By Philip Wong, CNET Asia
03/06/2009
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/home_av/others/0,39037627,62054625,00.htm

SINGAPORE--Pioneer has always been well-regarded for delivering fine, albeit premium, audio-visual products such as its renowned Kuro plasma TVs. But lately, there seems to be renewed emphasis on affordability for the company's latest 2009 offerings which also include its flagship LX-series system. For example, the new midrange VSX-1019AH costs 23 percent lower than its predecessor.

Some of the 2009 Pioneer A/V products at a glance.
(Credit: Philip Wong/CNET Asia)

Among the vast lineup announced today at its media event were enthusiast-oriented Blu-ray players and A/V receivers, as well as lifestyle home cinema kits and DVD players for mainstream consumers. At the moment, product pricing and availability are limited to Singapore, and we'll update with regional launch details once these are available.

Blu-ray players

As far as Blu-ray disc playback is concerned, the handsome BDP-120, BDP-320 and BDP-LX52 can output 1080p visuals in unadulterated 24p film mode via the HDMI 1.3 port. Full Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound are supported in "raw" bitstream and decoded LPCM formats, too. Unfortunately, there's no backward compatibility with older A/V receivers since they lack a set of multichannel analog audio outputs. This is a minor tradeoff considering the BD-Live support (using an optional USB thumbdrive for the BDP-120) to download bonus content from the Internet.

Out-of-the-box, the trio will upscale regular DVDs to 1080p resolution and read AVCHD home videos recorded on your HD camcorders encompassing full extended color gamut, thanks to their x.v.Color and Deep Color compliancy. Connectivity-wise, on top of the above-mentioned HDMI jack, all the usual sockets from component-video to digital optical audio outputs are present. The exception is S-video which has been phased out by most major vendors and is not a showstopper.

The BDP-120 is further differentiated by a quick-start function that powers up the machine within 0.8 second. While this fast-boot option is not available on the BDP-320 and BDP-LX52, these two models are equipped with advanced auxiliary processing for enhanced performance. To ensure hassle-free integration with your TV, there's a Video Adjust Mode with optimal settings for different display types. For sound, a Precision Quartz Lock System (PQLS) is designed to improve CD and Blu-ray multichannel LPCM quality via the HDMI output hooked up to selected Pioneer A/V receivers.

Key specifications at a glance

Models	BDP-LX52	BDP-320	BDP-120
Disc compatibility	CD/DVD/Blu-ray
Video playback	1080p24
Audio playback	Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution, DTS-HD Master Audio
Blu-ray profile	BD-Live		BD-Live (upgradeable)
DVD-upscaling	1080p
Multimedia playback	MP3, JPEG, WMA, DivX, AVCHD		JPEG and AVCHD
HDMI output	Yes (HDMI 1.3)
Triple HD noise reduction	Yes		N.A.
HD graphics user interface	Yes		N.A.
PQLS	Multichannel	Stereo	N.A.
Price	S$999	S$699	S$599
Availability	Now (Singapore)		June (Singapore)

A/V receivers

You could rely on your TV for audio playback, but nothing beats the true cinematic experience delivered by a proper A/V receiver-centric home theater system. Pioneer's new ensemble comprises the VSX-519V, VSX-819H, VSX-919AH, VSX-1019AH and the high-end VSX-LX52. Putting aside the entry-level VSX-519V, the remaining models have enhanced iPod and iPhone compatibility via a bundled USB A/V cable. You can playback multimedia files and YouTube videos from the Apple devices using the receiver's remote and a color graphical user interface on your TV screen.

Although most of these receivers will readily decode high-resolution Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD surround sound, their overall performance still rely heavily on an appropriate user setup. Here, Pioneer has eliminated most of the guesswork via its Multichannel Acoustic Calibration System (MCACC). Test tones are measured using an external microphone for calculating key speaker configurations and sound equalization to optimize the system. Some of the higher-end kits have Advanced MCACC, which takes room reverberation into account to improve the tuning accuracy.

On the picture quality front, the VSX-LX1019AH's 1080p upscaling is powered by Anchor Bay technology used in professional outboard video processors. A highly sought-after feature by the videophiles, this promises smooth and jaggie-free images from DVDs and regular TV broadcasts. For users who need reassurance with reserved power, the THX Select 2 Plus-certified VSX-LX52 is your safest bet for listening in spaces larger than the average living room. The unit is also well-endowed with five HDMI inputs and two corresponding outputs for simultaneous display capability.

Key specifications at a glance

Series	VSX-LX52	VSX-1019AH	VSX-919AH	VSX-819H	VSX-519V
Speaker system supported	7.1			5.1
Power	1,050W	980W		650W
Key surround sound decoding	Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio				Dolby Digital, DTS
MCACC	Advanced			Standard	N.A.
PQLS	Multichannel	Stereo		N.A.
HDMI inputs	5	4	3		2
HDMI outputs	2	1
1080p upscaling	Yes		N.A.
iPod support	Yes				N.A.
Multimedia playback	JPEG, MP3 and WMA via USB				N.A.
Price	TBC	S$1,299	S$899	S$699	S$399
Availability	Aug(Singapore)	Now (Singapore)

Home-theater-in-a-box

If you prefer less clutter and a sleek home cinema setup, these home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) kits are a good alternative to the chunky A/V receivers. Pioneer is offering seven baseline models featuring a streamlined DVD receiver coupled with various combinations of compact satellite and towering tallboy speakers. Some standard functions include CD ripping to and DivX playback from USB flash drives, 1080p DVD upscaling and comprehensive multimedia support. The HTZ181DVD and HTZ585DVD also stand out with double center speakers to reinforce movie dialog steering.

Like its A/V receiver counterparts, the company has included two proprietary technologies to improve sound quality for MP3, WMA and other compressed audio files. Its Advanced Sound Retrieval processing can help restore the original fidelity of a music recording, while Auto Level Control normalizes jarring volume peaks and dips to maintain uniform loudness throughout multiple soundtracks. To capitalize on these auxiliary functions, the midrange to high-end entries can be further upgraded with Bluetooth music streaming via an optional S$99 wireless adapter.

There're two notable HTIB models worth highlighting. The HTZ787DVD and HTZ585DVD will get you up and running effortlessly courtesy of the company's Advanced MCACC automatic setup. To tap on the built-in Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, these machines have an additional digital optical audio input which allows users to connect game consoles or HD settop boxes for surround sound playback. For a neater stereo speaker and subwoofer solution, the HTZ-FS30 comes across as the most suitable for consumers with placement constraints. This unit uses digital signal processing to recreate multichannel effects.

Key specifications at a glance

Series	HTZ787DVD	HTZ585DVD	HTZ-FS30DVD
Speaker system	5.1		2.1
Power	600W		300W
Surround sound decoding	Dolby Digital, DTS
MCACC	Advanced		N.A.
Digital optical audio inputs	1
1080p upscaling	Yes
Bluetooth support	Optional
Multimedia playback	JPEG, MP3, WMA, MPEG-4 AAC, DivX and WMV via USB
Price	TBC
Availability	Aug (Singapore)

Series	HTZ282DVD	HTZ280DVD	HTZ181DVDD	HTZ180DVD
Speaker system	5.1
Power	360W
Surround sound decoding	Dolby Digital, DTS
MCACC	N.A.
Digital optical audio inputs	N.A.
1080p upscaling	Yes
Bluetooth support	Optional		N.A.
Multimedia playback	JPEG, MP3, WMA, MPEG-4 AAC, DivX and WMV via USB
Price	S$599	S$549	S$429	S$379
Availability	Now (Singapore)