Pioneer VSX-AX5Ai-S, VSX-AX5Ai-G User Manual

AUDIO/VIDEO MULTI-CHANNEL RECEIVER

VSX-AX5Ai-S VSX-AX5Ai-

Operating Instructions

IMPORTANT

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.

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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NOTE: THE NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS COMPARTMENT WARNING IS LOCATED ON THE APPLIANCE BONNET

Replacement and mounting of an AC plug on the power supply cord of this unit should be performed only by qualified service personnel.

The cut-off plug should be disposed of and must

IMPORTANT

FOR USE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

The wires in this mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code: Blue : Neutral Brown : Live

If the plug provided is unsuitable for your socket outlets, the plug must be cut off and a suitable plug fitted.

not be inserted into any 13 amp socket as this can result in electric shock. The plug or adaptor or the distribution panel should be provided with 10 A fuse. As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this appliance may not correspond with coloured markings identifying the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows ; The wire which is coloured blue must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter N or coloured black. The wire which is coloured brown must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter L or coloured red.

Thank you for buying this Pioneer product. Please read through these operatin instructions so you will know how to operate

our model properly. After you have finished reading the instructions, put them away in a safe place for future reference

VENTILATION CAUTION

When installing this unit, make sure to leave space around the unit for ventilation to improve heat radiation (at least 60 cm at top, 10 cm at rear, and 30 cm at each side).

WARNING

Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for

Do not connect either wire to the earth terminal of a three pin plug.

NOTE After replacing or changing a fuse, the fuse cover in the plug must be replaced with a fuse cover which corresponds to the colour of the insert in the base of the plug or the word that is embossed on the base of the plug, and the appliance must not be used without a fuse cover. If lost replacement fuse covers can be obtained from your dealer. Only 10 A fuses approved by B.S.I or A.S.T.A to B.S.1362 should be used.

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ventilation to ensure reliable operation of the product, and to protect it from overheating. To

WARNING

Before plugging in for the first time, read the following

section carefully.

The voltage of the available power supply differs

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.

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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., 230V or 120V) written on the rear panel.

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WARNING

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

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Operating Environment

This product complies with the Low Voltage Directive (73/23/EEC, amended by 93/68/EEC), EMC Directives (89/336/EEC, amended by 92/31/EEC and 93/68/EEC).

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Operating environment temperature and humidity: +5 ºC – +35 ºC (+41 ºF – +95 ºF); 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)

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

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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.

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Information to User

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

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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.

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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).

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Voltage selector

You can find the voltage selector switch on the rear panel of multi-voltage models.

The factory setting for the voltage selector is 220V. 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.

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

• For Mexico, please set to 120-127V 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

120-127 V

230240 V

220V

110 V

CAUTION

The OFF ON

and  STANDBY/ON buttons

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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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.

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Important information about this unit‘s AC outlet (switched total 100W MAX)

Power supplied through these outlets is turned on and off by this unit’s  STANDBY/ON buttons. Total electrical power consumption of connected equipment should not exceed 100W.

CAUTION

• Do not connect a TV set, monitor, heater or similar

appliance to this unit’s AC outlet.

• Do not connect appliances with high power

consumption to the AC outlet in order to avoid overheating and fire risk. This can cause this unit to malfunction.

OFF ON

and

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110 V 120-127V

220V 230-240V

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Contents

01 Before you start

Features Checking the supplied accessories Installing the receiver Opening the front panel Using the remote control

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Loading the batteries Operating range of the remote control

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02 5 minute guide

Introduction to home theater Setting up for Surround Sound Automatically setting up for surround sound

Other problems when using the Auto Surround

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Setup

Checking the settings on your DVD (or other)

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player Playing a source

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03 Connecting your equipment

Rear panel About the video converter About cable types

Analog audio cables Digital audio cables Video cables

When making cable connections Connecting your TV Connecting a DVD player

Connecting the multichannel analog outputs Connecting a satellite/cable receiver or other set-top box Connecting a VCR or DVD recorder Connecting other video sources Using the component video jacks Connecting digital audio sources Connecting analog audio sources Connecting a component to the front panel inputs Installing your speaker system

Connecting the speakers

Placing the speakers Connecting antennas

AM loop antenna

FM wire antenna

Connecting external antennas Plugging in the receiver

About the AC outlet

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04 Controls and displays

Front panel Display Remote control

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05 Listening to your system

Auto playback Listening in surround sound

The MOVIE listening modes The MUSIC listening modes Dolby Pro Logic IIx Music settings

Adjusting the advanced effect level Listening in stereo Listening with headphones Using the multichannel analog inputs Listening with Acoustic Calibration EQ Selecting the input signal type Using the surround back channel Listening with virtual surround back speakers Using the audio scaler for Hi-bit and Hi-sampling

Using Midnight and Loudness listening . . . . . . . . . . 46

Using the tone control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Switching the tone control on or off . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Adjusting the bass and treble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Reducing noise during playback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Listening to dual mono soundtracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

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06 Using the tuner

Finding a station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Tuning directly to a station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

MPX mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Memorizing station presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Listening to memorized station presets . . . . . . . . . 50

Naming station presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

An introduction to RDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Displaying RDS information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Searching for RDS programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

