Official Pioneer VSX-521k owners thread - Page 4

Can anyone comment on how well the loudness feature works? I am looking for a HT receiver with a loudness control like on the old analog receivers to adequately push the bass on my Klipsch RF-82 II's.

I had an Onkyo receiver that developed the standard Onkyo buzzing failure, and now a Denon 1611. Both have the Audyssey's Dynamic EQ, which is supposed to be better than a conventional loudness control, but is not. My Klipschs sound thin with the Denon, and only slightly better when the Onkyo was working.

Yesterday I dug my old analog Vector Research stereo receiver out of storage and connected it to the Klipschs. It's only 25w/ch, but the Klipsch don't need much. With a conventional loudness control, the speakers rocked. The Klipsch are rated down to 31 hz, and I could feel every bit of that!

Thanks, Tim

I don't think you'd be happy with the Pioneer. I just swapped a Denon AVR-591 (presumably sounds similar to the 1611) for a VSX-521-K and the biggest difference I hear is much less lower end (bass). Admittedly, I haven't used the loudness feature as I stay away from such. However with both of them EQed the Denon is boomy and the Pioneer is clean. As an example the background music they play before going into a commercial break on Poker After Dark with the Denon has a thud to it and with the Pioneer it sounds airy.

With the Pioneer I think you'd be better off using the Bass setting than Loudness. You can jump it up +2, +4 or +6 via the remote. Loudness doesn't appear to be as dramatic. Using both I still don't hear the thud I did with the Denon.

My Denon doesn't even have bass/treble controls available in the Audyssey mode.

I just wish manufacturers would leave the controls to the end user rather than what they believe to be "best". Others have advised me to get a sub, which I think is silly considering my four 8" woofers go to 31 hz IF a receiver can drive the bass that low. Also, a sub is linear, unlike a proper loudness control that is more effective at low volumes, and not at louder levels.

Thanks, Tim

I just got the VSX-521k and I like it. It replaces my old VSX-453 Pro Logic unit, so it's quite an improvement.

Here are a few things I've noticed:

- HDMI doesn't pass through with the unit in stand-by (ie, receiver has to be powered on). This is a bit of a bummer since most of the time we just watch plain TV, so I decided to wire my HD cable box to the TV, and optical audio to the receiver.

- MCACC is really nice. I have Bose front speakers and Pioneer rears only (no sub, no center -- yet) and it detected this and adjusted audio nicely. 5.1 movie sound comes out clean with bass and center coming from the Bose speakers

- this is a big unit. I guess all A/V receivers are, but when you look inside and see mostly empty space, you gotta wonder why they didn't condense the case a bit

- I'm gonna need a universal remote.

I do like the 521k -- great sound, plenty of features, easy to use.

I'm usually able to figure these things out with no issues, but am now at a loss and am turning here for help.
I'm helping a friend connect her Pioneer VSX 521-k home theater to her tv (panasonic Viera TC p42x3). It should be super straight forward- one HDMI cable and away we go. But the receiver is not pulling the sound through no matter which HDMI port i try. The tv has 2 hdmi ports, and i understand i'm supposed to use ARC for the receiver.
Cable is going to tv first, then sound to receiver with hdmi. went thru set up and turned hdmi on, tried all the sources and still nothing.
Is there something really simple that i'm missing? Or perhaps a compatability issue?
all help appreciated! thanks in advance

Is there a setting on the receiver to turn ARC on? Same for the TV?

easiest fix is to just use optical out from TV to receiver for the audio. Then you can bypass any ARC issues.

I'll take another look tonight. And thanks for the back up plan!

Hopefully all goes well. I suspect that the few who have had HDMI issues here actually had faulty units.

