VSX-516 Installation and Setup

Budget receivers... I remember a time not so long ago that budget was synonymous with serious deficiencies. When I bought my first receiver, budget meant the difference between analogue and digital. I was broke so I had to go analogue which meant my receiver was hopelessly outdated almost immediately. Now, budget is the difference between multiple zones and number and type of connections. Sure, amp quality and power handling is a factor as well, but for most of us, there isn't a receiver out there that can't push our 8-ohm speakers to ear bleeding levels. You may have to do with out the automatic room calibration but the majority of reports that I've read indicate that such technology isn't quite as refined as the manufacturers would have you believe. What does this boil down to? For many of us, it is possible to run around your home theater and count the number and types of connections and find a receiver that matches. Paying for additional zones and connection types (DVI, HDMI), scaling, upconverting, and other functionality may prevent premature obsolescence, but I know that for many, home theater equipment doesn't change for a very long time following a purchase.

The VSX-516 is a solidly put together unit of sufficient heft to indicate a substantial unit but not so heavy as to be hard to move around. Packed with the standard styrofoam end caps, the unit arrived undamaged. Connection types include composite video, component video (2 in, 1 out), one optical, and two coax digital connections. The digital connections are assignable to whichever input you'd like. The 5.1 inputs are a bit confusing as you have to connect the mains over on the left with the rest of the inputs while the rest of the speakers are connected closer to the center of the unit. This could create a problem for people that invested in a six cable bundle as the separation might be too great. Noticeably absent (but not missed) were the s-video inputs. DVI and HDMI were nowhere to be found (and won't be at the price). The unit has 5.1 pre-outs if you want to use outboard amps. The unit has this funky valley running horizontally across the front of the unit that made everyone think it was two components sitting on top of each other. I didn't find anyone (myself included) that really thought it was that attractive of a unit.

I connected my DVD player and the Olive Symphony through coax and the 2partsfusion DMS-701 media server via optical. All speakers were connected via banana plugs and the subwoofer was connected to the sub-out in a 7.1 configuration. There is a Quickstart function that I didn't immediately notice so I configured the unit manually at first. Really, as receivers go, this one isn't that bad to set up. The hardest part is figuring out the "Pioneerese" they use for their menu system. Even as familiar as I am with receiver functions, I found myself scratching my head a few times as a horribly abbreviated title popped up on the small screen. And therein lies the problem - at this price point you simply do not get an onscreen display (in the stats, they say they have one but they mean on the little LCD screen of the unit). Because of the size of the screen, text either needs to scroll or it must be abbreviated... more often the latter. this is not a problem for the most part except that the volume display is terminally small. There is absolutely no way to see it from any sort of distance. When you change the volume, the text bolds but it is not enough. From seven feet away, I couldn't tell the difference between a 1 and a 7 or a 2, 5, or 8.