An introduction to EON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Using EON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Clearing all stations from the RDS and EON

searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

07 The Surround Setup menu

Making receiver settings from the Surround

Setup menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Surround back speaker setting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Normal surround setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Speaker Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Channel Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Speaker Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

08 Controlling other equipment

Using the remote control with other components Recalling preset codes Programming signals from other remote controls Controls for TVs Controls for other components Direct function Multi Operation and System Off

Programming a multi-operation or a shutdown sequence Using multi operations

Using System off Switching components on and off using the 12 volt trigger Operating other Pioneer components with this unit’s sensor

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11 Advanced setup

The System Setup menu

THX CINEMA Setup The Input Assign menu Function Rename SACD Setup PHONO/LINE Setup Multi-Room and IR receiver setup 12 Volt Trigger

The Expert setup menu

Crossover Network Fine Channel Level Fine Channel Delay Acoustic Calibration EQ Professional Acoustic Calibration Using Professional Acoustic Calibration Bass Peak Level Dynamic Range Control

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09 Using other functions

Making an audio or a video recording Adjusting the delay of a soundtrack Watching video and audio sources independently Enhancing SACD playback Dimming the display Switching the speaker impedance Advanced remote control features

Editing remote control display names Adjusting the remote control backlight Clearing remote control settings

Resetting the system

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10 Other connections

Second Zone speaker B setup

Switching the speaker system Bi-amping your front speakers Bi-wiring your speakers Multi-room listening

Making multi-room connections

Using the multi-room controls Connecting an IR receiver Connecting additional amplifiers Using the i.LINK interface About i.LINK

About PQLS rate control

Creating an i.LINK network Using the USB interface Connecting a PC for Advanced MCACC output

Advanced MCACC output using your PC

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12 Additional information

Troubleshooting

Power

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No sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Other audio problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

i.LINK interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

i.LINK messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

USB interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Changing the frequency step. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Maintenance of external surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Surround sound formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Dolby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

DTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

About THX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Preset code brands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Specifications (European model) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Specifications (Multi-voltage model) . . . . . . . . . . . 107

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Before you start

Chapter 1

Before you start

Features

• Easy setup using Advanced Multichannel Acoustic Calibration (MCACC)

Setting up for home theater sound is as easy as connecting your speakers, a DVD player or other source, and your TV. The Auto Surround Setup provides a quick but accurate surround sound setup, while for complete surround sound control you still have access to the full range of surround sound settings.

In addition, the Professional Acoustic Calibration setup measures the reverb characteristics of your listening area, allowing you to customize your system calibration with the help of a graphical output that can be displayed on-screen, or using a computer.

• i.LINK digital interface

The i.LINK interface makes it possible to connect this receiver to i.LINK-equipped components, allowing you to enjoy high sampling rate (up to 192kHz) PCM multichannel digital audio from DVD-Audio and SACD discs, as well as digital audio from DVD-Video, CD and Video CD discs, all with a single cable.

With SACD discs, you will also be able to bypass the signal processing of this receiver to hear 1-bit Direct Stream Digital (DSD) audio directly.

• Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, including Dolby Digital EX, DTS 96/24 and DTS-ES

Dolby Digital and DTS decoding brings theater sound right into your home with up to six channels of surround sound, including a special LFE (Low Frequency Effects) channel for deep, realistic sound effects.

The built-in Dolby Pro Logic IIx and DTS Neo:6 decoders not only provide full surround sound decoding for Dolby Surround sources, but will also generate convincing surround sound for any stereo source.

Also, with the addition of a surround back speaker, you can take advantage of the built-in Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES decoders for six-channel surround sound.

• Seamless video conversion

With the Pioneer video converter, you can use a wide range of cables interchangeably, giving you more flexibility when making video connections.

• USB digital interface

It is possible to listen to audio sources from your computer by connecting to the USB interface on the rear of this receiver.

• Fine-tuned to world-class standards

With the cooperation of the world-class studio engineers at AIR Studios, this receiver amplifier has been designated AIR Studios Monitor.

Checking the supplied accessories

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

• Setup microphone and stand

• Remote control unit

• Alkaline batteries (AA IEC LR6) x 4

• AM loop antenna

• FM wire antenna

Before you start

• Power cord x 1 (Multi-voltage NTSC model x 2)

All models

• Flat-bladed adapter (Multi-voltage model only)

• Antenna converter (Multi-voltage model only)

• These operating instructions

Note

• The accessories will be different depending on the country of purchase. Where two power cords are included, make sure to use the cord appropriate for your country or region.

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

NTSC model only

Opening the front panel

To open the front panel, push gently on the lower third of the panel with your finger.

Using the remote control

Loading the batteries

Load the batteries into the remote control as shown below using alkaline batteries (AA IEC LR6) batteries. When you notice a decrease in the operating range, replace all batteries with new ones.

Caution

Incorrect use of batteries can result in hazards such as leakage and bursting. Please observe the following:

• Don’t mix new and old batteries together.

• Don’t use different kinds of batteries together— although they may look similar, different batteries may have different voltages.

• Make sure that the plus and minus ends of each battery match the indications in the battery compartment.

• Remove batteries from equipment that isn’t going to be used for a month or more.

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

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Before you start

Remote control battery indicator

When the batteries get too weak to operate the remote control properly an indicator warning screen will appear on the remote. Change the batteries as shown above. This must be done within five minutes or all your remote control settings will be cleared.

