Official Pioneer SC-05 and SC-07 Owners Thread - Page 149

For those interested, I received this response from a Dynaudio rep on another thread...

No problem driving the X32's with the Pioneer Elite receivers, the new Excite series while listed at 4 ohm's is actually a nominal 5.6 ohm and the impedance curve is very flat just like all Dynaudio speakers. Go forward with confidence, I think you will be very impressed.

In my case what I did was to create additional devices for the "sources" that are integrated in the receiver (HMG and Tuner, I don't use XM or Sirius). When you think about it, since you're "switching" the remote, it is in fact 7 different remotes in one: Zone 1 remote, Zone 2 remote, zone 3 remote, HMG remote, Tuner remote, Xm remote, Sirius remote.

It took a quite a while to set-up, but now I'm glad I did. This neatly separates the HMG and Tuner remote commands from the others. Now, since I have upgraded to a 890 Pro, this remote has two additional buttons, Sound and Picture, which switch the remote into "sound" mode and "picture" mode, and all buttons are also configurable in those modes, by device AND by activities. I have asked logitech to add the 70+ direct surround mode IR commands from the IR list... Guess I'm far from finished .

I did this because I truly wanted to be able to put away my remotes, but I'm a "tweaker" and am always trying this mode vs that mode, so I really needed to have all functionality. Now, using the "device" mode, I have full capabilities (and my SC-07 Zone 1 device has "only" 5 pages).

But as others have stated, you should *really* create activities, these are the way the harmony remotes are intended to be used. The "devices" are really when you have a new need so you have an alternate method available right there and then, until you modify the activity to suit that need through an additional button.

If you want more detail on my specific config or have more questions, you can PM me so we don't completely derail this thread.

Here's my Zone 1 *device* config (I have nothing on the up/down arrows, channels +/-, transport controls or keypad):

Harmony 890...SC-07 Zone 1
Mute..............Muting
Volume Up.......VolumeUp
Volume Down...VolumeDown
Prev...............Return
Up..................DirectionUp
Down..............DirectionDown
Left................DirectionLeft
Right...............DirectionRight
OK..................Enter
Menu..............Home menu
Exit.................Return
Guide
Info................Status
Page 1-1 Power
Page 1-2 Dimmer
Page 1-3 Sleep
Page 1-4 SignalSel
Page 1-5 Surround back channel
Page 1-6 MCACC
Page 1-7 Channel level
Page 1-8 Phase control
Page 2-1 Stereo/ A.L.C.
Page 2-2 Auto/ direct
Page 2-3 Standard surround
Page 2-4 THX
Page 2-5 Advanced surround
Page 2-6 Genre surround
Page 2-7 Previous Input
Page 2-8 Next Input
Page 3-1 BD analog (DVD)
Page 3-2 CD
Page 3-3 TV/8mm
Page 3-4 Shuttle (CD-R)
Page 3-5 HMG
Page 3-6 FM/AM radio
Page 3-7 BD multi-channel
Page 3-8 Blu-ray HDMI
Page 4-1 Phono
Page 4-2 Video1
Page 4-3 Video2
Page 4-4 Video3
Page 4-5 DVR1
Page 4-6 DVR2
Page 4-7 XM
Page 4-8 Sirius
Page 5-1 Laptop (HDMI)
Page 5-2 HDMI Out
Page 5-3 SR+
Page 5-4 Analog attenuator
Page 5-5 Audio Param
Page 5-6 Video Param
Page 5-7 HomeMenu
Page 5-8 Return

Dan.

WOW....can you provide a link? Don't know how this kind of stuff gets started, but this is definitely not true. If you go to the first page of the thread, there are some photos of the inside of the SC. No weights in there, I can assure you. While it is true, I've not noted a heat sink. There is a fan, however.

I know of some manufacturers that have huge heat sinks that weigh a lot (like the Onkyo 8 and 9 series, but they need them). But, they don't call the SC's "ICEamps" for nothing.

What do people use the zone two component out for? Do you think four helos 100's are overkill in a room approximately 14x18?

I keep seeing/hearing conflicting info on HDMI ports for the SC-05.

