Its M.O. — Surround sound
With 7.1 channels by 120W each, it's little surprise that the Pioneer VSX-1019AHK embodies surround sound. While Direct Energy Amplification circuitry delivers high-power drivability, ultra-efficient amplification, stable imaging, and low energy loss for exceptional sound quality and clarity from each channel, a variety of surround modes team up with system equalization to optimize your system's performance for your listening area and your preferences. For customized surround sound, choose between a variety of surround modes, including Auto Surround, Wide and Focus front-stage surround advance, Virtual Surround Back, and 13 other surround modes. MCACC equalization uses advanced algorithms to match your system's performance to the acoustic properties of your listening area for a custom home audio experience.
You've heard of HD video . . . but what about HD audio?
The combination of your flat panel HDTV and Blu-ray Disc player have revolutionized your home theater experience . . . well, at least half of it. Completing the true HD video/Blu-ray Disc experience is the high-definition audio that accompanies the HD video on the Blu-ray disc. Delivering the algorithms, engineering, and innovation to let you experience HD audio at home, the Pioneer VSX 1019AHK sports Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio decoding. Each of these technologies allows for decoding of high-definition, multi-channel audio. You enjoy the sound effects, dialogue, and soundtrack of your favorite movies as they were mixed in the studio . . . i.e. just as the director intended.
Oh yes, iPhone compatible
As portable audio devices are now becoming a primary source of entertainment, it's also why the VSX-1019AH is Works with iPhone® certified. With this certification comes a myriad of benefits for enjoying your iPhone on the VSX-1019AH: easy connectivity with the front USB port and included cable — even charging the device while connected; music and movies are automatically muted with incoming calls (no longer requiring you to put the phone in Airplane Mode); compressed music files are greatly enhanced by Pioneer’s exclusive Advanced Sound Retriever technology; Auto Level Control maintains a consistent volume from to song to song and all this control is still possible from the palm of your hand through the iPhone itself or the VSX-1019AH’s remote.
As popular as MP3: connectivity
Beyond iPhone, go ahead and hook up your iPod and finish that killer mix, thanks to the VSX-1019AHK's USB port. With the appropriate adaptor, all you have do to is plug your iPod or other portable audio player in, and you'll be jamin' out to your favorite tunes once again.
Endless audio options . . . Satellite radio
You want to be able to enjoy your satellite radio subscription back at home just as much as you do your MP3 collection. With its Sirius satellite radio readiness, the VSX 1019AHK is fully equipped to accept your satellite radio signal. Additionally, an on-screen display makes browsing stations in search of your new favorite a breeze.
Tunes around the house
While iPod and satellite radio readiness make it easy to bring your "out-and-about" tunes home, you still shouldn't feel limited to enjoying your favorite music only in your living room. Featuring Zone 2 A/V output in addition to an assignable surround-back amplifier for a second zone, with the appropriate speaker and screen configuration, the VSX1019AHK lets you enjoy audio and video in a second room of your house. Queue up mood music in the dining room . . . Pump-out high-energy tunes for the BBQ in the back yard . . . Watch the end of the movie you fell asleep watching the night before while getting ready for your day in the bedroom.
Reinforcements for your foundation
If the Pioneer VSX-1019AHK is the foundation of your home theater system, then low-frequency, or bass, is the foundation of your home audio experience. Not daring to neglect this essential piece of your home theater — think the deep rumbling of a jet engine, or the room-shaking punch of the bass drum in your favorite song — Pioneer has designed the VSX-1019AHK with a LFE attenuator and Phase Control. This bass management system ensures precision low-frequency output for a complete audio experience.
HDMIncredible
Bringing you the absolute best in connectivity, Pioneer's VSX 1019AHK features four HDMI connections. HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is the only interface in consumer electronics that can carry both uncompressed high-definition (HD) video and uncompressed multi-channel audio in all HD formats including 720p, 1080i and even 1080p. Your incoming media content comes in a variety of sizes, resolutions and formats, and with that in mind, HDMI systems automatically configure to display that content in the most effective format. Since HDMI carries all channels on video and audio, there is only one cable to plug into any HDMI-enabled source and display device. No more complicated cable set-up when installing your home theater system, and no more ugly cable mess behind your components. HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on this single cable. Also, HDMI is fully backward-compatible with DVI. (Please note that a physical adapter, sold separately, is needed to make the conversion from HDMI to DVI.)
