Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD Sound Bar System - Everything For Your Home Audio Needs

Nitty Gritty

Pioneer has long been a major player in the audio market segment with a line-up of products ranging from docking stations, A/V receivers and even street-smart, hip portable speakers. With an interest in furthering audio standards and technology, Pioneer is known and well respected for its contributions across the board. With an extensive line-up of AV devices, we're going to have a look at what Pioneer has to offer with respect to boosting the sound performance from your big screen TV. The device in question? The unique looking HTZ-HW919BD sound bar home theater system.

Design and Features

First things first, the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD is a three-piece, bundled sound bar system. It comprises of the XV-BD919FS Blu-ray Disc receiver, the S-BD919HW HVT bar-type speaker system and the S-BD808SW slim subwoofer. With the three components, the product seeks to provide every single feature that a user would be looking for in a mid-level home theater sound system.

The number of pieces does make setting up the sound bar troublesome and the process is not helped by the fact that the connecting wires are a bit too long. This makes the whole setup look messy and cluttered. Even after sinking considerable time into arranging the wires meticulously, we could not get a professional feel to the overall outlook for the sound bar. In addition, the Pioneer system has a simple design and its appearances are nothing much to write about. Every piece has an uninspiring, black box-ish design. The fact that this is a bundled sound bar is also apparent by the non-homogenous feel of the entire package.

We were dangerously close to labeling this sound bar as ugly, but as beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, we will leave the final decision up to you. Obviously though, it is always perilous to judge a book by its cover and we will refrain from passing final judgment on the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD until full assessment at the end of this review. However, seeing that the sound bar will be prominently displayed in your living space along with your screen, the unpleasant aesthetics do count against it in the long run. 

S-BD919HW HVT Bar Type Speaker

Starting off with the S-BD919HW HVT bar-type speaker system, the major difference noted when compared to horizontal speakers offered by other sound bars is the upward facing design of the Pioneer's horizontal speakers. The Horizontal-Vertical Transforming (HVT) technology label refers to the conversion of the horizontal movement of the voice coil into vertical movement of the diaphragm which makes this design possible. It is meant to help the device not only cast a better sound-stage but also reduce the vertical height.

The Pioneer S-BD919HW actually accomplishes the secondary aim to a significant extent. The horizontal speaker is small and easy to place while not infringing on the TV screen unlike the , which we have reviewed before. Placing this device in front of the TV or somewhere close by is easy and hassle free. The speakers are also armed with omni-directional double diaphragms which are supposed to provide better sound dispersion. Whether these additions from Pioneer actually help improve audio quality will be gauged in detail later.

S-BD808SW Slim Subwoofer

Bass performance is handled with the provision of a subwoofer. Like many of the other contenders in the mid-tier sound bar category, the Pioneer S-BD808SW slim subwoofer uses bass reflex ports in order to give its low frequency performance that extra edge. The "Slim" tagline is somewhat justified as the unit weighs in at just 4.4kg, which is slightly on the lower end for sound bar subwoofers. Hopefully the loss of weight does not come at the price of performance.

XV-BD919FS Blu-ray Disc receiver

Rounding off the components is the XV-BD919FS Blu-ray Disc receiver with 3D functionality. The player offers the whole gamut of options that one would expect. In addition to playback of BD material, it also has access to web content and BD-live features. Its inclusion in the bundle should be attractive to those who want a complete home theater system solution, but might deter those who already own a BD player. An overall good impression of the device is spoiled however by an outdated looking user interface which makes the device seem ancient (which matches the dated design of the unit itself). Puzzling choices such as woofer settings ranging from -40 to +6 further confuse the user and are a definite misstep.

Pioneer has equipped the HTZ-HW919BD with three HDMI ports (although only one supports 3D playback). This allows you to connect your TV and another two devices of your choice simultaneously. Connecting to the device via DLNA and Bluetooth is also possible and a USB port is also provided on the front face, making the sound bar system versatile in the sense that it is able to handle a variety of sources. An Apple iPhone and iPod docking cradle is also included as part of the package rounding off the list of features.

