Pioneer SC-LX58 AV Receiver Review & Comments

I love the Pioneer LX (Elite) Av Receivers. I don't find the set up procedure too complicate especially compared to my older Denon which was a complete mare'.
I wonder if these receivers will also be upgradable to whatever new format DTS release to rival Dolby Atmos?
 
i agree totally with the review,i've just got a sr7008 at a great price coming from a sclx56 which is great for movies but to clinical in its sound.
 
Hi steve, tamks for the review, can you tell me what speakers did you use in the review.
And do you know if your going to review LX78 or LX88 any time soon?
 
It's a bit of a mishmash at the moment - B&Ws, JBLs and SVS. We will be reviewing the 78 and 88 at some point but I can't say exactly when.
 
New It's a bit of a mishmash at the moment - B&Ws, JBLs and SVS. We will be reviewing the 78 and 88 at some point but I can't say exactly when.

Bet you ears were bleeding after that! :laugh:
 
I have the same issue with last year's LX87.
 
I didn't have any problems with drop-outs on the LX58 (or the LX87 I reviewed last year) however, if you want to describe the kind of problems you've been having, I'll be happy to pass them on to Pioneer.
 
I didn't have any problems with drop-outs on the LX58 (or the LX87 I reviewed last year) however, if you want to describe the kind of problems you've been having, I'll be happy to pass them on to Pioneer.

Thanks, that would be good.

I demo'd the LX88 recently to see if it was any better, but it had the same issues, so I returned it.

The issues are described quite well in the thread mentioned above.
 
"As mentioned earlier, Pioneer's remote app is one of the best available and yet the company has still found ways to improve it. This year iControlAV5, which is available free for iOS and Android, let's you control the AV scaler with your finger, includes a new status viewer, adds a cursor and backwards compatibility with older models."

Just to let you know that the new app isn't backwards compatible-it doesn't work with the LX83 that's for sure!
 
You can get the Sound Drop Out problems, if your unit is affected in quite a lot of ways, it happen specially using digital sources (Optical ,HDMI...) , some of these are:

- Changing between Sources (CD, Blu ray, etc)

- In the same sound source for example BluRay, when going from the menu to extras, or to the movie, causing a audio format change (from stereo to Dolby for example)

- In the same sound source , pausing and resuming a movie or music ...or fast forwarding / changing movie chapters/ skipping music tracks.

- Put on any sound source and beging cycling through the Sound Surround Modes, like "Direct" , "Dolby", "Action" , "Drama", in your Remote Control.
For example switch to the radio with just your standard FM Antenna , just like in these 2 videos, in post #186 of the thread mentioned before. If you get the problem by doing this, then your unit is affected :

http://www.matestudio.sk/tahaj/video01.MOV
or
http://www.matestudio.sk/tahaj/video02.MOV
 
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My LX78 has also. Sent today for pionner tech.
 
What will do if it was like me, without being fixed, after 30 days ?
Request a new Pioneer to check if it has the same problem or change to another manufacter ?
 
Change to another brand.
 
<quote Cartman4x> Just to let you know that the new app isn't backwards compatible-it doesn't work with the LX83 that's for sure! </quote>

iControlAV5 is currently backward compatible to 2012 models (56/76/86) but I did read they're working on support for 2011 models. Not sure how far they'll eventually go.

I have an LX56 but got to use this app briefly on an LX88 recently and noticed that there are different features available for the LX88. Understandable, I guess each years models will offer slightly different feature set. Pretty neat and definitely beautiful! BUT....

iControlAV soon stopped working on my network with the LX88, same as it often does with the LX56 ("Network Error 12345", can't remember the number now.) No other equipment or software in my house has network problems! I was very disappointed to see that Pioneer have STILL NOT sorted this. (that was on wired Ethernet, not wireless).

The next amp I buy will not be Pioneer! Sorry to say that having been on Pioneer for 14 years now, but bugs and errors have been driving me nuts...
 
The only working network I use is my PC/LT with the Oppo BDP. If I am happy with sound on say an AVR I don't think using icontrol is enough for me to decide to change. These niggly network features are becoming the bane of decent AV gear imo.
 
The only working network I use is my PC/LT with the Oppo BDP. If I am happy with sound on say an AVR I don't think using icontrol is enough for me to decide to change. These niggly network features are becoming the bane of decent AV gear imo.

I quite agree: too much emphasis on frills & not enough on basic performance & build quality.
 
That's a fair point. I've been using an iPad recently to steam internet radio, as vTuner was unreliable too. If you really like the sound and can use other means access the features you want then that's a working solution.

But really these bugs should be fixed over the time, and in this case 2+ years is not good enough. I have an Oppo BDP too and the difference between Oppo and Pioneer couldn't possibly be more stark in relation to: development, customer service, accessibility and striving to make their product the best it can possibly be.

As for Sound quality, I liked the LX88 less than my 56! Sounded less spacious and more 'digital' to me. Also Dolby PLIIx surround modes have been removed. 'Replaced' by "Dolby Surround", from what I can tell this is optimised for movies, I use PLIIx Music heaps and would really miss that.
 
Hi Andy, you had a LX88 in your sistem and liked more the LX56 soundwise?
Can you give more details on that?
I also have a LX-56 and was thinking on upgrading to a LX-78.
 
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That's a fair point. I've been using an iPad recently to steam internet radio, as vTuner was unreliable too. If you really like the sound and can use other means access the features you want then that's a working solution.

But really these bugs should be fixed over the time, and in this case 2+ years is not good enough. I have an Oppo BDP too and the difference between Oppo and Pioneer couldn't possibly be more stark in relation to: development, customer service, accessibility and striving to make their product the best it can possibly be.

As for Sound quality, I liked the LX88 less than my 56! Sounded less spacious and more 'digital' to me. Also Dolby PLIIx surround modes have been removed. 'Replaced' by "Dolby Surround", from what I can tell this is optimised for movies, I use PLIIx Music heaps and would really miss that.
I like the PLIIX music mode too. also extended stereo mode with average bass & treble settings, but I was really happy with the straight stereo mode of the LX83 after having the '72.

But I think regarding PLII, or lack of, it was very abrupt "chop-off"...imo...
 
Hi saru, I can't say much more than above as I only had it for a couple of days. I set it up with full auto mcacc, in the same room with the same speakers, no manual tweaking. I thought the sound was less spacious, too densely packed somewhere in the 100-400Hz range. Possibly slightly less warm, or more digital sounding, but this could be flow on from the lack of spaciousness.

This is of course subjective, it's so hard to quantify audio. Could be that others like it better or it's a better match with their speakers (I have kef).

I recommend having a listen before you buy. And don't expect that all bugs have been fixed!
 
Hi Saru and Andy, I have the 56 and the 88. I liked my SC-56 very much (much much better than my Onkyo 876). The SC-88 is however much more precise and detailed in the sound in the mid and treble range. In the bas I do not hear a significant difference, although that the 88 should handle bas better.The spatial placement of the instruments is also very precise and the spaciousness is in my opinion better on the 88 as on the 56. I also notice that classical music is better sounding on the 88, especially in stereo. Womens voice in operas are handled with more care (less distortion), where my 56 did not sound nice. My loudspeakers are Canto Vento 890.
 
Tank you both for the answers!!
I guess i have to listen if o choose to buy.
 

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