Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K manual Minute guide Chapter, Introduction to home theater

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5 minute guide

Chapter 2:

5 minute guide

Introduction to home theater

Home theater refers to the use of multiple audio tracks to create a surround sound effect, making you feel like you’re in the middle of the action or concert. The surround sound you get from a home theater system depends not only on your speaker setup, but also on the source and the sound settings of the receiver.

This receiver will automatically decode multichannel Dolby Digital, DTS, or Dolby Surround sources according to your speaker setup. In most cases, you won’t have to make changes for realistic surround sound, but other possibilities (like listening to a CD with multichannel surround sound) are explained in Listening to your system on page 30.

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Where you place the speakers will have a big effect on the sound. Place your speakers as shown below for the best surround sound effect. Also see Placing the speakers on page 22 for more on this.

Center (C)

Front

 

 

Right (R)

 

Front

 

Surround

Left (L)

Subwoofer (SW)

 

 

Right (SR)

Surround

Back Right (SBR)

Listening

position

Surround

 

Left (SL)

Surround Back Left (SBL)

Listening to Surround Sound

This receiver was designed with the easiest possible setup in mind, so with the following quick setup guide, you should have your system hooked up for surround sound in no time at all. In most cases, you can simply leave the receiver in the default settings.

•Be sure to complete all connections before connecting this receiver to an AC power source.

1 Connect your TV and DVD player.

See Connecting your TV and DVD player on page 17 to do this. For surround sound, you’ll want to hook up using a digital connection from the DVD player to the receiver.

2Connect your speakers and place them for optimal surround sound.

Connect your speakers as shown in Installing your speaker system on page 21.

3Plug in the receiver and switch it on, followed by your DVD player, your subwoofer and the TV.

Plug the power cable into the AC outlet and switch on the

receiver.1 Make sure you’ve set the video input on your TV to this receiver. Check the manual that came with the TV if you don’t know how to do this.

• Set the subwoofer volume to a comfortable level.

4Use the on-screen automatic MCACC setup to set up your system.

See Automatically setting up for surround sound (Auto MCACC) on page 10 for more on this.

5Play a DVD, and adjust the volume to your liking. Make sure that DVD is showing in the receiver’s display, indicating that the DVD input is selected. If it isn’t, press DVD on the remote control to set the receiver to the DVD input.

In addition to the basic playback explained in Playing a source on page 11, there are several other sound options you can select. See Listening to your system on page 30 for more on this.

See also Making receiver settings from the System Setup menu on page 38 for more setup options.

Note

1After this receiver is connected to an AC outlet, a 15-second HDMI initialization process begins. You cannot carry out any operations during this process. The HDMI indicator in the front panel display blinks during this process, and you can turn on this receiver once it has stopped blinking. When you set the HDMI Control mode to OFF, you can skip this process. For details about the HDMI Control feature, see HDMI Control on page 65.

