The "OFFICIAL" Pioneer Elite VSX-52 / 53 Owner's Thread - Page 19

If you have an (i) device, the iControlAV2 app offers a nice graphic way to tilt an iPhone to raise bass and center channel loudness and draw the EQ curve which you can then manually adjust. These changes are instant, so you can hear the changes while adjusting.

Also, the auto set up sized my speakers to large which was a no no. I've got a "12 sub and prefer for it to do all the heavy lifting. Sound was much better when I switched my speakers to small.

My previous receiver was an Onkyo 702 and I feel this E52 has it beat in the sound clarity department.

I don't have an "i" device but I found out that they have the same app for Android. The auto set up set all my speakers to large it almost blew out my rear speakers!

I still have the issue of sound quality when changing from one input to another.

There are 6 mcacc memory settings.. Use memory1 for bluray, and memory2 for dtv. Adjust to taste

I have to manually change the mcacc each time I change inputs right? I was hoping there was something that can be set for each input.

Hi all,

You only do the MCACC once!
You do not have to change the MCACC each time you change an Input!
Have any of you read the OP Manual?
Or do you just wing this stuff?

Bud B
PS. Here is all that you need to know about the MCACC (But reading the Manual is good too)
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1112470

I recently installed my VSX-52 and while I was able to assign names to each of my inputs. I cannot figure out how to change the associated icons. While not all that important in the grand scheme, these little details nag at me. Any suggestions other than "get a life"?

Hi Leitzsout,


I think that you already knew...No Nag..It's...Get a Life! LOL!

Bud B

Hey guys, quick question as I'm not an expert on setting up sound. I just bought an Elite VSX 50, went through the setup, everything went well but the result is awful. I have Lancaster audio speakers, which are good mid range speakers and they were working great before with the old sony amp that I had.

Now, the VSX 50 seems to have no sound power. I can crank the volume as much as I want, I'm expecting the house to shake but it is far from happening. What can be wrong? Defect amp? Just me missing something on the setup?

Any help would be appeciated

Thanks for your time.

Make sure your speakers are set to small if you have a sub. I assume you are hearing sound, just not loudly.

Exactly, and you are right, I saw the speakers are set to large. I will give it a shot.

The behaviour is what you describle. I hear sound, it gets loud if I crank the volume but it is just not the kind of sound I expected. My Metallica bluray was sounding heavy with the sony amp and now it's like if I was listening to Tina Turner just to clear of a sound and barely any bass.

Hi again Bud,

Sorry for getting back late at your post.....been very busy now that the holidays is over....LOL

1/ No I were not part of the Toshiba DLP Lawsuit Action because I did not know until I did a search on DLP and read your post a couple of days ago.
The Lawsuit had already settled on DEC 1, 2009...

2/ Yes, I did called Pioneer support yesterday....The Sevice Tech told me It should work right out of the box without touching any setting of the Video Parameters but that shouldn't make any different even if I touch the setting.
However he did said that some of the Cable Box or Set Top Boxes might not be compatibled with the E-53. He said he did get a lot of call about this.

He suggested me just to connect the Blu-ray to see if it work....still no luck.
Again the only thing I saw was a flickering of a green line straight across the DLP just as you said "it seems like the E-53 is trying a handshake with the DLP but the DLP doesn't want to talk". I think I am going to call Pioneer again next week.

Anyway this weekend if I can free up some of the times, I will try to test the E-53 with my LCD TV from upstair again...just want to make sure if everything working fine and in order with the LCD before I make a decision what to do with the E-53 (keep it or return and get a different brand).

Thanks for all your times and efforts trying to help me out. I will be talking to u later.

Foreverblueleafs

Once this is worked out, I think you'll love the sound. My receiver is a 52, but yours is a good one also.

I never expected my music to sound this good. I have Polk Monitor speakers which are OK if that, but the now have new life.

Let us know how it turns out.

Quick question.
Is the power/standby button on the front lower-left panel supposed to illuminate ?
Mine does not - under any conditions.
This is the 3rd one I have - (I exchanged two previously) - and I seem to recall that the button "did" illuminate on the other two - a blue color.

In any event - is this illumination perhaps user-selectable, and I turned it "off" somehow - or is there something faulty ?
If it "is" supposed to illuminate - under what conditions does it do so ?

