I'll say this much: for the money you will not find much better. For $100 more I can think of at least two better recievers.. the Onkyo 575 and the Sony DB830.The pioneer is a decent reciever as I've said before.. you can't crank it up much. I love the features and the remote.. it's a good looking unit. The only thing I hate about it is the amplification. I wish it were possible to rip out the amp and replace it with something.. better. There is notable static and fuzz when you turn up the bass or treble and turn the volume above -50. I'd say you can crank it to -40 before the sound quality deteriorates. I don't know why Pioneer put a "Loudness" button on this, because I never turn it off. It sounds like a clock/radio without the loudness button on. This is a good unit, it's not shit, but Pioneer really needs to get with it as far as amp technology goes. I plan on getting an Onkyo 575 and a pair of Polk RT800's pretty soon anyway.

Price vs. Performance ratio above all

Non-learning remote

It seems that this receiver is one of the more volatile items of review at this site. Opinions are decidedly positive, or negative, with very little "grey area" in between. I have used, and enjoyed this receiver since mid November, 1999 with only a small number of "nit-picky quirks" having surfaced to minutely tarnish an otherwise flawless LESS THAN $600 RECEIVER.

The reason for all caps?

This receiver is being maligned mercilessly by both informed (and not-so-informed) reviewers at this site, primarily comparing it to receivers FAR outside it's price class. Then, of course, the one or two sentence tirades of the ignorant, proclaiming nothing more than "it doesn't use binding posts for the surround outputs, so it SUUUCKS!!!!" speak volumes for themselves...one can only hope these people grow up, or change hobbies.

The squabbles over the lack of power seem to center around Pioneer's use of what is most likely a linear taper volume control, as opposed to a more conventional audio taper. Practically all of the useable output from this receiver happens from -40 to -10...yes, this did take a bit of getting used to, after having an older HK receiver that went from nothing to almost full output by barely raising the level past 1-3, and then not producing much more beyond that. I much prefer the Pioneer scheme.

Lack of bass seems to be of primary concern. The Pioneer more than likely uses a smaller power transformer than it's more expensive brethen, therefore limiting transient peak output, but, there again, most people will opt to use a power subwoofer for home theatre (have you noticed how many of those cute sub/sat systems have popped up in the last year alone??), thereby substantially reducing the strain on the receiver. Also, I get the idea that most of the negative comments concerning lack of bass (or rather, the perceived lack of bass response) comes from mis-management of the bass management menu on the receiver. Again, I have absolutely no complaints concerning output from this unit.

I completely take exception with one reveiver claiming that the buttons were so flimsy he was afraid he was going to push them through the back of the receiver. This unit is constructed every bit as well as a 20+ year old Harmon Kardon amp I have on standby. Granted, I don't care for Pioneer's use of chromed plastic on some of the buttons, notably the Dolby/DTS selector, but...they're solid.

Most reviewers of this unit have used very colorful descriptions of the sound quality (to put it mildly), but few have done so without reverting to using either "wonderful" or "sucks" somewhere in their writing. Excuse me, but the last time I checked, the primary function of an amplifier was to take a low powered signal, magnify (amplify...get it?), adding as little in the way of coloration, artifacts or distortion as possible. Using several "Telarc" discs, and the ever-present Jennifer Warnes "Famous Blue Raincoat", I can happily say I hear nothing painfully distracting going on...the Pioneer has a somewhat "bright" character to it, but it's not fatiguing at all (unless you're trying to recreate "Live At Leeds" in your living room). Moving to DVD's, I really think this is where the 608 shows it's charm. The soundtrack for "2001: A Space Odyssey" has a lush depth to it; The intro to "Shakespeake In Love" also comes across beautifully. Bombastic affairs such as "Saving Private Ryan" come off fairly accurate too, with the diagonal cross-fire in the beginning battle sequence trackly perfectly.

The DSP fields offered by the 608 run the gamut from useable to inexcusable, which is typically the case for all receivers, regardless of cost. The "5-D Theatre" works well with Pro-Logic material (possibly a less-sophisticated version of THX decorrelation?)
I frankly couldn't be happier with this unit...it offers solid sound, good performance, a good setup menu, and features galore. True, it has a few quirks (a learning remote would have been nice, and more traditional subwoofer points...though I'm not entirely sure the difference between 80hz and 100hz is all that arguable at the $550 price point), but all-in-all, it's a remarkable value.