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Contents VSX-1018AH-K Federal Communications Commission Declaration of Conformity Operating EnvironmentModel Number VSX-1018AH-K Responsible Party Name Keep in a Secure AREA. this is for Your SecurityRisk of Electric Shock Do not Open Wash hands after handling Contents Using other functions Other SettingsOther connections Hdmi ControlFeatures Before you startBefore you start Chapter Before you start Installing the receiverChecking what’s in the box Loading the batteriesMinute guide Chapter Minute guideIntroduction to home theater Listening to Surround SoundStart Minute guide Problems when using the Auto Mcacc SetupPlaying a source Select the input source you want to playPhase Control on Better sound using Phase ControlPhase Control OFF Phase Control indicator on the front panel lightsConnecting your equipment Connecting your equipment ChapterRear panel Connecting your equipment About the video converter Connecting your equipment When making cable connectionsAbout Hdmi Connecting your equipment Connecting using HdmiConnecting your Blu-ray disc player Connecting your equipment Connecting your TV and DVD playerConnect using a standard video cable Connect using an Hdmi cableFor a second recorder, use the DVR2 in inputs Connecting digital audio sources Using the component video jacksUse an optical cable for the connection.2 Use a three-way component video cableConnecting a component to the front panel inputs Connecting analog audio sourcesAbout the WMA9 Pro decoder Use a coaxial cable for the connectionConnecting the speakers Connecting your equipment Installing your speaker systemBare wire connections Placing the speakersBanana plug connections Connecting external antennas Connecting antennasPlug the power cord into a power outlet Connecting your equipment Plugging in the receiverControls and displays Chapter Controls and displaysFront panel 12 13Operating range of remote control unit Controls and displaysSpeakers Controls and displays Display RECEIVER Controls and displays Remote controlSOURCE TV CtrlMute ReceiverListening to your system Chapter Listening to your systemAuto playback Listening in surround soundListening to your system Using the Advanced surround effectsListening in stereo Pro Logic IIx Music SeeListening to your system Using Front Stage Surround Advance Using Stream DirectSelecting Mcacc presets Choosing the input signal Using surround back channel processingHdmi Digital Analog Using the Virtual Surround Back mode Using the genre synchronizing function DTS-HD Master Audio/DTS-HD DTS-EXPRESS encoded stereoSources Using the tuner Chapter Using the tunerSaving station presets Listening to the radioNaming station presets Using the tunerListening to station presets AbcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzSystem Setup menu Chapter System Setup menuMaking receiver settings from the System Setup menu Select the setting you want to adjustMcacc System Setup menuIf necessary, confirm the speaker configuration OSD.1 Manual Mcacc setup Surround back speaker settingSelect ‘Fine SP Distance’ from the Manual Mcacc setup menu Adjust the level of the left channelFine Channel Level Fine Speaker DistanceStanding Wave Acoustic Calibration EQ AdjustHow to interpret the graphical output How to use Acoustic Calibration EQ ProfessionalAcoustic Calibration EQ Professional Frequency response of your room.1Using Acoustic Calibration EQ Professional Select ‘EQ Professional’, then press EnterSelect an option and press Enter Data Management Select ‘Data Management’ from the System Setup menuCopying Mcacc preset data Checking Mcacc preset dataRenaming Mcacc presets Clearing Mcacc presetsSpeaker Setting System Setup menu Manual speaker setupSelect ‘Manual SP Setup’, then press Enter Select ‘Speaker Setting’ from the Manual SP Setup menuConfirm your selected setup option Select a setup optionAdjust the level of each channel using / Channel LevelCurve Speaker DistanceConnecting your iPod to the receiver Connecting an iPodOther connections Other connections ChapterSwitching the iPod controls2 Other connectionsBasic playback controls Connecting your USB device to the receiver Other connections Connecting a USB deviceSwitch on the receiver and your TV Basic playback controlsUsing XM Radio Connecting your XM Radio receiverCompressed audio compatibility Saving channel presets Using XM HD SurroundUsing the XM Menu Listening to XM RadioConnecting your Sirius Connect Tuner Using Sirius RadioPress Sirius to switch to the Sirius input Listening to Sirius RadioUsing the Sirius Menu Connecting the multichannel analog inputsPress / to select the channel preset you want Sirius Menu provides additional Sirius Radio features.2Switching the speaker system Speaker B setupAre for the Speaker B setting only.2 Selecting the multichannel analog inputsBi-wiring your speakers Bi-amping your front speakersConnect your speakers as shown below MULTI-ZONE listening Other connections Connecting additional amplifiersMaking MULTI-ZONE connections LargeBasic MULTI-ZONE setup Zone Using the MULTI-ZONE controlsSurround Back System MULTI-ZONE setup Zone MULTI-ZONE listening optionsMULTI-ZONE remote controls Connecting an IR receiverUse the Master Volume dial to adjust the volume Press ControlVideo ANT MPX Signal SEL Setting the Hdmi Control mode Setting the Hdmi optionsHdmi Control Hdmi Control ChapterBefore using synchronization Synchronized amp modeHdmi Control About Hdmi ControlOther Settings Chapter Other SettingsInput Setup menu SetupOther Setup menu Other SettingsInput function default and possible settings Press Receiver on the remote control, then press SetupZone Audio Setup Multi Channel Input SetupOSD Adjustment SR+ Setup for Pioneer flat panel TVsSelect ‘SR+ Setup’ from the Other Setup menu Select the ‘PDP Volume Control’ setting you wantUsing other functions Chapter Using other functionsSetting the Audio options Press Return to confirm and exit the menuSetting the Video options Using other functionsAUTOc IMAGEhSelect the source you want to record Making an audio or a video recordingPrepare the source you want to record Tune to the radio station, load the CD, video, DVD, etcSwitching the speaker impedance Using the sleep timerChecking your system settings Dimming the displayDefault system settings Resetting the systemPress the front panel Auto SURR/STREAM Direct button Press Sound Retriever to confirmSelecting preset codes directly Setting the remote to control other componentsPreset code list Controlling the rest of your systemControls for TVs Controlling the rest of your systemTV  Controls for other componentsCH + VOL +Decide which component you want to use the remote sensor Power TroubleshootingAdditional information Additional information ChapterAdditional information Other audio problems Video SettingsSignal SEL button Professional Calibration EQ graphical outputDisplay USB interface Remote controlOther setting for your component Or other setting for your componentReceiver to a component or TV with the DeepColor feature Hdcp Error showsConfiguration B Configuration aImportant information regarding the Hdmi connection XM radio messagesSirius radio messages Dolby Additional information Surround sound formatsDTS Digital Surround Windows Media Audio 9 ProfessionalDTS Neo6 DTS 96/24About Sirius Additional information About XMAbout Neural THX Surround About XM Radio XM Ready LegalStereo 2 channel signal formats PRO Logic aNeural THX b PRO Logic DTS +2 Pro Logic llx Movie a Multichannel signal formatsDTS +2 Pro Logic llx Music DTS +Neo6Dolby Digital Plus Straight decoding Dolby Digital Surround Direct Pure DirectAdditional information Specifications Additional information Cleaning the unit To establish a safe level Once you have established a comfortable sound levelDecibel Level Example Pioneer Corporation