Guys,

I had a Pioneer Elite VSX-21THX AVR and a Pioneer BD-320 Blue-ray DVD as part of my system. Purchased a new Sony KDL 52HX909 TV last year, but was not too concerned about the 3D experience until a few weeks ago. Obviuosly, my previous Pioneer units were not 3D capable, but the itch finally got to me. Found a good price for two Sony 3D glasses on Ebay (along with the Narnia 3D Blue-ray DVD), and purchased the 3D transmitter from Amazon. Was with my wife a couple of days ago at Best Buy. Went to purchase a Digital Coax cable so that I could connect the HDMI directly from the DirecTV (HR24) DVR to the TV and then get audio from my sound system with the Digital Coax from the DVR to the AVR. I had mentioned a few days before that I would look into a work-around, since anything else would require a new 3D capable AVR. Totally out of no-where, my wife recommended that instead of going through a work-around process, why didn't I just go ahead and get the 3D ready units that I would need and avoid any work-around procedure (birthday coming up in early Feb.). Think I kissed her at that time. Do I have a great wife or what!

So I guided her into the Magnolia room at Best Buy, and purchased the following:

1. Pioneer Elite VSX-52 AVR (3D ready with pass-through capability)
2. Pioneer Elite BD-53FD DVD (3D Blu-ray)

Walked out of Best Buy with the new AVR, but will have to wait until 1/21 for the DVD to be delivered to Best Buy for pick-up.

Went home and immediately hooked up the AVR. Since my previous AVR (Pioneer Elite VSX-21THX) was Pioneer with similar connections, it was a simple matter to unplug the old unit and pretty much make the same connections into the new AVR. I went through the MCACC set-up for the speakers and thought I was ready. Turned everything on and was greeted by thunderous silence, and no picture. Was extremely perplexed for a while and went through all my connections again. Decided to play around with the input knob on the AVR for a while, and changed the AVR input from HDMI 1 (what I had used with the -21THX) to DVR. Suddenly, I was greeted with a wonderful picture and awsome sound. Energy speakers all around with an 8" Energy subwoofer. Did I say that the sound coming out of the system was awsome?

Both the old and new AVRs function with two HDMIs IN (DVR and DVD) and one HDMI OUT from the AVR to the Sony KDL 52HX909 TV. The Pass-through capability seems to work great. No other cables required.

Overall, I am a very happy camper. However, if someone has some recommendations for improving the set-up (i.e., additional settings that I may be blissfully ignorant of), I am a very willing listener. Initially, I had set the speakers up as SMALL, but after the MCACC set-up, the speakers were automatically changed to LARGE. I listened for a while, but a day later, after reading some of the comments on this Forum, I went back in and changed the setting of the speakers to SMALL. Trying to figure out what the difference is going to be. Do you guys agree that SMALL is the correct setting, even though MCACC set them to LARGE?

Just wanted to share.

Mike

Hi Michael - AZ,


If you have a Sub and you do, connected to the Sub Outs, the MCACC should have seen that and left your speakers as "Small"
If you are going to use a Sub , you must set your Speakers to Small so that the Sub Frequencies will go to the Sub via LFE.

Does your Energy 8" Sub have LFE Inputs?

You will also want to check what "Crossover" point that your Pioneer set your Sub to...the Pioneers have been know to set at 100Hz when 80Hz would be a better choice.
The Crossover choice depends on your main speakers and what their Frequency response is.
If their Frequency response runs from less than say, 60Hz area or lower then the 80Hz Crossover will be better, however if you have small satellite speakers with a high Frequency response you may want the 100Hz setting.
This can be checked in the Manual Sp Setup and Speaker Settings.
Also in the Manual Sp Settings make sure that the Sub is selected.

I am sure that you have already discovered that you connect your Surround Speakers to Surround Left and Right and not the Surround "Back" connections unless you are in a 7.1 setup.
Go through the "Audio Parameters" and "Video Parameters" starting on page 50 in the OP Manual and make sure that they are set to your configuration.
The Bold setting is the Default Setting.

Congrats on your purchase and Enjoy!

Bud B

Hi IceManKent,


Yes! There is a Blue Lit ring around the Standby switch that lights up when the receiver is ON.
I have not seen a way to turn it Off and would say that turning it Off is not a "User" Option.
You could confer with Pioneer though and if there is a "sub setting" that we do not know about.
A lot of times the Manufacturer have those "Back Doors" to the Software Special "Non-User" settings.
I would definitely make that call before packing it up and returning it.

If there is a Back Door in for such things, let us know.

Does everything work fine except for the light?

Good Luck,

Bud B

Hi Foreverblueleafs,

Ya know, maybe you should just swap your receiver out!
Lord knows you have gone above and beyond what normal people would try to get your Toshiba DLP to work with the Pioneer!

Then if the second Pioneer does the same thing, at least you know that it is a Pioneer to Toshiba DLP thing and it is just not going to work!
Time to choose either a newer HDTV or another Receiver Brand!
I would have probably given up long ago on this!