Test Setup

Walking into the testing process, it is important to have a neutral mindset. Whether you are a bass-head or a treble-freak, speakers should be judged for their ability to reproduce a natural tone. For this reason we always try to leave our own personal musical preferences at the door before we begin testing. It is also important to have a wide variety of testing material so as to accurately gauge the performance of the speakers across the whole gamut of frequency.

While we tried a variety of audio and video materials, for the purpose of conveying test results across a similar class of products, we detail our test comparison materials selected and the general test setup. Our standard MP3 tracks loaded onto a USB drive was the first salvo of materials fired at the Pioneer system. We also paired the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD with a Philips Series 6000 TV so as to make full use of the Blu-ray player capabilities of the device. This meant we could include Michael Jackson's This Is It as part of our listening sessions to see how well the Pioneer could reproduce some of the King of Pop's classic hits.

In order to check if the HTZ-HW919BD was accomplished at handling movie soundtracks, we tried it out with Superman Returns, paying special attention to how well sound effects, dialogue and musical score were rendered.

The Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD packs a lot of hardware as discussed in the previous section. Now is the time to see if it actually translates to enhanced performance.

Blu-ray Testing:
 

• This Is It - Michael Jackson
• Superman Returns

MP3 Audio Track Testing:
 

• Hotel California - Eagles
• Sail on Soothsayer - Buckethead
• Melt My Heart to Stone - Adele
• Elements of Life - Tiesto

Performance

Sound bars should easily surpass and better other products, such as docks and smaller speakers, in terms of audio performance. The Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD boasts hardware, design and software that should help it deliver quality sound. However, specifications on paper do not always translate to practical prowess. Starting off with our usual selection of MP3s stored on a USB drive, we see whether the "HVT technology" and the "Omni-directional Diaphragms" live up to the marketing hype.

MP3 Testing

Seeing that Pioneer had tried to ensure "ideal dispersion of sound" with the sound-wing design of the speakers, we decided to kick off proceedings with the ambient, techno track Elements of Life by DJ Tiesto. The listen through could easily be broken down into two segments with diametrically opposite results. The distortion heavy first two minutes of the song lacked impact and were below par. However, as the distorted portion of the audio track cleared up, the Pioneer sound bar reproduced the track well for the rest of its duration. It seems that the subwoofer does not have enough capacity to really tackle bass-heavy tracks properly.

Confirming the bad low frequency performance was our Buckethead test track Sail On Soothsayer. The heavy distortion was not handled well once again. Lack of bite made this song a rough listen and was the lowest point for the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD sound bar. If you happen to like hard rock or metal, this sound bar may not be up your alley.

After faltering with our heavier tracks, the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD sound bar had a lot to make up for. Thankfully, performance picked up as we moved on to Adele’s mellow Melt My Heart To Stone. The reverb on the song was handled well by the Pioneer. The reproduction aspired to achieve the softness and emotion the track necessitates. However, a certain level of crispness was missing during our listen through.

Finishing our MP3 tests with Hotel California by The Eagles, we found that the shakers sounded slightly off and the guitar notes also lacked color and flavor. But an overall impressive soundstage meant that the live track was reproduced somewhat diligently. Based on the performance with this song we can state that the HVT technology and omni-directional diaphragm that Pioneer boasts about do actually make a slight difference for the better.

Blu-ray Testing

It would be a shame to let the Pioneer’s Blu-ray player idle away so we brought out two of our standard Blu-ray test discs for this class of products, Michael Jackson’s This Is It and Superman Returns. After a decent showing with our MP3 tracks, can the sound bar make a stronger, better impression with the higher quality of audio?

This Is It – Michael Jackson

Who doesn’t like the King of Pop? Wanting to change things up we included some of Michael Jackson’s greatest hits as part of our testing tracks so that the eclectic mix of vocals, keyboards and guitars can really give the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD a chance to show its worth.

We started off with Beat It, which is a well-loved classic in some part due to Eddie Van Halen’s excellent guitar work. Unfortunately, the Pioneer sound bar made a slight hash of reproducing certain sections. The guitar distortion was inaccurate and lacked bite, much like we experienced with Sail On Soothsayer from our MP3 testing. However, the device did score points for paying attention to detail. The slight sound of fingers plucking guitar strings was audible on the track and the general flow of the song was also rendered well.

