Pioneer VSX-522-K User Manual

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AV Receiver

VSX-522

-K

Operating Instructions

IMPORTANT

VENTILATION CAUTION

Operating Environment

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.

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.

D3-4-2-1-1_A1_En

D8-10-1-2_A1_En

When installing this unit, make sure to leave space
around the unit for ventilation to improve heat radiation
(at least 40 cm at top, 20 cm at rear, and 20 cm at each
side).

WARNING

Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for
ventilation to ensure reliable operation of the product,
and to protect it from overheating. To prevent fire
hazard, the openings should never be blocked or
covered with items (such as newspapers, table-cloths,
curtains) or by operating the equipment on thick carpet
or a bed.

D3-4-2-1-7b*_A1_En

Information to User

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

WARNING

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

WARNING

To prevent a fire hazard, do not place any naked flame
sources (such as a lighted candle) on the equipment.

D3-4-2-1-3_A1_En

D3-4-2-1-7a_A1_En

D8-10-2_A1_En

WARNING

Before plugging in for the first time, read the following
section carefully.

The voltage of the available power supply differs
according to country or region. Be sure that the
power supply voltage of the area where this unit
will be used meets the required voltage (e.g., 230 V
or 120 V) written on the rear panel.

D3-4-2-1-4*_A1_En

2

Operating environment temperature and humidity:
+5 °C to +35 °C (+41 °F to +95 °F); less than 85 %RH
(cooling vents not blocked)
Do not install this unit in a poorly ventilated area, or in
locations exposed to high humidity or direct sunlight (or
strong artificial light)

D3-4-2-1-7c*_A1_En

Caution

To prevent fire hazard, the Class 2 Wiring Cable
should be used for connection with speaker, and
should be routed away from hazards to avoid damage
to the insulation of the cable.

D3-7-13-67*_A1_En

.

This Class B digital apparatus complies with
Canadian ICES-003.

D8-10-1-3_A1_En

Read these instructions.
Keep these instructions.
Heed all warnings.
Follow all instructions.
Do not use this apparatus near water.
Clean only with dry cloth.
Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in
accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions.
Do not install near any heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other
apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce
heat.
Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized
or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two
blades with one wider than the other. A
grounding type plug has two blades and a third
grounding prong. The wide blade or the third
prong are provided for your safety. If the provided
plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an
electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
Protect the power cord from being walked on or
pinched particularly at plugs, convenience
receptacles, and the point where they exit from
the apparatus.

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

8)

9)

10)

Only use attachments/accessories specified by
the manufacturer.
Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or
table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with
the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution
when moving the cart/apparatus combination to
avoid injury from tip-over.

Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms
or when unused for long periods of time.
Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.
Servicing is required when the apparatus has
been damaged in any way, such as power-supply
cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled
or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the
apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture,
does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

D3-7-13-69_En

11)

12)

13)

14)

If the AC plug of this unit does not match the AC
outlet you want to use, the plug must be removed
and appropriate one fitted. Replacement and
mounting of an AC plug on the power supply cord of
this unit should be performed only by qualified
service personnel. If connected to an AC outlet, the
cut-off plug can cause severe electrical

shock. Make
sure it is properly disposed of after removal.
The equipment should be disconnected by removing
the mains plug from the wall socket when left unused
for a long period of time (for example, when on
vacation).

D3-4-2-2-1a_A1_En

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).

D3-4-2-2-2a*_A1_En

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.

D8-10-3a_A1_En

IMPORTANT NOTICE

THE MODEL NUMBER AND SERIAL NUMBER OF
THIS EQUIPMENT ARE ON THE REAR OR BOTTOM.
RECORD THESE NUMBERS ON YOUR ENCLOSED
WARRANTY CARD AND KEEP IN A SAFE PLACE
FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

D36-AP9-1_A1_En

WARNING: Handling the cord on this product or

cords associated with accessories sold with the
product may expose you to chemicals listed on
proposition 65 known to the State of California and
other governmental entities to cause cancer and
birth defect or other reproductive harm.

D36-P5_B1_En

This product is for general household purposes. Any
failure due to use for other than household purposes
(such as long-term use for business purposes in a
restaurant or use in a car or ship) and which requires
repair will be charged for even during the warranty
period.

