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| |  | Top Home Entertainment | Home » » Pioneer VSX-1120-K 7.1 Home Theater Receiver | | | | | | | Description: | | Key Features are I20 Watts x 7 – (20Hz – 20kHz @ 8 ohm w/ .08%THD) It has a 7 Channel Direct Energy Configurable Amplifier with Surround Back. Dolby Pro-logic IIz or B Speaker, THX Select 2 Plus Certified, Dolby True-HD / DTS-HD Master Audio, Advanced MCACC with 9 Band EQ , PQLS – Multi-Channel, Auto Level Control – Multi-Channel, Sound Retriever AIR – Multi- channel . It has a Internet Radio. It supports iPod Digital USB / USB Memory Audio, HDMI 1.4 (6 In / 2 out), 3-D and Audio return Channel, Dual HDMI Output, front HDMi In Marvell I080p Video Scaler. Analog to HDMi Video Conversion. It has HDMI to HDMI 1080p Scaling. Component Video (2 in / 1 out). Full Color GUI. It has PC Control with Multi-Zone A/V Pre-out. 9.1 Channel Pre-outs, RS-232 & Detacheable Power and Learning Remote Control | | | Features: | |
• "Works with iPhone" certification and front USB connectivity provide iPod, touch
• Simple connectivity of high-performance HD video, HD audio, portable, internet, wireless
• The latest version of HDMI inputs and outputs provide more HD connectivity options with "future-proof" 3-D capability
• 1080p video conversion and upscaling ensures the highest quality video from any source--even "legacy" analog
• High-Power Discrete Transistor multi-hannel amplifiers. Channels 7.1 Power Output Per Channel(20Hz-20kHz,.08%THD@8ohm) 110 Power Output Per Channel (1kHz@8ohm) 120 Power Output Per Channel (1kHz@6ohm) 125
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 17.06 inches | | Product Width:
| 16.55 inches | | Product Height:
| 6.82 inches | | Product Weight:
| 28.82 pounds | | Package Length:
| 20.9 inches | | Package Width:
| 20.6 inches | | Package Height:
| 12.0 inches | | Package Weight:
| 34.5 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 78 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 78 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
126 of 134 found the following review helpful:
 Pioneer takes the Yellow Jersey in Mid-Range ReceiversJul 31, 2010
By WDH
Despite the rather disappointing announcement of their departure from the Plasma arena and the de facto departure from in-house blu ray players, Pioneer appears to have made a bold move into the highly competitive mid-range receiver market. Denon and Onkyo have released fiercely competitive models in the $700 price-range that couple either excellent video processing, streamed media, and ample connectivity. My recent review of the Denon AVR891 confirmed their continued competitive product line, but I did lament it lacked some of the swiss army knife approach sometimes imperfectly utilized by Onkyo (the 891 lacks internet-streaming, surround wide processing, and basic rear-panel connectivity). That said, Denon's use of the ABT chipset (begun last year with the ABT-2010 and continued this year with the ABT-2015) was my preferred AVR video processing (I performed it over Reon XV, Farjouda chips, and lower spec'd ABT chips).
Having owned the 1120's successor both in elite (21) and no-elite (9040) form, I was always impressed by their power, sonic quality, and design. That said, they lacked what had rapidly become basic featureset in 2009 (wide or height presence configuration, only four hdmi inputs, and only analogue video processing). The 1120's little brother the VSX-1020 established a reasonably high bar for the 1120 to hurdle in bringing internet radio, iphone control, six hdmi, and wide/height processing in a tidy package widely available under $500. That said, the 1020 was a very compotent and efficient entry-level receiver, but lacked some of the longer legs for bigger rooms or thirsty speakers. Enter the 1120.
The 1120 shares the same deep chassis of the 9140 and Elite 21. At over 17" deep, it is almost four inches deeper and four pounds heavier than the 1020. It's also over two inches deeper and four and a half pounds heavier than the Denon 891. The design is conservative and almost identical to last year's 9040 with a front fascia that is masculine and angular. Beneath the pop-out front input cover are a USB port for Iphone and Ipod playback, an HDMI port and the setup microphone input. The HDMI input is a nice touch for camcorders and other temporary connected inputs (Onkyo offers similar with 708 while Denon has six rear-mounted HDMI inputs).
The rear panel is also similar to last year's 9040, but four more speaker binding posts have been added for height and wide processing (Pioneer uses MCACC wide since the auto-callibration software is not done via Audyssey DSX). Importantly, the Pioneer has 9.1 pre-outs for those looking to use an external amplifier. Unfortunately, this connectivity has been removed from the Denon AVR2311 and 891 that are natural competitors of the 1120 by price alone.
