Pioneer VSX-515-K, VSX-515-S, VSX-815-K, VSX-815-S, VSX-915-K Operating Instruction

AUDIO/VIDEO MULTI-CHANNEL
RECEIVER

VSX-515-S/-K
VSX-815-S/-K
VSX-915-S/-K

Operating Instructions

IMPORTANT

Y

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol,
within an equilateral triangle, is intended to
alert the user to the presence of uninsulated
"dangerous voltage" within the product's
enclosure that may be of sufficient
magnitude to constitute a risk of electric
shock to persons.

CAUTION:

TO PREVENT THE RISK OF ELECTRIC
SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR
BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS
INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED
SERVICE PERSONNEL.

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in
a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

– Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
– Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
– Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
– Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Information to User

Alteration or modifications carried out without appropriate authorization may invalidate the user’s right to operate
the equipment.

CAUTION: This product satisfies FCC regulations when shielded cables and connectors are used to connect the
unit to other equipment. To prevent electromagnetic interference with electric appliances such as radios and
televisions, use shielded cables and connectors for connections.

The exclamation point within an equilateral
triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and
maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the appliance.

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WARNING

This equipment is not waterproof. To prevent a fire
or shock hazard, do not place any container filed
with liquid near this equipment (such as a vase or
flower pot) or expose it to dripping, splashing, rain
or moisture.

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Voltage selector

ou can find the voltage selector switch on the rear

panel of multi-voltage models.

The factory setting for the voltage selector is 220 V.
Please set it to the correct voltage for your country
or region.

• Saudi Arabia operates on 127V and 220V mains
voltage. Please set to the correct voltage before using.

CAUTION

The STANDBY/ON switch on this unit will not
completely shut off all power from the AC outlet.
Since the power cord serves as the main disconnect
device for the unit, you will need to unplug it from
the AC outlet to shut down all power. Therefore,
make sure the unit has been installed so that the
power cord can be easily unplugged from the AC
outlet in case of an accident. To avoid fire hazard,
the power cord should also be unplugged from the
AC outlet when left unused for a long period of time
(for example, when on vacation).

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• For Taiwan, please set to 110 V before using.

Before changing the voltage, disconnect the AC power
cord. Use a medium size screwdriver to change the
voltage selector switch.

TWO VOLTAGE SELECTORS

110V

120-127V

220V
240V

220V
110V

240V
120–
127V

Medium-size screwdriver

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Contents

01 Before you start

Introduction to home theater
Checking what’s in the box
Loading the batteries
Installing the receiver
Ventilation

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

02 5 minute guide

Listening to Surround Sound
Using the Quick Setup

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

03 Quick surround sound setup

Automatically setting up for surround sound
(MCACC)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Other problems when using the Auto
MCACC Setup

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

04 Connecting up

Making cable connections

Analog audio cables
Digital audio cables
Video cables

Connecting a DVD player and TV

Connecting the multichannel analog

outputs
Connecting a satellite receiver or other
digital set-top box
Connecting other audio components

About the WMA9 Pro decoder
Connecting other video components

Using the component video jacks

Connecting to the front panel video

terminal
Connecting antennas

FM wire antenna

AM loop antenna

Using external antennas
Connecting the speakers

A and B speaker systems

Hints on speaker placement
Operating other Pioneer components

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

. . . . . . . . . . 16

. . . . . . 18

. . . . . . . . . . 18

. . . . . . . 19

. . . . . . . . 20

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

. . . . . . . . . . . . 23

. . . . . . 25

06 Listening to your system

Auto playback
Listening in surround sound

Using the Advanced surround effects
Dolby Pro Logic IIx Music settings

Neo:6 Music settings
Listening in stereo
Listening with Acoustic Calibration EQ
Choosing the input signal
Using the surround back channel
(Extended mode)
Using the Virtual Surround Back mode

(VirtualSB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Using Loudness and Midnight listening. . . . . 43

Enhancing dialog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Using the tone controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Playing other sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Selecting the multichannel analog inputs . . . 44

Using the sleep timer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

. . . . . 37

. . . . . . . . 38

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

. . . . . 39

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

07 The System Setup menu

Making receiver settings from the System

Setup menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Surround back speaker setting . . . . . . . . . . .46

Manual MCACC speaker setup . . . . . . . . . . .47

Fine Channel Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Fine Channel Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Acoustic Calibration EQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Manual speaker setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Speaker setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Crossover network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Channel level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Speaker Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

08 Using the tuner

Listening to the radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Improving FM stereo sound. . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Tuning directly to a station . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Saving station presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Naming station presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Listening to station presets . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Changing the frequency step . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

English Italiano Français

Nederlands

EspañolDeutsch

05 Controls and displays

Front panel
Display
Remote control (VSX-815/915)
Remote control (VSX-515)
Operating range of remote control unit

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

. . . . . . . . . . . . 29

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

09 Making recordings

Making an audio or a video recording . . . . . .57

. . . . . 35

10 Controlling the rest of your
system

Setting the remote to control other

components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Selecting preset codes directly . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Direct function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Clearing all the remote control settings . . . . 59

Controls for TVs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Controls for other components . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Preset Code List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

(VSX-515)

11 Controlling the rest of your
system

Setting the remote to control other

components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Selecting preset codes directly . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Programming signals from other remote

controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Erasing one of the remote control button

settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Erasing all of the remote control presets. . . . 66

Direct function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Confirming preset codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Controls for TVs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Controls for other components . . . . . . . . . . . 69

(VSX-815/915)

12 Other connections

Second Zone speaker B setup. . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Switching the speaker system . . . . . . . . . . 71

Bi-amping your front speakers . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Bi-wiring your speakers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Connecting additional amplifiers . . . . . . . . . 73

Using this receiver with a Pioneer plasma

display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Using the SR+ mode with a Pioneer plasma

display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

13 Other Settings

The Input Assign menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

The Other setup menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Dynamic Range Control Setup . . . . . . . . . . 76

Dual Mono Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

LFE Attenuator Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

SR+ Setup for Pioneer plasma displays . . . 77

14 Additional information

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Resetting the main unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Switching the speaker impedance. . . . . . . . . 81

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Power cord caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Cleaning the unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Manufactured under license from Dolby
Laboratories. "Dolby", "Pro Logic",
"Surround EX", and the double-D symbol
are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.

"DTS" ,"DTS-ES Extended Surround" and
"Neo:6" are trademarks of Digital Theater
Systems, Inc.

Before you start

01

Chapter 1:

Before you start

Introduction to home theater

You are probably used to using stereo
equipment to listen to music, but may not be
used to home theater systems that give you
many more options (such as surround sound)
when listening to soundtracks.

Home theater refers to the use of multiple
audio tracks to create a surround sound effect,
making you feel like you're in the middle of the
action or concert. The surround sound you get
from a home theater system depends not only
on the speakers you have set up in your room,
but also on the source and the sound settings
of the receiver.

