"Official" Pioneer Elite SC-37 - Page 141

If anyone needs a decent, free signal source, the Tone Generator Ultra app for an iPod Touch will generate any audio frequency with sine, square or triangle. It has an option to enter note, which also shows the frequency. In its noise mode it wil generate white and pink noise. Spectral purity is not fantastic, but well within a semitone of true. Oscope waveforms look OK. Another free app, FreqGen seems to have better spectral purity, but does not have noise sources.

I have no connection with the app vendors, just a satisfied user. Neither app can replace a good bench signal generator, but is handy for quick checks and as a signal source for simple debugging. If you have an iPod touch (maybe works on an iPhone, never checked), they are handy to have.

I just picked up this Receiver up, and i was wondering if there is a point to upgrading my Blu ray player (Sony S380) to the Oppo-93? The SC-37 has the same Video processor as the Oppo.

I've yet to sit down and go through the manual, is there an easy way to ensure i'm using the Marvell in the Receiver and not having the "pass through" used. They are HDMI connected.

I have the 93/sc35 combination...I could not be happier with the set up. it was a HUGE improvement over the sc35/PS3 I was running before.

I was really surprised in the big difference between two digital devices(oppo/PS3).

Thanks.
I have the upgrade bug, but i still can't get my head around how there can be a difference when both have the same processor.

I have the SC-35/ Oppo 93 combination as well, and am very pleased with how well they play together. To help you with your dilemma, I would say it all depends what you intend to use your future Oppo 93 for. If it's just to play Blu-ray discs, even the resident experts on the Oppo 93 thread will tell you that there would only be a marginal improvement (if any) in picture quality over an average Blu-ray player. However, if you are going to play SACD's or DVD-A's, and take advantage of its media streaming abilities, the 93 will leave the competition in the dust. Good luck with your purchase

I will be using the Player mostly for BD's. I have some older TV series on DVD that i enjoy as well (The West Wing, 24 ) I have two or three SACD's and would be interested in buying more....very hard to come by around here. I will be using none of the streaming options.

I guess i need to know if the SC-37 will provide the same picture with it's Marvell processor paired with my sony. If the consensus is the Oppo will still be an improvment....a new Oppo it is. I had the 93 a few months ago, but had to let it go. Though i didn't have the SC-37 at the time either.

One more note since you mentioned your intention to play DVD's, the 93 upscaling ability is very impressive, probably better than the Sony.

Yes, i remember it being quite good.

Thanks for the Advice

I have had the 37/93 combo since they were both new. IMO this combo is the best gear you can buy in their respective price ranges. The Oppo has played anything that I've thrown at it yet. Which can't be said for the other BD players I've owned such as several different Pioneer & Panasonic models. Buy the Oppo you won't be disappointed & you will also love your new SC as well. Have fun!

Well, truth be told, it's not new...but it sure looks it. The last owner treated her well. I'll take the advice and stop by my closest (and only) Oppo dealer this weekend.

I have an old Elite DV-47Ai that I want to connect as an audio only SACD player. I've connected it to the optical input on my SC-37 (Opt-1), went into the manual setup and assigned opt-1 to the CD function. Made sure the DV was set to output digital (not FireWire - which this player has) audio. When it tried to play, no audio. The SC-37 shows "auto" and "analog" in the main window. It keeps trying to play an analog signal instead of the digital. I can't make it choose the digital signal. Anyone have experience with this error?

Another setup error I have is that my "BD" input doesn't work over HDMI with my elite blu-ray player. I connect up, and the signal doesn't work. I connect using HDMI-1 with no issues. It's just the BD port that fails.

Hi
I got the SC-37 yesterday as a possible replacement for the Denon AVR-3808
Dialogue sounds thin even after I have run MCACC twice
I'm not an expert and don't know how to fix it although there's no shortage of settings
So far sound from the Denon is more rounded and powerful
Any help would be appreciated
Jakob

Did the Denon have calibration? If not then it's possible that you came to enjoy the EQ of the system and the room as is. Unfortunately, these calibration systems can not do that great a job with deep bass. MCACC is tricky from the standpoint of automatic speaker size selection. Make sure that MCACC has chosen large for the center channel and front channels. If you don't have a subwoofer, make sure you tell MCACC so. I get the best results by telling MCACC that I have a THX system and it sets all the speakers other than the sub (of course) to an 80 Hz crossover and all bass is pushed to the subwoofer. Bass management is still a bitch, and who are the morons that designed this interface. May the ghost of Steve Jobs have a positive influence on us.

ChrisRadar: I also get the best sound with THX Cinema even though I don't have THX speakers
I did not choose THX speakers under MCACC, though
I'll try it tomorrow and see if the slight brightness disappears (the bright sound was more pronounced before I chose THX)
Denon uses Audyssey room correction
Jakob

I have run the MCACC with the speakers selected as THX
Now the brightness to the dialogue is gone but the subwoofer is overpowering
Is it trial and error turning it down or is there another setting?

I have an old Elite DV-47Ai that I want to connect as an audio only SACD player. I've connected it to the optical input on my SC-37 (Opt-1), went into the manual setup and assigned opt-1 to the CD function. Made sure the DV was set to output digital (not FireWire - which this player has) audio. When it tried to play, no audio. The SC-37 shows "auto" and "analog" in the main window. It keeps trying to play an analog signal instead of the digital. I can't make it choose the digital signal. Anyone have experience with this error?



