Pioneer VSX-1017TXV-K - iPod Ready, XM Satellite Ready, and Sirius Satellite Ready 7-Channel A/V Receiver Reviews

• Good, but not great

  
  By A2B759IEUOL5ZF on 2007-10-25
  I have recently purchsed an entire home theatre system including a 50 inch plasma, a PS3, relatively high end speakers, a higer end subwoofer and of course this receiver. While it is good, if I had it to do over again, I might not get it.
  
  First, the good. For my untrained ear, this receiver sounds good. The output is there and it doesn't seem to produce any stray artifcats that aren't there. There are some surround modes (like the Neo:6 that converts 2 channel music to 6 channel music) that don't do a great job. But to be fair, when changing the original format of music to something else, you're going to lose out on something. I would reccomend sticking to the original output of the music (i.e. keep 2 channel music 2 channel).
  
  There is also plenty of power to this. I have no problem driving all of my speakers at levels far too loud to combfortably listen to.
  
  The iPod cord is really pretty cool. I actually didn't know this came with a cord, I assumed it would need to be purchased separately. But when I opened the box, there was a big sheet of paper saying basically that they ran out of the cords so go to the Pioneer website and give them some info (home and AVR serial number) and they will send you one. A few days later I get a cord in the mail. I hook up my older iPod via the dock connect and sure enough, I have instant access to my iPod. What I found really cool about this is my old iPod is pretty much dead. The battery lasts an hour at most (I exclusively use my shuffle now). But with this plugged in to the receiver, not only do you have access to all of the music on the ipod, it charges it at the same time (or keeps it running in my case). So if you have an old ipod that doesn't keep it's charge, and has a dock connect, this is perfect!
  
  In addition to playing the songs, it also shows you what is playing either on the face of the AVR itself or via the On Screen Display (OSD). The OSD looks like something from a commodore 64 but it does the trick. I prefer to just see the song title and artist on the front of the receiver when it plays.
  
  The remote is also really cool. It can control a lot of other devices. I set it up to control my Panasonic plasma. Unfortunately it really can only do volume, channel and power, but to be honest that is all I need it for as I really only turn it on (everything else including audio is done through the receiver).
  
  Now for the bad. If I had it to do over again, this would be the deal breaker for me. Despite the fact it has 2 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output, these i/o's are for video ONLY. So in my case, I just have a PS3 that I play games and more importantly, watch movies on. I bought this receiver thinking I could just use 1 HDMI cord to connect my PS3 to the receiver and then one more HDMI cord from the receiver to the TV. Well you can do this, but you won't get any sound! So I used a HDMI cord to go from my PS3 to my TV and then a optical cable to get the audio from my PS3 to the receiver (if you are going to do the same you need to go into the PS3 setup and make sure you are outputting audio to Optical or you will still not get any sound). This works except for one small problem. I also would have liked to use my PS3 as a SACD player as it has that functionality (SACD is high end audio that outputs CD's in 5.1 as opposed to stereo so you get full, real surround sound on your music). Unfortunately, the PS3 only outputs the 5.1 SACD mix via HDMI. So I can not get SACD audio out of my PS3 into the receiver. This is a big dissapointment for me.
  
  Bottom line on this, if you are looking to buy a new receiver that is somewhat 'future-proof', this is NOT it as it doesn't really support HDMI. If you could care less about HDMI connections, this receiver is just fine and will do pretty much anything you would need it to do.
  
  

• This thing is incredible!!!