DVD-Video has become the basic source
material for home theater due to its size,
quality, and ease of use. Depending on the
DVD, you can have up to seven different audio
tracks coming from one disc, all of them being
sent to different speakers in your system. This
is what creates a surround sound effect and
gives you the feeling of ‘being there’.

This receiver will automatically decode Dolby
Digital, DTS, or Dolby Surround DVD-Video
discs, according to your speaker setup. In most
cases, you won’t have to make changes for
realistic surround sound, but other
possibilities (like listening to a CD with
multichannel surround sound) are explained in

Listening to your system

on page 36.

Checking what’s in the box

Please check that you've received the following
supplied accessories:

• Setup microphone

• AM loop antenna

• FM wire antenna

• Dry cell batteries (AA size IEC R6) x2

• Remote control

• Power cords (make sure you use the

• Power plug adaptor (

• J-shaped plug x1

• These operating instructions

Loading the batteries

correct cord for your country/region):

VSX-515/815/915-K (black models)

Round 2-pin type and Australian type

VSX-515-S (silver models)

Round 2-pin type, flat blade 2-pin type and
UK 3-pin type (Except Australian model)

VSX-815/915-S (silver model)

Round 2-pin type, flat blade 2-pin type, UK
3-pin type and Australian type

915-K only)

x1

VSX-515/815/

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

Nederlands

Español

Illustration shows the VSX-515 model

5

En

Before you start01

Illustration shows the VSX-815/915 model

Caution

Incorrect use of batteries may result in such
hazards as leakage and bursting. Observe the
following precautions:

• Never use new and old batteries together.

• Insert the plus and minus sides of the
batteries properly according to the marks
in the battery case.

• Batteries with the same shape may have
different voltages. Do not use different
batteries together.

• When disposing of used batteries, please
comply with governmental regulations or
environmental public instruction’s rules
that apply in your country or area.

Ventilation

When installing this unit, make sure to leave
space around the unit for ventilation to
improve heat dispersal (at least 20 cm at the
top). If not enough space is provided between
the unit and walls or other equipment, heat will
build up inside, interfering with performance
and/or causing malfunctions.

Receiver

Slot and openings in the cabinet are provided
for ventilation and to protect the equipment
from overheating. To prevent fire hazard, do not
place anything directly on top of the unit, make
sure the openings are never blocked or covered
with items (such as newspapers, table-cloths
and curtains), and do not operate the
equipment on thick carpet or a bed.

20 cm

Installing the

• When installing this unit, make sure to put
it on a level and stable surface.

Don’t install it on the following places:
– on a color TV (the screen may distort)
– near a cassette deck (or close to a device that
gives off a magnetic field). This may interfere
with the sound.
– in direct sunlight
– in damp or wet areas
– in extremely hot or cold areas
– in places where there is vibration or other
movement
– in places that are very dusty
– in places that have hot fumes or oils (such as
a kitchen)

receiver

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5 minute guide

G

0
0

02

Chapter 2:

5 minute guide

Listening to Surround Sound

This receiver was designed with the easiest possible setup in mind, so with the following quick
setup guide, you should have your system hooked up for surround sound in no time at all. In most
cases, you can simply leave the receiver in the default settings.

• Be sure to complete all connections before connecting this unit to an AC power source.

1 Hook up your DVD player.

For surround sound, you’ll want to hook up using a digital connection from the DVD player to the
receiver. You can do this with either a coaxial (recommended), or an optical connection (you don’t
need to connect both). If you hook up using an optical cable, you should refer to

menu

on page 75 to assign the optical input to

DVD

.

Use a video cord to connect the video output on your DVD player to the receiver using the jacks
shown below.

2 Hook up your TV.

Use a video cord to connect your receiver to the TV using the jacks as shown below.

Optical cable

DIGITAL OUT

STANDBY/ON

0

DVD player

TV

Coaxial

cable

DVD PLAYER

Î

8

¡¢41

7

3

VIDEO OUT

S

(TV/SAT)

ASSIGNABLE

DIGITAL IN

COAX

COAX

OPT

1

2

(CD)

1

(DVD
/LD)

DIGITAL OUT

ASSIGNABLE

DIGITAL IN

(DVR/VCR)

(TV/SAT)

COAX

COAX

OPT

OPT

2

OPT

1

2

(CD)

1

(DVD
/LD)

/ TAPE

IN

IN

OUT

IN

IN

IN

OUT

IN

DVD
/ LD

FRONT

REC

CD-R

/ MD

R

AUDIO

INPUT

D V D

5.1CH

VIDEO IN

CEN-

SUB

TER

OUT

CONTROL

OUT

MONITOR
OUT

SUB
WOOFER

PREOUT

AM

LOOP

ANTENNA

MONITOR OUT

IN

OUT

DVR/
VCR

IN

TV/
SAT

IN

DVD
/LD

IN

S-VIDEO

WOOFER

SURROUND

DVD 5.1CH INPUT

A B

S
P
E
A
K

IN

E
R
S

AUX

FM UNBAL

75

Ω

CD

DVR/
VCR

VIDEO

IN
TV/
SAT

IN
DVD
/LD

FRONT

D V D

5.1CH
INPUT

REC

IN
CD-R

/ TAPE
/ MD

PLAY

L

IN

IN

The Input Assign

Video cord

This receiver*

COMPONENT VIDEO

(

)

(

)

DVR/ VCR

ASSIGNABLE

DVD/ LD

IN

IN

π

¥

FRONT

SURROUND

BPRYPBPR

YP

LR

(

MONITOR OUT

FRONT

CENTER SURROUND

SURROUND BACK

VIDEO

RL R L

RL

OUT

MONITOR
OUT

SUB
WOOFER

PREOUT

SURROUND BACK

LLL

)

TV / SAT

IN

ø

CENTER

RRR

TWO VOLTA

110 V

120 - 127 V

PREOUT

22
24

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

Nederlands

Español

Video cord

* The illustration shows the VSX-915, but connections for the VSX-515/815 are the same.

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5 minute guide02

3 Connect your speakers.

A complete setup of eight speakers (including the subwoofer) is shown here but everyone’s home
setup will vary. Simply connect the speakers you have in the manner shown below.

will work with just two stereo speakers (the front speakers in the diagram) but using at least three
speakers is recommended, and a complete setup is best.

Make sure the positive and negative (+/–) terminals on the receiver match those on the speakers.
You can use speakers with a nominal impedance between 6–16

Ω (please see Switching the

speaker impedance on page 81 if you plan to use speakers with an impedance of less than 8

1

The receiver

Ω).

