Finally, new 7.1 unit to replace my trusty 5.1 system

[audtatious]

So, for fathers day my wife purchased this for me:



It's the Pioneer Elite SC-05 which replaces my old Pioneer VSX-D509 5.1 box. So far so good I guess. The old VSX was uncomplicated and simply worked well. This one has so many bells and whistles it's gonna take me a while to figure everything out. Right now it's working OK with my blu-Ray player and DVR (both are simply connected via HDMI). Still have not tried music at this point but that will come.

Any connectivity and setting suggestions?

[Looneybomber]

Any connectivity and setting suggestions?

For connectivity, I recommend Monoprice.com. I've had real good luck with them and their prices are great!

For settings, I suggest grabbing the owners manual and using it as "morning reading material."

For starters, get your speakers placed and run MCACC. Maybe have it run while reading your manual

I'm curious what you think of the ICE power amps; Heat, noise, power, ect..
Modified by Looneybomber at 10:30 AM 6/18/2009

[audtatious]

I just hooked it up last night and have not run the MCACC setup yet. I've only touched on the manual at this point and need to determine why it won't let me configure the HDMI signals from my DVR to be upconverted to 1080p.....probably because it's HDMI which means I will have to change the connection so that the non-HD channels will upconvert. It's one of the things I need to figure out via the manual.

One thing I have noticed about this (and the hi-end Kenwood my wife has) is you have to turn the volume about 1/2 way up before you really hear anything. I noticed similar on my older Pioneer as well. I've cranked this unit up to -0db with no distortion but it simply did not seem to be as loud as I would have expected. Could be my speakers as they show 90db sensitivity but do not list if it was at 1w/1m or something else.

[Looneybomber]

Well that also depends on your input signal (and the Pioneer also has a selectable input attenuation that could be turned on, but it's a 10db difference so it's very noticable). If your input signal hasn't changed, but one amp/receiver is noticably louder than the other at the same volume level, the gain structures are different, that's all. I say that, because consumer receivers are similar in power output, only varying by a few db's at most. Pro-amps are a different story.

One that's THX certified will put out enough power to drive THX certified speakers to reference level in a certain sized room, which is indicative by it's THX certification. Meaning one company's receiver that's THX select2 certified will produce the same SPL as anothers. Reference level meaning 105db by the speakers at the seating position. 115db by the sub at seating position.

THX is just a means of standardization so that you don't have the issue of turning up one receiver to X volume and another to Y volume in order to produce the same Z output.

Getting more efficient speakers will help with output (obviously), but that's also very expensive. If you have beefy mains that can handle more power, an external amp is always possible, but again, expense and now wife yelling.

I'm sure it's all a setup issue or possibly even another issue I've run across. Clean & dynamic sound, sounds quieter than distorted compressed sound.

I've run into the issue where speakers are very capable, but the receivers aren't. People will crank the volume, the output signal will become clipped and mildly distorted and the sound will be loud. Then, hooking up a very capable power amp, the sound still "sounds" just as loud, but is actually a bit louder and more dynamic due to a lack of clipping and distorting. "Effortless" is the word that comes to mind when describing a very well setup system with very capable amps and speakers.

Out of curiousity, what are you using for mains?

If you're concerned about output you can try a couple things, organized from cheapest to most expensive.1) Turn up the volume more and more until you start hearing distortion from your speakers. Using a reference level input (-0db) see what your master volume hits2) Get a Radioshack SPL meter and play test tones. Measure your SPL with one receiver and then the next. Compare the MV levels each time. If your old receiver is producing more db's than your new one (prior to audible distortion) I'd be nervous that there's something wrong with your new one.3) Get a digital multi meter, a sinewave generator, and a purely resistive load. An oscilliscope would be nice so you could check THD. You could then test each amp at 1% THD and see how much power each puts out at different frequencies and at different impedences. Yeah, your wife will never say yes to buying that.

*edit* Sorry I can't help with the HDMI issue. I use DVI and optical.

[Looneybomber]

I've cranked this unit up to -0db with no distortion but it simply did not seem to be as loud as I would have expected. Could be my speakers as they show 90db sensitivity but do not list if it was at 1w/1m or something else.

In addition to my post, your vsx509 was rated at 100wpc; Your new one is 130wpc. I doubt that 509 did a rated 100w, but even if put out 80w and your new one puts out 130w, that's only a tad more than 2db...assuming your speakers have NO power compression.

