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Official Pioneer SC-05 and SC-07 Owners Thread

2M views 17K replies 1K participants last post by  fuzzysig 
#1 ·
Started 10.1.08

Last updated: 04.03.10

A Few Items New or Prospective Owners may want to Know


REVIEWSDownloads:

General information:
Universal Remotes & RS232 codes:
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Spoiler  
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Code:
Code:
- [URL='http://www.pioneerusa.com/PUSA/Search?keywords=ir+and+hex+codes+sc-0'][B]IR and Hex codes[/B][/URL] 
-Pronto (ccf format) files and "Universal" (mxf) files  [URL='http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=16013382#post16013382']here[/URL] 
-RS232C Protocols for Custom installations [URL='http://pioneerusa.com/StaticFiles/PUSA/Files/SC-07%20RS-232C%20Protocol.pdf']SC-07[/URL]  and  [URL='http://pioneerusa.com/StaticFiles/PUSA/Files/SC-05%20RS-232C%20Protocol.pdf']SC-05[/URL] 
-Crestron , Crestron's Integrated Partner Module  [URL='http://www.crestron.com/tools_and_resources/programming_and_integration_resources/integrated_partner_modules/default.asp?module_id=658&devicetype_id=&manufacturer_id=134']Click Here[/URL] 
-Harmony codes: available as of 10/30/08 (ccotenj)
- [URL='http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=16131010#post16131010']Harmony Remote Tips[/URL]
- Service Codes

========================================================

Tips/Examples from Members:

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Networking and Streaming:
-Apple and OS/X networking and Music Streaming ccotenj
-Internet radio Impression1 Impression2
-Network and media server connections ( a_ok2me )
Tips:
-To access HMG MENUS with the remote, be sure to switch from "receiver" to "source"
- Cooling/Ventilation
-SC-LX81 (SC-07) autopsy and here
-Removing stickers without Scratching? Method1 Method2 Method3
-Dimmer setting location: bottom portion of the remote, under the sliding door (number 3 button)
- PURE Direct Observations by MacFan
Subwoofers/Speakers
-Quickstart Speaker setup - MacFan
- Bossobass guide to subwoofers
-General Subwoofer settings (Macfan424) and here
-How do I hook up my Definitive Mythos to the SC/05/07/09? MacFan424
- Dual Subs Graphicguy and MacFan424
LFE/MCACC
-Proper Microphone position for calibration Ray
-LFE and crossover settings MacFan and secrets by Colin Miller & Brian Florian Thanks MacFan
-Why are my MCACC settings 6db lower from my last Pioneer? ss9001
-X-Curve and room sample by eldithomaso
- Connecting your PC to MCACC
- MCACC calibration MacFan
- MCACC and background noise by ss9001
General Connections:
-How to set Video HDMI with Digital (Optical/Coax) Audio Click here
-PS3 connection to Your new SC-05/07 AUDIO/VIDEO
- working setup example of Zone 2 and Zone 3 by mhdiab
-Zone 2 and 3 configuration example by Geoff and alerion
-Adding the ability to watch TV from one source and Audio from another? method1 (SC-05/07) method2 (SC-07)
-HMG and an external HD JS1000
Utilities
-DIY 12VDC Trigger for switching by mrgribbles and circuit diagrams by decoupe
-Member recommended CD to FLAC converters EAC winamp dBpower
-Rippng DTS with Windows - Info_Dan
- How much Power do you actually use? SPL Calculator Thanks MacFan
- Resetting your AVR/Service Mode Codes
- HMG Update
Potential problems:
-Problems with DD+ with the Toshiba XA2 and Samsung HD-DVD. Workarounds from FilmMixer and ss9001
-Rel Subwoofers and SC-05/07/09 Precautions
- Flashing MCACC LED and LED Issues
-Fios Cable Box shows "green screen of death" -- Try HDMI Input 3
added January-March 2010

MCACC background noise ss9001

SPL Calculator

SC-07 with Oppo 83 review Shane55 member's review (page 3)

working setup example of Zone 2 and Zone 3

FW HMG updates from users

Raymond G review
My first impression - original first post
 
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#11,361 ·
Just want to thank McFan 424 for his explanation how to set up the LFE level it really help me out and now my subwoofer is really shaking the walls But just to clarify if I can turn the subwoofer crossover off I just set it to the highest level so the receiver can do the processing right? example my highest level is 150 Hz so is set to 150 ?.
 
