The "Official" Pioneer Elite SC-55/SC-57 Owners Thread - Page 29

FWIW, a wired connection IS the way to go. However, if that just isn't going to happen, then a bridge is probably better.

Why?

Take my situation for example: I can "see" (with a sensitive enough antenna) 20+ wireless networks from my living room - and I don't even live in very dense housing. ALL of them are in the 2.4GHz range. I am running the only 5GHz network that I've been able to detect (it's not an exclusivity thing, but rather a bandwidth thing) in my living room. In a nutshell, with any older networking (wifi) equipment, I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the 5GHz spectrum. However, with a bridge, I just had to replace my main router and get a bridge. Buying a new receiver (and gaming console, and HTPC, and... etc) just to take advantage of the 5GHz spectrum wouldn't have been an option.

I have wifi on 3 of the 4 components connected to my bridge (PS3, Wii, Mac Mini) but don't use their built-in wifi because I get so much better throughput with my bridge.

In two years, I may be upgrading again if the technology is available and there is a need.

(Side note: Years ago, I would stream between my ReplayTV's over a wifi connection. However, my neighbors were using a channel for their wifi network that wasn't one of the "friendly" ones. (eg 1, 6, 11) So, it would affect me as it would trample over the channel I was trying to use. Since they weren't bright enough to change their default passwords, I kindly changed their network to one of those channels to solve the problem. Rather than do something like that these days, it's easier just to use the 5GHz network and avoid the masses altogether.)

EDID is probably screwing up. Check for a firmware update with the Samsung, and you might want to try turning off Anynet+ (that's what Samsung calls their HDMI-CEC variant)

Thanks, I will look for an update when I get home. Also try with turning off anynet and turning back on. The odd thing was I can change hdmi ports on the receiver and it worked fine

Proud new owner of SC-55. Looking forward to getting it up and running during my speaker eval - Aperion Verus vs. Axioms. Have a new Hsu VTF-3 MK4 subwooker too... Any hints or suggestions?

I just sold my denon 4308ci and I am buying a new avr later today when I get up. I am torn between the SC-55 and the yamaha A2010. Please explain to me what the SC-55 can do vs the A2010 and why/if it is better. I have been reading though the specs for the last couple of hours and is seems like they both have very similar features. Why should I go with the SC-55? I do think that the iphone app looks better for the pioneer. I do plan on doing DLNA but I see both support 1.5. I watch a lot of movies and concerts with DTS-HD and MA audio. Mostly all 1080p source material so the video upscaling really doesnt' matter much does it? Please help me decide on my replacement. I can't take the little speakers in my 65" Panasonic plasma very long!
Swami

After tuning everything in I am VERY VERY happy with the SC-57.

ONE PROBLEM - NO SCREEN OVERLAY.

I mean what century is this Pioneer?

Set-up:

SC-57
Ascend Acoustics Sierras and CMT-340s for with HSU Research 12" for 7.1
PS3 #1
PS3 Slim #2
XBOX 360 Elite (first to have HDMI LOL)
OPPO BD player (looking to upgrade to Pioneer Elite BDP-94 this year upon release so both can be controlled with IPAD2)
Panasonic PT-AE7000U FPJ
Da-Lite 2.8 gain Hi Power 160" motorized screen
3rd generation Panasonic 3D glasses
IPAD2 running AVControl2 App
HTPC
all networked

One thing - this has a high learning IMHO - SO MANY OPTIONS on the SC-57 set-up to optimization literally took me a week of tinkering to get all the networking, Internet Radio, Sirius/XM Satellite radio, speaker configuration, zone 2 working etc etc

If you buy a SC-57 I cannot recommend it any more strongly however get ready for some serious set up time and fiddling with things.

AMP is super clean and loud - if you like tube amp distortion maybe this is not for you - however after many listenings to both Blu-ray music and films in 7.1 - I am officially a convert to these Class D AMPS.

Pioneer is BAAAACK!!

I had the same decision - but I was between the Yamaha 3010 and the SC-57.

The German tests of the D3 AMPS simply showed they were cleaner at higher wattage running a lot of channels.

The IPAD2 app is much better than the Yamaha one.

