I ever got that mess of cables and wires to produce the sounds it does.
Technical Specs and Functionality (for the techies)
This relatively modest receiver packs a powerful punch into its system by serving 100 Watts of power per channel. There is also a wide range of audio support, including Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1. There are 3 digital inputs (optical and coaxial) and one output. I must admit I haven't made use of these yet... have you seen the prices on optical cables? I have heard that the sound quality is worth it however. The Pioneer 509S also has S-video inputs/outputs which are pretty much standard now on all receivers. Also there are multiple channels offered with configuration for each channel allowed as well.
To the listener and viewer... (sound and picture)
A Dave Mathews CD in the DVD player christened by receiver as I felt the wattage transfer from the receiver to my speakers - it was a beautiful crystal clear sound that I still remember to this day. DVDs that support Dolby Digital and dts sound wonderful through the receiver. The S video inputs deliver a clear and detailed picture unmatched by any other receiver. My rules goes that you know a receiver is quality when you don't know it's there. No distortion, supports a lot of power and delivers superior sound and picture. I have been more than satisfied.
Aesthetics
Probably not important to most people, the sleek understated styling of this jet-black Pioneer allows it to fit right in easily with all other home theater components. The buttons are rather intuitive for the most part although there are still some channel adjustments settings that I have yet to figure out. The display is a cool orange glow that's easy on the eyes... not the typical fluorescent green on black.
The Remote
The remote is pretty bulky and also relatively easy to program. You may have to go through the manual once quickly to familiarize yourself with the options but after that things are easy to remember. The buttons are big enough and the labeling is very good. The one problem I have with the remote is that when selecting channels, the user has to loop through the channels in a pre-programmed order. You can't skip from the DVD channel directly to the auxiliary channel because the VCR channel comes in between - unless you get off your caboose and do it from the receiver itself. I found that to be quite irritating when I wanted to switch quickly between channels.
Cons
To be honest, I have found very little wrong with this receiver except for that little remote thing I mentioned above. Hmmm... no THX? But I only paid $370 for this receiver... if they threw in THX I might as well have stolen it.
I started with a 19" TV and a mid-range DVD player. By the time I was done aspiring to home theater greatness (given my severely limited budget) I had achieved 27" on the TV, a VCR, a pair of Paradigm stereo speakers, and a Sega Dreamcast to go along with my DVD player.
Knowing that all home theaters are driven and supported by the receiver, I began to concentrate most of my efforts on finding a quality entry-level to mid-range receiver to service my needs. About 8 months ago, I ultimately decided on the Pioneer 509S model and have never regretted the decision. This receiver is the best around for the price that you pay. You will not find a receiver with a wider array of features, support, or sound quality for under $400.
Purchasing
Most of my research was done on the internet. I went to sites like bestbuy.com and jandr.com to see what was out there and the price ranges. I looked at a few of the upper tier Pioneer receivers but the THX support was beyond the scope of my American Express card. I also went to Circuit City and got a chance to listen to a few of the Sony and Onynx receivers before deciding on my Pioneer. I wanted something with digital ins/outs for sound and S-video for the picture as well as the composite connections and the Pioneer seemed to give all of that for an excellent price. One thing I will say is that, if you have the chance, please go out and actually take a listen before making a purchase. Sound is a preference for each individual so each receiver does serve different needs.
Setup
To a home theater novice, unpacking this receiver and looking at the back of it can be quite intimidating I must admit. However, Pioneer does a good job of labeling each of the inputs and outputs of the digital and composite connections and the manual.. thank god for the manual... gives detailed pictures of what plugs into what. I give mad props to the people at Pioneer who designed the manual. I was able to follow it pretty simply and except for one minor question to my home theater junkie friend - I was able to pull it off with and actually get picture and sound without a hitch. Currently, I have hooked up everything through my receiver including my Dreamcast and there are still inputs for more components (namely.. a stereo!). When I look at the back of my receiver - I wonder how I ever got that mess of cables and wires to produce the sounds it does.
Technical Specs and Functionality (for the techies)
This relatively modest receiver packs a powerful punch into its system by serving 100 Watts of power per channel. There is also a wide range of audio support, including Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1. There are 3 digital inputs (optical and coaxial) and one output. I must admit I haven't made use of these yet... have you seen the prices on optical cables? I have heard that the sound quality is worth it however. The Pioneer 509S also has S-video inputs/outputs which are pretty much standard now on all receivers. Also there are multiple channels offered with configuration for each channel allowed as well.
To the listener and viewer... (sound and picture)
A Dave Mathews CD in the DVD player christened by receiver as I felt the wattage transfer from the receiver to my speakers - it was a beautiful crystal clear sound that I still remember to this day. DVDs that support Dolby Digital and dts sound wonderful through the receiver. The S video inputs deliver a clear and detailed picture unmatched by any other receiver. My rules goes that you know a receiver is quality when you don't know it's there. No distortion, supports a lot of power and delivers superior sound and picture. I have been more than satisfied.
Aesthetics
Probably not important to most people, the sleek understated styling of this jet-black Pioneer allows it to fit right in easily with all other home theater components. The buttons are rather intuitive for the most part although there are still some channel adjustments settings that I have yet to figure out. The display is a cool orange glow that's easy on the eyes... not the typical fluorescent green on black.
The Remote
The remote is pretty bulky and also relatively easy to program. You may have to go through the manual once quickly to familiarize yourself with the options but after that things are easy to remember. The buttons are big enough and the labeling is very good. The one problem I have with the remote is that when selecting channels, the user has to loop through the channels in a pre-programmed order. You can't skip from the DVD channel directly to the auxiliary channel because the VCR channel comes in between - unless you get off your caboose and do it from the receiver itself. I found that to be quite irritating when I wanted to switch quickly between channels.
Cons
To be honest, I have found very little wrong with this receiver except for that little remote thing I mentioned above. Hmmm... no THX? But I only paid $370 for this receiver... if they threw in THX I might as well have stolen it.