K041_A1_En

These symbols are only valid
in the European Union.

K058c_A1_En

(Symbol examples for batteries)

Pb

3

Contents

Thank you for buying this Pioneer product. Please read
through these operating instructions so you will know how to
operate your model properly.

Before you start

Checking what’s in the box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Installing the receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Flow of settings on the receiver

01 Controls and displays

Front panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Remote control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Loading the batteries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Operating range of remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

02 Connecting your equipment

Placing the speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Hints on the speaker placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Connecting the speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Connect the surround back or front height speakers

Making cable connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

HDMI cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

About HDMI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Analog audio cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Digital audio cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Standard RCA video cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

About video outputs connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Connecting a TV and playback components . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Connecting using HDMI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Connecting your component with no HDMI terminal

Connecting antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Using external antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Connecting an iPod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Connecting a USB device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Plugging in the receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

03 Basic Setup

Canceling the demo display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Automatically setting up for surround sound (MCACC)

Other problems when using the Auto MCACC setup

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

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

. . . . 11

. . . . 15

. . . 18

. . . . 19

04 Basic playback

Playing a source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Selecting the audio input signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Playing an iPod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Playing back files stored on an iPod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Basic playback controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Switches between the iPod controls and the receiver

controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Playing a USB device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Basic playback controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Compressed audio compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Listening to the radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Improving FM sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Saving station presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Listening to station presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Naming preset stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

05 Listening to your system

Choosing the listening mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Auto playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Listening in surround sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Using the Advanced surround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Using Stream Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Using the Sound Retriever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Listening with Acoustic Calibration EQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Better sound using Phase Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Using surround back channel processing . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Setting the Up Mix function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Setting the Audio options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

06 Home Menu

Using the Home Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Manual speaker setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Speaker Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

X.Over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Channel Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Speaker Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

The Input Assign menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

The Pre Out Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

The Auto Power Down menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

The FL Demo Mode menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

The HDMI Setup menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

07 Additional information

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

HDMI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Important information regarding the HDMI

connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

iPod messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

USB messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

About iPod/iPhone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Resetting the main unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Cleaning the unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

4

Before you start

Flow of settings on the receiver

Checking what’s in the box

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

•

Setup microphone

•

Remote control

•

AAA size IEC R03 dry cell batteries (to confirm system
operation) x2

•

AM loop antenna

•

FM wire antenna

•

Warranty card

•

Quick start guide

•

Safety Brochure

•

These operating instructions (CD-ROM)

Installing the receiver

•

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)

The unit is a full-fledged AV receiver equipped with an
abundance of functions and terminals. It can be used easily
after following the procedure below to make the connections
and settings.

The colors of the steps indicate the following:

Required setting item

Setting to be made as necessary

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Connecting the speakers

1

Where you place the speakers will have a big effect on
the sound.

•

Placing the speakers (page 10)

•

Connecting the speakers (page 11)



Connecting the components

2

For surround sound, you’ll want to hook up using a
digital connection from the Blu-ray Disc/DVD player to
the receiver.

•

About video outputs connection (page 13)

•

Connecting a TV and playback components
(page 14

)

•

Connecting antennas (page 16)

•

Plugging in the receiver (page 17)



Power On

3

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.



The Pre Out Setting (page 33)

4

(When connecting the front height speakers.)

The Input Assign menu (page 32

(When using connections other than the recommended
connections.)

The HDMI Setup menu (page 33

(When the connected TV supports the HDMI Audio
Return Channel function.)



Use the on-screen automatic MCACC setup to set up

5

your system

•

Automatically setting up for surround sound
(MCACC) (page 18

Basic playback (page 20)

6

•

Selecting the audio input signal (page 20)

•

Playing an iPod (page 22)

•

Playing a USB device (page 23)

•

Choosing the listening mode (page 25)

Adjusting the sound as desired

7

•

Using the Sound Retriever (page 26)

•

Better sound using Phase Control (page 27)

•

Listening with Acoustic Calibration EQ (page 26)

•

Using surround back channel processing (page 27)

•

Setting the Up Mix function (page 27)

•

Setting the Audio options (page 28)

•

Manual speaker setup (page 30)

)





)

)

