Pioneer VSX-1016TXV-K review (long)

[Robert-The-Rambler]

No Robert i am afraid all you are hearing is plain old Dolby Digital,not 24/96.Instead of adding Pro Logic just leave in DD mode,should sound better.

bill

In the settings of the DVD player you have to set the frequency output to 96khz. Just kick on a DVD-Audio disc and you will see PCM96 +PLII Movie. Just select standard on your remote and you will switch to music mode so the processor is optimized for music. In 2 channel PCM 96khz mode the 1016 supports PLII Movie, Music, Game and regular Pro Logic mode. THX processing is not allowed to extend the soundstage to 7.1. It is not as good as discrete 5.1 but is certainly enjoyable especially if you do not have a DVD-Audio player. Just think how good CDs can sound with SRS or any other matrix processing and you will get the idea. I wonder what HD-DVDs might sound like with matrix processing. I think the Toshiba players automatically output in DTS no matter what you select over coax and toslink so it may be impossible to ever listen in two channel PCM mode if you have a DTS decoder in your receiver.. Trust me I know it is working. It is displayed by the receiver.

The sound quality is substantially better if the DVD-Audio disc has a native 2 channel mix stored on the disc. It is a HUGE difference. I've been testing this with Fleetwood Mac's Rumors and the 2 channel 96khz PCM track sounds awesome over coax. If you listen to the 5.1 mix downconverted or whatever it is to 2 channel PCM is literally sounds like stuff is missing. It is still not bad. It is not the same experience at all as the true 2 channel PCM mix.. Can I get some company to release cheap 2 channel DVD audio discs at 24bit 96khz to replace my CDs. I don't need true 5.1 at all for music. I think that could be the way of the future.

[musicman1999]

Sorry i am a 2 channel guy.I find that appling matrix processing to a cd is just awful,in my opinion anway.To each his own.
I do believe that all dvd-audio discs have stereo mixes on them,at least the 2 that i own do.But you must use the analog connection as they are unable to output anything other than dolby digital through the coax link.If you are pulling a stereo mix it is DD 2.0.

bill

[Robert-The-Rambler]

Sorry i am a 2 channel guy.I find that appling matrix processing to a cd is just awful,in my opinion anway.To each his own.
I do believe that all dvd-audio discs have stereo mixes on them,at least the 2 that i own do.But you must use the analog connection as they are unable to output anything other than dolby digital through the coax link.If you are pulling a stereo mix it is DD 2.0.

bill

I'm listening to it right now. There aint much anything better than that!!!!!!! It is nice to have a "surround" format as an option. You can still listen in pure awesome 2 channel. HDMI is not that important for music at all.

The 1016 is new. The LG player I have is brand new. That must have changed. I'm reading it right on the Pioneer. PCM 96. If you don't change the frequency output to 96khz it will be Dolby Digital. Just change it to 96khz and that is what you get.

P.S Update. The actual 2 channel mix for Hotel California from the Eagles would not play at all in 96khz digitally and my DVD player CRASHED. I had to pull the plug to listen again in the default 5.1 mix in 2 channel PCM 96khz. I could not even turn the power off. How is that for copy protection? Maybe it is just a compatibility issue. Anyhow, even with the surround mix selected it sounds wonderful in 2 channel PCM matrix processed.

[musicman1999]

To each his own.Hope theres nothing wrong with your player.

bill