Your HD lifeline
High Definition Multimedia Interface, or HDMI, is the only home A/V connection that allows for both Full HD 1080p video and 7.1-channel studio-quality audio to be passes along a single cable. In other words, in order to take full advantage of your home theater’s high definition potential, you need to HDMI cabling to link HD-capable components. It’s only natural that you might have questions regarding how best to outfit your personal HD system. Vann’s sales representatives are here to explain all of your options. Call the 800 number at the top of this page for expert advice.
Peformance good, Setup difficult (April 20, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Larry B. - Oceanside, CA
After carefully reviewing all the competing brands I thought this unit would best fit my needs. I have had plenty of experience with audio equipment and was totally shocked at the compexity of the setup process. The Pioneer manual is poorly written. They need to provide better instructions. So far the equipment works well and the performance is what I had expected.
Excellent receiver for the money (March 31, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Justin S. - Dacono, CO
I bought this receiver after reading many glowing reviews- and Id personally like to add one more!
I have used a few other surround receivers, and the feature set of this unit is one of the best that I have come across.
As others have said, the setup for the unit can be fairly tricky, but once it is set up, the performance is excellent for a mid level receiver. The sound quality and decoding ability for the different sound formats is outstanding.
I have not had need of the video up-conversion as of yet, so I am unable to comment here.
Lastly, the overall look and feel of the unit itself is very good. It is also a smaller size than other units with similar features, which I needed for the space I had available.
Vanns was also a pleasure to work with. They let me know as soon as the unit was available as it had been out of stock and got it to me very quickly.
Pioneer Receiver VSX-1019AHK (March 31, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Sean K. - nassau, ny
Great rciever.Great sound .Manual a little confusing but with time you will figure it out.
Pioneer VSX-1019AHK (March 21, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Steve H. - Hainesville, IL
The receiver arrived very quickly. Once I changed out the old pro-logic setup was a breeze. The receiver comes with a microphone which is used to calibrate the system to the sound characteristics of the room. It also will tell you if the speakers are not wired correctly which one was. The sound is phenomenal at least in comparison to my old pro-logic. The first movie viewedlistened to was the Hurt Locker. I found my self ducking for cover as the bullets were flying all around. The sound of the bullet casings and gravel landing on the ground was clearly heard. This receiver totally met my expectations. My only negative comment would be that the manual is not laid out very well.
Good Receiver (March 17, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Bill w. - Peoria, IL
This receiver got good reviews and I like it . Manual stinks.
Like the Reciever, Hate the remote (March 12, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Gerrit L Padgham - Denver, CO
Setup is a breeze. Plug your stuff in, use the On Screen Display to map all the inputs and rename them if you want. Then plug-in the included microphone, and the system goes through an automatic calibration sequence that determines speaker type and distance, sets appropriate delays. It also configures a pretty basic EQ to help minimize reverb noise.
Sound quality is good. Im probably more limited by my speaker set than the receiver in terms of noticing audio quality.
The only thing I dont really like is the remote control. I was hoping to use it as the primary controller for all my components but its quite confusing. pushing the source buttons also change the receiver inputs at the same time, which bugs me, and the buttons map to different functions depending on what source is selected. Its hard for me to find the button to control the function I would like sometime. I plan on getting a Logitech Harmony remote now.
Pioneer VSX-1019AHK Receiver (March 10, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Tony G. - Holiday Island, AR
I purchased this receiver to upgrade my old 15 year old pioneer receiver which was still working great, but not well with my new LCD TV. I connected this receiver to my 5.1 surround system and it works very well. I get better sound and picture from my DVR and my Blu-RayDVD players. My only complaint is that the manual is sometimes hard to follow, but just takes some time to figure out. Otherwise, I am very well pleased with this purchase.
Pioneer VSX-1019AHK (March 04, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Tom L. - Rochelle, IL
After waiting several weeks these beauties came back in stock and one was shipped to me.
All the connections and options were a little overwhelming at first but after a quick trip thru the manual made connecting my speakers and devices a snap. I went through the auto setup using the included speaker and the sound this unit produces is incredible.