You need to enable "Control with HDMI" to enable ARC on the receiver (ARC must also be turned on). Don't use an optical cable from the TV out to receiver in -- most TVs only return 2ch audio on the optical audio out, and yours is no exception. If you can't get ARC working, connect your devices to the receiver, then HDMI out to the TV.

well, after playing around with settings and controls for another half hour, i gave up and tried the optical cable from tv to receiver. it was an easy setting switch on the receiver and i had it working within 1 minute. sound is nice and clear and i didn't notice any problems. if it was my own unit, i would have played around with it more seeing as how i would want to know it inside out. i still don't know what the problem was with the hdmi connection. just glad i happened to have an optical cable hanging out in my stock of wires.

so now my question is this (and please forgive my ignorance!) if it is now 2ch, why am i hearing perfect surround sound from all 5 speakers? (or at least, that's what it sounds like to me )

I'm starting to wonder if the HDMI issues aren't something which Pioneer would address on a case-by-case basis with a phone call. A lot of the time when a smattering of people have problems and report it to the company, they have an undocumented repair or replacement plan that they don't really make known publicly.

I keep my unit well ventilated and I just can't figure out where the source of the problem lies. I could try changing HDMI cables, but I refuse to buy Monster, and at what point do you say...it's the cables, the other devices, or the receiver.

Depending on how your receiver is set up, it can simulate/fabricate 5.1 audio from a 2ch stereo source. I'm not an expert, so I could be wrong here. But I double-checked your TV manual, and it does say that any digital signal into the TV comes out as 2ch on the optical. (page 29).

I had this problem with my Samsung TV using the optical cable. I could hear sound out of the rear speakers, but it just wasn't right.

My suggestion: download a 5.1 test sound (google it) or pick up a kids' movie, where you hear stuff out of the 5 individual channels, and wire your BD player to the receiver via HDMI and listen carefully. Then wire the BD player to the TV with the optical cable to the receiver. If they sound exactly alike (same surround depth) you're all set!

Hello guys,

I just bought this vsx-521 today and I seem to have the problem that was mentioned in this forum number of times. I have setup:


BD player ---HDMI---> receiver ---HDMI---> TV

video plays, but no sound goes out at all. I tried to reset the unit, reduce speakers to only front stereos, changed HDMI cables, I tried to setup FM tuner to get some other source of sound but no sound. Not even MCACC sound - when trying to run the auto calibration, it just waits and waits, no sound, nothing. I can only go back in OSD menu and try again. Speakers are JAMOs, new ones too, connected by bare copper 1.5mm.

Did anyone seen fix or possible fix for this problem? Am I one of those unlucky to have defective piece?

Thanks for any advice

Otto

Sounds like a defective unit Otto.

The only thing I can think to do is toggle the speakers on/off switch on the front of the receiver a few times.

Maybe someone else will chime in.
Matt

Turn the receiver on, and press AUDIO PARAMETER until you see HDMI AMP or HDMI THRU. Make sure it's set to HDMI AMP because THRU will pass-thru the HDMI audio to your tv, no output on the amp.

Have not used the device for 2 months. I go to turn it on and nothing... power is there.

When I plug and unplug it, I do hear a two click sound?

help!

mikpel@hotmail.com

I want to be able to watch the video signal from my dvr (attached to receiver and display with HDMI) and listen to music at the same time. Can this be done with the VSX 521-K?

I know I could bypass the receiver and run direct hdmi to the display...

any feedback would be appreciated.

btw, the 521 seems to be a great piece of gear at an easily affordable price.

confuego, you won't be able to do this with the vsx-521k. You could connect the dvr to the tv with component cables and switch the tv to component while listening to music.

thanks. that was my suspicion.

appreciate the quick answer.

I just ordered a VSX-521-K that will replace my old trusty (until now) Kenwood receiver. I am sure I will have some questions and comments after it arrives and is installed. However I have one about this forum right now. When I sign into the forum the posts are listed with the latest ones at the end of the list. Is there a way to change that so the newest posts are displayed first? All the other forums I use display the latest posts firsts. Just wondering. Thanks in advance for your comments.

JUST ADDED (via edit):

Whoooops! I think I have just answered my own question. This is just a thread, not a forum in itself, right? So, is there one somewhere for the 521?