#11,362 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by versicolor /forum/post/16810389


Is it discarded even if I have the mains set to large and subwoofer to plus? It seems odd that the setting choice after 80 is 50. What happened to 60 and 70? Is there any way I can bypass the SC-05 crossover and use the subs crossover instead? At least then I could fine tune it instead of being forced to make the jump from 80 all the way to 50.

I've read this before and I cannot see how this could be. Your Paradigm model 11s (by the way, very nice!!!) play down in the low 30 hz region. As stated in the Pioneer manual, if your loudspeakers are capable of playing that low, you shouldn't be missing out on the LFE. They are just routed to your main loudspeakers when not using a sub and your subwoofer setting in your AVR is set to "NO". I read the spec on the Paradigms but I'm not sure how low they actually play down to within it's -3/-6db rating. I would think there is some usable bass below 30hz. You could set the crossover to 50 and the sub the "Both" and be okay too. With your speakers, 50hz will give more foundation.


If you AVR has only a couple of hours on it, give it some time to break in. It should sound great out of the box but gets better with time. Also, let it warm up for at least 15 minutes before playing any music.


Oh, when set to "Plus" in the AVR settings and your speakers are set to "Large", your sub is on when playing material that's only meant for 2-channel or no LFE channel too.
 
#11,363 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Perpendicular /forum/post/16810495


I've read this before and I cannot see how this could be. Your Paradigm model 11s (by the way, very nice!!!) play down in the low 30 hz region. As stated in the Pioneer manual, if your loudspeakers are capable of playing that low, you shouldn't be missing out on the LFE. They are just routed to your main loudspeakers when not using a sub and your subwoofer setting in your AVR is set to "NO". I read the spec on the Paradigms but I'm not sure how low they actually play down to within it's -3/-6db rating. I would think there is some usable bass below 30hz. You could set the crossover to 50 and the sub the "Both" and be okay too. With your speakers, 50hz will give more foundation.


If you AVR has only a couple of hours on it, give it some time to break in. It should sound great out of the box but gets better with time. Also, let it warm up for at least 15 minutes before playing any music.


Oh, when set to "Plus" in the AVR settings and your speakers are set to "Large", your sub is on when playing material that's only meant for 2-channel or no LFE channel too.

I think you are right because it sure does not seem that I am missing any LFE with the crossover set to 50. The Paradigms seem to handle any LFE that might otherwise be misssing. I mean it sounds downright scary with it set at 50. 80 isn't horrible but I don't think anyone that has an ear for audio would disagree that it is on the boomy side if they heard it.

I thought Plus just meant that the the LFE is being sent to the mains and the sub together. If I turn Plus off and set the LFE to YES I get LFE on movies but no output from my sub on CD playback. When I turn Plus on I get insane sub output on both movies and cd playback. I think i'm confused.
 
#11,364 ·
I pulled the trigger on an SC-05 today. I went to BB and was told that a Pioneer rep had been in and they needed to get rid of what was left of their inventory. Needless to say the deal was great!


Thanks to everyone on this thread. I can honestly say without this I wouldn't be an Elite owner!
 
#11,366 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by versicolor /forum/post/16809124


well I thought I would give my thoughts on my new SC-05. It was delivered yesterday and I have spent a decent amount of time last night and today setting it up and playing around with settings and what not. My receivers of choice the last many years have been Yamaha so Pioneer is completely new to me. My first impressions for the SC-05 are that movie soundtracks are far more immersive than the Yamaha. I'm amazed at the clarity and separation as well as how deep and powerful the bass is.