One of the commendable features of the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD was its attempt at providing a neutral tone. Unlike some of the previous sound bars we have encountered, the Pioneer attempted to maintain balance between trebles, mids and highs. This was shown off when we played Wannabe Startin’ Something where the sound balance was almost close to perfect. Highs were still slightly muffled in our opinion, but overall the song sounded funky enough to be considered enjoyable.

On Jam, the Pioneer sound bar displayed decent transient response. Both the cymbals and drums sounded crisp. Natural and expansive organ reverb was also one of the noticeable high points of our play through. However, low frequency performance left a lot to be desired once more. When we tested the HTZ-HW919BD with They Don’t Care About Us, the sound bar was unable to do justice to the track. Previously in our experiences with sound bars, the Philips HTS7140 sound bar had bass that overpowered the rest of the music, the Pioneer sound bar errs on the other extreme. Better performance and more power from the subwoofer was required but not delivered, making the song seemed like it lacked “oomph”. 

This unit’s strength and prowess definitely lies with the handling of mid-tones. It tries to remain as neutral as possible. As is obvious from our testing though, when tasked with tracks that test the extremes of the audio spectrum, the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD struggles.

Superman Returns

Moving on to movies, we tested the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD sound bar with our Blu-ray copy of Superman Returns. While movies also have soundtracks and musical elements, they also pose other demands of speakers in the shape of sound effects and dialogue. A good sound bar should help convey audio that enhances the emotion and feel of the scene without overshadowing the visual elements.

Superman Return’s opening sequence has all the elements mentioned above. The Pioneer’s soundstage, in particular its good directionality, made the audio sound impressive. From the looks of it, the HVT technology seemed to be doing its job. The opening theme and melody flowed well drawing the listener in. However, the lack of impact which had persisted throughout our testing reared its ugly head once more. We would actually suggest you turn the woofer all the way up to its maximum setting of +6 just to get this sound bar to make the grade.

Even after tweaking the equalizer settings, the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD sounded like it was ill prepared for the airplane scene at the 33-minute mark. While the dialogue and background music used to heighten the moment were handled well, the actual sound effects were disappointing. In short, the Pioneer gets all the frills right but is unable to deliver on the important parts. It is almost like ordering steak only to find out that the mashed potatoes are perfect while the meat itself is subpar.

 

Final Thoughts

A mid-level sound bar must meet a certain criteria for it to be a successful product. Not only should it have good audio performance, but it also must have a host of modern features while still looking alluring enough to first time buyers. Convenience and ease of setup are also important considerations. Seeing that the parameters have been set, does the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD warrant you spending your hard earned cash on it? 

It is important to note that the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD is fitted out with an impressive array of features for a mid-level sound bar. Three HDMI ports along with other standard options for connectivity are present which lets you hook up a variety of devices to use in tandem with the unit. The addition of DLNA and Bluetooth connectivity also helps this sound bar score highly in the features department. Unfortunately, there are no additional ports to hook up extra speakers in the future if the user so decides, which is an oversight we would have like corrected. 

The system's design fails to impress in terms of aesthetics, but the sound bar can be easily placed in your viewing area due to its low profile, light weight and mobility. Awkward placement of connecting wires however means that the Pioneer is likely to be an eyesore while a retro looking user interface is sure to test your patience. The bad user interface is a shame because the Pioneer actually boasts access to web-content which would have been even more attractive with better menus.

The Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD costs S$1,199 and for that price, you are getting every modern feature available on sound bars today. Bluetooth and DLNA connectivity, iPod and iPhone docking and a wide array of ports make this an attractive buy. The option to add more speakers would have made the list of features a perfect 10.

Performance for the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD can be classified as slightly above average. The subwoofer’s lack of impact and power makes it difficult for the unit to reproduce lower frequencies adequately, but mids and trebles are handled with ease. While action flicks and hard rock lovers may not be pleased with the audio quality, those with mellower tastes will be satisfied.

A little more effort on Pioneer's part in making the HTZ-HW919BD look more visually attractive and some effort to spruce up the user interface could have made it an exceptionally good product. That being said, the Pioneer sound bar is still good value for money and should definitely be on the radar for those looking for a feature-laden solution for their all-in-one home theater needs. If pure audio performance is your most important criteria, there are better sound bar systems at this price point.

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