Good Luck,

Bud B

Hi Fernboy61,

The initial setup is really involved in how the end result will sound.
you have 6 MCACC Memory locations, usually 3 are used with each MCACC initialization.
If I were you I would do another and change the Location / Placement of the reference Mic.

I did this and I got two different results.
I first put the Mic where I sit on a tripod and moved out the seat that I would sit in, this location though is close to the back wall.
I then did the MCACC a second Time and put my seat back and the Mic still on my Tripod and at Head Height (when sitting down) and more towards the center of the room.
This way the Mic did not get the reflections off of the back wall as much.
When I was done I could go through my 6 MCACC Memory locations and choose the one that I liked the best, then I took that one and Tweaked as needed. Viola! Done!

The MCACC is not a perfect Science and is very subjective to your Room and Surroundings!
It should get you pretty close but it is after all, YOU that is the Judge!
It was never (nor does any Receiver's Setup Software do) intended to be an End ALL and Perfection!
Software Designers can be Good, even Great, but they cannot EVER figure in every anomaly that will be encountered in the "Real World!"

Lastly in regard to the Sound Level, I listen to my Pioneers at around -20 or louder.
Also make sure that none of your Outboard Components have any Volume Levels Internally.
Let us know....

So, work with it, Learn with it, and you will get the end result that you want!
Trust everyone that has purchased their Pioneers, if the Results and Sound weren't inside, no one would have one!

Good Luck, Half the Fun is Getting There! Or the saying goes!

Bud B

Hi XBRSteve,

How are you doing now that you know that you do not change MCACC Memory locations as you change Inputs.
See my post to Fernboy61 below...

Update ....

Bud B

Yes, to my knowledge, everything else seems to be working.
I find it odd that something like this could even happen.
I would think it is a faulty power wiring connection to the LED on that button, or something like that.
Maybe someone at the factory slipped and yanked the wire off a connector before assembling the housing.

I will give Pioneer a call on Monday and see what they say.
Although it could be possible, I am doubtful that there is a back door or other "software" method of enabling that light.
It seems like it should just be something that is "always" there, versus something you can manually turn on/off.
I'll post what they tell me - thanks.

I have an LG BH200 hooked to my vsx-52 via HDMI. When playing a movie in DTS-ES or Dolby Digital Plus (bitstream) I have no audio but the video is fine. The VSX52 displays STEREO. If I play a movie with True HD it works fine. If I put the BH200 in PCM they all work fine.

Any ideas why the VSX-52 does not accept bitstream DD Plus or DTS-ES?

You obviously didn't understand my question and don't feel the need to make it any clearer to you given how you responded.

Bud B,

Thanks for the response. Don't know why the MCACC set the speakers to LARGE, but since that's been corrected, not a big deal. Although I looked at the back of my Energy M8 sub, it doesn't show anything labled as LFE. I looked at the pamphlet that came with the sub, and it says that the Line In serves the same purpose as the LFE. My sub cable running from the AVR to the back of the sub connects to a short (5") splitter cable (came with the sub) that connects to "Line In/Sub In Left/Right". connectors. Same set-up I had with the -21THX AVR. MCACC set the crossover at 80Hz.

Check on the speaker connections. Since I only have 5.1 system, my surround speakers are connected as Surround Left and Right.

I also have the same power cable issue (doesn't seem to fully seat at the AVR) as described earlier in this thread. I plan to call Pioneer tomorrow and have them send me a replacement. For now, I'm using the cable from the -21THX because it fits a little better. I'm going to need that, however, when I hook up my older Pioneer units in the back room (to my Sony 46XBR2). No big hurry, since my new Elite -53FD DVD isn't scheduled to arrive until 1/21.

Again, thanks for the response.

Mike

I'm helping a family member set up their new theater and we grabbed a VSX-1326 (essentially a 53) from future shop on boxing day like many others here have.

Unfortunately things haven't gone well. We have a 5.1 setup with some new wiring. The speakers have worked for years on an old Denon receiver, however in anticipation of a new TV, BD, etc the room was rewired to be all in wall with jacks, so there are wires from the speakers to wall jacks, then in-wall, then from another jack to the back of the receiver. The front speakers can be bi-wired, but we have simply put the posts in and run a single pair for each, the way the speaker manual describes.

Our problem deals with the receiver shutting off. Essentially if I either check the levels on the speaker, or try and start the full auto MCACC the receiver will count down on screen make a very gentle pop sound and shut off and a red light will blink beside the display. We tried playing various blurays of different audio formats through the system and hear sound just fine through all 6 components, but 2-3 minutes in to the movie receiver will just cut out, turn off and have the red blinking light. We have the volume at a very reasonable listening level, well below what I've heard the speakers do in the past without issue.