5

Chapter

AV RECEIVER

MASTER
VOLUME

STANDBY/ON

INPUT
SELECTOR

STEREO

SOUND

RETRIEVER

ADVANCED
SURROUND

PHONES

MCACC

SETUP

MIC

SPEAKERS DIMMER DISPLAY BAND TUNER EDIT TUNE PRESET ENTER

HDMIMCACC

VSX

-522

iPod iPhone

iPod iPhone

ALC/

STANDARD SURR

AUTO SURROUND

/

STREAM DIRECT

USB

456

10

11 1312 14 15

21 7 938

Controls and displays

1

1

Front panel

1

INPUT SELECTOR

Selects an input source (page 20).

2

MCACC indicator

Lights when Acoustic Calibration EQ (page 26) is on (Acoustic
Calibration EQ is automatically set to on after the Auto
MCACC setup (page 18

3

Receiver control buttons

SPEAKERS

When the SP OFF is selected, no sound is output from the
speakers connected to this receiver.

DIMMER

can be controlled in four steps.

DISPLAY

mode, sound volume, Pre Out setting or input name can
be checked by selecting an input source.

• The Pre Out setting may or may not be displayed,
depending on the input source you have selected.

4

Character display

See Display on page 7.

dial

)).

– Use to change the speaker system on or off.

– Dims or brightens the display. The brightness

– Switches the display of this unit. The listening

16 17 18 19 20 18

22

5

Tuner control buttons

BAND

– Switches between AM, FM ST (stereo) and FM

MONO radio bands (page 24

TUNER EDIT
ENTER

(page 24

TUNE
PRESET

(page 24

6

HDMI indicator

Blinks when connecting an HDMI-equipped component;
lights when the component is connected (page 14

7

iPod iPhone indicator

Lights when an iPod/iPhone is connected and iPod/USB
input is selected (page 22

8

Remote sensor

Receives the signals from the remote control (see Operating

range of remote control on page 9).

– Use with

to memorize and name stations for recall

).

/

– Used to find radio frequencies (page 24).

/

– Use to select preset radio stations

).

).

TUNE

/, PRESET

).

23 24 25 26 26 2827

9

/

).

MASTER VOLUME

10



STANDBY/ON

11

and

PHONES jack

Use to connect headphones. When the headphones are
connected, there is no sound output from the speakers. The
listening mode when the sound is heard from the headphone
can be selected only from PHONES SURR, STEREO or

STEREO ALC mode.

12

Listening mode buttons

AUTO SURROUND/STREAM DIRECT

Auto surround mode (page 25
playback (page 26

ALC/STANDARD SURR

and to switch between the modes of 2 Pro Logic II, 2
Pro Logic IIx, 2 Pro Logic IIz and NEO:6, and the Auto
level control stereo mode (page 25

ADVANCED SURROUND

surround modes (page 26

STEREO

– Press to select stereo playback (page 25).

dial

).

– Switches between

) and Stream Direct

– Press for standard decoding

).

– Switches between the various

).

21

6

1

1

13

SOUND RETRIEVER

Press to restore CD quality sound to compressed audio
sources (page 26

14

iPod iPhone USB terminal

Use to connect your Apple iPod or USB mass storage device
as an audio source (page 17

15

MCACC SETUP MIC jack

Use to connect a microphone when performing Auto MCACC
setup (page 18

).

).

).

Display

16

PHASE

Lights when the Phase Control is switched on (page 27).

17

AUTO

Lights when the Auto Surround feature is switched on
(page 25

).

18

Tuner indicators
ST – Lights when a stereo FM broadcast is being received

in auto stereo mode (page 24

TUNE – Lights when a normal broadcast channel.
PRESET – Shows when a preset radio station is registered

or called.

MEM – Blinks when a radio station is registered.
kHz/MHz – Lights when the character display is showing

the currently received AM/FM broadcast frequency.

19

Speaker indicators

Shows if the speaker system is on or not (page 6).

SPA means the speakers are switched on.
SP means the speakers are switched off.

20

Sleep timer indicator

Lights when the receiver is in sleep mode (page 8).

21

PRESET information or input signal indicator

Shows the preset number of the tuner or the input signal type,
etc.

22

Character display

Displays various system information.

).

