Pioneer HTZ-HW929BD Home Cinema System - A Minor Update

Moving Up A Peg

Pioneer has a long history with audio products. In recent times the company has diversified to include DJ consoles and portable speakers to keep abreast of the times, but the core of their business revolves around home theater related products such as the Pioneer HTZ-HW929BD. This is a home cinema system and an upgrade to the older HTZ-HW919BD system which we have previously reviewed approximately a year ago.

Design and Looks

Besides some simple cosmetic changes, the design principles from the HTZ-HW919BD have been carried forward to the new product. Aesthetics of the product are still drab black and somewhat bland. The HTZ-HW929BD is also a three-piece, bundled home theater solution and comprises of the XV-BD922FSW Blu-ray Disc Receiver, S-BD922HW Sound Wing Bar Type Speaker System and the S-BD922SW Subwoofer.

Most modern sound bar systems are two-piece systems where the Blu-ray player is integrated with the speakers in one long bar. However, the upward facing Sound Wing system means that the aforementioned integration is not possible with the Pioneer product, because one of its design attributes is to keep the Sound Wing thin and sleek. Because of the three-piece configuration, the new product still suffers from some of the shortcomings of the older sibling. For example, setting up is still a hassle and cabling is hard to manage. We expected the HTZ-HW929BD to address some of these issues somewhat and we're a little disappointed that these niggling matters still persist.

S-BD922HW Sound Wing Bar Type Speaker System

The interesting fact about the S-BD922HW Sound Wing Bar Type Speaker System for the Pioneer HTZ-HW929BD is that its dimensions (900mm x 66mm x 93mm) and weight (1.6kg) are exactly the same as the S-BD919HW HVT Bar-Type Speaker System of the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD. In fact we initially suspect that both devices were entirely identical.

However a look at the power output of 150 W shows that there actually is a difference in the internal circuitry of the S-BD922HW Sound Wing speaker system. The old S-BD919HW HVT bar-type speaker of the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD system had a power rating of 180 W. While having a lower power output isn't usually a positive sign, there might be other design aspects that led to the change in power output. We will see how the change affects the audio quality in our testing segment on the following page.

While the naming convention doesn't really state it, the Horizontal-Vertical Transforming (HVT) technology is retained and it refers to the conversion of the horizontal movement of the voice coil into vertical movement of the diaphragm which makes this sound wing design possible. It helps to cast a better sound-stage while keeping the vertical height in check, which it did well for the HTZ-HW919BD. Consequently we expect the HTZ-HW929BD to also have a good soundstage.

Seeing that the dimensions have not changed at all, the older positives of the sound wing having a low profile remain. There is no risk that the S-BD922HW Sound Wing will block the IR port of your TV if it's put in front of the display, which is a pertinent concern when choosing a sound bar.

S-BD922SW Subwoofer

The older S-BD808SW Slim Subwoofer from the HTZ-HW919BD had a rectangular profile and was unable to impress when reproducing the low registers. The newer S-BD922SW for the HTZ-HW929BD  sound system is closer to a cube in shape and profile by comparison. Despite its looks, it's still quite light and weighs only 3.4kg. In our opinion and experience, the subwoofer is on the smaller (and lighter side) when compared with the rest in the same playing field. But with the newer profile, we are cautiously optimistic that the Pioneer HTZ-HW929BD will be able to do a better job handling bass than its predecessor. The fact that the new subwoofer has a power output of 250W compared with the older model's output of 200W also makes us hopeful that we will experience better lower registers. More about it performance in the following pages.

XV-BD922FSW Blu-ray Disc Receiver

Some of the changes from the older sound bar system to the new Pioneer HTZ-HW929BD reside with the XV-BD922FSW Blu-Ray Disc Receiver. While the broad strokes of design are similar, you can see that the volume dial has been shifted closer to a more central location.

The archaic disc load-out is still retained, which is a bit of a letdown. However a new flap cover has been added on the right hand side of the front face. Uncovering it reveals two USB ports for easy access, as well as an Aux-In and a Microphone port. The microphone port is provided so that users can enjoy the Karaoke functions of the HTZ-HW929BD system.

On the rear of the unit, you will find one HDMI output and dual HDMI inputs, as well as two optical audio inputs and a single composite video output option. A LAN port is provided for connecting to the web. This Pioneer product does not come with a full smart feature suite per se, but users can enjoy YouTube and Picasa services with the Blu-ray player. Though severely limited when compared with more full featured smart functions from more established consumer electronics giants, it is a notch better than not having any web content functionality at all. Suffice to say, these are just extra perks and not the main expectation from an sound system.