SYSTEM:
Pioneer VSX-D608
Klipsch KSW-12 subwoofer (now THERE's an argument for peak vs RMS output, people.....)
JVC AV32D501 TV
Sony DVP-S330 DVD
JVC HR-A62U VHS
Denon DCM-370 CD changer
Denon DR-M24HX cassette
Polk Audio RT-55 (front)
Polk Audio CT-400 (center)
Polk Audio RT-35 (surrounds, firing from side walls over main couch, at 7' height)

fin

Similar Products Used:

n/a

Few

Power, quality, sound

Beleive everything you read here that is negative. It's all true for the most part. I bought this receiver from Cruthcfield for $380. I could not get it back in the box and returned fast enough! I guess if I paid $150 - $200 it would be ok, but this is NOT a $350 - $400 receiver! Don't be fooled by the power rating, Pioneer is just doing this to sucker you in - I know I fell for it! After returning the Pioneer, I bought the Yamaha RX-V595A which is rated a 70W X5. It completely blew the Pioneer away! Not even close. And the sound and overall quality of the Yamaha is about 100 million times better!
Further, I didn't like the "cheapness" of the Pioneer. Yeah sure, you get lots of "bang for the buck", no other receiver in it's class has a many "features". Another smooth move by Pioneer, can't match features in its class, hey gotta be a great deal! WRONG! This thing is so cheap, I was afraid to upack it for fear of breaking it! I pressed one of the billions of front panel buttons, and thought I was going to push right through to the back of the unit. I'm not kidding. And what the hell are all those stupid buttons for anyway?!? What happened to good old sturdy knobs?

Hey, let me put it this way, I returned the Pioneer BEFORE I went and listened to the Yamaha. And, the Yamaha sounded even BETTER when I wired it up at home!

Do yourself a favor don't buy this unit unless it is under $200 - it's barely worth that. At that price it maybe fine if it's your first surround-sound receiver - you'll be happy. If your spending limit is $250 - $300, fine at least go look at a lower end Yamaha. Or wait and save a $100 or so more and by the Yamaha. Sure, maybe not as many features, and lower wattage, but WAY better sound and quality. Besides a lower wattage rating on a Yamaha doesn't equate to less bang that the other guys. Hey, I'm not a Yamaha rep - go look at Denon, equally nice. I'm just trying to save the next sucker and spare them the pain I went through - don't be fooled by this unit.

Also, beware of buying online. I contacted Yamaha, talked to 2 different reps, they were very explicit - Yamaha will not honor their 2YR warranty for any product bought online, period, no exceptions. And Pioneer will only honor Crutchfield, and Circuit City online for their 1YR warranty (and that one you just many need!). I suspect this may be true for other manufacturers, thus the lower prices online. But hey if warranty isn't important to ya, fine. I suggest you call the manufacturer if you're not sure and its important to you.

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood VR-309, Yamaha RX-V595A

Price features performance

none for the price

Upgraded my old 'home theatre'(stereo receiver & four speakers) to Digital Dolby Home Theatre. Got the VSX D608 delivered for less than $300. Digital Dolby is great! I connected a Hughes D45 digital dolby dss receiver and the Infinity CMS-1 speaker package. Although dss programming in digital dolby is still limited, it's amazing. My family room is 16x24 so power isn't a big issue. I turned it up way past what's comfortable listening and had no power problems. I'm certainly no expert, but for those of us wanting dolby digital on a budget this receiver gives a lot of bang for the buck.

Big sound, small price tag. What more could ya want? A graceful performer on music and a brute on movies

Wow! Something cheap that isn't too good to be true.

Remember the Yugo? Now talk about something that was too good to be true. A car for under $7,000 that would actually last longer than the tread on the tires? Please! How about all of those all-you-can-eat buffets in Vegas for under 10 bucks? They should rename them "all you can keep down" buffets. So many things in this world are too good to be true that, when something comes along that's A) affordable, and B) actually good, it catches you off guard. This is exactly what happened when I listened to the new Dolby Digital/DTS receiver from Pioneer. At a measly $599 (Pioneer says it sells for more like $399 street price), the VSX-D608 delivers excellent sound that belies its paltry price tag.
You would think that, for under 600 bucks, the VSX-D608 would be low on features, but it's not. Pioneer somehow managed to pack a lot of goodies into this receiver, including Dolby Digital, DTS, and a mode called "midnight" that compresses Dolby Digital soundtracks, lowering the level on sound peaks so you don't wake up your significant other. Video switching is made easy with four S-video/ composite video inputs, coupled with three S-video/composite video outputs (one for monitor, two for recording). All of the usual analog ins and outs are provided. On the digital side of things, there are three Toslink inputs, one Toslink output, and one coaxial digital input. I would've liked to have seen more coaxial digital inputs to accommodate a wider variety of digital gear, although there is a six-channel input to accommodate DVD-Audio and SACD players when they become available.

There are UL-mandated collars on the binding posts for the left and right channels and spring clips for the center and surround channels. I found the spring clips a little difficult to manage due to their relatively small openings, but I still managed to shove some 18-gauge wire in there.