23

DTS indicators
DTS – Lights when a source with DTS encoded audio

signals is detected.
HD – Lights when a source with DTS-EXPRESS or DTS-HD

encoded audio signals is detected.

ES – Lights to indicate DTS-ES decoding.
96/24 – Lights when a source with DTS 96/24 encoded

audio signals is detected.
NEO:6 – When one of the NEO:6 modes of the receiver is

on, this lights to indicate NEO:6 processing (page 25

24

Dolby Digital indicators

2 D – Lights when a Dolby Digital encoded signal is
detected.

2 D+ – Lights when a source with Dolby Digital Plus
encoded audio signals is detected.

2HD – Lights when a source with Dolby TrueHD encoded
audio signals is detected.

EX – Lights to indicate Dolby Digital EX decoding.
2PLII(x) – Lights to indicate 2 Pro Logic II/2 Pro Logic

IIx decoding. Light will go off during 2 Pro Logic IIz
decoding (see Listening in surround sound
more on this).

25

ADV.S.

Lights when one of the Advanced Surround modes has been
selected (see Using the Advanced surround
more on this).

26

SIGNAL SELECT indicators
DIGITAL – Lights when a digital audio signal is selected.

Blinks when a digital audio signal is selected and selected
audio input is not provided.

HDMI – Lights when an HDMI signal is selected. Blinks
when an HDMI signal is selected and selected HDMI input
is not provided.

27

Up Mix/DIMMER indicator

Lights when the Up Mix function is set to ON (page 27). Also,
lights when DIMMER is set to off.

28

DIR.

Lights when the DIRECT or PURE DIRECT mode is switched
on (page 26

).

on page 26 for

).

on page 25 for

Controls and displays

7

1

SLEEP

INPUT

1

4

7

RECEIVER

SIGNAL SEL

ENTER

2

5

8

DISP

CLR

3

6

9

0

ENTER

CH

CH

MUTE

RETURN

AUDIO

PARAMETER

MENU

HOME
MENU

RECEIVER

RECEIVER

SOURCE

TOOLS

BAND

iPod CTRL

PTY

TOP
MENU

T

U

N

E

T

U

N

E

P

R

E

S

E

T

P

R

E

S

E

T

1

2

13

14

15

16

17

3
4

6
7

5

8

9

10

11

12

1

Controls and displays

Remote control

As for operating other devices, the remote control codes for
the Pioneer products are preset. The settings cannot be
changed.

1

SLEEP

Press to change the amount of time before the receiver
switches into standby (30 min – 60 min – 90 min – Off). You
can check the remaining sleep time at any time by pressing

SLEEP

once.

2



RECEIVER

Switches the receiver between standby and on.

3

RECEIVER

Switches the remote to control the receiver (used to select the
white commands above the number buttons (
etc)). Also use this button to set up surround sound (page 30
or Audio parameters (page 28

4

INPUT SELECT

Use to select the input source (page 20).

5

Input function buttons

Use to select the input source to this receiver (page 20). This
will enable you to control other Pioneer components with the
remote control.

6

SIGNAL SEL

Press to select the audio input signal of the component to play
back (page 20

7

Sound control buttons

Acous.EQ

EQ setting (page 26

S.RETRIEVER

compressed audio sources (page 26

PHASE

8

Listening mode buttons

AUTO/DIRECT

(page 25

STEREO
ALC/STANDARD SURR

and to switch between the modes of 2 Pro Logic II, 2
Pro Logic IIx, 2 Pro Logic IIz and NEO:6, and the Auto
level control stereo mode (page 25

ADV SURR

modes (page 26

).

– Press to switch on/off Acoustic Calibration

– Press to restore CD quality sound to

– Press to switch on/off Phase Control (page 27).

– Switches between Auto surround mode

) and Stream Direct playback (page 26).

– Press to select stereo playback (page 25).

– Switches between the various surround

).

).

– Press for standard decoding

).

).

).

MIDNIGHT

,

9

Receiver and component control buttons

The following button controls can be accessed after you have
selected the corresponding input function button (
etc.).

RECEIVER

Press first to access:

AUDIO PARAMETER

(page 28

).

HOME MENU

(page 30

).

RETURN

– Confirm and exit the current menu screen.