Operating range of the remote control

The operating range is quite large, but please keep in mind the following when using the remote control:

• Make sure that there are no obstacles between the remote and the remote sensor on the unit.

• The remote has a range of about 7 meters.

• Remote operation may become unreliable if strong sunlight or fluorescent light is shining on the unit’s remote sensor.

• Remote controllers for different devices can interfere with each other. Avoid using remotes for other equipment located close to this unit.

5 minute guide

Chapter 2:

5 minute guide

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

Setting up for 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 the 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, or an optical connection (you don’t need to connect both). If you hook up using an optical cable, you should refer to

Use a standard RCA video cable to connect your DVD player video output to the receiver using the jacks shown below.

2 Hook up your TV.

Use a standard RCA video cable to connect your receiver to the TV using the jacks as shown below.

The Input Assign menu

on page 81 to assign the optical input to

Listening to your system

DVD/LD

on page 38.

Optical cable

Coaxial digital

audio cable

DIGITAL OUT

DVD player

VIDEO OUT

S400

Standard RCA

video cable

CENTER

VIDEO IN

Standard RCA

video cable

SELECTABLE

5 minute guide

3 Connect your speakers.

To take full advantage of the receiver’s surround sound capabilities connect front, center, surround and surround back speakers, as well as a subwoofer. Although this is ideal, other configurations with fewer speakers—no subwoofer or no center speaker, or even no surround speakers—will work. At the very least, front left and right speakers only are necessary. Note that your main surround speakers should always be connected as a pair, but you can connect just one surround back speaker if you like (it must be connected to the left surround back terminal).

You can use speakers with a nominal impedance between 6–16 page 68 if you plan to use speakers with an impedance of less than 8

Ω

(please see

Ω

Switching the speaker impedance

Subwoofer

LINE LEVEL

INPUT

S400

Front left

CENTER

Center

Front

right

Caution

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.

SELECTABLE

VSX-AX5Ai

Surround left

Surround back left

Surround back right

Surround

right

5 minute guide

Each speaker connection on the receiver comprises a positive (+) red, and negative (–) black terminal. For proper sound you should take care to match these up with the terminals on the speakers themselves.

• If you only have one surround back speaker, hook it up to the surround back left (

Single

) terminal.

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

LARGE

Speaker Setting

on page 55) to

Caution

• 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.

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

fig. A

To connect a terminal, 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

10mm

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.

Also 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

on the remote control to set the

receiver to the DVD input.

5 Use the on-screen Auto Surround setup to set up your system.

See

Automatically setting up for surround sound

on the

next page for more on this.

6 Play a DVD, and adjust the volume to your liking.

In addition to the basic playback explained in

source

on page 14, there are several other sound options you can select. See for more on this. See also

the Surround Setup menu

Listening to your system

Making receiver settings from

on page 54 for more setup

Playing a

on page 38

options.

• If you’re not familiar with the proper DVD settings, refer to

Checking the settings on your DVD (or other)

player

on page 14.

fig. A fig. B fig. C

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. For more tips on speaker placement, see

Surround

Placing the speakers

Front L

Subwoofer

Surround

back L

Center

Surround

back R

on page 29.

Front R

Surround

5 minute guide

Automatically setting up for surround sound

The Auto Surround 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.

Make sure you do this before moving on to

source

on page 14.

Important

• Make sure the microphone and speakers are not moved during the Auto Surround Setup.

• Using the Auto Surround Setup will overwrite any existing speaker settings in the receiver.

• The receiver will automatically exit the on-screen menu after three minutes of inactivity.

Caution

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

Playing a

2 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.

• Place the microphone on the supplied microphone stand (shown above) for the best results with the Auto Surround Setup.

Important

• If you have a tripod, use it to

that it’s about ear level

place the microphone so

at your normal listening position. Otherwise, place the microphone at ear level using a table or a chair.

3 Press RECEIVER on the remote control, then press the SYSTEM SETUP button.

An on-screen display (OSD) appears on your TV. Use the

/

(cursor up/down) buttons and

ENTER

on the remote control to navigate through the screens and select menu items.

4 ‘Surround Setup’ should be highlighted. Press ENTER.

RECEIVER

SYSTEM SETUP

ENTER

1 Switch on the receiver and your TV.

Use the OFF ON press the



RECEIVER

button to turn on the power, then

button to switch on.

System Setup

[ 1. Surround Setup ] [ 2. THX CINEMA Setup ] [ 3. Input Assign ] [ 4. Function Rename ] [ 5. SACD Setup ] [ 6. PHONO/LINE Setup ] [ 7. Multi Room ] [ 8. 12V Trigger ] [ Exit　　　　 ]

5 ‘SurrBack System’ should be highlighted. Press ENTER.

1.Surround Setup

[ SurrBack System ] [ Auto Setting ] [ Normal ] [ Expert ] [ Exit ]

5 minute guide

6 Make sure ‘Normal System’ is selected, then select ‘Exit’.

SurrBack System

[ Normal System [ Second Zone [ Front Bi-Amp [ MR&S [ Exit

] ] ] ] ]

• 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

on page 55 and make sure to connect your speakers as necessary before continuing to step 7.

7 ‘Auto Setting’ should be highlighted. Press ENTER.