The remote is very similar to the 1020 in layout, but it is backlit and contains XM and Zone 3. While Pioneer's remote is not as easily identified with small, similar buttons compared to the Denon, it is learning and back-lit, which is a step ahead of the 891/2311/991/3311. Onyko offers a learning remote in the TX NR708, but is not fully backlit.
Setting up the receiver with MCACC is quick and easy, but each MCACC setting measures the white noise and reverb from speakers from only a single memory point whereas Audyssey MultiEQ in the Denon incorporates multiple locations' measurements. This might have an impact on callibration depending on the layout of one's room. That said, I find both tend have a significant impact on accuracy and each have their tweaking benefits.
Once I had setup my 5.1 plus heights layout, I was very impressed with the 1120. While it appears to share a lot of the same audio section with the 9040, it seems to have a wider soundstage, which might have something to do with the presence speakers (I was previously passively bi-amping the height speakers with the 9040). After listening to a variety of blu rays and SACDs from my Oppo, I was nothing but amazed by the power and quality of the sound. Please keep in mind I am of the school that callibrated mid and entry level receivers tend to offer about the same quality audio with incremental differences - speakers (and power to push them) have the biggest impact on quality. That said, this is a very capable receiver that keeps putting me in trouble with my wife to turn it down!
The 1120 really shines in video processing with the Marvell Qdeo chip that offers very similar deinterlacing proficiency to the ABT-2015, but shines with multiple noise reduction settings. On my 54" panasonic plasma, I have found that video processing via the 1120's noise reduction settings does help clean up noisy 1080i hd programing. That said, its benefit is incremental, and like all video processors, is not magical in its ability to render standard definition sources as blu ray quality. The video processing settings are applicable per input, which is ideal considering most people should only use it for cable boxes and not bdps.
While this receiver does have a few noticeable shortcomings (lack of on screen display and pandora streaming), it is an incredible package at its current street price floating between $600 and $700. Its rare ability to not molest hdmi video and apply meaningful noise reduction is excellent. Its power, flexibility, and connectivity is excellent, though I would like to see 7.1 MCH inputs. All in all, it's a very competitive offering and highly recommended.
34 of 34 found the following review helpful:
Solid performance at a bargain priceNov 12, 2010
By Kenneth Koers
This review is written from someone who has never had the experience of an A/V receiver before. So when I started looking around, I immediately felt like I was in deep water. It's worse than choosing a car, I swear. I wanted something cheap enough to be affordable now, but have enough features and specs to enable me to use it even as I expand/improve my home theater in the coming years. But I spent a lot of time combing through reviews online, product specifications, and forums before settling on this bad boy. I even went so far as to create a spreadsheet that compared weighted values of features and specs. Yeah, talk about nerd alert. So here's my overall impression. If you want to skip to the end, there's some important notes that I was confused about while purchasing that might help out.
Aesthetically, it's very sexy. I was kind of turned off from a lot of other models that had a slew of buttons or other such clutter on the front. I prefer the sleek facade. It does have enough buttons on the front to give you a good deal of functionality, without making the front look like a remote. The overall construction is very solid. The buttons don't feel cheap, the knobs are solid and turn smoothly. Although the front is plastic, it looks very nice and I'm quite sure it's polycarbonate, which is very tough. It sure does have some heft to it as well, which is reassuring. All of the speaker connections on the back feel sturdy.
The connections available on this boggle the mind. There's anything you could ever need. Sure, there's other models that have 481692437 HDMI connections, but seriously who needs that many? I can't think of how you could even use more than the 5 inputs the 1120 gives you. It offers up to 7.1 surround, which would have been real nice if they'd offered 7.2, but I'll survive. It is listed as 110 watts per channel. I realize the whole controversy about how little this can tell you and that most manufacturers inflate these numbers. But the total output is still a hefty 400 watts, which should be enough for most anyone who doesn't have power-gobbling speakers. And if your speakers are that thirsty, what are you doing looking at a mid-range receiver? The remote is a bit crowded, but makes sense once you take a minute and look at it. Plus it's got a lot of functionality as a universal remote, with preset codes for many manufacturers included in the Pioneer manual. It's a breeze to set up, and I can now control all of my electronics - except the PS3 - with my receiver remote. The backlight button is well placed, my only gripe here is that once the buttons are lit there's still no way to tell what the button does even if you can see it, so you still look like you're shooting in the dark. Lighting up the labels would have been nice, or some sort of distinguishing feature on the buttons themselves.