BD

or

Press

)

Press

Press

10

Use the arrow buttons when setting up your surround sound
system (page 30
menus/options.
Use

PRESET

(page 24

DVD

TOP MENU

Disc/DVD.

HOME MENU
RETURN

– Confirm and exit the current menu screen.

MENU

– Display s the TOOLS menu of Blu-ray Disc player.

TUNER

first to access:

TOOLS

– Memorizes stations for recall, also used to

change the name (page 24

BAND

– Switches between AM, FM ST (stereo) and FM

MONO radio bands (page 24

iPod/USB

iPod CTRL

receiver controls (page 22

– Switches between the iPod controls and the

/// (TUNE

TUNE

/

/

can be used to select preset radio stations

).

– Use to access the Audio options

– Press to access the Home Menu

first to access:

– Displays the disc ‘top’ menu of a Blu-ray

– Displays the HOME MENU screen.

).

).

first to access:

).

/, PRESET

/

),

ENTER

). Also used to control Blu-ray Disc/DVD

can be used to find radio frequencies and

BD, DVD

,

8

1

CAUTION

30°

7 m (23 ft.)

30°

1

11

Component control buttons

The main buttons (, , etc.) are used to control a component
after you have selected it using the input function buttons.

The controls above these buttons can be accessed after you
have selected the corresponding input function button (

DVD

and CD). These buttons also function as described

below.

RECEIVER

Press first to access:

BASS +/–, TRE +/–

• These controls are disabled when the listening mode is
set to DIRECT or PURE DIRECT.

• When the front speaker is set at SMALL in the Speaker
Setting (or automatically via the Auto MCACC setup)
and the X.Over is set above 150 Hz, the subwoofer
channel level will be adjusted by pressing
(page 31

12

Number buttons and other component controls

Use the number buttons to directly select a radio frequency
(page 24

) or the tracks on a CD, etc. There are other buttons

that can be accessed after is pressed. (For example

MIDNIGHT

SB CH

– Press to select ON, AUTO or OFF the surround

back channel (page 27

CH SELECT

use

LEV +/–
LEV +/–
MIDNIGHT

(page 28

SPEAKERS

When the SP OFF is selected, no sound is output from the
speakers connected to this receiver.

DIMMER

can be controlled in four steps.

13



SOURCE

Turns on or off the power of the Pioneer DVD/DVR units when

BD, DVD

or CD is selected using the input function buttons.

14

TV CONTROL buttons

These buttons can control only be used with Pioneer TVs.



– Use to turn on/off the power of the TV.

INPUT

– Use to select the TV input signal.

CH +/–

– Use to select channels.

– Use to adjust Bass or Treble.

).

, etc.)

– Press repeatedly to select a channel, then

to adjust the level (page 31).

– Use to adjust the channel level.

– Switches to Midnight or Loudness listening

).

– Use to change the speaker system on or off.

– Dims or brightens the display. The brightness

RECEIVER

).

BASS +/–

VOL +/–

– Use to adjust the volume on your TV.

15

VOLUME +/–

Use to set the listening volume.

16

BD

MUTE

,

Mutes/unmutes the sound.

17

DISP

Switches the display of this unit. The listening mode, sound
volume, Pre Out setting or input name can be checked by
selecting an input source.

•

The Pre Out setting may or may not be displayed,
depending on the input source you have selected.

Loading the batteries

The batteries included with the unit are to check initial
operations; they may not last over a long period. We
recommend using alkaline batteries that have a longer life.

•

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
institution’s rules that apply in your country or area.

-

Do not use or store batteries in direct sunlight or other
excessively hot place, such as inside a car or near a
heater. This can cause batteries to leak, overheat,
explode or catch fire. It can also reduce the life or
performance of batteries.

9

Controls and displays

Operating range of remote control

The remote control may not work properly if:

•

There are obstacles between the remote control and the
receiver’s remote sensor.

•

Direct sunlight or fluorescent light is shining onto the
remote sensor.

•

The receiver is located near a device that is emitting
infrared rays.

•

The receiver is operated simultaneously with another
infrared remote control unit.