1.Surround Setup

[ SurrBack System ] [ Auto Setting ] [ Normal ] [ Expert ] [ Exit ]

8 Follow the instructions on-screen.

Auto Surround Setup

Set microphone Turn on subwoofer

[ Start ] [ Cancel ]

• Make sure the microphone is connected.

• If you’re using a subwoofer, switch it on and turn up the volume.

• See below for notes regarding high background noise levels and other possible interference.

9 Make sure ‘Start’ is selected, then press ENTER.

A progress report is displayed on-screen while the receiver outputs test tones to determine the speakers present in your setup. Try to be as quiet as possible while it’s doing this.

10 Confirm the speaker configuration in the OSD.

The configuration shown on-screen should reflect the actual speakers you have.

Check!! Front [ YES ] Center [ YES ] Surround [ YES ] SurrBack [ YES

Subwoofer

[OK] [Retry] [ERR Fix SP.] [Return to Menu]

[ YES ]

2 ]

If the speaker configuration displayed isn’t correct, use the

/

(cursor up/down) buttons to select

Retry

. Follow

the instructions from step 8.

If the configuration is incorrect and you want to input the settings manually, select

ERRFix SP

. Use

/

(cursor up/down) to select the speaker and to specify the size (and number for surround back). When you’re finished, go to the next step.

If you see an

ERR

message in the right side column, there may be a problem with the speaker connection. If selecting

Retry

(above) doesn’t fix the problem, turn off

the power and check the speaker connections.

11 Make sure ‘OK’ is selected, then press ENTER.

A progress report is displayed on-screen while the receiver outputs more test tones to determine the optimum receiver settings for channel level, speaker distance, and acoustic calibration EQ.

Auto Surround Setup

Please Wait

Caution!! Test tone is output loudly.

[ Cancel ]

Auto Surround Setup

Now Analyzing

Surround Analysis Speaker Systems [OK] Speaker Distance [OK] Channel Level [OK] Acoustic Cal EQ [OK]

[Cancel]

•••

Again, try to be as quiet as possible while this is happening.

12 The Auto Surround Setup has finished! Select ‘Exit’ to go back to the Surround Setup menu.

The MCACC indicator continues to light to show the surround settings are complete.

Auto Surround Setup

Please Wait

Caution!! Test tone is output loudly.

[ Cancel ]

Auto Surround Setup

Now Analyzing

Environment Check Ambient Noise [OK] Microphone [OK] Speaker YES/NO [OK]

[Cancel]

•••

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

The settings made in the Auto Surround Setup should give you excellent surround sound from your system, but it is also possible to adjust these settings manually using the Surround Setup menu (starting on page 54).

5 minute guide

• If you are using THX Certified speakers, confirm that all speakers are set to page 55, and that the is set to

You can also choose to view all the settings by selecting

each screen. When you’re finished, select to the Surround Setup menu.

• If you leave a check screen for over three minutes, or if you select Surround Setup, the receiver automatically exits and no settings will be made.

• Remember to disconnect the microphone after you’ve finished the Auto Surround Setup.

. Press

Note

80Hz

ENTER

Cancel

SMALL

Speaker Setting

Crossover Network

after you have finished checking

at any time during the Auto

on page 87

Exit

to go back

Other problems when using the Auto Surround Setup

If the room environment is not optimal for the Auto Surround 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.

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 Surround Setup.

Checking the settings on your DVD (or other) player

Before continuing, you may want to check the digital audio output settings on your DVD player and digital satellite receiver.

• Check that your DVD player/satellite receiver is set to output Dolby Digital, DTS and 88.2/96kHz PCM (2 channel) audio.

If there is an option for MPEG audio, set this to convert the MPEG audio to PCM.

If you connected the multichannel analog outputs of the player to this receiver, make sure that the player is set to output multichannel analog audio.

Playing a source

Here are the basic instructions for playing a source (such as a DVD disc) with your home theater system.

1 Turn on the power of the playback component (for example a DVD player), your TV and subwoofer (if you have one).

• If your source is the TV’s built-in tuner, then switch to the channel you want to watch, otherwise make sure that the TV’s video input is set to this receiver. (For example, if you connected this receiver to the

jacks on your TV, make sure that

now selected.)

2 If the receiver isn’t already on, switch on the power.

Use the OFF ON press the

3 Change the receiver input to the source you want to play.

You can use the front panel dedicated control.

4 Start playback of the DVD (or other component).

If you’re playing a Dolby Digital or DTS surround sound DVD disc, you should hear surround sound. If you are playing a stereo source, you will only hear sound from the front left/right speakers in the default listening mode.

• See also

5 Use the MASTER VOLUME control (front panel or remote) to adjust the volume level.

• Turn down the volume of your TV so that all the sound

• For more detailed surround sound setup, see



RECEIVER

MULTI CONTROL

more information on different ways of listening to sources.

is coming from the speakers connected to this receiver.

Note

Surround Setup menu

button to turn on the power, then

button to switch on.

MULTI JOG

buttons on the remote

Listening to your system

on page 54.

VIDEO 1

dial or the

on page 38 for

VIDEO

input is

The

Note

• Depending on your DVD player or source discs, you may only get digital 2 channel stereo and analog sound. In this case, select one of the surround listening modes (see page 38 if you need to do this) if you want multichannel surround sound.