It supports Airplay (Yamaha does not at all! - also Pioneer has the best Airplay available, superior even to the DENON implementation).

I am VERY happy with my SC-57.

YMMY. Some people may need some adjustment to the Class D amps - they are amazingly good for the price IMHO.

Networking works great once you get the hang of it, and if you don't mind some quirks like putting in teh MAC address

Now that I own it I am so happy I did NOT buy the Yamaha - again YMMV

i am not sure why or where you are inputting a MAC address. By there very nature they are hard coded into each ethernet controller.

inputting the IP address is another thing entirely and using statically assigned IP addresses vice dynamically assigned with DHCP for the receiver (and other server type things) is generally easier for the clients (think iControlAV2)

especially if you have any complexity in the network

Ok guys, I pulled the trigger on a SC-55! I didn't feel personally that for the few extra features the SC-57 has it was worth an extra $400.

I am going to only be running this in 5.1 since my room size will not allow any larger of a setup. What should be the first thing I do to set the avr up properly when I first get it up and going? I have read there is some software that comes with it to make the setup easier. Is this worth while using?
Thanks,
Swami

Not really.

What software would come with the SC-55?

The interactive manual and interactive setup.

They only did this with the 55 & 57?

Hello everyone. Just had a question that I couldn't find the answer to skimming through previous pages of this forum. I have an SC-57 and I'm currently running a center channel and a left and right floor standing speaker. I have 2 subwoofers. The SW-311 and KW-120-THX both by Klipsch. My question is, how do I run both subwoofers off the receiver at the same time? I just got the KW-120 today and hooked it up to the second subwoofer spot on the receiver. Now that one works but not the SW-311 that is still connected to the Subwoofer 1 spot. Do you guys know what I'm doing wrong? I auto calibrated all the speakers again after connecting the second subwoofer but it looked as if it only recognized the new one as well. Thanks for any input!

I am new to the game and my SC-55 hasn't arrived yet, but I remember reading in this thread somewhere, at least I think it was here, that the dual subwoofers only work in certain audio modes. I think it was only certain Dolby movie modes or surround modes, not in stereo or the modes you might want to use for music only.

Not sure the size of your room, nor the type of speakers you're running. But, I'll assume if you had a 4308, you have a general sense of how the upper end AVRs perform.

First, I'm not familiar with the Yamaha AVRs. I understand folks who have them, like them.

Probably the two biggest differences between the Yammy and the SC55 are their auto speaker/room set up schemes and the amplifier technology they use.

Both use a proprietary auto room/speaker set up scheme. Yamaha uses YPAO, while Pioneer uses MCACC. MCACC is the real deal, 9 bands of equalization, reverberation testing, phase, etc. YPAO, I'm not certain, although they claim it's a parametric EQ.

Amps...Yamaha uses traditional A/B type amps, that are very reliant on the power supply. The SC55 uses Pioneer's proprietary D3, digital switching amps. These are much more efficient than A/B amps. They've also been tested to be robust.

The previous version of Pioneer's digital switching amps (ICE) was licensed from B&O. They proved to be very powerful. I'll assume the D3 amps share that trait.

All the other features/differences between the two are really splitting hairs.

Thanks for the reply graphicguy, I ordered a SC-55 yesterday afternoon after reading through this thread, reading some reviews, and looking around Pioneers website.
Since I got rid of my Yamaha RX-Z9 when the HDMI revolution came around, I have never felt like my Denon did the same job for my home theater setup as the old Yamaha RX-Z9 did. I am looking forward to seeing how the new SC-55 stacks up. From one review I read, they said in multichannel mode the Pioneer still puts out over 100w/channel where as the newer, a2010 i think, yamaha adventage receivers are only putting out 40 or 50 w/channel. I'm thinking my Denon might have had this same problem as they say most don't put out nearly what they are rated at in multichannel.
I can't believe how bad the speakers sound in my 65" plasma. I never listened to them until I sold this amp. I would describe them as a tinny midrange sound. I can't wait until Tuesday when the new one gets here. It makes me not even want to watch TV at all.

Swamibob.....I think you'll like the SC55. I've been a fan of SCs since they first came out.