Chapter

CAUTION

Important

120

120

SL

L

SW

C

R

SR

120

120

SL

L

SW

C

R

SR

SB

120

120

SL

L

FHL

FHR

SW

C

R

SR

90

90

60

SL

L

SW

C

R

SR

SBL

SBR

5.1 channel surround system:

7.1 channel surround
(Surround back) system:

a

7.1 channel surround
(Front height) system:

a

6.1 channel surround
(Surround back) system:

a

2

2

Connecting your equipment

Placing the speakers

By connecting the left and right front speakers (L/R), the center speaker (C), the left and right
surround speakers (SL/SR), and the subwoofer (SW), a 5.1 ch surround system can be enjoyed.
Further, by using an external amplifier, you can connect the left and right surround back
speakers (SBL/SBR) or the left and right front height speaker (FHL/FHR) to boost your system
up to a 7.1 ch surround system.

•

You can also connect one surround back speaker (SB) and enjoy a 6.1 ch surround system.

To achieve the best possible surround sound, install your speakers as shown below.

a. This layout is available only when the additional amplifier is connected to the unit and the surround

back or front height speakers are connected to the amplifier. For details, see Connect the surround

back or front height speakers on page 11.

Hints on the speaker placement

Where you put your speakers in the room has a big effect on the quality of the sound. The
following guidelines should help you to get the best sound from your system.

•

The subwoofer can be placed on the floor. Ideally, the other speakers should be at about ear­level when you’re listening to them. Putting the speakers on the floor (except the subwoofer),
or mounting them very high on a wall is not recommended.

•

For the best stereo effect, place the front speakers 2 m to 3 m (6 ft. to 9 ft.) apart, at equal
distance from the TV.

•

If you’re going to place speakers around your CRT TV, use shielded speakers or place the
speakers at a sufficient distance from your CRT 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 to 90 cm (2 ft. to 3 ft.)
higher than your ears and titled slight downward. Make sure the speakers don’t face each
other. For DVD-Audio, the speakers should be more directly behind the listener than for
home theater playback.

•

If the surround speakers cannot be set directly to the side of the listening position with a 7.1­channel system, the surround effect can be enhanced by turning off the Up Mix function (see

Setting the Up Mix function

•

Try not to place the surround speakers farther away from the listening position than the front
and center speakers. Doing so can weaken the surround sound effect.

•

Place the left and right front height speakers at least one meter directly above the left and
right front speakers.

•

Make sure that all speakers are securely installed. This not only improves sound quality, but
also reduces the risk of damage or injury resulting from speakers being knocked over or
falling in the event of external shocks such as earthquakes.

•

To connect the surround back or front height speakers, an additional amplifier is required.
Connect the additional amplifier to the PRE OUT SURR BACK/FRONT HEIGHT outputs of
this unit and connect the surround back or front height speakers to the additional amplifier
(see Connect the surround back or front height speakers

on page 27).

on page 11).

10

2

CAUTION

10 mm
(3/8 in.)

10 mm
(3/8 in.)

Center

Surround right

Front right

Surround back or front height

channel amplifier

Front leftSubwoofer

Surround left

Right

Left

Surround back or

front height speakers

2

Connecting the speakers

The receiver 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 for surround
sound.

Make sure you connect the speaker on the right to the right (R) terminal and the speaker on the
left to the left (L) terminal. Also 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 Ω and 16 Ω.

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

Bare wire connections

Front speaker terminals:

1
2
3

Center and surround speaker terminals:

1
2

wire.

3

•

•

Connect the surround back or front height speakers

Connect the PRE OUT SURR BACK/FRONT HEIGHT outputs of the unit and additional
amplifier to add a surround back or front height speaker.

•

•

Twist exposed wire strands together.

12 3

Loosen terminal and insert exposed wire.

Tighten terminal.

Twist exposed wire strands together.

12 3

Push open the tabs and insert exposed

Release the tabs.

These speaker terminals carry HAZARDOUS LIVE voltage. To prevent the risk of electric
shock when connecting or disconnecting the speaker cables, disconnect the power cord
before touching any uninsulated parts.
Make sure that all the bare speaker wire is twisted together and inserted fully into the
speaker terminal. If any of the bare speaker wire touches the back panel it may cause the
power to cut off as a safety measure.