With regards to wireless connectivity, the HTZ-HW929BD is able to connect to devices via Bluetooth and DLNA protocols. This gives users the options to link up to the sound system through a quick, but lossy method (Bluetooth), or go through a bit of hassle in configuring their home network settings on their playback device to make use of higher quality wireless transmission over their network (DLNA).

Like the older sound bar, the new Pioneer model also comes with an iPod cradle. However it does not support the new Lightning Connector and hence it's not forward compatible with Apple’s new range of products, rendering this feature redundant (unless you plan on using your old iPod for a long time to come). FM Radio capabilities are also included.

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 (generally speaking, but you get the idea), speakers should be judged for their ability to reproduce a natural tone as true to the original audio content was meant to be heard. For this reason we always try to leave our own personal musical preferences outside our lab 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-HW929BD with a TV so as to make full use of the Blu-ray player's capabilities. 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-HW929BD 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.

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

MP3 Performance

The Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD had performed well in our testing process and gave a solid performance. Of course, with the newer Pioneer HTZ-HW929BD we expect the audio reproduction to be taken a notch higher. We are especially interested to see how the new design of the sub-woofer will impact audio playback and if it will help shape an improved sound profile for the sound bar. The first part of our testing procedure included our usual MP3 tracks played back via USB.

MP3 Testing

As is the norm, we started off our testing with Adele’s Melt My Heart To Stone. The trebles for the song were bright but lacked the warmth, which decreased the enjoyment of the track. On the highest notes in the song, there was a hint of audible distortion as well. But the most evident flaw of the reproduction was the fact that the timbre and quality of Adele’s voice was not properly reproduced. Vocals sounded flat and lacked the singer’s distinct tonal characteristics. In our opinion, the HTZ-HW919BD actually sounded better when handling this song.

Moving on, we tried out Sail On Soothsayer. The bright trebles of the sound bar helped reproduce the chiming guitars well, though the attack of the notes heard did not fully meet our expectations. It was still suitably piquant to be enjoyable. However, the distortion heavy rhythm guitars were not done justice at all. The sound was loose and undefined, coming across as ambient audio instead of precise chords. This made the listening experience a mixed bag with half the song being reproduced adequately well while the other half failed to meet the mark.

We use Elements Of Life by Tiesto to test out the bass capabilities of products. If you remember, the HTZ-HW919BD did not impress with this track and handled the distortion heavy opening sequence badly. The HTZ-HW929BD rectifies this problem and the synths have a suitably controlled, defined nature. The bass is deep and extends to cover a good deal of the low frequency registers. The groove and pacing of the track is also rendered passably well. But while the nuances of the tracks can be heard on closer inspection, the details of the mix do not shine through like they should. In our opinion while the new sound bar does sound different on this track, it only improves slightly on the older showing.

The last stop on our listening tests was Hotel California by The Eagles. Like the previous model, the Sound Wing helped render a good soundstage which captured the live ambience and atmosphere of the track well. Good transient response on part of the sound bar also resulted in the alternate percussion instruments sounding life-like. Also, the bright tone of the HTZ-HW929BD also ensured the guitars were pleasant to listen to. All in all, this track was the highlight of the Pioneer sound bar’s performance. 

Blu-Ray Performance

Seeing that the Pioneer HTZ-HW929BD has a Blu-ray player, we also assessed it when handling high definition content. For this purpose we used Michael Jakcson’s swansong performance This Is It and Superman Returns. Both titles allow us to thoroughly test out the various aspects of the sound bar such as soundstage, bass, mids, treble in addition to checking out how the device performs in real life usage scenarios.

This Is It - Michael Jackson

There is no doubting that Michael Jackson compositions are intricate and complex, hence posing a strict challenge to speakers tasked with reproducing them. We started off our listening with the aptly titled Wannabe Startin’ Something. The bass capabilities of the Pioneer sound bar set the funky groove going. Mids performance was also commendable, which might be because of the absence of distortion seeing that the device was previously unable to handle Buckethead’s Sail On Soothsayer.

We moved on to Jam. Like with the previous track, good bass performance meant that the drum heavy song was done justice. The soundstage of the HTZ-HW929BD also helps that the atmosphere of the song is rendered with good width, depth and height. However certain sound effects, the whiplash ones in particular, lacked color and did not sound life-like which pulled the score down slightly.

