Pioneer Elite VSX 56TXi owners unite!

Hello 56 owners,

I thought I would start a dedicated thread on our receiver. Hopefully, we can help each other with all aspects of this great piece of equipment. I've only had mine for 4 days and I'm still in the process of learning the remote and setup. I would like to know what equipment your using it with, how you have it set up (HDMI, iLink, component, etc.) and how you have it tuned?

I have mine set up with an Elite DV 59 AVi connected with the iLink. The 59 is connected to an LG 44 inch TV with HDMI. My HDTV cable box is connected with component cables. All video interconnects are from Tributaries and audio interconnects are from IXOS. I have a trio of Definitive Technology speakers in the front. I have the BP7006 for front left and right and a CLR 2300 for the center. Rear surrounds are Sonance 622TRs. This is a 5.0 system since I don't have a dedicated sub. All electronics are plugged into a Panamax Powermax 8DBS+3 surge protector. This is my second home entertainment system and it completely blows away my old system, which has been retired to the master bedroom. I consider it to be my next step up the ladder. I figure my next system will include seperates with a projector/screen.

Last night was the first time that I got to play around with the tuner and the CD playback from the 59. I programmed in 20 FM stations (that was a stretch) I still have 10 remaining but I can't get any AM signal. Anybody else having problems picking up AM? The antenna is attached and I can hear some static/fuzz with the volume up but no music/talk. I know I will probably never listen to the AM stations but I at least would like to have some of the talk stations programmed in there. The FM stations come in fine with the antenna. I found that NPR sounded better in mono rather than stereo. It cut out alot of the noise. For CD playback, I thought it sounded best in the direct mode. I tried it in stereo, Dolby, etc. and kept coming back to direct. This is by far the best sounding stereo I've ever owned. I've owned 3 car systems and 1 home system before this. I haven't bought any SACD or DVD Audio discs yet but I plan on getting some this weekend. I'll post my results on that later this weekend. How do you other owners listen to 2 channel music with this receiver? Anybody have a turntable hooked up to theirs?

I haven't even watched a complete movie on the system yet. I've tested some scenes from Toy Story, Star Wars, and the Fellowship of the Ring and they all sounded and looked incredible. I've also tested some 2 channel DVDs of old television shows and the Dolby Pro Logic II does a fantastic job of creating a surround environment. What are some settings to test during movie playback?

Two other questions: What kind of headphones are you using with it and do you have a home satellite radio receiver hooked up to it?

Thanks in advance for any advice, criticism, or insight. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I get more into this receiver.

Alright, I bought the SACD of Pink Floyd's DSOTM tonight. I popped it in the 59AVi and let it rip in regular CD mode to start. It sounded good. I then go to the manual for the 59 and it says on page 73 to set the area of playback for multilayered SACD discs. I set it to Multi-ch Area and then go back to playback. The sound is much improved but I never hear anything out of the center or surround speakers. The display on the 56TXi shows that they are active but I have no sound coming out of them. I then go back into the DVD players menu and set it for 2ch Area. I go back to playback and sure enough, only the left and right speakers are indicated on the receiver's display. I went back and forth several times and can't figure out what's going on.

Anybody else have this problem?

Saturday morning update:

I found out how to get multichannel music to come throught the receiver. You have to set up SACD playback on the receiver as well as the DVD player. Page 80 of the receiver's manual explains how to go in and turn the SACD functions on and off.

Pink Floyd is awesome in multi channel. I have literally heard things in there I've never heard before. At some point a woman says something like "he's cruisin' for a bruisin". Unbelievable!

I have to say that the CD playback is very, very good. However, the SACD completly destroys the CD layer. I can't believe anyone would say that SACD is not worth it. I am definetly going to get some more. I'm also going to check out some DVD Audio discs like "Peace Sells....." by Megadeth. The local Best Buy has half a row dedicated to these formats. The one title they didn't have was DSOTM!! I had to go to Circuit City to find it. They only had about 10 titles (mostly Dylan). They had it though and I snatched it up. Funny story: I asked the saleman working in the CD department at CC about SACD and DVD Audio. He said, "what's that?" I said its high resolution audio on CD for multichannel music. He said to check the music DVD section. Ha Ha. I figured they didn't have any so I decided to stroll over to the receiver section and see what they had. On the end of the aisle they had a Sony display with a receiver and DVD player with a few dics around it. Man, those receivers pale in comparison to the one sitting in my living room. When I go to check out guess who is working the register. You guessed it. The knucklehead that doesn't even know what his store carries. I told him there was a tiny display in the back of the store that had them. He looked at me and said, "I wish they would tell me about these things."

I am using the multi room function to run a pair of speaker outside by the pool. I believe the installer is powering them with the two channels not being used in the mail listening room. They totally rock outside. I'm sure I'll be hearing from the neighbors when we start having pool parties. The only way to control the second zone is with the buttons on the receiver.

Hey ZZ,

I've had my 56 for two weeks now and I haven't had any problems with it. It is starting to sound better and better every day. It has plenty of power. The iLink connection works like a charm. SACD music sounds fantastic. My CDs sound way better than my old stereo. I'm really listening to alot more music now. Movies have lots of clarity and plenty of punch. The tuner even sounds good but I can't get any AM reception. The installers didn't have the antenna connected properly. I corrected it and still can't get any reception. Who listens to AM anyway? The only problem that I have with it, and its really not that big, is the remote. I think it is kind of big and unbalanced in my hand. The buttons are also kind of small. I wish the volume buttons were closer to where your thumb would naturally rest on it rather than having them near the bottom on the right. It does light up though which is very cool.

I don't think you'll be dissappointed with it if you decided to purchase one.

Get The DV-59AVi to go along with it and you'll really be pleased.

FR