I am still trying to dial it in but I am a little less impressed with cd playback. I found that the 80Hz crossover setting was a tad too high . The bass sounded a bit boomy and annoyed me a little. I changed the crossover to 50hz and that problem went away. Now the bass is deep and VERY powerful, MUCH better than the 80hz setting. I do wish I could choose 60 or 70hz but as long as it sounds great I guess it's not a big deal. I'm also noticing a harsh sound to the guitars on every cd so far. It's hard to describe but it's just not a full, deep, clean sound like it should be. The music is still very clear alltogether but my ears are picking up this faint shrill noise with guitars. Any ideas would be appreciated. So right now i'm still on the fence with cd playback/music reproduction but with movies I'm very impressed. The yamaha seemed to have a more natural sound for music but i'm sure I just need to play around with the settings more and i'll find something to suit me. Thanks for reading.

I just did major upgrades in the past month. First I decided to upgrade my 10+ year old Paradigm Monitor 7 and CC-370 setup. I've now got Paradigm Monitor 9 mains and a CC-290 center, all V6s. I've got ADP-370 V5 surrounds and some Cinema 90s for the surround backs. I was using a Denon AVR-3808ci. Prior to that I've used Yamahas and Pioneer Elites and I can say while I enjoyed many facets of the Denon AVR-3808ci, I always felt the sound was a little thin. Someone recently described his perception of Denon sound as: "the Mid emphasis and reserved sound of Denon receivers (even bordering on thin, lacking some meat in the lows and also in the highs)". When I read that, I thought how right on his description was. Suffice it to say, I bought the Denon AVR-3808ci last year on the recommendation of many as well as the fact that they were selling at a real good price. This year, I finally got the SC-07 I've been coveting since last year. With the killer prices this year, I just couldn't pass up a deal on one. When I first hooked it up, I fired up my old CD player and listed to a few of my CDs without even calibrating it. Suffice it to say, I was blown away by the fullness of the sound. I forgot how much I had missed the warm sound of Pioneers and I was definitely happy to be back with a Pioneer Elite receiver. While I would call the bass punchy, I wouldn't call it boomy. But then again that's my perception of the sound from the SC-07. Even after calibration, I really liked the punchy bass that to me is a characteristic of the full sound from this receiver. I guess things will obviously vary with the kind of speakers you're using, but I won't fault the kind of sound characteristics of Pioneer receivers. I don't think I'll be going back to Denon any time soon as I think the only amps they have that will produce the kind of sound I like is now only available in their 5000 series receivers...that's expensive for me. I won't say that the sound characteristics of Denon receivers aren't good, because they are, but just not my cup of tea. Like I said, I'm glad that I'm back owning a Pioneer Elite receiver again!
 
#11,367 ·
Pioneer does have it's own sound that's for sure. I have had Yamaha for so long now and it's a trip to have switched to Pioneer because I find I almost have to retune my senses so to speak. I can't say the Yamaha sounds better but they both certainly sound different to me, each with their own respective characteristics. I know that I will have to figure out the shrill sound I hear just on top of the guitars that the SC is putting out. (by the way I only hear the sound i'm describing coming from the two towers) When I switch to Direct or Pure Direct mode the shrill sound completely goes away so it has to have something to do with how it is being EQ'd in the MCACC. It won't really matter eventually because I have an Emotiva XPA-2 that will power my Paradigm Monitor 11 towers in my future upgrade plans but for now it is something I find distracting. Again, I haven't even scratched the surface of what this receiver offers for adjustability so i'm sure i'll be able to work it out. Also, i'm very attentive to every little detail in whatever it may be that i'm listening to so some people might even say they can't hear the sound i'm referring to. In other words it's not something that is scream out loud annoying, but it is something I picked up on and it will eat at me if I don't fix it. Other than that I am very happy with the SC-05 so far and look forward to playing around with the settings to see what this thing can do.
 