I have not exercised all the options yet but over time I will. The VSX-1019AHK is working flawlessly and I have absolutely no regrets about purchasing one. This EE and Ham Radio operator rates this unit as a 10.
Worth the Upgrade! (March 04, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Josh C. - Plymouth, WI
This is the perfect upgrade for my home theater. Pioneer accommodates numerous options and connections that should ensure its longevity in my home for years to come. The VSX-1019AHK drives my Definitive Technology speakers effortlessly and I have finally discovered their true potential. The included MCACC really takes the pain out of setting the audio. However, expect some fine tuning after the setup to truly experience the Pioneers sound quality. In fact I ran the MCACC after warming up my speakers and had increased sound quality. The iPodUSB connection is a huge success and I had no difficulty utilizing this function or the GUI. Another standout feature for this receiver is the fit and finish, the gloss piano black matches well to my speakers, TV and PS3. The user manual was not as difficult to navigate as many reviews stated. I actually reviewed the manual online before delivery, this helped. Of course, nothing is perfect so a few cons do necessitate discussion. The KURO link takes some setup and getting use to but is a fine feature. Unless I missed something in the setup, the settings stored for the MCACC setting cannot be linked to a source, you have to manually select the MCACC for each source. This is little tedious considering almost all sources are going to require different audio settings. There are also a ton of audio options so keep track of what you may have changed. The remote, which contains more buttons than a graphing calculator, could use a cleanup. Again, after some thorough navigation, the remote is second nature. Overall, the functionality, power and sound quality is more than expected, the finish is neat and the setup was not as difficult as first expected. The included audio setup MCACC ensured great audio. I would recommend this receiver to a friend. You will be impressed!
VSX-1019AHK (February 17, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Dean A. - Broadview Heights, OH
Like the other reviews say, this AV receiver a bit on the complicated side. The manual is especially hard to use. That said, it does work very well. I have not tried all the functions as I dont have the HD TV yet. I really bought it for the sound. It is very loud and doe not distort. I have it in a 19x20x13 ft high room. The remote buttons are very small and some of the print is in blue, which is hard to see. Eventually, you figure it out. I am pleased with the product as it does everything I want it to do.
Better sound than from my old Denon (February 17, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Jimmy S. - Santa Monica, CA
I upgraded from a Denon AVR-2808CI which always sounded lifeless to me.
Set-up for the Pioneer was complicated and the manual was of only limited help. But I managed to get it all wired up in one evening including speaker calibration and setting up a zone 2 in the kitchen, and Pioneer's excellent telephone customer service helped me through my last two issues.
The remote is not back-lit and is very complicated. But we programmed and use a Harmony 550 Universal remote that I got from Vann's a few years ago!
We have Dish Network for television service. When we turn on the receiver, Dish, and the flat screen Samsung, the receiver switches from HDMI1, there the Dish input is, over to TVSAT input automatically. We have to switch back to HDMI1 to view television. Fortunately, I can program that maneuver into the Harmony.
We've used the front panel iPod USB input which is great to have!
We also have a Wi-Fi enabled internet tuner Sangean WFT-1 hooked into the CDR input and have been listening to wonderful music from around the world.
I understand there is a firmware upgrade to deal with some remote issues -- but it is not user-installable. Pioneer wants the unit brought to a repair station. That would entail uninstalling it -- which would be a big job. Well have to see how critical the upgrade is. Since the unit has a USB port on the front, user installation of a downloaded patch could be accommodated.
These little annoyances aside, overall, I am pleased with the sound and versatility of the Pioneer.
I regard it as an audio step up from the Denon and for our home theateraudio system.
very pleased (February 15, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Jeff L. - Austin, TX
So far Ive been very pleased with this receiver. Clean, quiet power and flexibility in set up that I have never seen before in an AV receiver. I expect to be happy with this purchase for a long time to come.
Best Receiver (February 12, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Thomas M. - Columbia, SC
I have no complaints about my Purchase! the VSX-1019AHK is very easy to set up. The on screen set up makes it so easy to configure your speakers and sound. Plus it comes with an IPOD connection Device to play your IPOD and you visual view of your IPOD songs from your TV....Great Buy I have recommended this to my friends and VANNS is always the best place to buy Electronics of any sort!!!! Vanns is the only place to buy MediaElectronics!!!
