Great amp, have had it forever..

-Good Sound (for video applications),
-A lot of inputs (with S-video)
-DD and DTS sound
-Programable Remote control
-Cheap

-Not for Audiophile taste (in music aplications for video is very good)
-No Phono input
-Complicated to use for some people (the initial setings)

What I can say, is a good amplifier for video use, very good sound for videos, a lot of functions very useful, a lot off people thing this amp is not so good, but I think the problem is, you need to use the correct speaker with this amp, and, set correctly the level in each channel in the config (not so easy to config this amp)...

Que puedo decir es un buen amplificador para aplicaciones de video, incluye muchas funciones, muchos pienzan q no es un buen amplificador, pero pienso q es cuestion de usar el parlante correcto y configurar correctamente los setings de nivel en el amplificador (cosa q no es muy facil de hacer)...

My system config:
Pioneer VSX D608
Pioneer CS 722a Speaker (1981) x 2 (Main)
Pioneer CS 600 Speaker x 2 (Surr)
Center channel custom made speaker
No Sub

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Unit is very sturdy and solid. Power not as bad- as some say. At low volume not too clear, stereo sound-good. 5.1 sound very good in movies, but not CD. Easy to use. Remote is OK. No complaints of any kind. Good choice.

Sound not as crystal as it could be, still very good.

Very good unit. Just replaced it with Harman Kardon AVR 520 5x75W. There is a difference, but not to such an extend one may think. Mostly in the sound clarity. 608 stands very well and it is worth owning it. (See my old review December 27, 1999)

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Older model and a new Harman Kardon AVR 520.

Many options, good sound.

remote a little difficult

I use this system with a Panasonic Progressive scan dvd player, and a rca hdtv receiver. Watching movies on this system is really a blast. I don't have the best speakers ~$1000 total, but the system does provide plenty of power. If you have decent speakers and need a low price receiver that does everything, this is a good one for you.

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OVERALL GOOD RECIEVER!

MUST HAVE FLOOR SPEAKERS WITH A SURROUND SYSTEM(THAT DOES HAVE A SUB) OR YOU WILL NOT GET ENOUGH BASS!!

WELL, WHAT CAN I SAY. I WANTED MORE BASS AND MORE SOUND!! I CURRENTLY HAVE A CAMBRIDGE ENSEMBLE IV SURROUND SYSTEM. SO, I STARTED READING REVIEWS ON THE PIONEER VSX/D608. I DECIDED IT MIGHT BE THE RECIEVER. JUST WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A KENWOOD VR-6050. THE SOUND WAS GREAT!! IT DID IMPROVE ALOT!! MORE BASS AND SOUND. SO, I DECIDED TO GIVE THE PIONEER TO MY SON(WHO DOESNT LIVE WITH ME) HE HAD A LARGE SET OF SONY FLOORSPEAKERS. I WAS AMAZED!!! THE PIONEER WAS REALLY PUMPING THESE SPEAKERS. I GUESS A NICE SET OF FLOOR SPEAKERS WOULD HAVE DONE THE JOB!!!

Everything is good....

...except the question I asked in the Summary

I have used this receiver for quite sometime and have been really happy with it. All the things that people have said negatively about it just hasn't happened to me. The BASS is great with my sub, the surround is awesome in Dolby Pro Logic. This is what brings me to post this. I haven't made the switch to digital until today. I got fiber-optic cable for the DVD sound and a S-Video for the video. I picked up another S-video for the video out (from receiver) into the TV. How do I get the receiver to recognize that I am using a DOLBY DIGITAL signal. The DVD player says DOLBY DIGITAL on it but the receiver won't switch the on dash light to Dolby Digital. It recognizes that I have a digital signal coming in but only lets me choose Dolby Pro Logic. Besides this problem I have right now, I have no gripes about the system.

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Old receiver I fogot the name of now.

Dolby Digital & DTS decoding, 6 DSP modes, 5 DD DSP modes, 5-D theater, and only need a ground wire for the anntenea

Its doesn't have any bass, it's either my speakers that I'm using or its the reciever

I was lucky to get this product at $61, excluding shipping which was $20.Sounds great to everyone that has lisened to the music and the movies that we've watched on it.It could be the speakers that im using that could be lagging the basssince I used some other pioneer speakers and they had a lot of bass when I put the loudness and midnight modes on.