Front speakers

Center speaker

LR C LSRS

CEN-

SUB

TER

DIGITAL OUT

(DVR/VCR)

(TV/SAT)

ASSIGNABLE

DIGITAL IN

CD

OPT

IN

OPT

DVR/

OUT

VCR

2

IN

OPT

1

TV/
SAT

IN

DVD
/LD

FRONT

IN

COAX

2

REC

(CD)

CD-R

OUT

/ TAPE

COAX

/ MD

1

(DVD

IN

PLAY

/LD)

R

L

AUDIO

AUX

IN

This receiver*

FM UNBAL

Ω

75

LOOP

OUT

CONTROL

IN

VIDEO

IN

OUT

IN

MONITOR
OUT

D V D

5.1CH

SUB

INPUT

WOOFER

IN

PREOUT

WOOFER

AM

ANTENNA

MONITOR OUT

SURROUND

DVD 5.1CH INPUT

OUT

DVR/
VCR

A B

S

IN

P

TV/

E

SAT

IN

A

DVD

K

/LD

IN

E

S-VIDEO

R
S

Powered

COMPONENT VIDEO

(

DVR/ VCR

YP

LR

MONITOR OUT

FRONT

RL R L

Surround speakers

)

(

)

ASSIGNABLE

DVD/ LD

IN

IN

π

¥

BPR

CENTERSURROUND

FRONT

YPBP

R

LLL

(

)

TV / SAT

IN

ø

RRR

SURROUND BACK

RL

Surround back speakers

SBL SBR

TWO VOLTAGE SELECTORS

110 V

220 V

120 - 127 V

CENTER

240 V

220 V

PREOUT

240 V

110 V

120 ­127 V

AC IN

SURROUND

SURROUND BACK

subwoofer

SW

INPUT

* The illustration shows the VSX-915, but connections for the VSX-515/815 are the same.

Caution

• Make sure that all the bare speaker wire is twisted together and inserted fully into the speaker
terminal. Use good quality speaker wire to connect the speakers to the receiver.

Note

1• If you’re not using a subwoofer, change the front speaker setting (see Speaker setting on page 51) to LARGE.

• VSX-515/815 only – If you are using only one surround back speaker, connect the positive wire to the right channel (+) termi-

nal, and the negative wire to the left channel (–) terminal.

• VSX-915 only – If you are using only one surround back speaker, connect it to the surround back left (L) terminal.

8

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5 minute guide

02

Make sure that the speaker cable you’re using
is properly prepared with about 10 mm of
insulator stripped from each wire, with the
exposed wire strands twisted together (

fig. A

).

Unscrew the terminal a few turns until there is
enough space to insert the exposed wire
(

fig. B

). Once the wire is in position, tighten the

terminal until the wire is firmly clamped (

fig. C

fig. A fig. B fig. C

10mm

Where you place the speakers will have a big
effect on the sound. Place your speakers as
shown below for the best surround sound
effect. See

Hints on speaker placement

on

page 23 for more on this.

Front
speaker
(R)

Subwoofer (SW)

Surround back
speaker (SBL)

Surround
speaker (RS)

Surround
back
speaker (SBR)

Front

speaker

(L)

Listening
position

Center
speaker
(C)

Surround
speaker (LS)

5 Press QUICK SETUP on the front panel to
specify your speaker setup, room size and
listening position.

Use the
to confirm your selection. See

Setup

settings.

).

6 Play a DVD, and adjust the volume to your

MULTI JOG

dial to select and

Using the Quick

below if you’re unsure about the

1

liking.

Make sure that

DVD/LD

is showing in the
receiver’s display, indicating that the DVD
input is selected. If it isn’t, press

DVD/LD

the remote control to set the receiver to the
DVD input.

2

There are several other sound options you can
select. See

for more on this.

Listening to your system

3

on page 36

ENTER

on

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

Nederlands

Español

4 Plug in the receiver and switch it on,
followed by your DVD player, your
subwoofer and the TV.

Make sure you’ve set the video input on your TV
to this receiver. Check the manual that came
with the TV if you don’t know how to do this.

Note

1 See also
2• You may need to set your DVD player to output Dolby Digital, DTS and 88.2/96kHz PCM (2 channel) audio (see your DVD
player’s manual for more on this).
3 Depending on your DVD player or source discs, you may only get digital 2 channel stereo and analog sound. In this case, the
listening mode must be set to
multichannel surround sound.

Making receiver settings from the System Setup menu

STANDARD

(see

Listening in surround sound

on page 46 for more setup options.

on page 36 if you need to do this) if you want

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5 minute guide02

Using the Quick Setup

You can use the Quick Setup to get your
system up and running with just a few button
presses. The receiver automatically makes the
necessary settings after you have selected your
speaker setup, room size and listening
position. Use the front panel controls for the
steps below.

• If you want a more complete setup option,
refer to

Automatically setting up for

surround sound (MCACC)

you choose to do so, you can skip the Quick
Setup.

1 If the receiver is off, press



STANDBY/ON

2 Press

SW DET

receiver checks your setup for a subwoofer.

SW YES

check, then the display prompts you to select
your speaker setup.

3 Use the
speaker setup.

When a subwoofer was detected in step 2, you
can cycle between the following choices:

flashes in the display while the

or

to turn the power on.

QUICK SETUP

SW NO

confirms the subwoofer

MULTI JOG

2.1ch 3.1ch

7.1ch

6.1ch 5.1ch

If a subwoofer wasn’t detected in step 2, you
can cycle between the following choices:

2.0ch 3.0ch

7.0ch

6.0ch 5.0ch

on page 11. If

.

dial to choose your

4.1ch

4.0ch

• Check the table below to find the speaker
setup that corresponds with your system.

4 Press

5 Use the
room size.

Depending on the distance of your speakers
from the listening position, choose between
small, medium, or large (
average-sized room.

6 Press ENTER.

7 Use the
listening position.

You can cycle between the following choices:

•

•

•

8 Press

The display shows the speaker setup, room size
and listening position that you have selected.

ENTER

.

MULTI JOG

MULTI JOG

FWD

– If you are nearer to the front

speakers than the surround speakers

MID

– If you are equal distance from the

front and surround speakers

BACK

– If you are nearer to the surround

speakers than the front speakers

ENTER

dial to choose your

S, M

or L), M being an

dial to choose your

to confirm your setup.

10

En

Quick surround sound setup

T

03

Chapter 3:

Quick surround sound setup

INPUT

Automatically setting up for
surround sound (MCACC)

The Auto Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration
(MCACC) setup measures the acoustic
characteristics of your listening area, taking
into account ambient noise, speaker size and
distance, and tests for both channel delay and
channel level. After you have set up the
microphone provided with your system, the
receiver uses the information from a series of

test tones to optimize the speaker settings
and equalization for your particular room.

Important

• The Auto MCACC Setup will overwrite any
existing speaker settings you’ve made.

• Make sure the headphones are unplugged.

•

VSX-815/915 only

make sure you have selected
the

SPEAKERS

– For proper calibration,

SPA

button on the front panel

before starting the Auto MCACC Setup.

Caution

• The test tones used in the Auto MCACC
Setup are output at high volume.