  
  By A352CP8DVJJP9H on 2007-10-05
  After far too many years of 'making do' with lesser receiver/home theater packages I moved up to HD and also bought this receiver.
  My new speakers are Infinity TSS-750s (I do not video game so 5.1 is enough for me though this unit supports 6.1 & 7.1) and the combination is absolutely stunning.
  Friends and family are completely bowled over by the true theater quality sound even at moderate volumes.
  With my DirecTV HD setup, watching football is like going to a game for sound and visuals (no tailgating of course). I ordered the receiver from Beach Camera and the delivery was lightning quick - they promised 6-9 days & I got it in 3.
  As a trained industrial electrician I had no fear of getting it hooked up properly, however the rear of this unit is a BIT daunting.
  The manual is 75 pages long and does not have enough info, and it could have used clearer notes on connecting the 5.1, but that is nit picking a bit. Once in place the sound is better than anything I have ever heard. There are quite a few choices for surround sound and much of it is selected automatically for the optimum listening. The auto setup was intuitive, nearly hands-free, and worked flawlessly.
  One of my friends had been bragging about his Sony, but he was not happy with it after he heard my Pioneer.
  All in all, this thing is a beast (the good way) and I highly recommend it.
  
  

• Excellent Receiver!

  
  By A1NXB800M5BRTK on 2007-12-28
  I just upgraded my entire home theatre system. I had a Sony 5.1 receiver with Infinity speakers. I replaced the old Sony with this one and replaced the Infinity speakers with Klipsch. My local Best Buy is selling this Pioneer receiver for $499.99. I saved over $100.00 buy getting it from Amazon.com. That is a great price for this unit. The receiver is awesome and overall it was easy to set up. I only had one problem with the set up. I was not getting the proper sound from my subwoofer. Pioneer customer service solved the problem within minutes. If I bothered to read the manual, I could have solved the problem myself. Needless to say, the new system sounds amazing. My ipod and Sirius radio also both work very well. Another reviewer was critical about not having enough HDMI ports on the receiver. It has 2 HDMI inputs and 1 output. My HD Satellite receiver, Xbox 360 with an HD DVD drive, and PS3 are all directly connected to my High Definition TV via HDMI cables. I did not need the HDMI ports on the receiver and I'm getting my digital sound via digital optical cables. As long as your TV has HDMI ports it won't be an issue. There are tons of connection options with this receiver. You could easily spend much more money on any of the Pioneer Elite or comparable Yamaha receivers (which is what I was looking for until I found this one). You won't be disappointed with this powering your system. I do also highly recommend Klipsch speakers. I currently have the Klipsch RF 82 fronts, RS 52 rears, RC 62 center & RW-12d Subwoofer. I will add 2 more RS 52's soon to have a 7.1 system which is another benefit of this receiver since it also provides up to 7.1 sound & is THX certified.
  
  

• VERY GOOD RECEIVER BUT REQUIRE SOME WORK!!!

  
  By A3T3Y8O6ODQWXQ on 2007-10-11
  I could have given this receiver a 5 star if my audio is working correctly. When play games at home or online, it is by far the best audio I have ever experienced, at "Advanced Game" setting. Only when I watch movies from my dvd player, I have experienced low volume. Some how the volume is reduced to 50%, so I really have to crank up my volume. No, it is not my dvd player. If I switch my receiver to my old Onkyo, my volume is fine again. I'm not trying to say that Onkyo is better, it is not! I really hate their customer service. It is by far the worst customer service on this planet. If you don't believe me, you can experience it for yourself, but this is another topic. One thing that I found very interesting is when watching a movie, the best setting is also "Advanced Game", and even at that, the volume is not that loud. At other settings - Digital Prologic, THX, or anything, the volume is at its weakest. Some how my volume is weak when I watch movies. I even talked to Pioneer customer service, and they don't know how to solve it. Does anyone experienced this? Any thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated.
  
  November 18, 2007
  I DID IT!!! I got this receiver working perfectly after 1 month of adjustments. My movies and music sound fantastic! I don't have to crank my volume all the way up anymore, but in fact, I have to lower it down to fit my ears. :)
  The solution:
  1) It is not compatible or at least it doesn't work well with the Playstation 3.
  2) This Pioneer receiver has so much power, my old dvd player couldn't handle it. I guess old technology mix with new technology doesn't work out too well, even though this use to be an expensive dvd player.
  3) I bought a new HD-DVD player from toshiba A-3 and it works beautifully. Just make sure you go into the dvd player setting and set audio to dolby digital, the default is stereo.
  
