Smooth Sounding Digital Reciever
Written: Jan 30 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lack of Heat, clear, and open soundstage. Sounds great on CDs!
Cons: Terrible remote. Total lack of auto switching/sensing from component to component. Terrible Technical support. I will be returning this 498 after buying the Sony 635 or 835 for better ease and compatability.
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| tri's Full Review: Pioneer VSX-D498 5.1 Channels Receiver |
This is my first Dolby Digital receiver. Bought it at Sears...at a great price...It was just returned by someone who wanted a Sony. My regular 2 channel music systems are quite high end and excellent. This unit is not for real high end home theater setups, but will do if this is not your main HT receiver. I am using the 498 in my bed room with a 27 inch Sony, Sony VCR and Panasonic 129U and only 3 speakers (no rear channels yet).
After a lot of experimentation, I hooked the unit up correctly (as correct as it can be in my system). I did spend time (2X 40 minutes with a 20 minute wait) on the phone with Pioneer's inexperienced young and really impatient techs. They said my equipment was at fault. They simply did not listen to what I needed to hook up and they hung up! This happened twice! I was ready to return the unit because of the Tech Support treatment. Although I have had the 498 in my system, it occasionally has a hiccup and needs to be re-booted/turned off, then on to work correctly. Still, it frustrates my wife and me changing functions (components) from the remote. I have enjoyed Dante's Peak, Forest Gump and the Matrix with it. The new Metallica S+M and Edie Brickell are very good. Good separation and palpable sound stage. Highs are sweet on the Meadowlark Krestels and the bass is a touch dramatic (which is needed and nice for the movies. The midrange is very good and natural with female voice. For CD/DVD Sony's Vidaldi: The Four Seasons is a standout. The new Guitar Sampler 2 on Windom Hill is spectacular on this and all systems. Yet I wonder how the Sony STR-DE635 or 835 will compare sonically. I will be the first one to write this comparison/review...read the cons below.
I think the Users Guide is very poorly written; it does not have full instructions for hooking up a VCR properly (using the inputs and outputs), and it does not describe how to bypass the receiver to listen to the TV speakers only without the 498 turned on. There are no S-video inputs.
The overall theater sound is quite clear and detailed with my Meadowlark Kestrels for the FL and FR, yet sound a wee bit lower in volume during Dolby Digital playback. The center channel is louder regardless of the LF and RF settings. The dialog is very distinct through a simple Sony CR-7 Center channel. All cables, including the 75 ohm coax are by DH Labs...they are great! I turned off the Digital Effects...they are not convincing at all. More on the Pioneer-Sony Shootout later!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tri
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Member: Terry Rossen
Location: Germantown, Maryland
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 1 member
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