1

using

RECEIVER

SELECT

RECEIVER

INPUT SELECT

DVD/LD

CD

STANDARD

EFFECT
/CH SEL

MUTE

TOP MENU MENU

DTV MENU

ST

AUDIO

SYSTEM
SETUP

MULTI CONTROL

DVR/VCR TV CONT

TV/SAT

TUNER

CD-R/TAPE

STEREO/

ADVANCED

DIRECT

SURROUND

LEVEL

ACOUSTIC

EQ

DIALOG E

MASTER
VOLUME

RECEIVER CONTROL

TUNE

ENTER

TUNE

BAND DTV ON/OFFRETURN

SOURCE

MIDNIGHT/

LOUDNESS

DIMMER

ST

RETURN

RECEIVER

SLEEP

FL

INPUT ATT

T.EDIT

GUIDE

SUBTITLE

DTV INFO

DVD/LD TV/SAT DVR/VCR TV CONT

CD-R/TAPE

CD

+

10

D.ACCESS
TOP MENU

ST ST

DTV MENU

T.EDIT

SYSTEM

SETUP

GUIDE

Above: VSX-515 (left) and VSX-815/915 (right)

1 Connect the microphone to the MCACC

SETUP MIC

jack on the front panel.

Make sure there are no obstacles between the
speakers and the microphone.

AUX

TUNER

MCACC

SETUP MIC

DIGITAL IN

R

MASTER
VOLUME

UPDOWN

MULTI CONTROL

TUNER RECEIVER

FL DIMMER SR

TUNE

ENTER

TUNE

TV CONTROL

SOURCE

ENTER

CLASS
MENU

BAND

RETURN

DISC

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

Nederlands

Español

Note

1

VSX-915 only –

read through

Illustration shows the VSX-915 model

If you have a tripod, use it to place the
microphone so that it’s about ear level at your
normal listening position. Otherwise, place the
microphone at ear level using a table or a chair.

If you are planning on bi-amping your front speakers, or setting up a separate speaker system in another room,

Surround back speaker setting

on page 46 and make sure to connect your speakers as necessary before continuing.

11

En

Quick surround sound setup03

2 If the receiver is off, press



RECEIVER

to

turn the power on.

3

If you have a subwoofer, turn it on.

4 Press
then press the

RECEIVER

on the remote control,

SYSTEM SETUP

• Press

SYSTEM SETUP

exit the System Setup menu.

button.

again at any time to

1

5 Select ‘A. MCACC’ from the System Setup
menu then press

•

VSX-915 only

selected then press

ENTER

.

– Make sure

ENTER

SB NORM.

2

again.

is

Try to be as quiet as possible after pressing

ENTER

. The system outputs a series of test

tones to establish the ambient noise level.

If the noise level is too high,

NOISY!

blinks in
the display for five seconds. To exit and check
the noise levels again, press

SYSTEM SETUP

(see the notes about ambient noise below) or
press

ENTER

when you’re prompted to

RETRY?

• Do not adjust the volume during the test
tones. This may result in incorrect speaker
settings.

The system now checks the microphone and
your speaker setup.

If you see an

ERR

message in the display, there
may be a problem with your mic or the speaker
connections. Turn off the power, and check the
problem indicated by the

ERR

message (see

below), then try the auto surround setup again.

•

ERR MIC

– Check the microphone connec-

tion.

•

ERR Fch

– Check the front speaker connec-

tions.

•

ERR Sch

– Check the surround speaker

connections.

Note

1 The receiver will automatically exit the current menu after three minutes of inactivity. If you cancel the Auto MCACC Setup at
any time, the receiver automatically exits and no settings will be made.
2 If you are planning on bi-amping your front speakers, or setting up a separate speaker system in another room, read through

Surround back speaker setting

3• Depending on the characteristics of your room, sometimes identical speakers with cone sizes of around 12cm will end up
with different size settings. You can correct the setting manually using the Speaker setting on page 51.

• The subwoofer distance setting may be farther than the actual distance from the listening position. This setting should be

accurate (taking delay and room characteristics into account) and generally does not need to be changed.

and make sure to connect your speakers as necessary before continuing.

•

ERR SBch

– Check the surround back

speaker connections.

•

ERR SW

– Make sure the subwoofer has
been switched on and volume on the
subwoofer is turned up.

6 When you see CHECK OK in the display,
confirm your speaker configuration.

Use

/

speaker in turn.

(cursor up/down) to check each

YES

or NO should reflect the
actual speakers connected. If the speaker
configuration displayed isn’t correct, use



(cursor left/right) to change the setting.

When you’re finished, go to the next step.

7 Select CHECK OK in the display then press

ENTER

.

The Auto MCACC finishes by checking the
subwoofer level.

• If the subwoofer output level is too high/
low,

SW.VOL.DWN/SW.VOL.UP

the display for five seconds. To exit and
check your subwoofer output level, press

SYSTEM SETUP

when you’re prompted to

or simply press

RETRY?

8 The Auto MCACC Setup has finished!

The MCACC indicator on the front panel will
light to show the surround settings are
complete.

The settings made in the Auto MCACC Setup
should give you excellent surround sound from
your system, but it is also possible to adjust
these settings manually using the System

Setup menu (starting on page 46).

Optionally, when you see

/

(cursor left/right) to select one of the

following options then

SKIP?

/

3

you can press

(cursor up/down)

to check the settings:

/

blinks in

ENTER

12

En

Quick surround sound setup

•

CHK SP

– Check the size and number of
speakers you’ve connected (see page 51
for more on this)

•

CHK DIST.

speakers from the listening position (see
page 53 for more on this)

•

CHK LEVEL

your speaker system (see page 52 for more
on this)

•

CHK EQ

to check the adjustments to the frequency
balance of your speaker system based on
the acoustic characteristics of your room
(see page 49 for more on this)

9 When you’re finished, select
back to the System Setup menu.

• Remember to disconnect the microphone
after completing the Auto MCACC Setup.

Other problems when using the Auto
MCACC Setup

If the room environment is not optimal for the
Auto MCACC Setup (too much background
noise, echo off the walls, obstacles blocking
the speakers from the microphone) the final
settings may be incorrect. Check for household
appliances (air conditioner, fridge, fan, etc.),
that may be affecting the environment and
switch them off if necessary. If there are any
instructions showing in the front panel display,
please follow them.

• Some older TVs may interfere with the
operation of the microphone. If this seems
to be happening, switch off the TV when
doing the Auto MCACC Setup.

– Check the distance of your

– Check the overall balance of

– Select either

ALL CH

or

‘SKIP?’

F ALIGN

to go

03

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

Nederlands

Español

13

En

Connecting up04

S

Chapter 4:

Connecting up

Making cable connections

Make sure not to bend the cables over the top
of this unit (as shown in the illustration). If this
happens, the magnetic field produced by the
transformers in this unit may cause a
humming noise from the speakers.

Important

• Before making or changing any
connections, switch off the power and
disconnect the power cord from the AC
outlet.