The Pre Out setting must be set if the above connections are performed. Select Surr.Back if
the surround back speaker is connected and Height if the front height speaker is connected
(If neither the surround back speaker nor the front height speaker is connected, either
setting will suffice) (see The Pre Out Setting
You can use the additional amplifier on the surround back channel pre-outs for a single
speaker as well. In this case plug the amplifier into the left (L (Single)) terminal only.

on page 33).

LINE LEVEL

INPUT

HDMI

RL

ANALOG

AUDIO IN

IN IN

DVDBDSAT/CBL

MONITOR

IN

OUT

DVD INSAT/CBL

VIDEO

GAME

DVD

OUT

PREOUT
SUBWOOFER

PRE OUT

SUB WOOFER

FRONT HEIGHT

L

(

Single

PRE OUT

R

PREOUT

L

SURR BACK/

IN

FRONT HEIGHT

R

(CD)

1

SAT/CBL

ANALOG IN

ASSIGNABLE

AUDIO

ASSIGNABLE

IN1IN

(TV)

OPTICAL

SURR BACK/

)

ANTENNA

AM LOOP

FM UNBAL
75

1

ASSIGNABLE

(CD)

COAXIAL

FRONT

RL

FRONT

Class 2 Wiring

R L

SPEAKER RSPEAKER

Connecting your equipment

SURROUNDCENTER

RL

ATTENTION:

CAUTION:

ENCEINTE D’IMPEDANCE DE

SPEAKERS

L

SPEAKER IMPEDANCE

A

6 -16 .

CENTER

6 -16 .

SURROUND

R L

11

2

Important

Note

Note

2

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.

•

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

•

Before unplugging the power cord, switch the power into
standby.

HDMI cables

Both video and sound signals can be transmitted
simultaneously with one cable. If connecting the player and
the TV via this receiver, for both connections, use HDMI
cables.

HDMI

Be careful to connect the terminal in the proper direction.

•

If the video signal does not appear on your TV, try adjusting
the resolution settings on your component or display. Note
that some components (such as video game units) have
resolutions that may not be displayed. In this case, use a
(analog) composite connection.

•

When the video signal from the HDMI is 480i, 480p, 576i or
576p, Multi Ch PCM sound and HD sound cannot be
received.

About HDMI

The HDMI connection transfers uncompressed digital video,
as well as almost every kind of digital audio that the
connected component is compatible with, including DVD­Video, DVD-Audio, SACD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD,
DTS-HD Master Audio (see below for limitations), Video CD/
Super VCD and CD.

This receiver incorporates High-Definition Multimedia
Interface (HDMI

This receiver supports the functions described below through
HDMI connections.

•

Digital transfer of uncompressed video (contents protected
by HDCP (1080p/24, 1080p/60, etc.))

•

3D signal transfer

•

Deep Color signal transfer

•

x.v.Color signal transfer

•

Audio Return Channel (see The HDMI Setup menu on

page 33)

•

Input of multi-channel linear PCM digital audio signals
(192 kHz or less) for up to 8 channels

•

Input of the following digital audio formats:
– Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, High bitrate audio
(Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio), DVD-Audio, CD,
SACD (DSD 2 ch only), Video CD, Super VCD

®

) technology.

Connecting your equipment

•

Use a High Speed HDMI® cable. If HDMI cable other than
a High Speed HDMI
properly.

•

When an HDMI cable with a built-in equalizer is connected,
it may not operate properly.

•

3D, Deep Color, x.v.Color signal transfer and Audio Return
Channel are only possible when connected to a compatible
component.

•

HDMI format digital audio transmissions require a longer
time to be recognized. Due to this, interruption in the audio
may occur when switching between audio formats or
beginning playback.

•

Turning on/off the device connected to this unit’s HDMI
OUT terminal during playback, or disconnecting/
connecting the HDMI cable during playback, may cause
noise or interrupted audio.

HDMI, the HDMI Logo and High-Definition Multimedia
Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI
Licensing, LLC in the United States and other countries.

“x.v.Color” and are trademarks of Sony
Corporation.

®

cable is used, it may not work

•

Set the HDMI parameter in Setting the Audio options on

page 28 to THRU (THROUGH) and set the input signal in

Selecting the audio input signal

want to hear HDMI audio output from your TV (no sound
will be heard from this receiver).

on page 20 to HDMI, if you

12