VSX-1018AH-K specifications

The Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K is a powerful home theater receiver that embodies a blend of quality, features, and innovative technology, making it a standout choice for audio enthusiasts and casual listeners alike. This 7.1-channel receiver boasts a robust output of 110 watts per channel, designed to deliver immersive audio across various environments.

One of the key features of the VSX-1018AH-K is its support for advanced audio formats, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. These formats provide a lossless soundtrack experience, ensuring that audio reproduction remains faithful to the original source. This receiver is also equipped with Pioneer’s proprietary MCACC (Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration System), which allows users to optimize sound settings based on their specific room acoustics. By analyzing and adjusting the sound fields, MCACC ensures that every listener enjoys an enhanced audio experience.

In terms of connectivity, the VSX-1018AH-K excels with its array of inputs and outputs. It includes multiple HDMI inputs, allowing users to seamlessly connect various devices such as Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, and streaming devices. Additionally, it supports HDMI version 1.3, which means it can handle high-definition video signals and deep color technology, enhancing the overall viewing experience.

For those who appreciate versatility, this receiver also features built-in support for both wireless and wired network audio streaming. Users can connect to their home network to enjoy music stored on their devices or access popular streaming services. The USB port allows for easy connection of flash drives, enabling playback of high-resolution audio files.

Moreover, the receiver is equipped with a user-friendly interface and an intuitive remote control, making it easy to navigate through various settings and options. The graphical user interface is designed for simplicity, enabling users to customize preferences without hassle.

The Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K not only focuses on sound but also on video quality, thanks to its upscale capabilities that can convert standard-definition video to high-definition, ensuring that all media looks great on HD displays. Overall, the Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K represents a comprehensive solution for anyone looking to enhance their home theater system, merging advanced technology with user-friendly features aimed at delivering an unparalleled home entertainment experience.
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