Analog audio cables

Use stereo RCA phono cables to connect
analog audio components. These cables are
typically red and white, and you should
connect the red plugs to R (right) terminals
and white plugs to L (left) terminals.

Digital audio cables

Commercially available coaxial digital audio
cables or optical cables should be used to
connect digital components to this receiver.

Coaxial digital audio cable Optical cable

• When connecting optical cables, be
careful when inserting the plug not to
damage the shutter protecting the optical
socket.

• When storing optical cable, coil loosely.
The cable may be damaged if bent around
sharp corners.

• You can also use a standard RCA video
cable for coaxial digital connections.

Video cables

Standard RCA video cables

These cables are the most common type of
video connection and should be used to
connect to the composite video terminals. They
have yellow plugs to distinguish them from
cables for audio.

Analog audio cables

tandard RCA video cable

Right (red)

Left (white)

14

En

Connecting up

04

S-video cables

VSX-815/915 model only

S-video cables give you clearer picture
reproduction than standard RCA video cables
by sending separate signals for the luminance
and color.

S Video

Component video cables

VSX-815/915 model only

Use component video cables to get the best
possible color reproduction of your video
source. The color signal of the TV is divided into
the luminance (

PR) signals and then output. In this way,

interference between the signals is avoided.

Y

) signal and the color (

Component video cables

Green (Y)

Blue (P

B

)

Red (P

PB and

R

)

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

Nederlands

Español

15

En

Connecting up04

Connecting a DVD player and TV

This page shows you how to connect your DVD
player and TV to the receiver.

1 Connect a coaxial digital audio output on
your DVD player to the DIGITAL COAX 1
(DVD/LD) input on this receiver.

Use a coaxial digital audio cable for the
connection.

2 Connect the composite video output and
the stereo analog audio outputs

DVD player to the DVD/LD inputs on this
receiver.

Use a standard RCA video cable3 and a stereo
RCA phono cable for the connection.

• If your DVD player has multichannel

3 Connect the analog audio outputs from
your TV to the TV/SAT inputs on this receiver.

This will allow you to play the sound from the
TV's built-in tuner. Use a stereo RCA phono
cable to do this.

• If your TV has a built-in digital decoder, you

4 Connect the MONITOR OUT video jack on
this receiver to a video input on your TV.

Use a standard RCA video cable to connect to
the composite video jack.

1

2

on your

analog outputs, see

multichannel analog outputs

Connecting the

below for how

to connect it.

can also connect an optical digital audio
output from your TV to the

(TV/SAT)

input on this receiver. Use an

DIGITAL OPT 1

optical cable for the connection.

4

* The illustration shows the VSX-915, but
connections for the VSX-515/815 are the same.

DIGITAL

AUDIO OUT

OPTICAL

DIGITAL OUT

(DVR/VCR)

(TV/SAT)

ASSIGNABLE

DIGITAL IN

This receiver*

1

COAXIAL

DIGITAL OUT

DVD player

COAX

COAX

OPT

OPT

OPT

(CD)

(DVD
/LD)

2

1

2

1

IN

IN

OUT

IN

IN

IN

OUT

IN

R

4

ANALOG AUDIO OUT

AUX

CD

DVR/
VCR

TV /
SAT

DVD
/LD

FRONT

REC

CD-R

/ TAPE

/ MD

PLAY

L

AUDIO

ANALOG OUT

TV

LR

FM UNBAL

75

Ω

OUT

CONTROL

VIDEO

IN

OUT

IN

MONITOR

D V D

5.1CH
INPUT

OUT

SUB
WOOFER

IN

PREOUT

2

AUDIORL

LOOP

IN

AM

VIDEO IN

ANTENNA

MONITOR OUT

VIDEO OUT

OUT

IN

IN

IN

S-VIDEO

3

R

DVR/
VCR

TV/
SAT

DVD
/LD

Note

1 If your DVD player only has an optical digital output, you can connect it to the optical input on this receiver using an optical
cable. When you set up the receiver you'll need to tell the receiver which input you connected the player to (see

menu

on page 75).
2 This connection will allow you to make analog recordings from your DVD player.
3

VSX-815/915 only –

has a component video output, you can connect this too. See

VSX-815/915 only –

4

the component video jacks

For better quality, you can also connect with S-video using the

For better quality, you can also connect with S-video using the

on page 20 if you want to use the component video outputs to connect this receiver to your TV.

Using the component video jacks

S-VIDEO DVD/LD

S-VIDEO MONITOR OUT

jack. If your player also

on page 20 for more on this.

16

En

The Input Assign

jack. See

Using

Connecting up

E

T

V

T

04

Connecting the multichannel analog
outputs

For DVD Audio and SACD playback, your DVD
player may have 5.1 channel analog outputs.In
this case, you can connect the multichannel
analog outputs to the multichannel inputs of

this receiver as shown below.

his receiver*

AUX

IN

DIGITAL OUT

OPT

IN

OPT

OUT

2

(DVR/VCR)

IN

OPT

1

IN

(TV/SAT)

IN

ASSIGNABLE

COAX

DIGITAL IN

2

(CD)

OUT

COAX

1

(DVD

IN

/LD)

RL RL

FRONT

OUTPUT

FM UNBAL

75

Ω

CD

DVR/
VCR

VIDEO

IN
TV/
SAT

IN

DVD
/LD

FRONT

D V D

5.1CH
INPUT

REC

IN

CD-R
/ TAPE

/ MD

PLAY

R

L

AUDIO

CENTER

OUTPUT

DVD/multi-channel decoder
with multi-channel analog
output jacks

* The illustration shows the VSX-915, but
connections for the VSX-515/815 are the same.

AM

LOOP

OUT

CONTROL

IN

OUT

MONITOR
OUT

SUB
WOOFER

PREOUT

SURROUND

OUTPUT

ANTENNA

MONITOR OUT

OUT

DVR/
VCR

IN

TV/
SAT

IN

DVD
/LD

IN

S-VIDEO

WOOFER

OUTPUT

1

CEN­TER

SURROUND

DVD 5.1CH INPUT

A

S
P

E
A
K

E
R

S

SUB

SUB
WOOFER

COMPONENT VIDEO

(

)

DVR/ VCR

AS

IN

π

YP

BPR

LR

MONITOR OUT

FRONT

CENT

RL

VIDEO

OUTPUT

1 Connect a set of audio/video outputs on
the set-top box component to the TV/SAT

AUDIO and VIDEO inputs on this receiver.

2

Use a stereo RCA phono cable for the audio
connection and a standard RCA video cable for

the video connection.

3

2 Connect an optical digital audio output
from your set-top box component to the
DIGITAL OPT 1 (TV/SAT) input on this receiver.

Use an optical cable for the connection.