Issues with Direct TV (February 12, 2010)
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Reviewed By: H H. - Vero Beach, FL
The receiver works well however it is very glitchy when using HDMI connections especially so with direct tv. Im not sure if it is a problem with the receiver or direct tv but keep your receiver remote handy as you will need to cycle through the HDMI inputs in order to get sound when you initially turn on your system or any time you switch from HD television to anything recorded in standard def on the direct tv dvr. I seem to always be able to find a way to make the system work but it isnt always clear why the workaround is necessary.
The built in IPOD dock only works for audio so you still have to use the analog av input and an audio video dock if you want to play any movies or television shows through the receiver. It is a little deceiving when you look at the receiver as the ipod usb port is right next to an auxillary audio video connection. I assumed both would play video.
All told Im very happy with the system despite the annoyances mentioned above.
Pioneer Receivers VSX-1019AHK (February 12, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Larry W. - Missoula, MT
Set-up on this machine went very smoothly. Lots of input options HDMI, Optical, etc. The iPod input and interface is very cool!
My speaker system is a 5.1 surround system. The instruction manual gives several ways to accomodate 5.1 surround, which seems good. However, the instruction manual was difficult to understand in this regard. It almost seemed to complicate things more than clear them up. When I finally just used the TV interface to complete the set-up, it was much more concise and easy to understand. Too much technical jargon in the instruction manual.
The auto speaker output setup with the microphone was very cool!! I was a bit skeptical that the end result would be satisfactory, but after it was done with all its testing and setup, we watched an action flick and it seemed to be set up perfectly. Impressive technology!
Pioneer VSX-1019AHK Receiver (February 12, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Christopher M. - Rosemont, PA
The VSX-1019AHK is an excellent receiver. It is the top of the line for the Pioneer Non Elite receivers - and its performance warrants its place at the top of the list. It has a very long list of features, including a wide array of surround sound options. The sound quality is excellent and the video upconversion is great. The auto calibrate of the surround system is pretty cool! See the CNET review only for further details. The only issue one might have is the fact with so many features, the Users Manual is like a book. However, its a small price to pay for such a great receiver.
PIONEER RECEIVER VSX - 1019AHK (February 11, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Frank a. - Biloxi, MS
VERY SATISFIED WITH RECEIVER LOTS OF HDMI CONNECTIONS AND EASY TO CONNECT. MANUAL SEEMS A BIT COMPLEX. WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Pioneer Receiver VSX-1019AHK (February 11, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Lee C Pulsipher - Ventura, CA
The Pioneer receiver works well, although we havent mastered all the bells and whistles yet. One area we need assistance in is how to connect our component DVR so that it can record from the receiver. The DVR does play through the receiver and then to the HD 63 Samsung TV OK.
We also havent found any way to adjust the bass and treble. The sound coming from the Polk Surroundbar 50 is somewhat shrill and some voices are difficult to understand.
The old days of 2 speaker stereo and associated receivers was much easier to adjust to ones liking. We should have kept the 2 Scott 3-way 15 speakers we had. They sounded much better than the new equipment we now have. Perhaps it is a matter of adjustment. In any case we are so far disappointed in the sound after spending a good deal of money on this system.
Rare Gem,... (December 01, 2009)
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Reviewed By: P. C. - Lubbock, TX
I purchased the Pioneer VSX-1019 here at Vanns at an excellent price, with free shipping. Arrived in 3 days bnib.
I have read extensively about this receiver prior to placing my order. I had it hooked up to my entertainment system in less then an hour. My HT Samsung TV PN58B650, 4 Polk Monitors M-70 for front, 2 Polk Monitors M-60 surround, CS2 central speaker and 2 Polk PSW505 SUBS 12 , 300-450 Watts, via Monster Y splitter.
All what I can say is WOW, WOW, The sound coming out of the speakers is unbelievable and the VSX 1019 is able to drive all these monsters with ease, and no overheating.
Pros
. HDMI connectivity with 1080p up conversion.
.Pure sound 0.05 THD. No distortion at very high volumes and very clear lows appeases to the musical ears.
. Image quality is unbeatable.