  Now I can give it a 5 STAR!!!!!!
  Also, thank you for the people who responded to this review.
  
  Sincerly,
  Your Neighbor
  
  

• Great receiver

  
  By A1YM0MINB3GCF8 on 2008-01-09
  I am replacing a 3 year old Panasonic 6.1 surround receiver..which was a good product, help up well. Still working, in a different room now. I originally purchased the Pioneer VSX-917 and it had a problem with switching off at high volume, which other users had, so I returned it and purchased this receiver. What a great product!!!!! The sound is LOUD AND CLEAR the amplifier is VERY powerful and drives the speakers with crisp and clear sound. Movies sound very realistic..especially on the THX modes. The sound is pretty natural..no unwanted effects or fake sounding DSP's. The auto setup mic worked well..though some may choose to adjust their EQ to their preferences. It has many inputs, with video conversion (meaning you can convert composite and S video to component go to your TV. The phase control really does a job...I notice there are more sweet spots in the room now compared to using my old receiver. The sound retriever for MP3 tracks also works well, making them sound almost CD quality. Midnight and loudness modes are as effective for night time listening. receiever has many options and settings, to tune it for your needs. I have a 5.1 setup and have my Front JBL E90's bi amped through the 6th and 7th channel (setting for that in the settings menu) The only drawback to this product is its size (depth) it will NOT fit depth wise in my TV stand..had to cut out the rear cardboard piece for it to fit. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
  
  
• 1017 Pioneer Receiver
  By AW49WM3KCM6K2 on 2007-10-18
  It is a good reciever for its price.A 7.1 system will average at least $500 to $900 and upto $ 3000 on the high end. The features included on this receiver are high end features, SIRIUS, XM, IPOD are actually Bonuses. Compared to other receivers, this is a lot simpler to set up and the MACC feature actually made it a 1 button procedure.
  
  
• Best bang for the buck around
  By A2YIBBPK6JFVQC on 2008-02-27
  I guess I'd call myself an audiofile if I wasn't so cheap. Can't seem to spend $1000s on the elite brands of Pioneer, Onkyo, Denon, or Harman Kardon. I narrowed my search to Pioneer and Onkyo after reading the rave reviews of the Onkyo TX-SR605 on CNET and other places. I own Klipsch KLF30 front speakers, 102 pounds each with 12 inch woofers, and both receivers allow me to use the center surround channels to biamp the mains. My previous receiver was a Sony DB940 and the center channel amp died. It never sounded good anyway which leads me to my new Pioneer. I picked VSX-1017TXV-K because of the extra power, THX select certification, it's heavier than the Onkyo, and it was cheaper. It's a great looking receiver and I found it intuitively easy to set up. It comes with the cable to hook up my IPOD and a microphone to analyze the room acoustics. You plug in the mic and the process begins automatically. It worked flawlessly. The sound...My KLF-30s and C7 center channel have never sounded so good. My test movies were Gladiator and Hard to Kill and I heard sounds that my Sony didn't know existed. As far as clean power goes, the KLFs are extremely efficient and the Pioneer direct energy amps provide power as advertised. I also have a computer as part of my setup and use it to play MP3 music. The circuit that restores fidelity to compressed music actually works! MP3 also never sounded so life like with my old system. I'm still learning about all the functions. There is enough here to keep me happy for a long time. At the end of the day it's all about the sound and I highly recommend the Pioneer.
  
  
• Wonderful Product
  By A334PWVQ3F0VBL on 2008-03-14
  I have always had Pioneer car audio products but this was my first home audio product and I am extremely satisfied. I read through some of the reviews and most only complained that this unit did not support HDMI audio. I still decided to go with this unit because my Xbox 360 and PS3 both normally have the optical cable connected. But to my pleasant surprise....the HDMI audio works fine on the Xbox. So either the reviewers dont know what they are doing or Pioneer updated the unit to support HDMI audio. But I am very happy with this receiver and will recommend it to others.
  