As for features, this has plenty. I don't much care for the i-phone connectivity, since I don't much care for i-phones. It'd have been nice if they had upped the ante to include "smartphone connectivity" instead. but something I might not have used anyway. The upscaling Marvell chipset does a very nice job of taking even standard definition pictures and making them look like 1080i. Based on my non-professional opinion, it seems to handle it better than my PS3. The on-screen menu is a god-send, I can't imagine having to set all of the options available through the tiny screen on the front of the unit. it's relatively intuitive, and not hard to find what you're looking for. Which is impressive given the number of options available. Setting up the MCACC was a breeze, and I found that I was very happy with the arrangement that it gave me. I would have preferred a little more bass, but then again I don't have a subwoofer yet.
You are also given several different sound options, which is nice. I preferred the direct setting for music, which bypasses much of the audio processing, which projected a more clear, authentic sound. For movies I left it on the Auto Surround setting, which did wonderfully for a full sound stage. I won't be using the Sirius satellite radio, but I guess it's neat that it's there, in case I change my mind in the future. The neat thing for me was the network capability. I haven't set up the internet radio yet, but I probably will.
I love this product, and would buy it again in a second. It sounds great, pushes plenty of power to my Klipsch speakers, and finally gives me a terrific anchor for my home theater system with tons of upward capability still. For the price it's going at, this is the best you'll find for your money. Happy listening.
*Notes*
Although this unit contains speaker connections for 9 speakers, there's limited capability for what you can use at a time. The gist of it is that it allows you to do 7.1 with either front wide/height OR rear surround, 5.1 with a second zone, or 5.1 with passively bi-amped front speakers (which is my current set-up).
C-net did a review of the Pioneer VSX-1020-K 7.1 Home Theater Receiver in which they said that it lacks HDMI passthrough. This may or may not be true for the 1020, but there seemed to be nothing I could find on if the 1120 contained HDMI passthrough and most seemed to assume it did not. Let me be the one to say unequivocally that the 1120 does indeed support HDMI passthrough, and I was using it just last night.
48 of 51 found the following review helpful:
it was hard but..good thing i waited....Aug 02, 2010
By Jose R. Alarcon
"Alarcon Household"
like so many of you i waited, try to look at as many reviews as possible, weight the pros and cons of every manufacturer and at the end for a number of resons i decide to go w the 1120. i was lucky enough that i got mine at an incredible price from [...] through amazon and pay less the MSRP, and also got one of the very first units 3 weeks before arrives in amazon, which give me some time to put it to the test before writing this review. First things first, the unit looks amazing it is heavier and deeper than the 1020, set up took me about 2 hours ,is a good idea to take it easy and READ through the manual as much as you can since you can easily bypass important info that relates directly to your receiver functioning the way it should, for example have all the speaker connections ready and well identified if possible and take note of which components and what inputs are being used so you dont go crazy later trying to remember what is where, (before plugging the unit) obvious to do for some audiophiles, but not so, to the guys that are running to listen to this baby in action...!!
for reference only, this is my set up:
TV: 60pg60 Plasma (60 inch)
directv HD
BD: Playstation 3 Slim
GC: XBox 360,
GC:WII black
MP: HD media player (western Difital) w 2 TB hard drive.
Also using an universal remote control (Harmony 900)
Everything is behind cabinet doors away from view.