Setting up the VSX-D608 was a breeze, even without the use of onscreen menus. The LCD display on the front gives you all the information you need, and the manual is very helpful. Two things in particular I like about the setup are the ability to set the levels of each channel individually (you don't have to use the balance control to adjust the left- and right-channel levels) and the ability to set delays by entering the speaker distance relative to your seating position. The remote is nothing to rave about, but you can teach it to learn other commands, and it's fairly compact and easy to navigate (except in the dark because it's not backlit).

To evaluate the sound quality of the VSX-D608, I pitted it against the $400 Kenwood VR-309, which comes packaged with the Kenwood HTB-502 I reviewed in the May '99 issue. For my speakers, I chose the Monitor Audio Silver Series speakers I reviewed in the June '99 issue. These speakers are a tad more expensive than what you'd normally mate with a receiver in this price range, but the Monitors are so adept at revealing the good and bad of electronics that I decided to stick with them.

On music CDs, the VSX-D608 presented me with sound quality that's atypical of inexpensive receivers. Both male and female vocals sounded extremely clean and seemed to float above and beyond the plane of the speakers. Bass sounded deep and well controlled, and the broad soundstage was very encompassing. On one of my new favorite test tracks—a cut featuring the late, great Mel Torme. I noted that the VSX-D608 sounded better than most of the previous inexpensive Pioneer receivers I've heard. The Kenwood receiver held its own against the Pioneer, but I found its overall sound quality more clinical than that of the VSX-D608. Delineation of stereo images was not as good with the Kenwood, and, although loud passages revealed some brightness characteristics in the VSX-D608, the VR-309 was even more grating during the same loud passages. The only real bone of contention I found with the VSX-D608 on music was the small amount of sibilance it added to female vocals—a very minor flaw for such an inexpensive receiver, and one I can easily look past.
Having been thoroughly impressed by the VSX-D608's musical performance, I put it to the ultimate test: blow-'em-up movies. On the opening sequence from the Tomorrow Never Dies DVD, the 100-watt-per-channel Pioneer receiver strutted its stuff. Explosions sounded extremely dynamic, albeit a little brash for my taste. Depressing the midnight button on the remote helped to calm things down without sacrificing detail. To get all of the power that the VSX-D608 had to offer, I set it for all "large" speakers, with no subwoofer. A more-typical setup for this type of receiver would be a sub/sat system with the receiver set for "small" speakers with a subwoofer. Even with the increase in power demand caused by the absence of a powered sub, the Pioneer never lost its grip on the action and never failed to amaze and excite me. Once again, the Kenwood held its own but didn't reel me in the way the Pioneer did. With the VR-309, explosions and other raucous fare sounded a bit compressed in comparison, and LFE information didn't shake the floor with as much authority.
I'm somewhat surprised to say that I'd be more than happy to own the VSX-D608. I think of myself as someone who enjoys the finer things in life, and a receiver that costs less than 600 bucks would hardly seem to qualify. But alas, Pioneer has made me step down from my pedestal and join the ranks of those who know a good bargain when they see one. With great sound at an affordable price, the Pioneer VSX-D608 has earned our highly coveted Hot Ticket award. It has also earned my highest recommendation for anyone looking for a bargain that is not too good to be true.

http://hometheatermag.com/htn2/ht199910/cheapc1.htm

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood VR-309

DD and DTS decoder, S-Video switching, price, # of features

a little underpowered

Enough of the moaning and complaining... this is a very good receiver for the price. It is the perfect college-student DD and DTS receiver. You could get a 60W Yamaha, DD only for about the same price, and it would probably sound as powerful... but considering the # of features this has, along with DD and DTS decoders, you cant beat it. You could go with the Technics DX-930 but your living quarters are liable to catch up into flames in the middle of a movie. This unit doesn't run hot and as far as the remote, I like the remote. Sure the function button is annoying but a minor sacrifice. I use this remote for my DVD player, LD player, VCR, and TV.
While it doesn't sound like a 100 watt receiver, it is powerful enough for me. When I graduate college then maybe I'll spend $1000+ on a Nakamichi or Denon, but for now this is perfect. Definitely recommended for its price (around $350)

Hey Joe,

YOU YOU YOU YOU ONLY ONLY ONLY ONLY NEED NEED NEED NEED TO TO TO TO POST POST POST POST YOUR YOUR YOUR YOUR REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW ONCE ONCE ONCE ONCE!!!!!!!!!!!

Get the picture???

Loaded on Features!!