[audtatious]

I'd say 1db. The 509 did a great job for what it was, and I would not really doubt that it put out 100wpc, but I am just now finding out how much better this one is with surround sound. I never knew how many commercials were done in 5.1+ until this evening.

But, you make a valid point from a wpc perspective. I also thought the 509 should have been louder as well

[Looneybomber]

Since we both know that if you walk in with a Sunfire amp, you'll be sleeping in the car for a while, if you need more output when listening to music, have you thought about 7chan stereo? It's a DSP option my pioneer receiver has and I'm guessin yours will too since it's better.

I've not had cable for about 2yrs now, just "bunny ears", so I haven't noticed any 5.1 content in commercials. I have seen people post waterfalls of some TV shows like CSI showing bass content down into the 20's (hz), but that shouldn't change with your new receiver unless the two do bass management different.

Ohh, speaking of bass management, pretty much all receivers let you choose the XO point between the sub and the speakers, but some will let you choose each speakers XO. For example, you set the L/R's at 60hz, the center at 80hz and the rears at 100hz. I've heard of instances where if someone does that, instead of redirecting everything below each speaker's XO point to the sub, it just redirects everything at the sub's XO point, which is the lowest XO of all the speakers. In this case, 60hz. This then creates nearly a full octave lull in the surround channels and a small lull with the center.

That said, read the owners manual, and if your receiver does do that, set all the XO points the same.

[audtatious]

I'll look into it. I'd like to connect this thing to my router for internet radio and other features but it's too far away. I'll have to see what I can find for a solution for that.

I haven't done anything with it tonight, probably play around with it this weekend. I usually don't turn the sub on anyway as the wife complains so whatever I set it to needs to have decent bandwidth for midbass at least. I will probably start looking to replace the main speakers around Xmas time as well.

[Looneybomber]

Would your wife let you run a cat5/6 cable through the walls and install jack's in the two rooms?

You can always run with the L/R's setup as large (full range) with the sub output on, then manually turn the sub off when the wife is home. Or, flip through your settings real quick and turn the sub off with the receiver.

You know, my mom does not like surround sound at all and perfers the TV speakers themselfs. My GF, however, was impressed/excited when I showed her my lights dim when the bass hit with my current sub setup and the woofer moving like crazy. Just goes to show how different some people's tastes are.

[audtatious]

I can pretty much do what I want from running cables, I just don't want to as we plan on putting the house on the market next year and it's something else I would have to explain. I have a multimedia PC (which is wireless) connected to the receiver anyway so I can still get internet radio, just not directly from the Pioneer.

My wife likes speakers which have clear high's which is why the Boston VR2 setup works well for her. I prefer my music to be mid-bass/bass heavy which does not work well for her

[Looneybomber]

I'm all for HTPC's! That's what I built mine for...but in a mid-tower case, not a rack.

Hah, good luck with your speakers, that will be a very tough sale. I like a nice crisp top end without a lot of simbilance. Of course, I also want a warm overall sound with plenty of midbass and bass. I've finally settled on a design that can be seen in this commercial product, but I'll be using a 15" woofer and a higher end tweeter...but still a ribbon tweeter, which is key!http://www.salksound.com/speakers_archos.shtml

[audtatious]

My HTPC is a mid-tower as well. I'm about to purchase a new sound card with optical out for HT connectivity. Should be far better than the plug-RCA cable I have which puts a hum on the system.

For speakers I'm still leaning towards B&W right now. Not sure which model as it will depend on how much I want to spend at the time.

Those are some interesting looking speakers......

[Looneybomber]

B&W 802's. If they're good enough for Skywalker Studio's, then they're good enough for me...That is once I win the lottery

[PoorManQ45]

You have an awesome wife!!!!!

Also, I'd go with Mackie 824's personaly

Self powered monitors almost perfectly flat from ~30~20khz...

[PoorManQ45]

I just looked at the specs, that receiver has 7.1 preamp outputs.

Time to get some real amplifiers http://www.pioneerelectronics....tab=B

[Looneybomber]

You have an awesome wife!!!!!

Also, I'd go with Mackie 824's personaly

Self powered monitors almost perfectly flat from ~30~20khz...

I'm all for using studio monitors with computers...but those compression drivers. I need to listen to more, but there's something about them that my ears just do not like. Eventually I'll find a CD/horn combo that I like, but I bet it'll be real expensive!

I'd really like to listen to these, because apparently they're so good, Harmon International uses 7 them in their reference listening room/home studio.http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/...MId=5h ... 6/...de=P4

Side note: Those JBL monitors have power compression specs listed. I wish the other 99.9% of speakers out there listed that spec!