All of this components are connected to the 1120 via HDMI (except wii) and the output HDMI 1.4 to the tv, so inmediatly i free up space on my tv and dont have more than 1 cable attached to it. SET UP is very easy though, for internet connection im using a point of acces (netgear) wireless, and installation has being a breeze, the reciever identified the connection and had a whole bunch of internet radio stations pre-installed that i can edit, add, or delete if i want to. I also have the iphone and to be honest the one feature that i was looking forward to use and test was to being able to watch my music videos and movies on my plasma and i can assure anyone: i was not disapointed!!, the quality is VERY GOOD, and yes, in the event of receiving a phone call it pauses and than continues once you hang up. Same with music, even though the GUI could have being a little more sophisticated it was easy to navigate through both music and videos, also have the icontrolav app, and is not as bad as some audiophiles may say, yes is very basic, and you need to be in front of your receiver for it to work, but i like the fact that you can swith inputs as well as volume , balance, and a few more things... As Far as VIDEO.. even my wife could see a difference..YEs is noticeable even with my cable box (directv) and WII console. Also the resolution out of my WD media center is only 480P but it seems to be 720 or more (depending on the file) thanks to the marvel Chip that drives the 1120. by the way, most of the movies i have in the media center are compressed using an MKV file, and they view in dvd quality and sound, and talking about.. SOUND...finally,.. I have this receiver paired up with Definitive technologies PRO800 series speakers (5.1 configuration) and my living room is open to my kitchen a good 25ft by 15ft w ceilings 10ft high. i tested the receiver for a number of days with both music and movies, it was delightful to hear some of my old dvd and see them again with the 1120, in movies like matrix or Pirates the caribean you could hear clean ,crisp, loud explosion, rain, bone crushing without distortion even at high volume, new movies like shutter island, or avatar are amazing to the point that even at very low volumes is a treat for the ears..Andrea Boccelli concerts, Marylin Manson or Duran-Duran put you and any listener in the middle of it..in voice detail as well as high and low frequencies,instruments never sounded so good, bass is up to you,no complaints at all here, the only thing is that i did have a bit of a problem trying to decide which sound decoder to use, there are so many options and they all sound great, i think neo 6 + THX and Dolby proIIz + THX may be my favorites for both movies and music but that's just me. in case theres any doubt..SOUND is really IMPRESSIVE, the options galore, great video processing, THX, Internet radio, i phone connectivity and much more have made me a true believer on Pioneer, im glad i waited and glad that i did not received a bad unit, it happens with every manufacurer out there no matter wether is pioneer, Onkyo or APPLE...but my experience with the 1120k has being A+ all the way...will do an update in a few weeks after more "testing". but if anybody has any questions specifically let me know and will try to reply asap.
13 of 13 found the following review helpful:
Incredible Receiver for the Money!Nov 02, 2010
By AH
Purchased this receiver last week from Amazon for $425.00 with 50.00 rebate I found on another website with direct link to Amazon. At almost half the cost of the equivalent Denon and Onkyo receivers and more features this is a bargain. Sound was not great out of the box but MCACC got my speakers rocking fast. Very easy setup and configuration. Big thunderous bass and definitely a difference over my Pioneer Elite VSX-52tx. Even my Polk subwoofer is happier now. Setting it up properly is really important to get good sound. Plenty of power for my Polk surround speakers. Tons of HDMI inputs. Just remember you can't go from HDMI to Component out to TV. If you get the Apple TV with only HDMI output you will need an HDMI input on the TV. This receiver and most HD receivers only upscale, they don't go down. In other words if you have any peripherals connected by HDMI to this receiver, you cannot output through Component to your monitor. You need an HDMI input on the monitor.
Remote needs to be replaced by a universal professional remote like the Harmony. Internet connection is not a big deal and only adds about 20 internet radio stations and iPhone connectivity for an app that really isn't that full featured anyways. I wouldn't look at ethernet connectivity as a big deal here. Bluetooth adapter is great though for streaming iphone songs and radio players like Pandora and AOL radio. Iphone connection on the front wasn't that big of a deal to me neither since it only plays from iTunes library and the album art is not impressive. Get Apple TV if you want impressive artwork from your iTunes library. I prefer the wireless bluetooth for iPhone streaming. I can go from my car to the house and it picks up right where the song left off.
Flimsy plastic cover on the front is cheap. Really not needed though. Looks fine without it.
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
Excellent, detailed sound, great value, Home Theater magazine "TOP PICK"Jan 25, 2011
By Maharajah
I have recently tried a Marantz NR1601, Yamaha HTR5063 and Denon AVR-1911. The Denon and Marantz made a VERY LOUD popping noise(the first time I thought my new speakers blew up), when time shifting a recordeded tv show (skipping commercials) from my Windows 7 based HTPC (google "WMC7 speaker popping" and check the thread on thegreenbutton.com) Yamaha and Pioneer do not have the issue (Marantz and Denon sounded good, but Yamaha did not sound good). That brought me to the Pioneer (but thinking about it now, I should have tried the Pioneer first), and I want others to learn, without going through all the trouble that I had to go through.
Note that the Pioneer VSX-1120-k has the exact same specifications (including weight) as the Pioneer Elite VSX-32. Only difference is the Elite has a 12v trigger (that I do not need), 2 less HDMI inputs and maybe a slightly different remote, and cosmetic differences (and of course, the Elite costs more). The Pioneer VSX-1120-k is an excellent value at its current sale price at ~$500 price point (The Elite is currently ~$800 at Best Buy Magnolia). Sound wise, the Pioneer VSX-1120-k should sound exactly the same as Pioneer Elite VSX-32 (as well as the Pioneer Elite VSX-33, which has more features, and costs ~$1000 at Best Buy Magnolia). Please check the specifications for yourself on the product sheet, owner's manual and side by side comparison on Pioneer's website.