Listening in surround sound

Connecting your equipment

Chapter 3

Connecting your equipment

This receiver provides you with almost limitless possibilities for connecting your audio/video system, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Depending on your needs, you could be up and running in no time after a few simple connections. This section has been designed so that you can read through this short introduction, then jump to the specific connections that you need to make. For a basic home theater setup, you may only need to look through the TV, DVD and speaker connections.

Rear panel

AC I

Caution

• Before making or changing the connections, switch off the power and disconnect the power cord from the power outlet. Plugging in components should be the last connection you make with your system.

1 i.LINK connectors

Two S400-type i.LINK connectors allow you to connect this receiver to other compatible i.LINK audio devices for high-resolution, multichannel digital audio input/output. See

Using the i.LINK interface

details.

2 Digital audio coaxial inputs

Two coaxial digital audio inputs for connecting digital audio sources to this receiver. All the inputs are freely assignable to input functions for maximum flexibility.

• If a connected component does not correspond to the input function (

digital inputs

3 USB audio input

The USB audio input allows you to use your PC as a playback source for audio. See on page 78 for connection details.

on page 81 to assign it properly.

on page 76 for connection

DVD/LD

, etc.), see

Using the USB interface

Assigning the

4 IR input/output

An IR connection allows you to connect an external remote control sensor, when your component system is in a closed cabinet or shelving unit, for example. See

Connecting an IR receiver

details.

5 Control input/output

Mini-plug terminals for connection to other Pioneer components to enable you to control all your equipment from a single remote sensor. See

components with this unit’s sensor

connection details.

6 Stereo analog audio source inputs/outputs

Four sets of analog audio jacks for connection to audio sources such as CD players, tape decks and turntables. The

CD-R/TAPE1

outputs for recording. See

sources

on page 26 for connection details.

• The grounding ( that require it. See on page 26 for connection details.

7 Antenna terminals

Connections for AM and FM radio antennas. See

Connecting antennas

on page 75 for connection

Operating other Pioneer

on page 65 for

and

MD/TAPE2



) terminal is for use with turntables

Connecting analog audio sources

on page 30 for connection details.

functions also feature

Connecting analog audio

Connecting your equipment

8 Digital audio optical inputs

Two optical digital audio inputs for connecting digital audio sources to this receiver. All the inputs are freely assignable to input functions for maximum flexibility.

• If a connected component does not correspond to the input function (

digital inputs

9 Digital audio outputs

Two optical digital audio outputs for connecting to a CDR, MD or other digital recorder. See

audio sources

10 Multi-room and source outputs

The analog audio outputs are for connection to a second amplifier in a separate room. The

SOURCE

second monitor or TV in a separate room. See

listening

11 Audio/video source inputs

Each of the six source input functions has stereo analog audio jacks, a composite video jack and an S-video jack for basic connections. On top of these, you can assign digital audio and component video jacks to input functions as necessary. As well as audio/video inputs, the two input functions audio/video outputs for recording. See

or DVD recorder

12 Monitor video outputs

Two video outputs consisting of a standard composite video output and an S-video output, for connection to monitors and TVs. See connection details.

13 Multichannel pre-amplifier outputs

Multichannel pre-amp outputs that you can use to connect separate amplifiers for center, surround, surround back and subwoofer channels. See

additional amplifiers

14 Multichannel analog audio inputs

7.1 channel analog inputs for connection to a component with multichannel analog outputs. See

multichannel analog outputs

details.

15 Component video inputs/output

The two component video inputs are freely assignable to any of the audio/video input functions. The component video output is for connection to a monitor or TV. See

Using the component video jacks

connection details.

16 12V trigger jack

This terminal outputs DC 12V according to the input functions (100 mA max.). See

and off using the 12 volt trigger

details.

on page 25 for connection details.

composite video output is for connection to a

on page 73.

DVD/LD

on page 81 to assign it properly.

VCR 1/DVR

on page 22 for connection details.

Connecting your TV

on page 75 for connection details.

, etc.), see

MULTI-ROOM &

on page 20 for connection

on page 24 for

Switching components on

on page 65 for connection

Assigning the

Connecting digital

Multi-room

and

VCR 2

also have

Connecting a VCR

on page 18 for

Connecting

Connecting the

17 RS-232C connector

This port is provided for connecting a personal computer for graphical output when using Advanced MCACC.

18 Speaker terminals

These are the main speaker terminals for front, center, surround and surround back speakers. See

your speaker system

19 Voltage selector switches

only)

Use these to match the voltage coming into the receiver with the voltage in your country or region (see page 3 for more on this).

20 AC power inlet

Connect the supplied power cord here.

21 AC power outlet

(Continental European model only – Excluding UK)

This 230V AC power outlet can be used to power another component in your setup (up to 100 W). Power to this outlet is switched off when the receiver is in standby.

on page 28 for connection details.

(Multi-voltage model

Switched 100W max.

Installing

About the video converter

The video converter allows you to connect various video sources using composite, S-video or component video connections and the signal will be output through all of the

MONITOR VIDEO OUT

component video input, which is only output from the component video output. Therefore, if you want to connect any source using component video, you must also connect your TV using component video. If several video components are connected to the same input function, the converter gives priority to component, Svideo, then composite (in that order).