So far none

Although I have just started building my home theather system, I can tell you that I researched various products before buying this one. While there are many more receivers out there that are clearly better than this one, I think this one will do just fine in most homes. If you are constantly hosting the movie of the week at your house and your neighbors don't care how loud you get then maybe a higher receiver will be better for you. One of the best movies you can try with any receiver is Jurassic Park. Rent it and check out the sound of it. After renting this and playing it I was very happy with it. Please understand that a receiver only sends the signal to your speakers. So if your speakers aren't any good, you aren't going to get a good sound. Spend your money on a good Center Channel and then a good Sub. Anyways reviewing this product: At first the remote control was very tricky and I really didn't understand all the functions. READ THE MANUAL!! Most people have a hard time using it because they want to push all these buttons without really knowing what they do. I can now say that I am comfortable with the remote control. I can also tell you that I paid $369 for this receiver..If you are a big internet shopper you can get this for about $319. I got a free center channel and free speakers with this purchase ($69 value, so they say) and sold the crap for $30 bucks. So I didn't have to wait for the shipping or in case I got a defective one I won't have to send it back (Which the first one I bought had a dent on the back, no big deal but I wanted it to be perfect so I returned it). The Sony DB835 is very comparable to this Receiver. The difference is that this receiver has Video and Audio input in the front of it, which makes it better for me so when I connect my camcorder to it I don't have to be moving my receiver to get to the back. Also, I had seen reviews on the Sony DB835 model and read about the overheating problem, I just didn't want to risk it. I called OneCall and when I was getting a price quote from them, they told me that the Sony Model was getting returned because of that. Well this is my two cents...different type of review but I think it should make you think about things to consider before buying something.

Similar Products Used:

Sony DB835

Loaded on Features!!

So far none

Although I have just started building my home theather system, I can tell you that I researched various products before buying this one. While there are many more receivers out there that are clearly better than this one, I think this one will do just fine in most homes. If you are constantly hosting the movie of the week at your house and your neighbors don't care how loud you get then maybe a higher receiver will be better for you. One of the best movies you can try with any receiver is Jurassic Park. Rent it and check out the sound of it. After renting this and playing it I was very happy with it. Please understand that a receiver only sends the signal to your speakers. So if your speakers aren't any good, you aren't going to get a good sound. Spend your money on a good Center Channel and then a good Sub. Anyways reviewing this product: At first the remote control was very tricky and I really didn't understand all the functions. READ THE MANUAL!! Most people have a hard time using it because they want to push all these buttons without really knowing what they do. I can now say that I am comfortable with the remote control. I can also tell you that I paid $369 for this receiver..If you are a big internet shopper you can get this for about $319. I got a free center channel and free speakers with this purchase ($69 value, so they say) and sold the crap for $30 bucks. So I didn't have to wait for the shipping or in case I got a defective one I won't have to send it back (Which the first one I bought had a dent on the back, no big deal but I wanted it to be perfect so I returned it). The Sony DB835 is very comparable to this Receiver. The difference is that this receiver has Video and Audio input in the front of it, which makes it better for me so when I connect my camcorder to it I don't have to be moving my receiver to get to the back. Also, I had seen reviews on the Sony DB835 model and read about the overheating problem, I just didn't want to risk it. I called OneCall and when I was getting a price quote from them, they told me that the Sony Model was getting returned because of that. Well this is my two cents...different type of review but I think it should make you think about things to consider before buying something.

Similar Products Used:

Sony DB835

Loaded on Features!!

So far none

Although I have just started building my home theather system, I can tell you that I researched various products before buying this one. While there are many more receivers out there that are clearly better than this one, I think this one will do just fine in most homes. If you are constantly hosting the movie of the week at your house and your neighbors don't care how loud you get then maybe a higher receiver will be better for you. One of the best movies you can try with any receiver is Jurassic Park. Rent it and check out the sound of it. After renting this and playing it I was very happy with it. Please understand that a receiver only sends the signal to your speakers. So if your speakers aren't any good, you aren't going to get a good sound. Spend your money on a good Center Channel and then a good Sub. Anyways reviewing this product: At first the remote control was very tricky and I really didn't understand all the functions. READ THE MANUAL!! Most people have a hard time using it because they want to push all these buttons without really knowing what they do. I can now say that I am comfortable with the remote control. I can also tell you that I paid $369 for this receiver..If you are a big internet shopper you can get this for about $319. I got a free center channel and free speakers with this purchase ($69 value, so they say) and sold the crap for $30 bucks. So I didn't have to wait for the shipping or in case I got a defective one I won't have to send it back (Which the first one I bought had a dent on the back, no big deal but I wanted it to be perfect so I returned it). The Sony DB835 is very comparable to this Receiver. The difference is that this receiver has Video and Audio input in the front of it, which makes it better for me so when I connect my camcorder to it I don't have to be moving my receiver to get to the back. Also, I had seen reviews on the Sony DB835 model and read about the overheating problem, I just didn't want to risk it. I called OneCall and when I was getting a price quote from them, they told me that the Sony Model was getting returned because of that. Well this is my two cents...different type of review but I think it should make you think about things to consider before buying something.

Similar Products Used:

Sony DB835