. Up conversion from 480i to 1080p is outstanding
. Very accurate auto calibration MCCAC via included microphone.
. Slick, Piano Black finish with large blue screen you can actually read from across the room.
. Easy remote to operate, though, not backlit.
.Multiple HD sounds decoders excellent with all DVDs & bd.
.Does not overheats just give it enough room to breath.
.Capable of driving my 4 M-70s, running in AB, with ease and excellent sound n reproduction.
. Multi channel input, great with my SACD Yamaha palyer, exceptionlal sound quality.
. Binding posts in the back.
Cons
. Sub Xovers is not very detailed, 60-80-100-150-200 Hz only.
.Manual take a deep breath before you read it. It is a great exercise for anger control. Try Yoga before reading it.
.Remote not backlit with small buttons, functional though.
Whatever small cons I mentioned, it does not alter the outcome of my verdict The VSX-1019 is a rare Gem, it rivals the more expensive AV receivers and beats hands down all other mid entry receivers. I have compared it to other receivers I own such as Sony STR-DN1000, STR DH800, YAMAHA RX-V565, ONKYO 806 AND 505 AND 8555. BTW it is very similar to my VSX-919 which lacks 1 HDMI input and one coax digital audio input and ability to up convert to 1080i only.
All in all excellent receiver. Vann had it shipped in less then 3 days. Excellent service.
Hope this would help.
Comparison Specifications
- Processing decoding: Dolby® TrueHD / dts®-HD Master Audio
- Output power: 120W x 7 channels
- Best video connections: 4 HDMI inputs, 1 output - repeater for HD contents
- Best audio connections: 2 digital coaxial inputs / 2 digital optical input
- Multi-channel audio in: 5.1-channel DVD input
- Other connections: 2 component video inputs, 3 composite A/V inputs, SR input/output, IR input/output, SIRIUS input
- PureCinema Processing, KURO™ LINK, Freescale's Newest Dual-Core 400MIPS processing DSP
- Surround modes: Auto surround / 13+1 advanced surround modes / Wide/Focus front-stage surround advance / Headphone surround / Virtual Surround Back
- HDMI precision quartz lock system (PQLS) jitterless transmission for Pioneer Blu-ray Disc player
- Remote control: Luminous, preprogrammed multi-operation remote control
Additional Specifications
- Video scaler upscales and converts analog video to HDMI 1080p/60Hz
- Other audio connections: USB iPod in / sub pre-amp output / 4 audio in, 1 Record out with tuner and front / Headphone output
- Digital video processing: SD Video Adjustment / 1080p via HDMI / Digital Video Converter to HDMI / PureCinemaI/P converter
- Deep Color / xvYCC / Aspect Ratio Adjust
- 192 kHz/24-bit DAC
- Zone-2 A/V output / Assignable surround back amplifier for Zone 2 / iPhone Zone 2
- Other audio decoding: Dolby Digital Plus/EX/5.1/Pro-Logic II; dts-ES/HD High Resolution/Express/96/24/Neo:6; WMA9 Pro; Neural Surround
- HDMI SACD transfer, HDMI DVD-audio transfer
- Pioneer Hybrid II PHAT amplifier technology
- Freescale's Newest Dual-Core 400MIPS processing DSP
Manufacturer Specifications
- Sirius satellite-radio ready with OSD
- Audio calibration features: Advanced MCACC speaker calibration / Symmetric AQ / Standing wave control / 9 EQ bands
- Amplifier: Advanced direct energy amplifier design
- SOUND ENHANCEMENTS: Stream Direct / Auto level control / Dialogue enhancement / Advanced sound retriever / Midnight mode
- SOUND ENHANCEMENTS: Loudness / Tone control / Lip-sync sound delay / Dynamic range control / LFE attenuator
- Speaker A/B: A+B
- Conveniences: GUI on-screen display / SR+ (PDP control port) / Display dimmer / Function rename / Sleep timer / Front A/V terminals / 63 tuner presets / AM/FM station rename
- Construction: Gloss black finish / Advanced Directy Energy power amplifier design / large speaker terminals
Dimensional Specifications
- Dimensions: 16.56" W x 6.25" H x 13.75" D
- Weight: 19.3 lbs
Pioneer VSX-1019AHK Warranty Details
1-year limited warranty