  
• Great Value
  By A3A36DGBBDKY95 on 2008-04-07
  After significant due diligence, I chose this model. It has lived up to all my expectations. I went in knowing that non-hdmi connections will not upconvert and muss pass through to the same connection type. The only other weakness I have run into is the remote is limited to pre-programmed manufacturer codes, which means if yours is not on the list you are SOL. Overall, no buyer's remorse here, great product at a great price.
  
  
• No Problems Here.
  By A33T0N8Q71GYMW on 2007-12-04
  So far I haven't had any reason to complain other than this reciever has to many bells and whistles. But thats not a bad thing. Hooked this baby up to my new 50 inch Panasonic Plasma (TH-50px600u) with 7 quality Sony speakers and away I went. I've read other reviews complaining about the Pioneer customer service But so far I have'nt needed to contact them. Had a Sony that was pretty good but not enough power for me. This Pioneer I believe would push my windows out if cranked up. Love it so far.
  
  
• SAWEET!
  By A2NRCALND8OWNP on 2008-02-19
  Love this reciever. Went from a a Kenwood small stereo that did surround sound to this. Still using the Kenwood speakers and it just sounds awsome. You will not be let down if you get this. Alot of people bash it because it doesnt do audio over the HDMI port, one more cable, big deal. You cant beat it for this price.
  
  
• Pioneer VSX-1017TXV-K
  By A20K1D9ROWSXVG on 2008-03-16
  This receiver replaced a 25 year old Pioneer VSX-D1S that was "state of the art" in its time. I read most of the other reviews before I purchased this one. I liked the fact this one had THX. It is amazing how far digital technology has come in the last 15 years. The 1017 was easy to hook up, once I read the directions. You need to do the sound test to get a baseline for the unit to go into an operational mode. Once this task was completed the receiver worked perfectly. I am impressed with it's versatility and a gazillion features. You can hook up the kitchen sink to this machine. It has enough power to blast, be bold or simply smooth out a gentle sound. Items of note are I especially like the integrated XM radio feature, you need to buy one of the $50 devices to pick up the XM signal, and the unit serves as the display. Very nice. I am using one HDMI cable from a separate HDMI switch box 5X1. So I have seven speakers, one HDMI cable in and one out to TV, and a sound cable (R/L) hooked from the TV to the receiver. I hope your research goes well.
  
  
• Great Receiver
  By A32A4148EZTF3E on 2008-03-24
  Fanastic sound. Easy setup. Good price. What's not to love? I really loved the auto set up function with included mike. Plug in the mike, push a button, be quiet for a few minutes while it does it's thing, and put in a movie. That simple.
  I read most of the reviews on Amazon before I purchased this receiver. I found the positives noted to be generally true and the negatives noted to be generally false (or at least not my experience). For example, no stray sounds or buzzes, I don't have to turn the volume way up to hear it, etc. Actually I don't know how loud it gets because that would be well beyond painful in a standard size TV room (mine room is 16' x 16').
  
  My only complaint is that it does not have specific sound modes for playing CDs or the radio. You are either in a movie surround mode or plain stereo, there is no Live or Concert Hall mode for listening to a CD or the radio. It may be that I just haven't figured it out, but I don't think so. And I miss that, I used it a lot with my old Denon. Oh, and a minor complaint: Do I really need a remote with 100+ buttons? Am I going to use all those? Can I even figure out what they all do?
  
  For movies, though, I matched this with a PS3 and a 720p Panasonic projector (106" screen). The result is better than any movie theater I have ever been to.
  
  
• A Virtual Hammer
  By A3QN0F2AW4K593 on 2008-02-10
  This unit has power to spare. I have a virtual cavalcade of equipment hooked through it in about every conceivable manner (hdmi,component,digital optical,rca's) and not even a glitch. The only minor annoyance is the auto calibration tries to take my sub-woofer out of the loop, but is easily corrected with manual menu system. Half a year later and still completely satisfied.
  