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Value, Features, decent performance

few considering price

The 608's primary strength is its value. As others on this site have already posted, it is available at Costco for $299 (although they sell out quick!). I purchased my unit from the local Circuit City, however. CC's original "sale" price was $399, but after their "difference +10%" price break I ended up paying only $289. What a steal! Being able to obtain the 608 for such a ridiculously low price gives this receiver a definite (and perhaps unfair) advantage over the $400 receivers against which it competes. I purchased this unit last week so this is a first-run evaluation based on a few month's worth of listening tests and a weekend's worth of dedicated playing.

This receiver's greatest asset is its above-average suite of features for the price. This translates into excellent value if you're on a relatively tight budget but would like a well-equipped home theatre system. The 608's forte is home theatre. Its Dolby Digital and DTS sound is very good. If you're looking for a receiver primarily for watching movies then the 608 should be at or near the top of your list even compared to more expensive units from Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, etc. For home theatre performance, the Pionoeer is in the same league and it offers things like S-video switching that even comparable Denon's and Onkyos don't have (although these units do have superior construction materials).

If you are more interested in sound, then your budget will determine if the 608 is for you. When I began my listening tests for receivers about two months ago, I was startled at the dramatic differences in sound quality that existed between receivers. I had assumed that the electronics used by various brands probably had common sources and that any differences among receivers would be subtle at best. Boy was I surprised!

I found that of all the brands I auditioned in my price range, the Yamahas and Denons were noticeably better sounding. Comparing the Yamaha 595a, the Denon 1800 and the Sony DB-930 side by side, the Yamaha and Denon were definitely fuller sounding. I was impressed by the purity of the Denon that everyone talks about (believe all those good Denon reviews), but I actually preferred the less bright, fuller midrange, "warmth" and overall musical character of the Yamaha. The Sony 930 was decidedly "flat" by comparison, although still not bad sounding. The Pioneer 608 sounded similar to the Sony in my auditions, with the Pioneer being slightly richer in the lower midrange. I found Onkyo to be in between Pioneer/Sony and Yamaha/Denon (although I really liked the build quality of Onkyo). The Harman Kardons I listened to were even brighter than the Denons, although my own listening preferences tend toward a warmer midrange than a crystalline high range. The quality construction of the Yamahas, Denons, Onkyos and H/K's was also a definite step above Sony, Pioneer, JVC, etc. After many auditions, I had decided to get the Yamaha based on its wonderful musical performance.

So then, why am I writing a review of the Pioneer 608 instead of the Yamaha 595a? In a word, price. Yes, I'm afraid the cold reality of economics reared its ugly head once again. Originally I had allocated $500 for a receiver and $500 for a TV. While shopping for TV's, however, I fell in love with the Sony Wega and this led to a heart- and wallet-wrenching decision. If I got the 27" Wega, it would reduce my receiver budget to $300. So it came down to the following final analysis. Could I increase my overall budget and maintain marital bliss? No. Was the 27" Wega a $200 improvement over the 24" model? Yes. Was the Yamaha 595a a $200 improvement over the Pioneer 608? No. The Yamaha IS better-sounding than the Pioneer, but not $150-200 better. And after a 3-day weekend of nearly non-stop listening experiments in my home, I am very pleased with the Pioneer and recommend it to anyone with similar budgetary constraints as myself.

Although purchased as a "compromise" piece, I hardly consider the Pioneer 608 to be a compromised component. For music listening, I listen to my CD player using the 608's "Direct" mode. This really does make a difference you can hear. I have also found that my cd player (actually a Pioneer DV-525 DVD player) sounds richer when played back through the analog inputs as opposed to the coaxial digital input. This surprised me but has remained consistently true with a wide range of music (I suspect the 525's D/A converter is simply better than the 608's).

Regarding the remote control that everyone complains about, I agree that it's not perfect. But to its credit, it does control my Pioneer DVD player, my Sony Wega 27 TV and my Sony VCR. It doesn't control every little feature of these components, no. But for typical listening and viewing, it covers the basics just fine. And my fiancee likes it because it resembles a Star Trek phaser!

