Bought a Pioneer vsx 817 Dts 7.1 av receiver second hand for 10k

Audiolab 7000N Play Network Streamer with DAC
Considering you have bought it already - there is "no way back" so now there is only "one way forward" and that is to maximise your enjoyment with what you have.

Now, I would find the best way possible to have the maximum output from the device and see what I can do to ensure that I get my money's worth. Yes there will be certain challenges with the AVR but what you have is always the best device. Get it going, have fun with it, it should be a good stopgap till you get the next upgrade (we all get there at some point) and you will know next time exactly what you want.
 
efernand1 said:
Yes but check everything and also read online about the AVR model.
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Mixed reviews online. Some say it is cumbersome due to toslink and no hdmi while others say Pioneer vsx 8xx is a great vfm receiver. Infact 8xx and 9xx are good pioneer series it seems. The rearview in detail, I found it in internet as some of you have requested. (Attached pic)
Some say the clarity of sound is clean and it kicksass even in this day and age having been invented during Tipu Sultan inheriting Hyder Ali's assets era. Still a properly working AVR at 10k is a first stop. Now I can work my way into speaker purchases like LCR then surrounds and then when I accumulate enough in another few months may take the 3700 denon route retaining the same speakers. It has bought me time basically. A stop gap arrangement in true sense of the words.

 
Donivlapog said:
It does not have an hdmi out slot - only two optical outs.
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Why would an AVR have an optical out? Optical is meant for sound and AVR is the device processing the sound. Those are optical in ports.
raghupb said:
If you TV has HDMI, connect the sources to TV and take OPT out to AVR.
Newer TVs will do all the fancy video stuff. Just take the audio out to AVR via OPT.
Click to expand...
This is sound advice (no pun intended). connect your video source directly to TV and use optical to take the sound directly to AVR. If ARC works for you, then great. Otherwise get a media player with Optical out, like the Mi Box.
 
gourav said:
Why would an AVR have an optical out? Optical is meant for sound and AVR is the device processing the sound. Those are optical in ports.

This is sound advice (no pun intended). connect your video source directly to TV and use optical to take the sound directly to AVR. If ARC works for you, then great. Otherwise get a media player with Optical out, like the Mi Box.
Click to expand...
Yes, I was doing a similar thing with a htib and it only had one issue - I have to toggle/switch remotes to control the audio device seperately and not sync control through TV remote. Dolby true HD and DTS HD master formats will not play uncompressed in toslink however I found there were hardly much disconnections/loose connections either as compared to hdmi ARC connection. Infact at times with no reasons audio refused to play through hdmi ARC and after flipping cables from one side to the other, it would with no logic behind it. S/PDIF connections were stable comparitively.
 
gourav said:
This is sound advice (no pun intended). connect your video source directly to TV and use optical to take the sound directly to AVR. If ARC works for you, then great. Otherwise get a media player with Optical out, like the Mi Box.
Click to expand...
ARC? the AVR does not have HDMI
 
Donivlapog said:
Mixed reviews online. Some say it is cumbersome due to toslink and no hdmi while others say Pioneer vsx 8xx is a great vfm receiver. Infact 8xx and 9xx are good pioneer series it seems. The rearview in detail, I found it in internet as some of you have requested. (Attached pic)
Some say the clarity of sound is clean and it kicksass even in this day and age having been invented during Tipu Sultan inheriting Hyder Ali's assets era. Still a properly working AVR at 10k is a first stop. Now I can work my way into speaker purchases like LCR then surrounds and then when I accumulate enough in another few months may take the 3700 denon route retaining the same speakers. It has bought me time basically. A stop gap arrangement in true sense of the words.

Click to expand...

Indeed the 800 series onwards is considered the Top line in Pioneer and the SC LX ones too. The AVR you have was top of the line then and will give you excellent sound quality as not many brands build AVRs today like they used to in the past 15-20 years back.

Use the AVR purely for sound and connect all the other devices using available options. Use this AVR for sometime and also hunt for another once when funds permit so that you can then get an AVR with latest features within budget and sell this one off and recover some funds.
 