Hi, have you tried pressing the sigsel button on the remote control to switch to digital?

^^^

no can do... you can't send a sacd source over spdif...

THX processing rolls off some of the high frequencies, much the same as X-Curve (also in the Pioneer as an option). THX calls this roll-off Re-EQ and it's incorporated when you select a THX Surround mode or say your speakers are THX.

From THX web site, this may help you understand a little better -

"Re-EQ
Many movie soundtracks are mixed in studios for playback in large cinema auditoriums with an array of speakers. When played on home systems, they may appear abrasive and edgy. Re-EQ establishes a more accurate tonal balance when enjoying movies in your home."

If you also said your subwoofer is THX Ultra 2, this will also occur -

"Boundary Gain Compensation (BGC)
Sitting near a wall may result in distorted bass response. BGC corrects the way low frequency sound is perceived when seated near a wall. This results in a more true and accurate bass response."

as well as Adaptive Speaker Array (ASA) and Adaptive Decorrelation.

You can read more here -
http://www.thx.com/consumer/thx-technology/thx-av-receiver-features/

You may find you like what THX does to the sound and surround field, others don't and prefer std. Dolby PLIIx/z. Personally, I'm in the camp of not using it, I've tried it but don't like the effect on the surround channels. But if it sounds great to you, that's all that matters

You could also try using X-curve which rolls off the highs but doesn't do anything else to the soundfield.
Edited by ss9001 - 6/14/12 at 5:05am

yup

only firewire from Pioneer, older Denon's, hi-end players from companies like Esoteric, Denon's proprietary Denon-Link, and now HDMI can carry SACD as DSD or SACD converted to PCM. The only format that optical/coax digital can carry is good old 44.1 khz/16 bit PCM.

PerryK,
To use your 47Ai player with firewire, you'd need an older Pioneer AVR, like the 49txi/59txi or SC-09. Otherwise, have the player decode it and send SACD using multichannel analogs to your 37. No one uses the firewire connection anymore sorry to say. The only other option is get a new player like the Oppo 93 or one of Pioneer's BD players that has PQLS over HDMI.

Actually, S/PDIF is typically spec'd up to 24 bit 192 kHz over digital coax and up to 24 bit 96 kHz over TOSLINK optical.

AJ

hi, it's not me with the 47ai, i was responding to psusith's question. I don't usually type anything on here and didn't put his question in quotes and obviously didn't read his question correctly. Sorry for the confusion.

ss9001: Thanks for your reply, just what I needed

thanks for the correction, AJ
now that I think about 192/24 external DAC's, you are obviously right & what I get for being hasty on the keyboard.

I do know S/PDIF can't transmit DSD/SACD or be used for multichannel DVD-A/SACD, maybe because of bandwidth & copy encryption requirements.
Edited by ss9001 - 6/15/12 at 2:51am

The "pro" version even allows 32 bits... Can 64 be far behind? Imagine the detail, the sound, the debates...

Any one have an issue with the sc-37 displaying HDMI-5 on power up then shutting down immediately after?

I am!
What's going on, I have had the unit for almost 2 years with nary a hiccup.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Still wondering if anyone has experienced a quick shutdown problem with their SC-37?
unit comes on for a few seconds then shuts itself off, the there is a blue blinking light where the ipod/iphone
location is ???

I have done resets, unplugged everything, to no avail.
Just thought I would ask here one more time before i start making calls to Pioneer and Square trade.

^^
If you've tried unplugging it for several minutes and trying to power up again didn't work, then....

you could try a hard amplifier reset. Caution - this procedure is from the SC-09 service manual and has been found to also work for other earlier Ice amp based receivers. I don't know if it's exactly the same for the SC-37 but you can give it a try.

During Standby mode, simultaneously press and hold the " (DOWN)" and "ZONE2 ON/OFF" keys for 2 seconds.

The above procedure is to release the amps from the error lockdown but if the fault still exists, it probably will go back into protection. On previous models, it was usually a flashing MCACC, Phase Control or Power On LED that indicated a fault. Maybe Pioneer now has a flashing iphone LED serve similar purpose on the SC-37. Could be a short, overheat, over-current or high DC current detected in the power supply.

Before you do this, something caused the amps to go into error and trip a protection circuit. Make sure you 1st check all speaker wiring to make sure no (zero) bare copper wires are touching the chassis or another connection. Check and reseat all your HDMI cables.

If this doesn't work, then maybe the release procedure is different in the 37 OR the amp section is locked down due to a more serious malfunction. A call to Pioneer will be next step. A few owners of the earlier 09/05/07/25/27 models with locked down amps got them to work this amp reset. Some, unfortunately, had to have the Ice amp section repaired.

Good luck and let us know how it works out

Many thanks for that info!
I am out of town at the moment but will try this as
Soon as I return.

Well I have tried the amp reset with limited success.
Zone 2 and 3 are responsive to commands from the remote ( I have nothing actually connected to the reciever at the moment)
But the "main" section of the reciever is still a no go!

Hey, at least it stays on in zone 2 and 3 mode, that must mean something ???

Any further suggestion are as always, most welcome.

Make sure no speaker wires are touching another terminal or wire on the back and all of the wires are in good shape. Try running it with 2 speakers, then 3 and so on. If the shutdown problem persist, take it to a repair shop. Also check all other connections and use a different electrical outlet if possible. But, it sounds like an amp problem. I over looked the part about the HDMI 5.
.
Edited by derrickdj1 - 7/10/12 at 10:35pm