4

This receiver*

AUX

DIGITAL OUT

(DVR/VCR)

(TV/SAT)

ASSIGNABLE

DIGITAL IN

OPT

OPT

2

OPT

1

COAX

2

(CD)

COAX

1

(DVD
/LD)

IN

IN

OUT

IN

IN

IN

OUT

IN

R

AUDIO

FM UNBAL

AM

75

Ω

LOOP

VIDEO

OUT

CONTROL

IN

OUT

MONITOR
OUT

SUB
WOOFER

PREOUT

ANTENNA

MONITOR OUT

OU

IN

IN

IN

S-

CD

DVR/
VCR

IN

TV /
SAT

IN

DVD
/LD

FRONT

D V D

5.1CH
INPUT

REC

IN

CD-R

/ TAPE

/ MD

PLAY

L

2 1

DIGITAL OUT

L

OPTICAL COAXIAL

VIDEOAUDIOR

AV OUT

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

Nederlands

Español

Connecting a satellite receiver
or other digital set-top box

Satellite and cable receivers, and terrestrial
digital TV tuners are all examples of so-called
`set-top boxes'.

Note

1 The multichannel input can only be used when
2 If you've already connected your TV to the
need to press the input select button for the input you connected the set-top box to.
3

VSX-815/915 only –

also has a component video output, you can connect this too. See
4 If your satellite/cable receiver doesn’t have a digital audio output, omit this step. If it only has a coaxial digital output, you can
connect it to one of the coaxial inputs on this receiver using a coaxial digital audio cable. When you set up the receiver you'll
need to tell the receiver which input you connected the set-top box to (see

For better quality, you can also connect with S-video using the

STB

* The illustration shows the VSX-915, but
connections for the VSX-515/815 are the same.

DVD 5.1 ch

TV/SAT

is selected (see page 44).

inputs, simply choose another input. However, to receive a signal, you'll

Using the component video jacks

S-VIDEO TV/SAT

The Input Assign menu

jack. If your set-top box

on page 20 for more on this.

on page 75).

17

En

Connecting up04

T

T

Connecting other audio
components

The number and kind of connections depends
on the kind of component you’re connecting.

Follow the steps below to connect a CD-R, MD,
DAT, tape recorder or other audio component.

1 If your component has a digital output,
connect this to a digital input on the receiver
as shown.

The example shows a coaxial connection to the

CD

digital input jack using a coaxial digital

audio cable.

2 If necessary, connect the analog audio
outputs of the component to a set of spare
audio inputs on this receiver.

You’ll need to make this connection for
components without a digital output, or if you
want to record from a digital component. Use a
stereo RCA phono cable as shown.

3 If you're connecting a recorder, connect
the analog audio outputs (REC) to the analog
audio inputs on the recorder.

The example shows an analog connection to
the

CD-R/TAPE/MD

analog output jack using

a stereo RCA phono cable.

4

VSX-815/915 only:

If your recorder has a
digital input, connect it to the digital output
on the receiver as shown.

Use an optical cable to make this connection.

1

This receiver*

AUX

DIGITAL OUT

(DVR/VCR)

(TV/SAT)

ASSIGNABLE

DIGITAL IN

1

OPTICAL COAXIAL

DIGITAL OUT

4

COAX

COAX

(DVD
/LD)

OPT

OPT

2

OPT

1

2

(CD)

1

IN

IN

OUT

IN

IN

IN

OUT

IN

R

AUDIO

2 3

FM UNBAL

75

Ω

VIDEO

LOOP

OUT

CONTROL

IN

OUT

MONITOR
OUT

SUB
WOOFER

PREOUT

CD

DVR/
VCR

TV /
SAT

DVD
/LD

FRONT

REC

CD-R

/ TAPE

PLAY

L

R L

/ MD

OUT

PLAY

AUDIO OUT

D V D

5.1CH
INPUT

IN

IN

IN

CD-R, MD, DAT,

AM

IN

R L

REC

AUDIO IN

ANTENNA

MONITOR OU

Tape recorder, etc.

OPTICAL

DIGITAL IN

* The illustration shows the VSX-915, but
connections for the VSX-515/815 are the same.

OU

IN

IN

IN

S-V

About the WMA9 Pro decoder

This unit has an on-board Windows Media®
Audio 9 Professional (WMA9 Pro) decoder, so
it is possible to playback WMA9 Pro-encoded

Note

1 Note that you must connect digital components to analog audio jacks if you want to record to/from digital components (like
an MD) to/from analog components.

18

En

audio using a coaxial or optical digital
connection when connected to a WMA9 Pro-

Connecting up

V

T

T

04

compatible player. However, the connected
PC, DVD player, set-top box, etc. must be able
to output WMA9 Pro format audio signals
through a coaxial or optical digital output.

Microsoft, Windows Media®, and the Windows
logo are trademarks, or registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/
or other countries.

Connecting other video
components

This receiver has audio/video inputs and
outputs suitable for connecting analog or
digital video recorders, including VCRs, DVD­recorders and HDD recorders.

1 Connect a set of audio/video outputs on
the recorder to the DVR/VCR AUDIO and
VIDEO inputs on this receiver.

Use a stereo RCA phono cable for the audio
connection and a standard RCA video cable for

the video connection.

2 Connect a set of audio/video inputs on
the recorder to the DVR/VCR AUDIO and
VIDEO outputs on this receiver.

Use a stereo RCA phono cable for the audio
connection and a standard RCA video cable for

the video connection.

1

2

3 If your video component has a digital
audio output, connect it to a digital input on
this receiver.

The example shows a recorder connected to
the

DIGITAL COAX 1 (DVD/LD)

This receiver*

AUX

IN

DIGITAL OUT

(DVR/VCR)

(TV/SAT)

ASSIGNABLE

DIGITAL IN

3

OPTICAL COAXIAL

DIGITAL OUT

COAX

COAX

OPT

OPT

OPT

(CD)

(DVD
/LD)

2

1

2

1

CD

IN

DVR/

OUT

VCR

IN

TV /
SAT

IN

DVD
/LD

FRONT

IN

REC

CD-R

OUT

/ TAPE

/ MD

IN

PLAY

R

L

AUDIO

1 2

OUT

R L

PLAY

AUDIO OUT

4

OPTICAL

DIGITAL IN

FM UNBAL

Ω

75

VIDEO

IN

IN

D V D

5.1CH
INPUT

IN

VIDEO OUT

VCR, DVR,
LD player, etc.

input.

AM

LOOP

OUT

CONTROL

IN

OUT

MONITOR
OUT

SUB
WOOFER

PREOUT

R L

REC

AUDIO IN

ANTENNA

MONITOR OU

IN

3

OU

IN

IN

IN

S-

VIDEO IN

* The illustration shows the VSX-915, but
connections for the VSX-515/815 are the same.