#11,368 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by versicolor /forum/post/16811098


When I switch to Direct or Pure Direct mode the shrill sound completely goes away so it has to have something to do with how it is being EQ'd in the MCACC.

If it goes away in "Direct", then it's not MCACC, because it is still active (Check the MCACC light on the receiver). Only "Pure Direct" disables MCACC.
 
#11,369 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by stickcar1990 /forum/post/16810707


should i be seeing something that says "true hd" on the display of the reciever when using this track? its from a ps3 if that matters.

What do you mean, "this track"? You mean when you select the "TrueHD" track from a Blu-ray? Then the answer is no because of the PS3. That console does not "bitstream" the data, it only decodes DTS-MA and TrueHD and sends it as LPCM. The receiver will show PCM.


Dan.
 
#11,370 ·
ace....welcome aboard. Pics are welcomed.



versicolor.....I think Perpendicular hit the nail on the head with the "boominess" you experience with the speakers set to large and subw set to "plus".


You're getting a heavy dose of accentuation using the main's bass capabilities and adding the sub's capabilities to that. It will indeed sound "boomy" in that 60-80Hz range.


Setting the speakers to small, (in essence setting the crossover to 80 Hz), will direct any frequencies below 80 Hz to the sub. I'm not familiar with your speakers, but setting them to large does a couple of things.


First, it will take more power to drive them. Not that the SC can't. Just be aware that the lower frequencies take a lot more power than the upper registers.


2nd, a powered sub amp is going to be a lot more capable of driving those frequencies than the SC will be (or any AVR can). For all intents and purposes, any of the SCs are capable of putting out 130w-140w @ nominal 8 Ohms. Any recent sub, and it's amp, will double, triple or even quadruple that amount of power to drive the lower frequencies.


Some movies, especially some with the HD codecs, have some prodigious LFE....where that amount of power would be needed.


As far as redbook CDs, I have some that just don't reach down much below 60 Hz, 70 Hz, even 80 Hz. So, depending on the CD, there might not be any information that's low enough to notice.


Bottom line, if you're happy with the crossover set at 50 Hz, that's all that matters.
 
#11,371 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by graphicguy /forum/post/16811144


ace....welcome aboard. Pics are welcomed.



versicolor.....I think Perpendicular hit the nail on the head with the "boominess" you experience with the speakers set to large and subw set to "plus".


You're getting a heavy dose of accentuation using the main's bass capabilities and adding the sub's capabilities to that. It will indeed sound "boomy" in that 60-80Hz range.


Setting the speakers to small, (in essence setting the crossover to 80 Hz), will direct any frequencies below 80 Hz to the sub. I'm not familiar with your speakers, but setting them to large does a couple of things.


First, it will take more power to drive them. Not that the SC can't. Just be aware that the lower frequencies take a lot more power than the upper registers.


2nd, a powered sub amp is going to be a lot more capable of driving those frequencies than the SC will be (or any AVR can). For all intents and purposes, any of the SCs are capable of putting out 130w-140w @ nominal 8 Ohms. Any recent sub, and it's amp, will double, triple or even quadruple that amount of power to drive the lower frequencies.


Some movies, especially some with the HD codecs, have some prodigious LFE....where that amount of power would be needed.


As far as redbook CDs, I have some that just don't reach down much below 60 Hz, 70 Hz, even 80 Hz. So, depending on the CD, there might not be any information that's low enough to notice.


Bottom line, if you're happy with the crossover set at 50 Hz, that's all that matters.

