The "Official" Pioneer Elite SC-55/SC-57 Owners Thread - Page 80

Originally Posted by Hostility

Hello, Im short on time and wish i could read through all these pages, but hoping someone could help me, I got a price on the 57 today, and for about $500 cheaper i could get the 55 else where. Now what is the difference between the 2? I have an onkyo 807 right now that just went into repair, so im looking to maybe jump ship and really like the 55/57. Also how is the D class amp? Sound any different then the a/b's? Would this be a step forward from my 807. Other avrs im looking into are marantz 7005 and dennon 4311 (same price as the sc57 at the 1 store) thanks

*edit* also what is pioneers reliability like? The only reason i want to leave onkyo is that i dont want the same problem coming back 2 yrs down the road again. I may also look into external amp in 4-5 months.

Originally Posted by Hostility

*edit* also what is pioneers reliability like? The only reason i want to leave onkyo is that i dont want the same problem coming back 2 yrs down the road again. I may also look into external amp in 4-5 months.

Originally Posted by Hostility

Hello, Im short on time and wish i could read through all these pages, but hoping someone could help me, I got a price on the 57 today, and for about $500 cheaper i could get the 55 else where. Now what is the difference between the 2?

Originally Posted by Tom in OH

I picked the sc-57 cuz it includes the 7.1 analog multi-ch inputs for connecting the Oppo 95... ^^

Originally Posted by Hostility

Sorry to get off topic, but ive seen mention analog multi ch. What is that used for, why not use hdmi to avr?

Originally Posted by ccotenj

^^^

that would be a neat trick (bi-amping all 5 speakers), as the avr doesn't have 10 amplification channels...

you could do that with a sc-09... it'd be pointless, but you could...

Originally Posted by Tom in OH

If someone wanted to use the d/a converters in their blu-ray (or universal player) they could connect the player's multi-ch outs to the avr's multi-ch ins(sc-57).

If someone wants to use the d/a converters in the avr, then hdmi would work fine.

I do have an hdmi cable connected from the Oppo 95 to the Sc-57 but is used for video only.

Originally Posted by Hostility

interesting, my bd player has multi outs, but never really looked into why they were there. I though analog was part of the past, and everything was switching over to hdmi

Originally Posted by ccotenj

^^^

turn off hdmi control....

Originally Posted by sdrucker

It's not so much that sub EQ makes the Denon better, but that Sub EQ in general makes any system sound better, particular on the low bass (<40 Hz, give or take) that yields the most pronounced effects.

Up until about a year and a half ago, the best solutions were from external sub EQs, such as the Antimode, Velodyne's SMS-1, and (particularly if you have two or more subs) the SVS AS-EQ1, which used high resolution Audyssey. At that time Audyssey-based AVRs didn't have that capability to the same quality as the standalone solution.

However, then Audyssey came out with a version of their room correction software that had the high level sub correction, and the newest Denon product (4311) had it. Since then, there's been a wave of former users of other systems that have went in that direction.

Having said that, the SC-57 has some advantages:
A highly capable upscaling chip in the Marvell Qdeo -- Denon's ABT is older, so you may get better results with the Pioneer for standard resolution video and internet video streaming
Built-in Wifi
Neo X, if you plan to add Front wides or heights
Class D amps, which may give you a smoother sound at higher volumes
PQLS, for better, jitter-free HDMI signals (I don't think the 4311 has it but I may be wrong)
If you like tweaking your EQ curves, standing waves,etc. heavily, Advanced MCACC (you'd need Audyssey Pro, about $700 more new, to get that full capability)
Being less 'complex' than Audyssey systems, the Pioneer seems to have more reliability from AVS threads
My impression is that while overall a better choice for the best sound, Audyssey Pro has a steeper learning curve than MCACC

If you're willing to spend $300 to $700 depending on the solution, you can get similar - but not as integrated EQ - of your sub by buying an external EQ. However, the AS EQ-1 is no longer produced, so if you go that route, you'll have to get a used one. Audiogon and AVS classifieds have them relatively frequently.



My advice, as an SC-57/AS-EQ1 owner: the sub EQ makes a huge difference unless you already have a sub with EQ controls, or have a setup where you value 'video quality' over the very best bass. I'd only get the SC-57 if can get the external bass EQ and/or don't have expensive subs, or value compatibility between the Kuro and a Pioneer AVR over sound, all things equal.

At any rate, the Pioneer _does_ do level and distance on the sub. It just doesn't do EQ below 63 Hz.

Originally Posted by sfatula

Can the SC-55 only RECEIVE airplay? Or, can content from one of it's sources be sent TO airplay speakers?

Originally Posted by sfatula

Can the SC-55 only RECEIVE airplay? Or, can content from one of it's sources be sent TO airplay speakers?

Originally Posted by DonH50

I tend to think room correction swamps most other factors in achieving good sound, and for that you need to use the DACs in the AVR...

Originally Posted by purdyd

I think the oppo does room correction

Originally Posted by purdyd

I think the oppo does room correction

Originally Posted by ccotenj

^^^

ok... digging a bit deeper into the manuals to see if anything pops out at me...

Originally Posted by Gov

Sure, I pulled it out of my posterior of course Seriously though, I remember reading a post made by Chris Walker (Pioneer big wig) before he was scared off this forum by some members, but he said that the preout voltage for all THX certified Pioneer receivers was 1.5V @ 0dB MV. This was several years ago, but I would imagine it is still the same.

Originally Posted by DonH50

The output level is on the THX site and is required to meet THX certification. It can be a little tough to follow, but I strongly suspect that is not your issue.

What if you plug the CD player's outputs into the amp?

Could you post all the settings on your amp? (QSC CX168, right?)

AFAIK, nobody else has had this problem (I am driving external amps, for instance, with no problems).

Originally Posted by DonH50

The output level is on the THX site and is required to meet THX certification. It can be a little tough to follow, but I strongly suspect that is not your issue.

What if you plug the CD player's outputs into the amp?

Could you post all the settings on your amp? (QSC CX168, right?)

AFAIK, nobody else has had this problem (I am driving external amps, for instance, with no problems).