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

Nederlands

Español

Note

1

VSX-815/915 only –

box has a component video output, you can connect this too. See
2

VSX-815/915 only –

3 If your video component doesn’t have a digital audio output, omit this step. If it only has an optical digital output, you can con­nect it to the optical input on this receiver using an optical cable. When you set up the receiver you'll need to tell the receiver
which input you connected the component to (see

For better quality, you can also connect with S-video using the

For better quality, you can also connect with S-video using the

Using the component video jacks

The Input Assign menu

S-VIDEO DVR/VCR IN

S-VIDEO DVR/VCR OUT

on page 75).

jack. If your set-top

on page 20 for more on this.

jack.

19

En

Connecting up04

Using the component video jacks

VSX-815/915 model only

Component video should deliver superior
picture quality when compared to composite
video. A further advantage (if your source and
TV are both compatible) is progressive-scan
video, which delivers a very stable, flicker-free
picture. See the manuals that came with your
TV and source component to check whether
they are compatible with progressive-scan
video.

Important

• If you connect any source component to
the receiver using a component video
input, you must also have your TV
connected to this receiver's

VIDEO MONITOR OUT

1 Connect the component video outputs of
your source to a set of component video
inputs on this receiver.

Use a three-way component video cable for the
connection.

2 If necessary, assign the component video
inputs to the input source you've connected.

This only needs to be done if you didn’t connect
according to the following defaults:

•

COMP 1

•

COMP 2

•

COMP 3

See

Assigning the component video inputs

–

–

–

DVD
TV
DVR

page 75 for more on this.

3 Connect the COMPONENT VIDEO
MONITOR OUT jacks on this receiver to the
component video inputs on your TV or
monitor.

Use a three-way component video cable.

COMPONENT

jacks.

on

Connecting to the front panel video
terminal

VSX-815/915 model only

Front video connections are accessed via the
front panel using the
standard audio/video jacks as well as an S­video jack and an optical input. Hook them up
the same way you made the rear panel
connections.

This receiver

CD

CD-R/TAPE/MD

VIDEO INPUT

S-VIDEO

VIDEO

LAUDIO R

LV

VIDEO OUTPUT

TUNER

R

VIDEO

DIGITAL IN

DIGITAL OUT

button. There are

AUX

MCACC

SETUP MIC

Video

camera

(etc.)

20

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Connecting up

R

04

Connecting antennas

Connect the AM loop antenna and the FM wire
antenna as shown below. To improve reception
and sound quality, connect external antennas
(see

Using external antennas

make sure that the receiver is switched off and
unplugged from the wall outlet before making
or changing any connections.

FM wire
antenna

DIGITAL OUT

(DVR/VCR)

(TV/SAT)

ASSIGNABLE

DIGITAL IN

CD

OPT

IN

OPT

DVR/

OUT

VCR

2

IN

OPT

1

TV/
SAT

IN

DVD
/LD

FRONT

IN

COAX

2

REC

(CD)

CD-R

OUT

/ TAPE

COAX

/ MD

1

(DVD

IN

PLAY

/LD)

R

L

AUDIO

AUX

IN

FM wire antenna

Connect the FM wire antenna and fully extend
vertically along a window frame or another
suitable place that gives good reception.

AM loop antenna

Assemble the antenna and connect to the
receiver. Attach (if necessary) and face in the
direction that gives the best reception.

FM UNBAL

Ω

75

VIDEO

IN

IN

D V D

5.1CH
INPUT

IN

below). Always

AM loop
antenna

AM

LOOP

ANTENNA

MONITOR OUT

OUT

CONTROL

IN

OUT

DVR/
VCR

OUT

IN

TV/

MONITOR

SAT

OUT

IN

DVD

SUB

/LD

WOOFER

IN

PREOUT

S-VIDEO

Antenna snap connectors

Twist the exposed wire strands together and
insert into the hole, then snap the connector
shut.

10mm

Using external antennas

To improve FM reception

Connect an external FM antenna as shown
below.

75Ω coaxial
cable

J-shaped
plug

To improve AM reception

Connect a 5–6 meter length of vinyl-coated
wire to the AM antenna terminal without
disconnecting the supplied AM loop antenna.

For the best possible reception, suspend
horizontally outdoors.

Outdoor
antenna

FM UNBAL

75

Ω

5–6 meters

Indoor antenna
(vinyl-coated wire)

LOOP

AM

ANTENNA

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

Nederlands

Español

FM UNBAL

AM

Ω

75

LOOP

ANTENNA

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Connecting up04

Connecting the speakers

A complete setup of eight speakers (including the subwoofer) is shown here but everyone’s home
setup will vary. Simply connect the speakers you have in the manner shown below.

will work with just two stereo speakers (the front speakers in the diagram) but using at least three
speakers is recommended, and a complete setup is best.

Make sure the positive and negative (
You can use speakers with a nominal impedance between 6–16

speaker impedance

on page 81 if you plan to use speakers with an impedance of less than 8Ω).

Front speakers

LR C LSRS

AUX

DIGITAL OUT

(DVR/VCR)

(TV/SAT)

ASSIGNABLE

DIGITAL IN

IN

OPT

IN

OPT

OUT

2

IN

OPT

1

IN

IN

COAX

2

(CD)

OUT

COAX

1

(DVD

IN

/LD)

FM UNBAL

AM

Ω

75

LOOP

CD

DVR/
VCR

TV/
SAT

DVD
/LD

FRONT

REC

CD-R
/ TAPE

/ MD

PLAY

R

L

AUDIO

ANTENNA

OUT

CONTROL

IN

VIDEO

IN

OUT

IN

MONITOR
OUT

D V D

5.1CH

SUB

INPUT

WOOFER

IN

PREOUT

+/–

) terminals on the receiver match those on the speakers.2

Center speaker

CEN-

SUB

TER

WOOFER

COMPONENT VIDEO

(

)

DVR/ VCR

ASSIGNABLE

IN

π

YP

BPR

MONITOR OUT

LR

SURROUND

DVD 5.1CH INPUT

OUT

IN

IN

IN

S-VIDEO

DVR/
VCR

TV/
SAT

DVD
/LD

MONITOR OUT

FRONT

CENTERSURROUND

RL R L

A B

S
P
E
A
K
E
R
S

Surround speakers

(

)

DVD/ LD

IN

¥

FRONT

SURROUND

)

IN

ø

R

LLL

RRR

SURROUND BACK

CENTER

YPBP

(

TV / SAT

SURROUND BACK

RL

Ω

(please see

TWO VOLTAGE SELECTORS

110 V

120 - 127 V

PREOUT

Surround back speakers

SBL SBR

220 V
240 V

220 V

240 V

110 V

120 ­127 V

AC IN

1

The receiver

Switching the

This receiver*

Powered
subwoofer

SW

INPUT

* The illustration shows the VSX-915, but connections for the VSX-515/815 are the same.

Caution

• Make sure that all the bare speaker wire is twisted together and inserted fully into the speaker
terminal. Use good quality speaker wire to connect the speakers to the receiver.

