Pioneer VSX-516 6.1ch receiver with USB, MP3, AAC and WMA playback

Pioneer continues to pump out surround-sound receivers with the ability to play digital audio files via a USB port, and the latest in the line, the VSX-516, adds a few new tricks, including support for the latest Dolby standards. The VSX-516 also continues Pioneer's support for WMA9 Pro, for lossless playback. And the VSX-516 also represents a decent price drop: Pioneer's first amp with similar features, 2003's VSA-AX10Ai-N, went for a whopping ¥500,000 (about $4,400), while the new model is just ¥49,500 ($440), or about a tenth of the price of the older model. What a difference three years makes.

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 12:33PM]

Nice piece of equipment. When will it be avail. in north america?

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 12:45PM]

A quick google search for Pioneer VSX-516 turns up prices under $200, not $440. Seems like a decent piece of equiptment.

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 12:52PM]

I'm confused.
http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?sHist=12-125%2c6-32&menu=true&id=30944

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 1:01PM]

Confusious - that OneCall link is for the "VSX-516s" model - doesn't have the USB port on the front.

So... can you just "plug & play" using a cheap external USB hard drive loaded with WMA9 lossless files? What kind of interface does the receiver provide for selecting song/albums, setting up play lists, etc?

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 1:22PM]

The 'S' stands for silver.
There's also a 'B' for black model.

I did notice there's no USB on the front, but otherwise it's pretty much the same, 'cept less than half the price.

Maybe this is a Japanese-only model?

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 1:26PM]

It's too bad this unit doesn't have HDMI. I don't think I'd invest in a new receiver these days without HDMI.

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 1:44PM]

I'm with Tek.... when does this come to North America?

Having been a long time user and fan of Pioneer amps and receivers, this one looks like a winner. And pretty reasonable at under $500 for all it has.

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 2:29PM]

Nice but why does it have to be so bloody big? What do they use in japan for home theater where space can be a concern?

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 6:22PM]

Does it do FLAC / ape / other lossless formats is what I want to know.

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 6:49PM]

Good point about the interface - I imagine an on screen
display would be the way. But something I think will become standard on Amps is OLED displays or something with a gui. I'm yet to see even a high end amp with some sort of nice GUI on it - if I can get it on $50 cell phone it should start turning up on highend amps and eventually on us normal persons amps.

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 6:59PM]

USB playback eh? I didn't realise USB was a codec /sarcasm

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 7:10PM]

Here is a link on Pioneer's website for the same model that One Call is selling.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/detail/0,,2076_4153_299867014,00.html

Makes me wonder if it is one and the same as the one on the Japan site, since it doesn't show the usb port on the American webpage:

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20060526/pioneer.htm

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 7:41PM]

This is nowhere near as good as the VSA-AX10Ai-N, which is about as high end as it gets.

This only means Pioneer is putting USB support into its lower end amps, which is good, but I'd prefer the playback of DivX videos from USB rather than just audio files.

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 8:29PM]

WMA pro is not lossless. It is the multichannel (5.1) flavor of WMA. WMA Lossless is a different codec and these devices don;t support it, AFAIK.

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2006 9:05PM]

No HDMI/DVI inputs or outputs, so not enough to be really cool.

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2006 8:14AM]

@2 - first truth.
@1 - first dork.

[(Unverified) Posted May 28th 2006 1:48AM]

I love this. I want this.

But why the heck would they put the USB port in front (unless they also have one in back)?! Who wants wires sticking out of the front of a nice looking piece of audio equipment?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 5th 2009 3:33AM]

HI i have a nice vsx 516 with usb in front but doesint play anything when i plug usb unit in ,i apreciate if somebody can help me! NARCIS from CONSTANTA ROMANIA,thanks!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 8th 2006 7:53PM]

How come the store rep. told me that Onkyo is better than Pioneer. I have Bose speakers and I need a good receiver..I wanted Pioneer to begin with but Is Onkyo a better choice?

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 5th 2008 9:44AM]

I bought one in Kuala Lumpur. Now I find it has 3 output IC's (STK 412-230C)which do not work. Can anybody suggest where to look for them??