The following chart shows when the video signal will be converted fro output to the

Video terminal

VIDEO IN (Composite)

S-VIDEO IN

COMPONENT VIDEO IN

• The video input must be assigned before it will be output (see page 82 for more on this).

m the vari

MONITOR VIDEO OUT

VIDEO

(Composite)



mark above indicates that the component

Assigning the component video inputs

jacks. The only exception is

ous video inputs (left column) for

jacks (top row):

MONITOR OUT

S-VIDEO





COMPONENT

VIDEO

Connecting your equipment

• When recording video sources however, you won’t be able to record sources connected to the component video inputs. With composite and S-video sources, they must be connected using the same type of video cable as you used to connect the recorder to the receiver.

About cable types

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.

S-video cables

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

S Video

Component video cables

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 ( color (

PB and

interference between the signals is avoided.

PR) signals and then output. In this way,

Green

Blue

Red

) signal and the

When making cable connections

Be careful not to arrange cables in a manner that bends the cables over the top or around this unit. If the cables are laid on top of the unit, the magnetic field produced by the transformers in this unit may cause a humming noise to come from the speakers.

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.

VIDEO

Connecting your equipment

Connecting your TV

This page shows you how to connect your TV to the receiver. To be able to play the sound from the TV’s builtin tuner, connect the analog audio outputs from your TV to this receiver.

If your TV has a built-in digital decoder, you can connect the digital audio output to this receiver to enjoy Dolby Digital and DTS sound from digital TV broadcasts.

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

Make sure you don’t connect to the connection for

MULTI ROOM & SOURCE

• You can use a standard RCA video cable to connect to the composite video jack, or for higher quality video, you can use an S-video cable to connect to the S-video jack (

• See

Using the component video jacks

S-VIDEO

you want to use the component video outputs to connect this receiver to your TV.

MONITOR OUT

on page 24 if

• See

About the video converter

on page 16 if you plan on connecting your other video components using different types of video cables than for your TV.

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

• Use a stereo RCA phono cable for the connection.

3 Connect an optical digital audio output from your TV to the DIGITAL 1 (TV/SAT) input on this receiver.

• Use an optical cable for the connection.

• If your TV 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 TV to (see

digital inputs

on page 81).

Assigning the

Note

• If your TV doesn’t have a digital audio output, omit step

above.

S400

CENTER

SELECTABLE

VSX-AX5Ai

ANALOG AUDIO OUT

COAXIAL

OPTICAL

DIGITAL AUDIO OUT

VIDEOINS-VIDEO

Connecting your equipment

Connecting a DVD player

S400

COAXIAL

DIGITAL OUT ANALOG OUT VIDEO OUT

CENTER

1 2 3

SELECTABLE

VSX-AX5Ai

AUDIORL S-VIDEOOPTICAL

DVD player

Different DVD players offer a different selection of connections, but all should give you at least a digital audio output, stereo analog audio outputs and a video output. Additionally, you may have a player with multichannel analog audio outputs and different kinds of video outputs to choose from.

1 Connect a coaxial digital audio output on your DVD player to the DIGITAL 3 (DVD/LD) input on this receiver.

• Use a coaxial digital audio cable for the connection.

• If your DVD player only has an optical digital output, you can connect it to one of the optical inputs 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

inputs

on page 81).

Assigning the digital

2 If your DVD player only has stereo analog audio outputs, connect these to the DVD/LD AUDIO inputs on this receiver.

• Use a stereo RCA phono cable for the connection.

• If your DVD player has multichannel analog outputs, see

Connecting the multichannel analog outputs

below for how to connect it.

3 Connect a composite or S-video output on your DVD player to the DVD/LD VIDEO or DVD/LD SVIDEO input on this receiver.

• Use a standard RCA video cable or an S-video cable for the connection.

• See

About the video converter

on page 16 if you plan to use a different type of video cable than you used to connect your TV.

• If your player also has a component video output, you can connect this too. See

jacks

on page 24 for more on this.

Using the component video

Connecting your equipment

Connecting the multichannel analog outputs

S400

FRONT SUB W. CENTER

SURR.

MULTI CH

OUTPUT

1 2

CENTER

MULTI CH. OUT

SURR.

BACK

SELECTABLE

VSX-AX5Ai

DVD player

For DVD Audio and SACD playback, your DVD player may have 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 channel analog outputs (depending on whether your player supports surround back channels).

1 Connect the front, surround, center and subwoofer outputs on your DVD player to the corresponding MULTI CH IN jack on this receiver.

• Use standard RCA phono cables for the connections.

• Take care to connect each output to its corresponding input on the receiver.

2 If your DVD player also has outputs for surround back channels, connect these to the corresponding MULTI CH IN jacks on this receiver.

• Use standard RCA phono cables for the connections.

• If there is only a single surround back output, be sure to connect it to the

SURROUND BACK L

jack on this

receiver.

Note

• To listen to multichannel analog audio you’ll need to press

MULTI CH INPUT

multichannel analog inputs

on the remote (see

on page 42 for more on

Using the

this).

Connecting your equipment

Connecting a satellite/cable

receiver

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

1 Connect a set of audio/video outputs on the settop box component to the TV/SAT AUDIO and VIDEO inputs on this receiver.

• Use a stereo RCA phono cable for the audio connection and a standard RCA video or S-video cable for the video connection.

