The "Official" Pioneer Elite SC-61/-63 Owners Forum

Originally Posted by aviation1st 

Since there isn't an official one yet, I'll get the ball rolling.
I am new here and new to home theaters. Below is a list of what I just ordered as my first home theater system:
Pioneer Elite SC-61 AVR
Polk Audio RTi A5 Towers
Polk Audio CS20 Center (I realize this is supposed to be paired with the TSI series. Long story.)
Polk Audio RCi80 In-Ceiling Speakers for back surround
Polk Audio RCi60 In-Ceiling Speakers for Zone 2 in bedroom and bathroom (one speaker in each room)
Panasonic TH-50PZ800U 50" Plasma (about 4 years old)
I don't have a sub yet (almost bought the Polk Pro600, but salesman at Fry's said Klipsch was superior).
So I'd like to start by saying thanks to all who contribute to this forum. Largely based on things I've read here, I've steered myself to my first entry level system.
A few questions about the SC-61 that aren't apparent to me from reading the owners manual and/or I could not find easily on this forum:
1)The manual says that if I don't have an amp for my pre-out for Zone 2, that I can use my Surround Channels instead, since I'm only running a 5.1 system. What I can't seem to get an answer on is, will this still allow me to play separate audio in Zone 2 or will it play whatever is on in Zone 1?
2) It would be nice to have a separate remote control for Zone 2. The user manual says to use the CU-RF100 Omnidirectional remote. The problem is that I can't find one for sale by searching google or the Pioneer website. WTF?
3) I was excited to get my receiver and I haven't received the towers yet, so I hooked up the center speaker and receiver on the counter last night (in the process of wiring my living room for new setup). I hooked up my iphone with the cable included and tried playing the Yankees game with the SiriusXM app. No sound played. After reading a little more, the manual says it will only play music from playlists and other app functions might be blocked, so I'm assuming that was the case? I then hooked up the AM and FM antenna's just because I wanted to hear something come out. I switched the receiver to play an AM channel that I know works in this area. Nothing. Same with FM. Still nothing. Kind of worried me, but I figured it something I did or didn't do, but was at a loss for what. Any ideas? And for the smart asses,yes, the speaker was properly connected.
4) What's best, bare wire or banana plugs to the receiver? I bought CL3 16 gauge wire to run through the walls and through the entertainment center (it's custom built and all wood.) Stripping the CL3 wire is a PITA, so I was leaning toward banana's.
Thanks in advance for your responses!

Originally Posted by dozer95667 

Hi I'll join. I've had my SC-61 about a week. I got it because I could not find a new DVD player that used red-green-blue cabling, and my trusty old Denon 2802 had no HDMI. So I sought some advice from my pop who reads up on all this stuff, and the Best Buy associate in the Magnolia room. They both recommended the new range of Pioneer Elites.
I was deciding for the last week whether I would upgrade to SC-68 but I'm only running 3.1 until I can get a pro installer to run wires clean to the back of the room (wife FORBIDS me to do it - she knows it will look crappy). I cannot see any scenario where I ever run 9.2 or extra zones. So for me, the SC-61 fits the bill perfectly for features and performance. I'm keeping it!
After a week with this in the rack, and some experimenting with MCACC... I just today put a really expensive german integrated amp in the closet (I had been using it to drive my mains). I would not have believed it a week ago when I bought this receiver for less than a thousand dollars, that it would be all the amplifier I needed... but it is. I'm shocked. I don't know whether I'll sell the old amp or build a killer bedroom system with it, but I do NOT need it to help my family room sound better. Again, I'm shocked to say this but it is true.
I did not think this receiver was heavy enough (32lb) to be "this good" but I cannot find any fault with the amp whatsoever. It plays very loud and full. I wish I knew the true 20-20,000 power specs just for grins, but it doesn't matter. It has ample power to play very clean up to the hearing damage threshold and beyond.
I also do not know what DACs are in it, but I suppose it does not matter. It sounds great and I probably will never have a need to bypass or improve on these DACs regardless of who makes them.
On the MCACC, I am finding the "front align" works best for me but I do NOT like a lot of digital eq. "front align" matches the center frequency response to the mains which is perfect for me - that way I can play two channel music pretty much unpolluted by digital EQ but still use the bass management, phase control and standing wave control. And the multi-channel will be matched to itself. nice.
I can't wait to add 2 or 4 rear channels and see what that is like!! I understand that this amp's ability to drive 7 channels to full power is sort of it's claim to fame. But right now I have Red Riding Hood blueray playing and it is just terrific sound for theater even with just the 3.1. My appleTV plays great through it too. Those, along with my DISH satellite box for TV are my only sources.
I'm really tipping my hat to Pioneer to put so much value in this machine. These D3 amps... wow just wow ... it sounds really good!

Originally Posted by dozer95667 

I was deciding for the last week whether I would upgrade to SC-68 but I'm only running 3.1 until I can get a pro installer to run wires clean to the back of the room (wife FORBIDS me to do it - she knows it will look crappy). I cannot see any scenario where I ever run 9.2 or extra zones. So for me, the SC-61 fits the bill perfectly for features and performance. I'm keeping it!

I'm really tipping my hat to Pioneer to put so much value in this machine. These D3 amps... wow just wow ... it sounds really good!