Is it 4 in and 1 out or 3 in and 1 out?

Thanks,
Jim

Yes, 4 in, 1 out.

Copied fromanother thread in this forum;

11-12-08, 03:49 PM #18 | Link
jrakin
Member


"Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Wauwatosa, WI
Posts: 15 I also looked at the Pioneer VSX94. I liked the sound very much. I was really disappointed with the GUI. I thought it was confusing, unattractive, and it wasn't laid out very well. I also wanted a better upconverting chip. So I returned the Pioneer and went with the Integra DTR-8.9. BTW, my Integra does not overheat. I can put my hand on the vents.

I did not consider the Pioneer SC-05 due to the change in Amps from the VSX94. I don't want to buy a digital amp until I saw more reviews on it. Ever notice the lead bar they put in the new Pioneers to fool customers into thinking they are getting a beefy receiver?
There are a lot of choices out there. I don't think you can go wrong with the choices you listed. I really liked the Pioneer 94 for the most part and it was my close 2nd to the Integra/Onkyo."

Check out the pics from page 81 in this thread.....I just looked at them again and can't see where that bar would be at all....The front end looks pretty clear in the pics and I certainly dont see any lead bar in there at all.......I suppose it could be buried in the backend somewhere, but all the boards and the I/O's back there would seem to make that impossible. It looks really tight back there.......I don't think this guy knows what he is talking about personally.....A double case or extra plate on the bottom, maybe, but a lead bar.....No way at all!

vc....I really don't know where the OP is coming from. There is no "lead bar" in either the 94TXH, nor in the SC series. The pictures I referred you to makes that quite clear.

Now, I've had experience with the Onkyo/Integra GUI. It's not anything to write home about. It's functional (as is Pio's). But, that's about it. Neither is anything close to the GUI in my PS3, however. But, both are "set it...forget it" types of user interfaces.

Depending on the associated equipment (older DVD player, lots of SD TV programs to be watched), an upconverting chip may be useful. But, even there, the SC can upconvert SD (480) to 1080 via component connections.

Given that you can get an upconverting DVD player for less than $100, Sat/Cable boxes output 1080i, and given the age/type of your TV (which also has video processing), is video processing even needed in your AVR? Only you can answer that question.

Further, there seems to be confusion about the SC ICEamps. They aren't digital amps (as the OP said they were). They are "digital switching" amps. They're about twice as efficient, and cooler running, that typical AB type amps found in most AVRs. They aren't "new" either. They've been around awhile. Wyred4sound uses them, as does Rotel in their higher end AVRs. Now, Pioneer is using them in the SC series.

In short, I have to disagree with just about everything the OP mentions.

Does the Integra 8.9 equate to the Onkyo 876 or the 906? Anyhow, I had the Onkyo 876 for two weeks, and I found the Pioneer to sound better. To me the Onkyo sounded more dull with and without calibration. My wife noticed this immediately. The SC05 sounds so much more rich and involving.

If not accounted for, the SC05 can sound bright in a larger room, since large rooms attenuate treble. Pioneer includes a feature called X-Curve which allows you to roll-off the higher frequencies to overcome this issue. I have done this after an MCACC full auto calibration, and it worked well. I also did an MCACC manual calibration using the frequency option, and I found that to work very well. I didn't need to use X-Curve at all, and I found the sound to be very good and close to perfect.

One thing that I prefer with the Pioneer over the Onkyo is that there is a far greater degree for customizing the sound after calibration. No calibration system is perfect, so it is nice to have that extra tweakability.

One of my buddies just picked up the SC-07 and we cannot figure out how to-

1) Turn the crossover off since his sub wont be here for 3-4 more weeks.
2) Set the crossover points for the surround speakers individually.

We found the "small" or "Large" settings but we would like to set the fronts (IQ9s) to full range, center (matching center) to 80 hz and the 4 surrounds (IQ3s) to 80 hz but we cannot find the option. I can do it on my way less expensive TX-SR805 so he has to have that function buried somewhere in his menu. We couldn't find it in the owners manual.

Thanks in advance.