• See

About the video converter

on page 16 if you plan to use a different type of video cable than you used to connect your TV.

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

• Use an optical cable for the connection.

S400

CENTER

or other set-top box

• If your set-top box 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

Assigning the digital inputs

Note

• If your satellite/cable receiver doesn’t have a digital audio output, omit step

• If you’ve already connected your TV to the inputs above, simply choose another input. However, you’ll need to tell the receiver which input you connected the set-top box to (see

digital inputs

on page 81).

above.

Assigning the

SELECTABLE

TV/SAT

2 1

DIGITAL OUT

OPTICAL COAXIAL

VIDEO S-VIDEOAUDIOR

AV OUT

STB

VSX-AX5Ai

Connecting your equipment

Connecting a VCR or DVD recorder

This receiver has two sets of audio/video inputs and outputs suitable for connecting analog or digital video recorders, including VCRs, DVD-recorders and HDD recorders.

• See

About the video converter

to use a different type of video cable than you used to connect your TV.

1 Connect a set of audio/video outputs on the recorder to the VCR1/DVR AUDIO and VIDEO inputs on this receiver.

• Use a stereo RCA phono cable for the audio connection and a standard RCA video or S-video cable for the video connection.

• For a second recorder, use the

2 Connect a set of audio/video inputs on the recorder to the VCR1/DVR AUDIO and VIDEO outputs on this receiver.

• Use a stereo RCA phono cable for the audio connection and a standard RCA video or S-video cable for the video connection.

on page 16 if you plan

VCR2

inputs.

• For a second recorder, use the

VCR2

outputs.

3 Connect an optical digital audio output from the recorder to a digital input on this receiver.

The example illustration below shows a recorder connected to the optical

DIGITAL 2 (CD-R/TAPE1)

input. When you set up the receiver you’ll need to tell the receiver which input you connected the recorder to (see

Assigning the digital inputs

on page 81).

• Use a coaxial digital audio cable or an optical cable for the connection depending on the type of input you used.

• The digital outputs from another recorder can be connected to any spare digital audio input on this receiver. You can assign it when setting up the receiver (see

Assigning the digital inputs

on page 81).

Note

• If your video component doesn’t have a digital audio output, omit step

above.

S400

CENTER

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VSX-AX5Ai

OPTICAL COAXIAL

DIGITAL OUT

VIDEOAUDIORL

S-VIDEO AUDIORL

AV OUT

VIDEO S-VIDEO

AV IN

1 23

DVR, VCR, etc.

Connecting your equipment

Connecting other video sources

You can basically use any of the audio/video inputs on this receiver for any kind of video source. The example illustration below shows a component connected to the

VCR2

inputs.

1 Connect the analog audio outputs and a video output of the source component to a set of spare audio/video inputs on this receiver.

• Use a stereo RCA phono cable for the audio connection and a standard RCA video or S-video cable for the video connection.

• See

About the video converter

on page 16 if you plan to use a different type of video cable than you used to connect your TV.

2 If the source component has a digital audio output, connect it to a spare digital audio input on this receiver.

• Use a coaxial digital audio cable or an optical cable for the connection depending on the type of input you used.

• You may need to assign the digital input you used when setting up the receiver (see

digital inputs

on page 81).

Assigning the

S400

CENTER

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VSX-AX5Ai

DIGITAL OUT

OPTICAL COAXIAL

VIDEO S-VIDEOAUDIO

AV OUT

LD player, video player, TV game, etc.

Connecting your equipment

Using the component video jacks

Component video should deliver superior picture quality when compared to composite or S-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 should also have your TV connected to this receiver's component video

MONITOR

output.

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 Assign the component video inputs to the input source you’ve connected.

This must be done so that they can be used in conjunction with the audio/video input(s) to which you have connected the component above (see

component video inputs

on page 82 for more on this).

Assigning the

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.

S400

DVD player

CENTER

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VSX-AX5Ai

COMPONENT

VIDEO OUT

COMPONENT

VIDEO IN

Connecting your equipment

Connecting digital audio sources

This receiver has both digital inputs and outputs, allowing you to connect digital components for playback and for making digital recordings. Many digital components also have analog connections for recording analog sources (such as a turntable or tape deck). See

Connecting analog audio sources

1 Connect a coaxial digital output on your digital component to the DIGITAL 4 (CD) input on this receiver.

• Use a coaxial digital audio cable for the connection.

• If your digital component only has an optical digital output, you can connect it to one of the optical inputs 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

digital inputs

on page 81).

below for more on this.

Assigning the

• The digital outputs from other components can be connected to any spare digital audio inputs on this receiver. You can assign them when setting up the receiver (see

Assigning the digital inputs

on page 81).

2 Connect one of the DIGITAL outputs on this receiver to a digital input on the component.

• Use an optical cable to connect to the

OUT1

OUT2 (OUT2

is shown in the illustration

DIGITAL

below).

Note

• In order to record some digital sources, you must make analog connections as explained in

analog audio sources

below.

Connecting

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CENTER

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VSX-AX5Ai

1 2

OPTICAL CO AXIAL

DIGITAL OUT

OPTICAL

DIGITAL IN

CD-R, MD, DAT, etc.

Connecting your equipment

Connecting analog audio sources

This receiver features four stereo audio-only inputs. Two of these inputs have corresponding outputs for use with audio recorders.