  
• the best thing I could get for $350
  By A27K52KTM9FICS on 2008-04-15
  I live in a one bedroom apt in NYC, and have a 36" 1080i TV that I bought in 2004 with no HDMI input. The TV works great, and have no plans to change it. Therefore I have not used the HDMI inputs, nor the component changer, given that I have the DVR and the DVD (Helios H4000, the only one that upconverts to 1080i via component) connected to the TV. I still use the Bose 5.1 speakers, and have no plans to upgrade. Remember I live in NYC and can't blast the music! The only complaint is that the FM antenna it's not very good, and I have to move the cable to get good reception. IT COMES WITH THE CABLE TO PLUG THE IPOD. DON'T BUY THE DOCK. IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY. There is no need to use the dock, because you can only control the ipod through the system. The way it operates it is a little slower than using the ipod with your hands, but hey, you don't have to get up to change the music.
  The sound is great, my old speakers sound like they were new, and the mic it comes with to set up the surround system is sooo easy. It also has the function that all speakers play at the same volume, that probably all the new receivers have, and comes really handy when listening to music. I mention this because I had a 10 year old JVC that would play music like if I was watching TV (full volume in front speakers, very very little in the back ones)
  I don't use the remote because I have a Harmony 550. One of the best buys ever.
  If you don't want to spend too much money, get this one and you'll have no complaints
  
  
• Overly complex and disappointing
  By AV1YU7SUT7ZO8 on 2008-05-12
  Not only is this thing too complex and fails to support the newer codecs but it doesn't support sound via HDMI. I learned this the hard way when trying to setup my 360 and PS3 to output video/sound via HDMI to the receiver.
  
  
• Pleased, but didn't get everything I expected
  By A2PBKZSSJYO6LO on 2008-05-20
  I was shopping within this price point so I can't be two disappointed about several issues.
  
  First, the sound is really fantastic, if you have really good speakers and I do. With a 15" sub-woofer it shakes the house. The the auto sound setup for the room is perfect. I set it up, let it configure and wow, very nice sound profile with a lot of depth. Basically, I'm very happy with the sound aspects of the receiver.
  
  There are a few drawback I think are significant. First, the on screen display for the receiver will not output through the HDMI cable to your HD TV. You have to make a separate S-Video or component connection to see them. This is kind of annoying and confusing as it's only in the fine print in the manual. There's no excuse for Pioneer to not support the on screen functions via the HDMI connection to the TV. What where they thinking?
  
  The second issue is that the receiver is fairly complex so if reading the manual is not your game to figure this thing out, then you'll be totally lost. For example, my son pressed the DVD button to switch from the DVR to the DVD, but accident hit another button. The sound went off and it took me 30 minutes to figure out how to get the sound back. I am pretty good with technical hardware since that's what I do for a living. So get it setup and don't touch the controls, except for maybe switching sound modes.
  
  The Big drawback is that despite the fact that multiple sites and forums name this receiver as a unit that support digital audio through the HDMI ports, it doesn't support it. If you want to hear digital audio from your digital source, you must make a second digital connection via a optical or coax cable to hear your 7.1 surround sound. The HDMI is pass-through only. Interestingly enough, your HD TV can play audio through the HDMI cable, but the receiver will not.
  
  If you can get past these three issues, you'll enjoy the powerful sound coming out of this receiver. I hope this helps everyone. Good Luck.
  
  
• great
  By A1EGDKB7NE4ITO on 2007-12-25
  Pioneer VSX-1017TXV-K - iPod Ready, XM Satellite Ready, and Sirius Satellite Ready 7-Channel A/V Receiver
  
  great for the price, I especially enjoy the iPOD feature
  
  
• WOW...
  By A2QJNGD2PL7HID on 2008-01-09
  this thing is crazy, it can do so muuch the possibilities are endless and there is so much power...almost too much
  
  
• nice machine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  By A1ONB6VIN2QDHD on 2008-04-05
  love this receiver!!! great sound and hookups..........also very good price for a machine like this compared to other brands that cost a couple of hundreds more. still have to figure a few things out but i would recommend this to anybody ......
  