Donivlapog said:
Mixed reviews online. Some say it is cumbersome due to toslink and no hdmi while others say Pioneer vsx 8xx is a great vfm receiver. Infact 8xx and 9xx are good pioneer series it seems. The rearview in detail, I found it in internet as some of you have requested. (Attached pic)
Some say the clarity of sound is clean and it kicksass even in this day and age having been invented during Tipu Sultan inheriting Hyder Ali's assets era. Still a properly working AVR at 10k is a first stop. Now I can work my way into speaker purchases like LCR then surrounds and then when I accumulate enough in another few months may take the 3700 denon route retaining the same speakers. It has bought me time basically. A stop gap arrangement in true sense of the words.
Click to expand...
Not a bad deal. Prices are inflated these days. Even if price of Denon 3700 comes down by 10K by the time you buy it, you will be in the clear.
I myself transitioned from and an old toslink based AVR to 3700 recently. Other than AAC, DD+ and Dolby-TrueHD you don't really have to worry about anything else.
So not considering Sony HT A9 anymore?
 
rshri said:
Not a bad deal. Prices are inflated these days. Even if price of Denon 3700 comes down by 10K by the time you buy it, you will be in the clear.
I myself transitioned from and an old toslink based AVR to 3700 recently. Other than AAC, DD+ and Dolby-TrueHD you don't really have to worry about anything else.
So not considering Sony HT A9 anymore?
Click to expand...
True. Sony HT A9 is not in my radar currently.
 
DB1989 said:
Unless i'm mistaken (and please correct me if I'm wrong), it is only relevant if the device (such as soundbar/active speakers, AVR) is connected to the TV through HDMI
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That device he mentions to be connected to the TV and s/PDIF toslink to the AVR from TV. If TV AVR works good or else he gives a solution, this is what I deciphered.
 
My friend had a Nakamichi AVR with almost the same specs . He had his video devices connected to the TV via HDMI and had an optical out from TV to the AVR. He was enjoying 5.1 via his Bose speakers for a very long time till finally it broke down. Now he has an entry level Denon AVR with two channel Atmos and is thrilled.
 
efernand1 said:
Indeed the 800 series onwards is considered the Top line in Pioneer and the SC LX ones too. The AVR you have was top of the line then and will give you excellent sound quality as not many brands build AVRs today like they used to in the past 15-20 years back.
Click to expand...

Not here to spoil the party, but there are two lines of Pioneer. VSX and LX, both have 800 series.
VSX is the mid tier line or can say entry level one but better version.

I owned the VSX 834, that was very good for stereo too.
 
Donivlapog said:
The seller demoed it with a 5.0 and he claims subwoofer will work well if connected. It does not have an hdmi out slot - only two optical outs. I don't require more than that and besides there are no AVRs for less than 60k these days. Is it a good deal. I will be pairing in a week taga harmony TAV 807 and a subwoofer also taga. Is it a good buy?
Click to expand...
Yes good. Since it doesn't have HDMI ,u can take optical out from your TV ( set PCM in TV digital out sound settings )and connect it to the receiver.

Only drawback is Dts hdma & Dolby truehd sound track will be down converted and played by AVR.
 
RajithKumar said:
Yes good. Since it doesn't have HDMI ,u can take optical out from your TV ( set PCM in TV digital out sound settings )and connect it to the receiver.

Only drawback is Dts hdma & Dolby truehd sound track will be down converted and played by AVR.
Click to expand...
I am prepared for that as
1) I am graduating from a Sony HTRT3 htib which didn't play those lossless formats either.
2) My ears will first need to get used to a better sharper intermediate clarity of audio before i plunge into Atmos, Dolby true HD and DTS HD master over a year or so.
3) I will get used to amplifiers especially AVRs with speakers combo instead of the current Mickey mouse versions of them that I have been sadly destined to use all these years such as sound bars and distorted htib and would handle the costly AVR in future better hopefully.
 
BLASTO said:
What is the purpose of this thread btw?
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I don't know! Just sharing about my second hand purchase and trying to fish out public opinion. I have been hesitant in spending more for basic AVR and while I took some FMs advice of going for second hand AVR, I wanted to physically check the piece myself. Not by means of a blind buy through internet or OLX. Dysfunctional ones I rejected after inspecting although they say you could repair them.

Hdmi based AVRs are more likely to give me a serious repair cost not this is what I was told by the seller. Many agree to that but then optical out is not a full meal deal either. So was looking for some commentary.
 
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