Overall, the Pioneer 608 easily gets five+ stars for value. Nothing really comes close. Performace is good in my opinion, a solid four stars compared to other under $500 AV receivers. If you're an AV enthusiast, the 608 is highly recommended if 1) you want excellent surround sound and decent music reproduction, and/or 2) you are on a relatively tight budget. If you're an AV enthusiast with a $400+ receiver budget and you favor music to home theatre or simply want higher quality construction, I suggest you audition Yamaha and Denon. And buy good speakers!

Not specifically related to the Pioneer 608 but to my audio experience in general, I would like to add a few comments. First, I did not find any "junk" equipment in the $300-500 price range. It is true that certain models have definite strengths and weaknesses, and different tiers of build quality clearly exist with certain manufacturers in the lead. But I was really put off by some of the reviews posted at this site by inconsiderate individuals slamming certain brands just because of the brand. In fact, the Onkyo 575 discussion got so out of hand I stopped reading reviews on that unit and it's a real shame because in general I have found Audio Review to be a very helpful resource. Some of the reviews of the Pioneer 608 are equally silly and should not be taken seriously by any sincere shopper.

Another thing I would like to bring up is that the quality of your interconnects and speaker cable should not be overlooked. I was always skeptical of paying $20 or more for a pair of interconnects, thinking that dealers might make minimal profit by offering competitive equipment prices but then take you for a ride with frivolous accessories. I have definitely changed my mind! I continue to be surprised and delighted by the subtle (sometimes dramatic!) tonal differences I have discovered simply by using high quality cables and different types of interconnects (e.g. coax vs Toslink).

Enjoy your audio/video life! I do.

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In order of importance. Set up (even if you take the time to PROPERLY set it up.) Future DVD Audio expandability. DD and DTS processing. Looks.

Remote does suck. I am a loyal Dish satellite subscriber and it does not operate my 4700 receiver. Would be nice to be able to download new codes (such as the old Kenwood 1090VR) over the phone.

Great receiver for the price. Upgradeable with the 5.1 inputs. Anyone who compares this receiver to a Denon 5700 (and a few have) don't know their behind from a sewer drain. Get real! Sound is excellent in both DD and DTS. Standard CD/Audio is very good indeed. For a under $400 receiver you can not beat this product.

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S-Video, Plenty of Digital Inputs and a Digital output, DTS, BANG FOR THE BUCK!

Remotes ability to contol other devices, Not really 100 Watts per channel.

THIS UNIT IS THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK THERE IS PERIOD! Don't let all these audio geeks comparing this unit to $1000+ receivers scare you off because they are probably just mad that they paid so much for their gear. I purchased this unit for $336 shipped from eCost.com. I have this unit hooked up to a KLH HTA-810 package that I bought refurbed for $120 and it sounds excellent. I have a Toshiba SD-2109 DVD and Toshiba CX32H60 TV connected to this unit and it sounds and looks great. I can not tell any degrading of the video signal when routed through the receiver, but I still prefer to switch to the Component inputs to watch movies. The unit is easy to set up and the display is easy to see from across the room. The main problem I had with the unit was the remote since it could not control my Dish Network system, but I bought a Cinema 7 universal to fix this and it allows me to switch between devices directly (the one that Pioneer provides only allows you to cycle between the inputs). I have had it turned up to -20 so far which is more than enough and it still sounds great (though the wife might disagree on that). This unit is not really 100 Watts per channel, probably closer to the 60 to 80 range, but for the price and the features you can not lose and similar powered unit from another manucturer will be much more expensive. Pioneer is coming out with a VSX-D509S which will be just like the 508 have S-Video and DTS. You won't get the digital out and it might have a few less features then the 608 but will probably save you $30 to $50 over the 608. If you wan't something a little better but similar Pioneer's Elite VSX-21 is almost identical but with better amplifier circuitry.

To some up:

This is a great unit at a great price. Don't let the people who spent the big bucks scare you off with their jealousy over this unit.

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Tested JVC-888, Sony 935 and 835