Pics? Of my SC-07 or my entire setup? I left my MCACC settings pretty much as the were detected. It detected my Paradigm Monitor 9 V6s, CC-290 V6 and ADP-390 V5s as "Large" speakers, Cinema 90s as "Small" and crossover set at 80hz. I raised the level of all my surrounds by one because I like to hear them a little more. I tried listening to it for a while and found the center to be lower than I prefer and so I went back and raised its level by one. The funny thing is that the 3-way design of the CC-290 seemed very well utilized with my Denon AVR-3808ci and its Audyssey settings. On the SC-07 and MCACC, the center channel seems a bit subdued. Maybe I got too used to the Denon in the 10 months I owned it. The CC-290 V6 was the first speaker to arrive in my upgrade and I swapped out my CC-370 V3 right away to try it out. The first thing I noticed with the 3-way center channel design was a wider soundstage and deeper bass. But after running MCACC calibration, it almost seemed like any improvement I got with the newer center channel was reduced a bit. Raising the level for my center by one seems to have improved things. I do remember that I had to do this on my previous Pioneer Elite receivers as well as the Yamahas I've owned too. Man I am so glad to be back with a Pioneer receiver. I decided to pop in Behind Enemy Lines Blu-ray into my PS3 to give my setup a run and it sounded awesome...the sound was full, dynamic and the bass was punchy...no hint of the "thin" sound I was getting with the Denon. I just love the sound this receiver puts out and like I said, I can't see myself switching away from Pioneer anytime soon.
 
#11,372 ·
I currently have a VSX-92TXH reciever and I have a chance to get an 07 at a very good price. I see most of the reviews complaining about No HDMI video processing. I use a PS3 for watching blue-rays. Is this going to be a problem with picture quality with this reciever? Also, is it worth upgrading from my current reciever to this one? Thanks
 
#11,373 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by MayhemNJ /forum/post/16811414


I currently have a VSX-92TXH reciever and I have a chance to get an 07 at a very good price. I see most of the reviews complaining about No HDMI video processing. I use a PS3 for watching blue-rays. Is this going to be a problem with picture quality with this reciever? Also, is it worth upgrading from my current reciever to this one? Thanks


Why would you want video processing from an 1080p source? The 07 will just pass the HDMI through untouched, so you shouldn't see any difference in picture quality from ps3->tv to ps3->07->tv.


The complaints are around, for example, my HD-DVR connected HDMI, which will pass through the non-1080p signals straight to the tv for processing. I solve this by using a component cable which will let the 05 do the processing, but only because I compared the two and liked the component better.



I would say that it is worth upgrading just to get not have to send your ps3 HDMI straight to the TV, but that is totally subjective...
 
#11,375 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by GRUNT3 /forum/post/16811825


Hey,For anyone using the harmony one with the 05/07,whats up with the HMG menu,when scrolling up or down it skips 2 or 3 selections,do i have something set wrong?really love this remote,but this has got me pulling out whats left of my hair

grunt, it's likely an issue with the number of repeats the remote is sending and/or the interkey delay... i think i remember us hashing this out awhile ago, if so, charles will have a link to it...



go into the setup for the device, click troubleshooting, click "responds too many times" and change that to "1"... if you find you have problems with the avr responding to other commands, change it to "2"...


then go to "adjust the delays" and increase the interkey delay a bit...


a bit of experimentation with these two options should provide a satisfactory result...
 
#11,376 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by stickcar1990 /forum/post/16810707


should i be seeing something that says "true hd" on the display of the reciever when using this track? its from a ps3 if that matters.

nope. ps3 is lpcm only.


side note: this HAS been answered about as many times as any other question in this thread...
 
#11,377 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ace0001a /forum/post/16811408


On the SC-07 and MCACC, the center channel seems a bit subdued. Maybe I got too used to the Denon in the 10 months I owned it. But after running MCACC calibration, it almost seemed like any improvement I got with the newer center channel was reduced a bit. Raising the level for my center by one seems to have improved things. I do remember that I had to do this on my previous Pioneer Elite receivers as well as the Yamahas I've owned too.

That's interesting... in my particular setup, I had to do the exact opposite with the Denon, including my last AVR and amps before the Pioneer.