Go into the MCACC and "let it do its thing". After finishing, manually go back through the choices and change "large" or "small" any speakers you want to change.

So, you're front L/R will be set to large. The rest to small (automatic 80Hz crossover).

I toyed with that myself, actually. I had my L/R set to large (per MCACC settings), everything else was set to "small".

I ended up setting everything to "small" and liked it better. This, even though my L/R will go down to 50Hz.

brian...I think the Integra 8.9 is the same as the Onkyo 805/806. The 875/876 adds the Reon video processor. I don't believe the Integra 8.9 includes the Reon. IIRC, they do include the same Faroujda chip that the SC07/05 uses. But, I could be wrong on that count.

The Integra 9.9/Onkyo 905/906 includes a Toroid power transformer, too. The 8 series does not.

I think the OP with regards to the Integra/Onkyo 8 series is confused. The Onkyo/Integra 8 series DOES have a very large and heavy heat sink that runs the width of those units that's visible looking through the top of the vents. Pioneer 95 TXH or SC series does not.

(2) You cannot do this on the SC05/SC07

vcrpro....here's the page with the pictures we're referring to. Look at all of them. Do you see any sort of heavy iron bar?

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...057599&page=81

There's aluminum bracing and "cage" separators. No iron bars, or heat sinks, though.

mark....I have done that. I've actually set my L/R as large and played with the crossover between 80Hz and 50 Hz. I did the same with my center channel.

MCACC set my L/R to large and my center to small. I manually went in and set them first to large with a 50 Hz crossover, and then to an 80 Hz crossover. Finally, I just set up everything to small.

You have to do this manually, though.

I'm not home right now, otherwise I'd give specific instructions while sitting in front of it.

thx for the info guys, yes expanded stereo worked in getting sound out of all 7 speakers.

Question, though? Is there or do the lights on the front panel for the back surround L & R ever come on? I have the SB adjustment on.....
thx, Lance

so you are saying - that for instance you could set a 50hz crossover for FL/R and 50Hz crossover for the centre ?

I'm 99% sure this is not correct

but more than willing to be proved wrong !

Not in "EXT.STEREO" mode. Just the mains light up.

mark....I'll have to try that out when I get home this weekend. If I'm wrong, I will humbly submit to your tongue lashing.......

do they light up in any mode? I think i've tried them all. I know there working because i boosted the volume on the back surrounds and turn all the others down...

The back surrounds light up when you are receiving info for the rears, like a 7.1 sound track from a BD as long as the rears channels are enabled.

The x over for the SCs is universal. The frequecy can be selected between a few predetermined points, but they cannot be set differently between LR, center, or surrounds. You can switch between small (xover enabled) or large (full range). Unfortunately there are no other options.

Crossroad, then maybe I misunderstood the question. When I first ran MCACC, it set my L/R to full range (large). Although the same drivers are used for the center channel, it set it to "small". Everything else was set to small, too.

I manually went back in to manually change the crossovers of the L/R from 50 Hz to 80 Hz to see what I liked better...still leaving them set to large. I believe this is what the OP was trying to do.

In the end, I just set everything to small.....automatic 80Hz crossover.

Perhaps it is I have misunderstood. I was thinking he was asking if the xover could be set for each set of speakers (LR, C, S) independently. The fact that it couldn't do this was almost a deal breaker for me. I really wanted to be able to set the xover for my mains at 60hz, since they are supposed to have output down to 30hz, and 80hz for my center and surrounds. But in the real world, I don't think there is that big of a difference when you have a sub. So I have set the xover at 80hz, all speakers to small, and have been happy since. 50hz is just a little bit too low. 80hz gives a smooth roll off and leaves plenty off headroom. My VSX 94 used to shutdown when I set the xover at 50hz and played music at volume 0.

I just reread the post by Ducatidad. To accomplish what you described in scenario B, you would set the xover to 80hz in the manual adjust menu. Set the mains to large, the center to small, and the surrounds to small.

thx, right now i have D*tv, I wonder if any channel on D*tv that puts out
info for the back surrounds to light up?

Charles....you're right. But, he could apply DPL IIx processing to matrix the back channels.