Pioneer VSX-D850S 6.1 Channels Receiver
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- Surround Sound: Dolby Digital® DTS® DTS ES® Dolby Pro Logic II
- THX Certification: No
- Number of Channels: 6.1 Channels
- Type: Receiver
- Surround Mode Power: 110 Watt @ 8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, THD: 0.2%
- Stereo Mode Power: 110 Watt @ 8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, THD: 0.2%
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Pioneer Gets it Right
Pros
Great expandability, packed with features, great learning remote, the price
Cons
1.0% THD(!!!), no on-screen display, no Pro Logic II
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
You will be hard pressed to find a receiver that does more for less than the VSX-D850S. Sound quality could be better, but it is still satisfactory.
I am in the middle of a Home Theatre rebuilding project. Much like the Chicago Bulls or the Montreal Canadiens, my old "team" of dinosaurs were passed by, and it is time to rebuild through the draft. I have made the Pioneer VSX-850S the cornerstone of my new-look system.
What attracted me to the receiver was its incredible versatility. After continuously having to jerry-rig my old system due to the limited in/outputs on my OLD Sony receiver, I appreciate the flexibility of the VSX-850S. It has 2 component ins/1 component out; 4 S-video ins, 1 out; and 4 optical ins/1 out. All of the inputs are assignable. In addition, the VSX-850S also supports 5.1/7.1 channel inputs. There is only one subwoofer out, but for me this is no big issue. Finally, there is also an RCA and S-video input on the front of the chassis, which makes quickly hooking in a camcorder, game system, or digital camera easy and convienient.
The performance of this receiver is more than adequate for my needs. It contains some Digital Signal Processing effects such as Concert Hall 1&2, Theatre 1&2, etc. I don't particularly like using these, so I won't comment on their quality. The only thing that gave me pause when purchasing was the lack of Dolby Pro Logic II, which other receivers I was looking at had (such as the Onkyo TX-DS595).
The receiver puts out 110 watts per channel. A big however here is that these 110 watts are at 1.0% THD. The Onkyo I was looking at put out 75 watts per channel, but at a much, much lower .07% THD. Therefore, the Onkyo was in actuality louder and more efficient than the Pioneer. However, my VSX-850S is in a smaller room, so it has plenty of power for my needs. Also, some features are a bit hard to find and use, and the manual glosses over some subjects where more detail would be appreciated, but it is nothing that anyone with a modicum of electronic aptitude would be unable to figure out.
Given the fact that Best Buy is selling this same receiver for $599, I feel like I got a great deal. Regardless, the Pioneer VSX-850S is a great piece of equipment for someone putting together an intermediate home theatre system on a budget. Given the many inputs, it should also be able to handle new responsibilities for years to come.
What attracted me to the receiver was its incredible versatility. After continuously having to jerry-rig my old system due to the limited in/outputs on my OLD Sony receiver, I appreciate the flexibility of the VSX-850S. It has 2 component ins/1 component out; 4 S-video ins, 1 out; and 4 optical ins/1 out. All of the inputs are assignable. In addition, the VSX-850S also supports 5.1/7.1 channel inputs. There is only one subwoofer out, but for me this is no big issue. Finally, there is also an RCA and S-video input on the front of the chassis, which makes quickly hooking in a camcorder, game system, or digital camera easy and convienient.
The performance of this receiver is more than adequate for my needs. It contains some Digital Signal Processing effects such as Concert Hall 1&2, Theatre 1&2, etc. I don't particularly like using these, so I won't comment on their quality. The only thing that gave me pause when purchasing was the lack of Dolby Pro Logic II, which other receivers I was looking at had (such as the Onkyo TX-DS595).
The receiver puts out 110 watts per channel. A big however here is that these 110 watts are at 1.0% THD. The Onkyo I was looking at put out 75 watts per channel, but at a much, much lower .07% THD. Therefore, the Onkyo was in actuality louder and more efficient than the Pioneer. However, my VSX-850S is in a smaller room, so it has plenty of power for my needs. Also, some features are a bit hard to find and use, and the manual glosses over some subjects where more detail would be appreciated, but it is nothing that anyone with a modicum of electronic aptitude would be unable to figure out.
Given the fact that Best Buy is selling this same receiver for $599, I feel like I got a great deal. Regardless, the Pioneer VSX-850S is a great piece of equipment for someone putting together an intermediate home theatre system on a budget. Given the many inputs, it should also be able to handle new responsibilities for years to come.