They Don’t Care About Us is also heavy on percussions, and much like Hotel California, the good transient response of the product helps it deliver all the sounds with good fidelity. The timbre of many of the wind instruments used, such as the pan flutes, was preserved which came as a surprise considering the performance with Melt My Heart To Stone. But we noticed on this track in particular that the bass overpowered the rest of the frequencies in the mix. In particular, the highs came across as muted and subdued. The reduction in the sound wing's power output and the increase in the subwoofer's power capabilities may be the cause for the imbalanced sound.

Ending with the classic Beat It, we found that this sound bar handled this track’s distortion better than previous instances from MP3 testing. As evidenced with most of the other tracks, the good percussions and bass help out on this track as well. However we were not entirely happy with the mix and the lack of a full-fledged EQ panel for tweaking the audio was sorely felt. Once again the highs were not as clear or present as we would have preferred.

 

Superman Returns

While This Is It helped test the music capabilities of the sound bar, we used Superman Returns to see how the device handles movie scenarios. Obviously when viewing the movie, attention is diverted from gauging the timbre of the speakers to checking its soundstage and sound effect qualities.

For the opening sequences of Superman Returns, the speakers did a decent job. Good bass performance ensured that the planet explosion had adequate impact. The upward facing Sound Wing design also helps cast a wide soundstage, which gives good directionality to the audio of the shards flying across the screen. However, muted highs meant that the dialogue came across as being muddled. Similarly, the soundtrack also lacked a certain amount of clarity.

The same problems were experienced when we switched over to the action scene at the 33-minute mark. The explosion of the airplane and the sound effects had good impact. But dialogue was muddy and unclear. The Pioneer HTZ-HW929BD has two particular modes for movie watchers, namely Virtual 3D Max and Movie EQ. From our experience we would advise you to stay away from the latter as it makes the audio even more undefined, adding in problems of audio distortion for scenes that are heavy in sound effects. Virtual 3D Max does not necessarily solve the problems with dialogue clarity, but it does expand the already roomy audio even further. If you enjoy a wide soundstage, this mode might be the one for you.

Final Thoughts

When evaluating the worth of a successor, it is only fair to compare it to the original model. It is also not wrong to expect the newer model to outperform previous iterations. In addition, you must also compare the product with similar products in the market at the same time. We tried to measure the worth of the HTZ-HW929BD with respect to all these reference points.

With regards to features, the HTZ-HW929BD is pretty similar to the HTZ-HW919BD. Three HDMI ports (dual inputs, one output) along with other standard options for connectivity are present which allows you hook up a variety of devices to use in tandem with the unit. DLNA and Bluetooth connectivity have been retained as well. Two USB ports are also provided and the Pioneer HTZ-HW929BD also comes with the ability to rip CD tracks directly to a plugged in USB thumb drive. While there are still no additional speaker outputs to expand the speaker system in the future, the connectivity options for this product are extremely good for a mid-level sound bar system. The extra connectivity helps give the product a certain edge with respect to the competition.

The aesthetics have been minutely updated, but they still fail to impress. Like the old model, the three-piece design makes for awkward placement issues and the multitude of connecting wires make the sound bar an eye sore. The only true addition we can see in terms of features is the karaoke function, which in our opinion does not expand the use of the sound bar a lot further. However, seeing that the new model does not rectify any of the old problems we are marking it lower than the original when it comes to features. Also, most other sound bars come with heavy smart feature suites which make them more alluring when compared to this Pioneer contender.

In terms of audio performance, there are similarities and some changes. The soundstage capabilities for the new HTZ-HW929BD match up exactly with the older sound bar model. With the addition of a new, more powerful S-BD922SW Subwoofer, the problem of anemic bass from the older model has been handled. But bass performance now has a tendency to overpower the mix in certain instances. This probably due to the fact that the sound wing's power output has been dropped by 30W. The imbalanced sound profile coupled with the fact that the sound bar landscape has not exactly been standing still in the year that has passed between our review of the Pioneer HTZ-HW919BD and the HTZ-HW929BD means that the latter actually scores lower on our performance grade.

The new Pioneer HTZ-HW929BD costs exactly the same as the older HTZ-HW919BD which is S$1199. While a lot has remained constant even after the upgrade, the new subwoofer design does change the audio profile of the product. But when you take into account the lower power output of the sound wing, this change is not entirely for the better. The rest of the product proposition remains the same. The HTZ-HW929BD has a good range of connectivity options which we would classify as better than the rest of the competing sound bars. But its archaic feel and clumsy design remain in place. The HTZ-HW929BD fails to rectify a lot of the old concerns sufficiently and hence in our opinion, would not even tempt HTZ-HW919BD owners to upgrade.

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.