Originally Posted by Ejs71 

Yup.. Ironically, I went from a 5.1 on my old Onkyo system, to 4.1 on the Elite SC-61. The power and the sound is INCREDIBLE!!!! I watched Born Identity, and the part were he blows up the gas tank outside the house with that double barrel shotgun is UNREAL. Also, watched Book of Eli.. Incredible.
The thing I LOVE about this receiver is the HDMI's. I run EVERYTHING: Oppo Blu-ray, Apple TV, ATT Uverse, through the SC-61, and use the HDMI OUT to the TV. It's brilliant. Also, I changed the Input Selectors (settings).. and "hid" alot fo the ones I'm not using.. (Sirius, Pandora, etc.) In other words, when I have my Apple TV on the input in the reciever says "Apple TV" and when I watch blu-ray, it says "Oppo Blu-ray" instead of BD.
Again.. those D3 Amps are ridiculous.

Originally Posted by kcin76 

When we moved into our new house I had my speaker wire ran under our carpet for that very reason. It's so nice not seeing speaker wire everywhere, but it does limit you if you ever get a wild hair to move your furniture around. Thankfully, my wife and I both decided that our current set up was best suited for our living room.
That's great to hear about the receiver!!
That's what I like to hear!!
I currently have a 4 year old Onkyo TX-SR805 and while it has been a good receiver, I felt it was time for an upgrade. I received my SC-61 last week and plan on setting it up tomorrow evening after work. I'm anxious to dig into it and dreading it at the same time.
Next thing on my list is a second sub since the SC-61 has two sub pre-outs. I'm excited to get it set up and power it up for the first time, and here's to the new life it will breathe into my Mirage speakers.

Originally Posted by Done Deal DR 

I hope you have better luck with it than I did. I did all kinds of troubleshooting with the SC-61 and couldn't get it to output to my Klipsch RF-7 II's. Ended up replacing all the wires with no change. The weirdest thing was that I hooked up an old speaker I had laying around and I got sound no problem. I know the speakers were fine because I've been listening to them for a week blissfully in my previous Sony receiver. I called the dealer and they couldn't think of anything, and all I can come up with is that something must be damaged internally in the amp where it doesn't like the impedance of the speakers or something. I just boxed it up and sent it back to them and will try a replacement next week.
A little bummed but these things happen from time to time. I'm going camping for a few days anyways so that will help keep my mind off of it.[/quote}

I don't think it has anything to do with the impedance dips of the RF 7II. I have RF 7's and know of many people on the Klipsch Fourm running their HT off the avr. Most of the low impedance problems occurs in the 90 hz to 250 Hz range. It will be interesting to hear what Pioneer finally gives as a possible explanation.

Originally Posted by Ejs71 

Cool.. Well, if I can help, I'll go ahead and let you know a few things I wish I did when I opened the box.
First. It doesn't come with ANY manuals. It comes with a 2 page lieflet that's a "quick set up guide" .... don't even look at it. Click this link http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers/SC-61 and you can donwload it to your computer or iPAd.
Get your stuff hooked up and your speakers in the right positions and the right HDMI's in the outlets you prefer.. and use the Advanced MCACC Set-up guide!!!! It's a setup you use by placing the microphone (that it comes with) on a tripod, and place in the listening postion.. (I put mine on a tri-pod without the legs extended on the couch a little above earlength.) and plug it in to the unit. the rest is history.... It sets up everything for you... it detects how many speakers and which ones your using. (R, L Center, etc..) Detects ambient noise.. (make sure it's quiet in the room), standing waves, channel levels, reverb, speaker size, & distances and sets it all up for you.. it takes about 5 mintues or so.. It starts as soon as you plug in the microphone.
I went back and did a little tweaking after I had it set up a few days. I wanted my rears and sub level to be slightly higher, and adjusted the treble end of on the EQ.

Originally Posted by kcin76 

Got everything hooked up last night and used the mic as per your suggestion. Everything went smooth, but I'm going to tweek and fine tune the settings just as you did. It sounds great, but it has my sub and fronts set lower than I'd like. Here are some pics. I'm a little anal when it comes to wire spaghetti so I spent some extra time last night trying to make the install as neat as possible. Not professional by any means, but I'm pleased with the results. I also love my new Planet Waves E series HDMI cables with locking clips.

Originally Posted by lparsons21 

I'm looking at the SC61 and it does appear very interesting, but I am very confused about power.
I know all the mfgs are fudging how they rate power output, but something caught my eye as I was looking at the owner's manual for this model. It spec'd 7 channels @100wpc, yet the power supply is listed at 290W! OK, I'll bite, how do you get tons more output power out than you put in?
thanks

Originally Posted by Ejs71 

Yeah.. not sure what speakers you're using.. but I'm using bookshelf speakers and a 12" sub. After the MCACC set-up, I though it had my sub turned off, it was so low.. especially on music. turned out it had my speakers set to "Large" instead. So, I wasn't getting any bass unless it was an explosion on a movie..
Also, moved the volume of the sub up a little.. it had it at -4. Had my surrounds just a tad too low.
Ever use the Pioneer iPad app? It's pretty cool.. (FYI, you need a Ethernet line connected to the reciever from your modem)

Originally Posted by kickerofelves 

Nothing much to add except that I've had an SC61 for about a month now. The MCACC has taken a bit to get used to but the dedicated MCACC thread on AVS helps a lot, I definitely recommend it for anyone using it for the first time. It helps to have the Antimode 8033s for the sub freqs.
My stuff;
SC-61
For Theater; Wharfedales (Maple)
Evo2-30 fronts
Evo2 center ('centre' for Brits)
Evo2 10 surrounds
For 2-Channel listening;
Switching out a pair of ACI Jaguar 2000s & ACI Sapphire 25th Anniv Editions. The Jags are stunning.
SVS PC12-Plus w/Antimode 8033s
Panasonic Viera GT50
Apple TV
Micca MPlay-HD
Pioneer Elite PD-F27 CD player