Note

1 If you’re not using a subwoofer, change the front speaker setting (see
2•

VSX-515/815 only –

nal, and the negative wire to the left channel (

• VSX-915 only –

If you are using only one surround back speaker, connect the positive wire to the right channel (+) termi-

If you are using only one surround back speaker, connect it to the surround back left (L) terminal.

–

) terminal.

Speaker setting

on page 51) to

LARGE

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.

Connecting up

04

Make sure that the speaker cable you’re using
is properly prepared with about 10mm of
insulator stripped from each wire, with the
exposed wire strands twisted together (

Unscrew the terminal a few turns until there is
enough space to insert the exposed wire
(

fig. B

). Once the wire is in position, tighten the

terminal until the wire is firmly clamped (

fig. A fig. B fig. C

10mm

Caution

• These speaker terminals are hazardous
when live. To prevent the risk of electric
shock when connecting or disconnecting
the speaker cables, disconnect the power
cord.

fig. A

fig. C

).

A and B speaker systems

VSX-815 model only

The receiver has two speaker systems: A and B.
A is the main system supporting the full
speaker setup. If you switch on both A and B
speaker systems, only the front speakers and
the (active) subwoofer will be audible. No
sound will come from the center, surround, or
surround back speakers, but multichannel
sources will be down-mixed to the active
speakers so no sound will be lost. Similarly, if
you choose just the B system you‘ll only hear
the front speakers connected to the B system
and multi channel sources will be down-mixed
to these two speakers.

• Press the SPEAKERS button on the front
panel to switch between speaker systems
(A, B or both).

Hints on speaker placement

Speakers are usually designed with a
particular placement in mind. Some are
designed to be floorstanding, while others
should be placed on stands to sound their best.
Some should be placed near a wall; others
should be placed away from walls. We have
provided a few tips on getting the best sound

).

from your speakers (following), but you should
also follow the guidelines on placement that
the speaker manufacturer provided with your
particular speakers to get the most out of
them.

• Place the front left and right speakers at
equal distances from the TV.

• When placing speakers near the TV, we
recommend using magnetically shielded
speakers to prevent possible interference,
such as discoloration of the picture when
the TV is switched on. If you do not have
magnetically shielded speakers and notice
discoloration of the TV picture, move the
speakers farther away from the TV.

• If you're using a center speaker, place the
front speakers at a wider angle. If not, place
them at a narrower angle.

• Place the center speaker above or below
the TV so that the sound of the center
channel is localized at the TV screen. Also,
make sure the center speaker does not
cross the line formed by the leading edge
of the front left and right speakers.

• It is best to angle the speakers towards the
listening position. The angle depends on
the size of the room. Use less of an angle
for bigger rooms.

• Surround and surround back speakers
should be positioned 60 cm–90 cm higher
than your ears and titled slightly
downward. Make sure the speakers don't
face each other.

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

Nederlands

Español

23

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Connecting up04

• To achieve the best possible surround
sound, install your speakers as shown
below. Be sure all speakers are installed
securely to prevent accidents and improve
sound quality.

Caution

• If you choose to install the center speaker
on top of the TV, be sure to secure it with
putty, or by other suitable means, to reduce
the risk of damage or injury resulting from
the speaker falling from the TV in the event
of external shocks such as earthquakes.

• Make sure no exposed speaker wire is
touching the rear panel, this may cause the
receiver to turn off automatically.

Overhead view of speaker setup

You can also refer to the 3-D speaker setup
illustration on page 9.

Surround

left

Front

left

Front
rightCenter

Subwoofer

Surround

right

The diagrams below show suggested surround
and surround back speaker orientation. The
first diagram (

fig. A

) shows orientation with one
surround back speaker (or none) connected.
The second (

fig. B

) shows orientation with two

surround back speakers connected.

90~120

SBR

RS

SBR

LS

LS

SB

fig. A

3-D view of

LS

RS

RS

7.1 channel

speaker setup

SBL

fig. B

0~60

SBL

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Listening position

Surround back Surround back

left right

Single surround back speaker

.

Connecting up

Operating other Pioneer
components

VSX-815/915 model only

Many Pioneer components have SR
jacks which can be used to link components
together so that you can use just the remote
sensor of one component. When you use a
remote control, the control signal is passed
along the chain to the appropriate

component.

1

Note that if you use this feature,

you also have at least one set of analog audio or
video jacks connected

to another component

for grounding purposes.

CONTROL

make sure that

04

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

OUT

CONTROL

IN

Receiver

Other Pioneer products

Remote
control
unit

Note

1• If you want to control all your components using this receiver’s remote control, refer to
on page 58 (VSX-515) /page 64 (VSX-815/915).

• If you have connected a remote control to the

unit using the remote sensor.

with CONTROL terminals

CONTROL

IN

OUT

Connect to CONTROL
terminal of other
Pioneer products

CONTROL IN

jack (using a mini-plug cable), you won't be able to control this

Controlling the rest of your system

Nederlands

Español

25

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Controls and displays05

Chapter 5:

Controls and displays

Front panel

Illustration below shows the VSX-815/915 model

1

ADVANCED

ST/DIRECT

STANDARD

LISTENING MODE

STANDBY/ON

SIGNAL

SURR

/AUTO SURR

SELECT

PHONES

DVD/LD TV/SAT DVR/VCR VIDEO

INPUT

EXTENDED

SPEAKERS

ACOUSTIC

MODE

EQ

TUNER

QUICK

SYSTEM

TONE

EDIT

SETUP

MULTI JOG

FL DIMMER

ATT

TUNING

BAND

/STATION

RETURN

SETUP

76

8

STANDARD

ADVANCED

SURR

LISTENING MODE

ST/DIRECT

/AUTO SURR

9

SIGNAL
SELECT

FL DIMMER SPEAKERS

1 Input select buttons

Press to select an input source.

2 Character display

See

Display

on page 28.

3 MCACC indicator

Lights when Acoustic Calibration EQ (page 39)
is on (Acoustic Calibration EQ is automatically
set to

ALL CH ADJUST

after the Auto MCACC
Setup (page 11) or EQ Auto Setup (page 49) is
complete).

2 3

CD-R/TAPE/MD

VIDEO

VIDEO INPUT

LAUDIO R

TUNER

DIGITAL IN

CD

S-VIDEO

4 5

AUDIO/VIDEO MULTI-CHANNEL RECEIVER

ENTER

AUX

MCACC

SETUP MIC

121110

16 1713 14 15

INPUT

ATT

EXTENDED

MODE

ACOUSTIC

EQ

21 2218 19 20 23

TUNING

BAND

/STATION

4

ENTER

5

MULTI JOG

Use the

TUNER

EDIT

MULTI JOG

QUICK

SETUP

SYSTEM

SETUP

TONE

MULTI JOG

dial

dial to select various

RETURN

settings and menu options.

6



STANDBY/ON

Switches the receiver between on and standby.

7

PHONES

jack

Use to connect headphones. When connected,
there is no sound output from the speakers.

MULTI JOG

MASTER
VOLUME

UPDOWN

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