I'll mention that unless you're driving inefficient speakers, in a really large room, I doubt you're using 1/5-1/3 of the available power on any of these higher end AVRs are capable of. Even at that, it would be only when higher transient peaks hit.

That said, the SCs are among the most powerful AVRs I've ever had in my system....and I've had some monsters in my rack.

When you get it set up, stop back and let us know your impressions.

I tried the CD..it went fine. I did like how you can chart and save the results of speaker before and after calibration.

Yeah that does sound cool. Do you know if there is somewhere to download it from without waiting on the avr to arrive? I did already install the iPhone app. I looked around pioneeer's website and all I can find is the firmware update, nothing about the interactive manual and interactive setup file. I was surprised I couldn't find the pc software. I usually download software that comes with new devices since it is almost always out of day on the cd.

Also, does anyone know if the firmware changed anything besides the Rhapsody problems? If I need to do the firmware update I'd like to do that before I change any settings and then lose them and have to do it again. Thanks

I just picked up a refurbished Linksys ethernet hub from Bestbuy.com for a really good price. It's model # EZXS55W. It was basically plug n play. Have one port to PS3 and another to SC-57. I have 2 spare ports for any future equipment needs.

What we have is 9.2 (no one has confirmed the DSP can support 11.2) systems, but there is next to no content which provides .2 channel support. What the .2 connectors are used for nearly all the time is low frequencies in what is essentially a mono configuration. Both outputs will work with .1 (or stereo - the crossover will send low frequencies to the LFE if so configured) content. You can hook just one up, or both outputs if your LFE has L/R inputs (my Klipsch reference series subwoofer does but I hooked up only the L channel since I own precisely zero 9.2 sources), or you can add a second LFE and if placed within one wavelength of your existing LFE and properly phased (Klipsch reference LFEs provide fine control over phasing!), sound pressure level will be increased by 6dB to 10dB.

HOWEVER: I have just a single subwoofer and it's absolutely deafening. I'm thinking of adding a second just because I can, but honestly I already need to cut the LFE channel by 10dB or more if I set the LFE at unity (0dB setting)

That is a 5 port switch that is only 10/100Mbs. I realize you may not need faster than that at the moment but if you are getting one today I would buy a 10/100/1000 so you can have 1Gb connections for future devices. The new stuff is going to be 1000Mbs for the next five years at least. My latest media player MED500X2 running the realtek 1185 chipset supports 1000Mbs and it is required if you want to stream 1080p blu ray with dts-hd or master audio from a Network device without glitching or audio dropouts.

If anyone else is in need of a 5 port switch, newegg has a good deal on a new ASUS GX-D1051 Power-Saving Gigabit Switch 10/100/1000Mbps 5 x RJ45 for $30 and it's $20 after mail in rebate. I actually got mine for $15 after mail in rebate but they just raised the price $5 today. I thought it was a really good deal. If you shop around you will see that $20 is still a really good deal as well although you do have to wait on the rebate.

I would add to this

Audessey....though the 4308 didn't have the new XT32

..and generally speaking..the Denon products are more "techie"...a lot more onscreen "stuff"...and the fact that as I recall the high end denons had wireless capability

I have a SC37,SC07, Yamaha A3000...and used to have a Denon 4308

The rest of the stuff..I agree with you..is splitting hairs


Warren

time for separates?...


Warren

I picked up several refurbished Netgear powerlines on Ebay

one unit creates 4 ports at another place in the house

works better and more consistently than any wireless signal I have used

Warren

+1...?

I'd also go for a switch rather than a hub - switches isolate each port on the unit, directing traffic only to the MAC address it's intended for. Passive hubs send all traffic to all ports at all time, which can lead to traffic congestion if you're doing file transfers, voice calls, streaming, and so on all at the same time.

At this point the only point to a hub is for using packet sniffers to diagnose a network if your switches are unmanaged and lack a port mirroring or promiscuous port feature, and want to see what data is being transferred between a particular segment (or device) and the switch.

Thank You... I just ordered that one. I hope it is plug and play. I have decided to run a cable to the rack, so I should be able to plug this to my router and then the switch to my SC55, PS3, Dish 722, Samsung PN8000, and xbox360. I have all ways heard that hard wire is better, so, I might as well do them all