Speaker setup is not my forte, so I'm asking for assistance debugging. Looking at the manual we straight up might have a DOA receiver, but I'd still like to make sure it isn't a wiring issue. Should we just try the speakers two at a time (front/back) with new wires directly into the receiver?

^^^

it sounds very much like you have a stray speaker wiring shorting out...

check all your speaker wire very carefully... all it takes is a single strand...

Foreverblueleafs;

Don't know about your specific problem, but just a general note. I've had a very illuminating and frustrating experience with setting up my vsx-53; most of the issues relating to the built in copy-protection. [They don't call it that, but that is what it is.] The HDMI interface has built in the HDCP copy-protection scheme; which essentially means that for two devices to play together they have to both handshake that they are HDCP compliant.

So my system includes some new equipment (modern Samsung LCD monitor, etc.), but also some older equipment such as an older projector I was going to use in a different room and tied to HDMI Output #2. Long-story short: The older projector has a DVI input (with a HDMI to DVI convertor), and since it doesn't handshake with the Pioneer, it shows no video. I have no idea how your older DLP interfaces; but the issue might be related to this. Essentially, what I've found is that if your input to the Pioneer is an HDCP compliant HDMI device (Blue ray player, TIVO, SET top box, Mac Mini, etc.); then the monitor has to be HDCP compliant with true-HDMI input. In essence, the Pioneer does not down-convert HDMI since the belief is that the only reason you would want to do that is to be able to illegally copy the video. There apparently is no valid reason, according to Pioneer, to be able to play video on an older monitor.

And it gets worse. This also goes for audio. If you try to send the audio from an HDMI input to any other non-HDMI output; forget it. This means if you get audio from say a Mac Mini (connected by HDMI), you cannot send it to any of the other receiver outputs whether they be analog or digital. This also means the two other Zones. So if you want to say have Zone 2 be your outdoor speakers, and you want to play audio from a pure digital input device connected by HDMI; forget it.

Very frustrating, and all part of the media industry's penchant for customer-hostile actions. [And if anyone can show me that any of this is wrong; please let me know. I've spent many frustrating hours before I finally realized the problems. I would LOVE to be proven wrong.]

Bud B.;

Since you have both a vsx-53 and a Logitech remote; I would like to ask you a question. Have you been able to use your remote to do anything with Zone 2/3? I can't find any way to turn them on/off; set input, etc. If I try to customize a button, I don't see any of the Pioneer commands coming up related to the Zone commands.

Have you tried this? And if so, how did you do it?

Thanks;

Jwf

Hey Bud B. I will run the MCACC for a third time tonight. I will place the mic away from the wall as, as you said, my head position is really close to the wall.

I did play with it a bit over the weekend but I was very busy with other things so I still have more tests to run. Good news is, I'm getting closer. I read the AVR FAQ post from top to bottom and I understand somethings a little more. I will provide an update as soon as I can.

Thanks for your time and tips

Hi Jetcity and Foreverblueleafs,

Unfortunately you are not wrong on the HDMI out to Analog of any kind.
If you go into the Pioneer via HDMI or HDMI and Optic Digital, you need to exit via HDMI Audio and Video!

I did not think about the HDCP factor though, but a couple things about that
1) HDCP is not applicable for the Cable Box because it puts out 1080i and not P.

2) Page 50 of the OP Manual under "About HDMI" states that the Pioneer is compliant with HDCP for 1080P/24 1080P/60 etc!
This covers Blu-Ray and also explains why an older Blu-Ray player can operate when connected directly to an older Non Compliant HDCP HDTV / Monitor.
But when you put the Pioneer in the path and virtually ALL of today's AV Receivers would be the same, because of HDCP, it will not let the 1080P Video pass on to a non Compliant HDCP HDTV.
Thus a Flash on the HDTV and the Audio and Video is shut right down!

You win the "Gold Star" Jetcity!
You can bet that Foreverblueleafs, 8 year old DLP is NOT HDCP Compliant!
He should be able to get his 1080i cable box though via HDMI.
But any other HDP AV he will not and that also explains why his LCD works with the Pioneer, it's HDCP Compliant!

Thanks again Jet!

Bud B

Well, I called Pioneer.
They confirmed that the power/standby button should be illuminated (blue).
He suggested doing a system reset to see if it would fix it - before taking it back.
I tried the reset - no dice.
Tomorrow I will see if there are any of these left in Futureshop here in Ottawa - I sure hope so, this is getting ridiculous.
I'll exchange it if I find any - and "live" with it if I don't.
The only reason I am concerned about this issue is that if something like a simple standby light is faulty - then what "else" is lurking under the hood - just waiting to present itself !

Oh, and I asked if there was any "back door" setup for the avr and he laughed (in a good way) - and said that this did not exist.