  
• Really nice receiver, but not perfect.
  By A2YEZ8Z3BW2SKG on 2008-07-24
  Overall, this is a great unit. I did a lot of research, and I was really disappointed that (at the time of purchase) there weren't many units that could just take an HDMI signal (video and audio) and work with all the audio channels. The wording is confusing to the point of almost being misleading, and I'm sure more than a few people have purchased this receiver thinking it had full HDMI compatibility. Well, it doesn't, as other reviewers have pointed out. I use optical audio and it sounds great, so that isn't an issue for me.
  
  The automatic speaker calibration works great. Just put it where you sit, and it will make all the adjustments for you. I also love the ExtendedStereo feature which is great for programs that are just in stereo. This unit comes with an iPod connector and you can control your iPod from the Pioneer remote which is cool. I basically plugged in an old one with a bunch of music I like and tucked it away. It's like having a 200 CD changer (remember those?) but without the size.
  
  The sound - it's amazing. I suppose that is what most people want to know when shopping for a receiver. Get some good speakers. This unit is powerful and clean sounding even at moderately high volumes.
  
  Overall, I really have no complaints except for the HDMI thing, and I hear Pioneer has a new model coming out this summer that will solve that problem. I'm not sure if it would be worth purchasing a newer model, because the optical audio works fine for me now.
  
  
• It's the BEST!!!!
  By A1551V8TRTU6I1 on 2008-01-18
  This receiver is great..have features more than I will ever use. Love the satellite radio. Bought the monster cables and got it hooked up and it sounds awesome!! HDMI hooked up to hd dvd and hd tv ... just wonderful.
  
  
• An outstanding receiver
  By A3GEOTCRTE2699 on 2008-04-29
  The VSX-1017TXV receiver is the latest in a long-line of Pioneer receivers I have owned over the years, and its performance has not disappointed me. It is even better than the VSX-1014TXV receiver it replaced, and the amount of sound options is truly spectacular. The main reason I replaced the earlier unit was to have the additional selectable optical inputs to accomodate my components, and the HDMI switching. The only complaint I have thus far is that the remote is not a learning remote; the VSX-1014 had this capability. Still, for the price, I believe it is outstanding.
  
  
• Best receiver I've had yet
  By A3DJ4JWBNAUSYX on 2008-04-30
  Pros:
  Lots of options, you can actually run a 5.1 set up with 2 speakers playing on each of the front channels for some serious power if you need it. There is also full 7.1 preamp inputs and preamp outputs if you want to run your own seprate amplifiers. Cool remote too.
  Cons:
  The cross-over freaqency (the frequency that it starts sending audio to the sub instead of the speakers) only has a few settings, the lowest of which is 80Hz, which is a major downside for me because i have a weak subwoofer but good mains that go all the way down to 34Hz. The binding posts for the speaker wires are also a pain to get tighetended down well because they are almost totally smooth, so you have to use pliers to get them tight enough to keep your wires from falling out the first time you touch them. The remote uses a pre-programed system which lacks the codes for many, many devices including JVC cd players, and olevia tv's, so it really is only good for controlling itself for me.
  
  
• Excellent Service and Product.
  By A1J0GDRJI07BXC on 2008-05-08
  I received my Pioneer Receiver within 3 days of ordering it.
  The cost was ($351.00) was much cheaper then Best Buy or
  any other electronics store in the entire country. The price
  included shipping costs and delivery too. What a fine deal!
  I'm extremely happy with my purchase and the company that
  sold me it. With such a excellent price I wondered how they
  even made a profit on this? Amazon has a true winner in this
  company. Its the best deal I've had in my entire life. A-1 all the way!
  
  

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