One of the audio inputs ( turntable input which can also be used for line level components (see more on this). This input also has a grounding terminal that most turntables require.

1 Connect the analog audio outputs of the source component to a set of spare audio inputs on this receiver.

• If you’re connecting a tape deck, MD recorder, etc., connect the analog audio outputs ( audio inputs on the recorder.

PHONO

) is a switchable

PHONO/LINE Setup

on page 84 for

REC

) to the analog

• Use a stereo RCA phono cable for the connections.

2 Connect the stereo audio outputs of your turntable to the PHONO inputs on this receiver.

• If your turntable has a grounding wire, secure it to the ground terminal on this receiver.

• If your turntable has line-level outputs (no grounding wire), or if you want to connect a different line-level component, refer to to switch this input to the

PHONO/LINE Setup

LINE

setting.

on page 84

OUT

PLAY

REC

AUDIO IN/OUT

S400

Tape deck, etc.

CENTER

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VSX-AX5Ai

Turntable

Connecting your equipment

Connecting a component to the front panel inputs

The front panel inputs include a composite video jack (

VIDEO

), an S-video jack (

inputs (

AUDIO L/R

(

DIGITAL

). You can use these connections for any kind of

S-VIDEO

), stereo analog audio

) and an optical digital audio input

audio/video component, but they are especially convenient for portable equipment such as camcorders, video games and portable audio/video equipment.

VSX-AX5Ai

• The input signals can be accessed by selecting

VIDEO

as the input source.

• Pull down the front cover where indicated to access the front panel inputs.

• The illustration below shows example connections to a portable DVD player. Note that you may need a specialized optical cable for this connection.

VIDEO IN/OUT

AUDIO IN/OUT

COLOR BRIGHT MONITOR

PHONES

DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL)

Portable DVD player, etc.

HOLDON/OFF

Connecting your equipment

Installing your speaker system

main surround speakers should always be connected as a pair, but you can connect just one surround back speaker if you like (it must be connected to the left surround back terminal). You can use speakers with a nominal impedance between 6–16

Switching the speaker impedance

to use speakers with an impedance of less than 8

Ω

(please see

on page 68 if you plan

Ω

Subwoofer

LINE LEVEL

INPUT

S400

Front left

CENTER

Center

Front

right

Caution

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VSX-AX5Ai

Surround left

Surround back left

Surround back right

Surround

right

Connecting your equipment

Connecting the speakers

• If you only have one surround back speaker, hook it up to the surround back left (

Caution

Bare wire connections

Before you start connecting the speakers, make sure that the speaker cable you’re going to use is properly prepared with about 10 mm of insulator stripped from each wire, and the exposed wire strands twisted together (

fig. A

To connect a terminal, 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 (

10mm

Single

fig. C

) terminal.

Placing the speakers

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 ear-level 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 2–3m apart, at equal distance from the TV.

• Install the center speaker above or below the TV so that the sound of the center channel is localized at the TV screen.

• When placing speakers near the TV, use 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 possible, install the surround speakers slightly above ear level.

• If you have two surround back speakers THX recommends placing them together and the same distance from your listening position.

Front L

Subwoofer

Front R

Center

fig. A fig. B fig. C

Note

• Please refer to the manual that came with your speakers for details on how to connect the other end of the speaker cables to your speakers.

• If you are using a THX certified subwoofer use the

THX INPUT

has one) or switch the filter position to

jack on the subwoofer (if your subwoofer

THX

on your

subwoofer.

• The surround speaker terminals on this receiver can be connected in a number of ways, depending on your setup. See

Surround back speaker setting

on page 55 for an overview of the possible configurations.

•

Other connections

on page 71 provides greater detail on alternate speaker setups such as using speaker system B (page 71) and bi-amping (page 72).

Surround

back L

Surround

back R

Surround

Caution

• 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.

Connecting your equipment

Connecting antennas

The supplied antennas provide a simple way to listen to AM and FM radio. If you find that reception quality is poor, an outdoor antenna should give you better sound quality—see

FM wire antenna

Connecting external antennas

below.

AM loo

S400

antenn

CENTER

VSX-AX5Ai

AM loop antenna

1 Assemble the stand as shown in the illustration.

fig. A fig. B fig. C

• Bend the stand in the direction indicated (fig. A).

• Clip the loop into the stand (fig. B).

• It’s possible to fix the AM antenna to a wall (fig. C). Before fixing, make sure that the reception is satisfactory.

2 Pull off the protective shields of both AM antenna wires.

3 Press the AM LOOP antenna terminal tabs to open and insert one wire into each terminal.

4 Release the tabs to secure the AM antenna wires.

5 Place the AM antenna on a flat surface and point in the direction giving the best reception.

Avoid placing near computers, television sets or other electrical appliances and do not let it come into contact with metal objects.

SELECTABLE

Note

• The signal ground () is designed to reduce noise that occurs when an antenna is connected. It is not an electrical safety ground.

FM wire antenna

• Connect the FM wire antenna to the FM UNBAL 75

Ω

terminal.

For best results, extend the FM antenna fully and fix to a wall or door frame. Don’t drape loosely or leave coiled up.

Connecting external antennas

To improve FM reception connect an external FM antenna to the

FM UNBAL 75Ω.

75Ω coaxial cable

ANTENNA

+ 78 hidden pages