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Product summary
The good: Affordably priced 6.1-channel receiver; two component-video inputs; 110 watts per channel; bass and treble controls.
The bad: Limited connectivity options; no onscreen display.
The bottom line: Pioneer's entry-level, 6.1-channel A/V receiver won't sway audiophiles but certainly provides value for the money.
Specifications: Product type: AV receiver ; Sound output mode: Surround Sound ; Amplifier total output power: 660 Watt ; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 08/09/2005
- Released on: 03/15/2005
We spend a lot of time testing A/V receivers in the $500-to-$1,000 price range, but every now and then, it's fun to see how far entry-level models have come. Consider the Pioneer VSX-515: its bevy of useful features and clean sound belie its low price ($275 list and less than $200 online). It's a 6.1-channel receiver with component-video switching in a price class where you'd typically find 5.1-channel models limited to S-Video pass-through. The sound quality may not tempt audiophiles, but it's on a par with other entry-level models. That said, for a few extra dollars, the 515's big brother, the VSX-815, is a better deal; it offers superior connectivity options and Pioneer's best-in-class autocalibration feature.
The Pioneer VSX-515's no-frills aesthetic may not woo style-conscious buyers, but we found it attractive in a form-follows-function sort of way; the unit's controls don't have the clunky feel that can betray some lower-priced receivers. You can get the 515 in either of two colors--the black (VSX-515-K) and the silver (VSX-515-S) versions have otherwise identical feature sets. The solidly designed 515 weighs 21.75 pounds, and since it's slightly less than 16 inches deep, it's a bit easier to place than a lot of competing models.
The 515 lacks an onscreen display, so we set up the receiver using its front-panel display. We found the procedure short and sweet and had everything sorted out in less than 10 minutes. However, we missed the MCAC (Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration) automatic setup system found in the 515's more expensive step-up siblings, the VSX-815, the VSX-915, and the VSX-1015TX.
The smallish, silver remote crams a lot of buttons and controls into a surprisingly useful layout. It lacks backlit keys or an LCD readout, but we generally don't expect those niceties at this price point.
Pioneer's Thermal Compensation Amplification Design relies on a single integrated circuit to deliver 110 watts per channel. In addition to the usual DTS-ES, Dolby Digital-EX, and Dolby Pro Logic IIx surround modes, the Pioneer VSX-515 processing set also includes Windows Media Audio decoding (though the real-world usefulness of onboard WMA processing is questionable at best).
The receiver's modest jackset includes three A/V inputs, two of which accept component-video sources. Unfortunately, other video sources are limited to composite--S-Video connections are completely absent--and the 515 won't upconvert your composite sources, such as VCRs, to a component-video signal. Audio connections include two stereo inputs, a set of 5.1-channel analog SACD/DVD-Audio ins; and three assignable digital inputs (two optical, one coaxial). Unlike the aforementioned step-up models, the 515 doesn't have a set of front-panel-mounted A/V inputs.
Though the 515 is a 6.1-channel receiver, at first glance, it could easily be mistaken for a 7.1 model. That's because its surround back (center-rear) channel simply has dual output jacks--you can connect two speakers, but they output a single discrete channel. Of course, the 515 will work just fine with good ol' 5.1 configurations. We were happy to see that Pioneer didn't cheap out on the 515's speaker connectors; all seven sport robust binding posts that accept banana jacks, pins, or stripped bare wires.
We selected a scene from The Flight of the Phoenix DVD--the one in which the passengers and the crew are rebuilding their crashed plane in the desert--to test the Pioneer VSX-515's stamina. The sky looked ominously gray onscreen when rain slowly started to fall, and the pitter-patter of raindrops filled our home theater. As the downpour ensued, accompanied by wind, thunder, and lightning, and the downed plane's captain realized that his aircraft's fuel tanks would be vulnerable in the intensifying electrical storm, the 515's evenhanded performance kept the tension palpable. Switching to The Thin Red Line DVD, however, highlighted 515's limitations: the amplifiers' strain was audibly evident when we cranked up the volume during the film's battle scenes, raising doubts about the receiver's claimed 110-watt-per-channel power rating. Our verdict: in small rooms and with a bit of restraint on the volume control, the receiver will produce fine sound for most DVDs.
Turning from movies to music, we tested the 515's mettle on some jazz CDs. Miles Davis's trumpet sounded bright and clear, and his drummer's cymbals were very present. Still, a quick switchover to Pioneer's flagship receiver, the VSX-1015TX, put the 515's sonic achievements in perspective: though the 1015 is rated at just 10 watts more per channel--120 watts vs. 110--than the 515, it sounded a whole lot gutsier. The bigger receiver was simply more at ease when we cranked the volume on our White Stripes CDs--and even when we eased back to far more moderate levels, the 1015's bass was better defined, and the treble range was less grating. Of course, the 1015 goes for more than double the 515's price, so we weren't exactly surprised by its superior sound quality.
To keep things fair, we also pitted the 515 against Onkyo's new $299 TX-SR503 receiver, and the two were more on a par with one another. The VSX-515 sounded more immediate and clear, but we were swayed by the TX-SR503's richer tonal balance, its greater soundstage space, and its depth.
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