The Pioneer seems to be very accurate when it comes to MCACC calibration boosting my CC to where it's perfecttion.
 
#11,378 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by GRUNT3 /forum/post/16811952


we will try that then,lots of screwing around with this thing,but should be worth it

lol... yea, it can take some time to get the remote "tuned" exactly the way you want it... but it's worth it in the end...
 
#11,380 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by versicolor /forum/post/16810389


Is it discarded even if I have the mains set to large and subwoofer to plus? It seems odd that the setting choice after 80 is 50. What happened to 60 and 70? Is there any way I can bypass the SC-05 crossover and use the subs crossover instead? At least then I could fine tune it instead of being forced to make the jump from 80 all the way to 50.

Much of my response has already been covered, but I'll reinforce what graphicguy and Perpendicular have said. After I posted previously, it occurred to me that I should have asked if you were using the "Plus" (aka "double bass") setting, as that would account for the exact symptoms you are describing.


There is no way to bypass the AVR's crossover if you intend to use the dedicated sub output. Some subs are designed so you can wire them to the amp's R/L speaker outputs, then from the sub to the mains, which accommodates using the sub's crossover rather than the AVR's, but this isn't the best choice for most people.


Pioneer seems to be an advocate of the 80Hz crossover, and appears to have included the 50Hz crossover primarily to accommodate 2.1 music systems with large bookshelf or floorstanding speakers. Manufacturer's claims to the contrary, the vast majority of these begin to roll off in the 40's, so a 50Hz crossover is ideally suited to these systems. Higher than 80Hz crossovers accommodate those small satellite speakers that need them. 60Hz and 70Hz crossovers are more useful for marketing than any practical use. Most people are much better served by using 80Hz, which has become the de facto industry standard.


Regarding the several comments about "losing" LFE: LFE is a separate channel (the .1 part of 5.1/7.1). There usually is bass in that channel that is not anywhere else. If a subwoofer is connected the the system, LFE bass goes to the sub and nowhere else.


There is also bass in all the other channels. If any other speaker is set to "Large," the bass encoded in its channel stays in that channel. It is not redirected to the sub unless the "Plus" setting is used. The "Plus" setting sends main channel bass to the sub (as well as to the mains), but it does not send LFE to the main speakers. The only way LFE is directed to the mains is if the mains are "Large" and the sub is "No/Off". In this case, all bass that would otherwise be directed to the sub goes to the "Large" speakers.


All bass below the crossover point is redirected to the sub from any speaker set to "Small." Bass that is redirected to the sub from "Small" channels is mixed with the LFE bass by the AVR, then the parts below the crossover is sent to the sub. Dolby's LFE standard calls for a digital filter at 120Hz. In practice, most sound engineers roll off the LFE signal at ~ 80Hz. THX adopted that frequency as their standard, and the industry has pretty much followed suit. So there is almost always 50-80Hz material in any source containing an LFE, and this is removed by the 50Hz crossover.


These frequencies may also be in the main channels. This is at the producer's sole discretion, and cannot be predicted. When it's there, you are less likely to miss the frequencies cut off by a low LFE crossover, but you still won't be hearing what the producer intended (which would be bass from both).


Two channel sources, of course, have no LFE, so all the bass is on the R/L channels, which is why many people wonder why they hear no bass in their subs when playing CD's through "Large" speakers. Some people "solve" this "problem" by using the "Plus" setting, which always brings to my mind this post by an Audyssey representative:

Quote:
"…the low frequency content is sent to BOTH the speaker and the subwoofer. If they happen to overlap in frequency response then you get double the bass—not good. I have it on good authority that this mode was invented for people who can’t sleep at night because their speakers were detected as Small. Now they can keep their speakers as Large and use this kludge to still send bass to the subwoofer.

In two channel, you will always get "double bass" with the "Plus" setting, so the bass response will never be accurate, and usually sound boomy in the part of the bass spectrum above the mains' roll off point. Of course, some people prefer that sound.
 
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