Yes - under User Control Panel - Settings and Options - Edit Options - Thread Display Options. I couldn't live without this option... been using it for years.

This thread is likely your best place to ask 521-specific questions.

Thanks for the info. Fixed my problem. Don't want to clutter the thread but did want to say "thank you".

Got mine in the mail yesterday to replace an old pioneer that was having issues after my place flooded (I had been meaning to replace it with one with HDMI support anyways so it wasn't a big deal).

How are cooling issues? I have lots of space to the sides of the unit but not much above it. I was thinking about adding a 120mm case fan at 7V or so to keep air flow going but this new receiver does not have a switched outlet for me to connect the adapter to...I noticed there is an extension port that puts out a little 5v (and maybe also one of the leads on the bluetooth connector)...Would it be safe to hook up a fan to one of these to ensure proper airflow?

Also, like the above poster, I couldn't get ARC to work with my Panasonic Viera--Maybe I just need to play with it more, but HDMI control wasn't working right either so there may be a compatibility issue. Not a big deal as I use hdmi devices 95% of the time and only use the TV as a monitor. For the 5% of the time where I use the TV tuner, I can just use optical.

edit: I too lament the lack of a loudness control. I liked it better than the bass adjustment on my old pioneer since it responded well to volume changes.

This unit generates zero heat compared to other receivers I've owned. Considering it has several inches of empty space inside the case and nothing but vent holes, I wouldn't worry about a fan unless you notice the confined space beginning to warm up considerably.

edit: I too lament the lack of a loudness control. I liked it better than the bass adjustment on my old pioneer since it responded well to volume changes.[/quote]

There is a loudness control. When you push the 7/Midnight button on the remote it switches between Midnight/Loudness and off.

Quick question, on the 521, I saw my Component Inputs are assignable, but are the HDMI ones RE-NAMEable? I couldnt find a way to do that.

I'd like to rename the BD to Cable. and the BD/DVR to PS3?

Nick

Hello!
I'm new to this board and new to audio/video stuff. Never used any speakers (except radio ones wich don't counts ) or receivers.

From two days ago I'm proud owner of receiver, and anxous to try it along with my bd, music and tv.
Now I'm at the stage of buying last things like type-4 cable for bi-wiring, banana plugs, HDMI's and RCA for OSD screen to apear and here comes a problem.
Wich rca should I buy. I have only component video plugs in my samsung D6500 TV (picture in atachmant). In instructions it says I must plug it in to
"monitor out" but where to get rca cable with one end component 3-RCA and other end standard 1-RCA? Or should I plug it somewere else?
Maybe RCA (vsx-521) to DVI (TV)?

Other question is about STB (set-top-box) conection.
I have bd player, tv and STB.
1. BD (bd in on receiver - bd out on player)
2. TV (Out on receiver - HDMI in (ARC) on TV)
3. STB?? Maybe video in?

Thanks in advance!

Hello Everyone,

I just got one of these about two weeks ago. I noticed the other day that the dubbing was off while watching blu-Ray. Just a fraction of a second off, but off nonetheless. It happens on all my discs, and the dubbing is NOT off when the BD player is connected directly through the TV, so clearly the issue lies in HDMI relay in the Pioneer.

I am new to HDMI so is there an adjustment I'm supposed to make? This doesn't seem like it is defective, but it is REALLY annoying.

Any information would be great, thanks so much!

P.S. I have a Samsung 1080pLCD TV, and a Sony BD player, if that makes any difference.

I can't see a way of doing that either.


On your attachment, see the RCA connection that has a yellow tip? That RCA is likely the composite in for your TV. Connect a composite cable (yellow) from the Pioneer monitor out to that yellow "component" connection and it should work.


I connected my cable STB to my TV with an optical cable from the TV to one of the optical inputs on the Pioneer so that I can watch TV without using the Pioneer.

Just connect the STB to any of the remaining HDMI ports. Doesn't matter much.