Pioneer VSX-1120-k Pros (that matter to me):
Excellent, detailed, clear sound (music and home theater use), with plenty of power (you may hear some people say that Pioneer tends to sound a bit bright - I have read that those complaints were for models from several years ago, and Pioneer has come a long way since then). I feel this Pioneer's sound is a bit more natural, and NOTICEABALY MORE detailed than the Denon and Marantz (and of course, Yamaha). Also, it has excellent stereo imaging.
Quote from Pioneer tech support rep's email, regarding 1120 vs 1020:
"Personally, I like the 1120 better for sound and features. Even though you may not use the power, it will sound cleaner. Like having a V8 engine instead of a V6. Both go fast, but the V8 strains less and sounds better." (good analogy, in my opinion)
Continuous power output of 110 watts per channel (20Hz to 20KHz, 0.08% THD, 8 Ohms).(1020-k has less)
150W per channel (1KHz, 1% THD, 6 Ohms) - my speakers (Monitor Audio RX6) have 6 ohms, impedance; while 1%THD may sound high, keep in mind that it is @ 150 watts(probably still 0.08% @ 110 Watts, 6 ohms). Moreover, Marantz SR-5005 (and other models) are rated at 10% THD ! (1Khz, 6 ohms) on their spec sheet, at max power. 1020-k does not have specs(THD) for 6 ohms on their spec sheet or owner's manual.
THX Select2 Plus certified(VSX-1020-k is not; all Elites above VSX-31 are THX certified)
Quiote from owner's manual : "THX Select2 Plus requirements cover every aspect of the product including pre-amplifier and power amplifier performance and operation, and hundreds of other parameters in both the digital and analog domain."
Burr Brown DAC (VSX-1020-k has Wolfson; all Elites above VSX-31 have Burr Brown); This DAC can process up to 192 KHz/24 bit audio.
Pre-amp outs (I do not use this) - will be useful if you intend to connect an external amplifier for some reason.
Bi-amp possible (most receivers at or above the $500 price point can, but check) - supposed to improve sound quality (I do it and like it).
Quote from Monitor Audio's tech support rep's email :
"Bi-amping will improve the sound yes. It will open it up more and make it a much cleaner sound. Similarly with bi-wiring."
Advanced Direct Energy Amplifier (1020 has "direct energy" amplifier)
Quote from Pioneer's website:
"Pioneer's own Advanced Direct Energy amplifier design and Power Train construction concentrates all amplifier channels to minimize the amp's "power loop". This efficient design reduces noise interference from other circuits to further increase fidelity to the input source. Less interference means clearer sound and increased accuracy."
Can turn off TV (connected via HDMI) and continue to listen to music from PC (via HDMI).
Nice separate section in remote for important TV controls (also programmable remote).
Remote back light.
Dimmer - 4 levels of dimming for reciiever's display/power light (last level is almost fully off).
Room correction - Pioneer's "Advanced" MCACC seems do do a good job (speaker distance, speaker level, standing wave, reverb, equalizer, professional equalizer and more). Best part is, if you want, you can fine tune all of the above and more with the "manual" mode(But there is also a "fully auto" mode, where you do not have to do anything). For instance, there is are 6 memory presets, and I can disable/tune the equalizer, standing wave, speaker distance, speaker level on 1 preset to my taste (and it is easy to change the presets on the fly, without interrupting what you are watching or listening to)
The following were not a big deal for me, but some may find it useful:
Internet radio (nice if you do not have a PC / music streamer connected to it)
Can pass though video (via HDMI) from my PC to TV, even if the receiver is off (standby).
HDMI switching - automatically switches inputs depending on which device is sending a signal (works pretty neat)
Marvell video scaler (all Elites above VSX-31 have a Marvell video scaler)
USB port (if you want to connect a USB flash drive / hard drive with high quality MP3)
Tip:
For Internet radio URLs, on your PC's web browser, go to shoutcast.com, go to "Settings" and choose "Play SHOUTcast stations in default media player ( eg: Winamp / iTunes / Windows Media Player )"
Play a radio station on the website, open the downloaded.pls file in foobar 2000 (or whatever media player), check for the "properties" of the file when playing it, and "copy" the URL of the "file path"
Open the 1120-k's "Internet Radio Settings) on your web browser and "paste" the URL and click "Update"
Enjoy!
Update - I have been using this receiver for a few weeks now (019Mar11). I love it and appreciate it more (worth every dollar). You will not be disappointed with the sound quality! Highly recommended!
Home Theater Magazine gave it 5 stars (max) for Performance, Ergonomics and Value, and 4.5 stars for Features. They also named it a "TOP PICK".
See all 78 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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