Hi There from Greece.
My name is Cris and 3 months ago i purchased a Pioneer SC-LX75 Receiver.
I have mentioned this in that thread before.That amp replaced my Old SONY STR DB 840 QS which was that:
Google
I am quite pleased from that amp but i have some questions for you.
Please help me because i like that amp very much and i want to get a 100% satisfaction because the 1300 Euros that i payed are big amount of money nowadays.
My set up to help you is the following:
TV: PIONEER *KURO* PDP 428XD
BLUE RAY PLAYER: PIONEER BDP-51FD
HD DVD RECORDER: PIONEER DVR LX 60
MEDIA PLAYER: PopCorn Hour A300
AV AMPLIFIER: Pioneer SC-LX75
CD PLAYER:SONY CDP-XB 930 QS
CD-RECORDER: PIONEER PDR-509
GAME CONSOLE: PS2
FRONT SPEAKERS:B&W 603 S3
CENTER SPEAKER:LCR 60 S3
SURROUND SPEAKERS:ROISTER STATUS
SUBWOOFER: MONITOR AUDIO RS W12
TURNABLE:TECHNICS SL 1200 MK2 With GRADO PRESTIGE SILVER Head
HDMI CABLES:VAN DEN HUL , AUDIOQUEST
SPEAKER CABLES:QED Anniversary XT
SCART CABLE:IXOS
SAT/MPEG4 DVB-T COMBO Receiver: DREAMBOX DM 7020HD
ZONE 2 (GARDEN) SPEAKERS: POLK AUDIO AW-12
You can see photos of my Play Room from a previous post in the Members Photo Gallery here:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/17878189-post14.html
Note please that all the comparisons between the Sony & the Pioneer are with the same speakers , same room e.t.c
So let's start:
1.After opening the box and installing it i connected the Amp with my new Cables Silver Anniversary XT via the Bi-Amp Method for the Fronts because they told me it is a better way than the single one.
At first i have to say that the 9*140 watts per channel are not so real (in my opinion),the Sony was more powerfull.I have to turn the volume to -10 db to have the level i had with the Sony at half volume 12 o'clock. How do you explain that?
2.I ran the MCAAC calibration and the sound i took it was not good (for that price amp).The Sony was FOR THE MOMENT still better.Please note that in sony i had not adjusted anything (as it was out of the box 11 years back).
The Stereo experience suffered there.The Sony was better there.
BUT! In movie sound the Pionner IS PERFECT!!!!! Much better that the Sony.I think that has also to do with the fact that amp decodes all the new Stuff like Dolby True HD,DTS HD Master Audio e.t.c that the Sony DIDN'T.
But still in audio NOT EXCITED!!
3.After that stage i called 2 experts that are ISF-HAA certified custom installers.They came 3 days ago and the were in my home for 2,5 hours.They heard the sound by playing the Moulin Rouge Blu Ray and the told me that this was not right.They told me that in stereo the more problem there is and in movies a smaller problem they have to face.
After that they ran an Mcaac measurement using amp's mic and they did not take good results.So they started taking measuremnts with the Manual MCAAC using their own BIG Professional Mic.They set the left front speaker at 85db as reference at +3db.After that the set all the rest according to the reference speaker (Front Left).
By finishing adjusting the levels , they continued by setting the EQ for each speaker.
They also set the distances by measuring the space between myself and the speakers manual by using a meter.
I must not forget to tell you that my speakers even they are big were set to Small and the XOVER (Sub) at 80HZ.Please note here that i advised them to set LPF at my Sub in Out Position (i mean the frequency here won't be affected by the sub and the Job will be done by the Amp. Am i right here?)
When everything was finished the sound was more powerfull , i think that is why we set the levels +3 or even +4 db in order to have the 85DB reference when setting the volume at 0db on the Amp.Is that Right? Do you agree?
As a result now , the sound was muchhhhh better in the movies (50% more satisfaction) , in the audio small difference (10% more satisfaction).
The dialogues from Moulin Rouge now APPEARED.I heard things that i have never heard before.Sometimes the dialogues are too Loud but according to these experts the Center Channel is the most useful speaker of the set.Is that right for you?
Ass for the setting about the Sub , i mentioned earlier that i turned off the frequency cut at the Sub and now the job is done by the AV's ability.Another technician that had come earlier for the TV he turned that on also.So in that case 2 frequency controllers were working??? That is wrong don't you agree?
Anyway that is right now and i enjoy the sub.
4.During the manual procedure set up by the experts i mentioned above , all the settings i saved them to MCAAC memory 1.
That setting has the adjustment about the phase control or full band phase control?
Must i ran an mcaac again?
If i do it the settings that were made by the men above will be lost.Right? What should i do?
The setting above was perfect for movies as i told you before but for music still is not satisfying.
The SONY was still better in music even after the calibration of the Pioneer.
Sometimes i thing it has to do with the setting of big/small speakers for the front because in Sony were declared as Large.
Can i make another MCAAC setting in another momory but in that having the fronts as Large without affecting the first memory?
I don't want to lose or destroy the setting that was made before.I paid 150 euros for their visit.
I am totally mixed.I think sometimes that these amps aren't for music , or better they are 80% for movies & 20% for music even this is Air Studios Certified.
The problem with the Audio is that the music is not alive , for example it is someting like a curtain is front of the speakers and in movies is taken away.
The problem is a bit solved when i turn on the Sound Retriever function but i think it's not right.This is there for mp3 or other compressed files that some of the original information is lost during the compression.Right?
Sometimes i think this is a cables problem but these cables play for movies and sound great.
Please help me because here in Greece except for the few people there are not dedicated professionals for these things and NOONE knows well the abilities of the SC-LX75 Receiver that i own.
Last thing is that as i was watchig the Amplifier from close is that i saw a small build problem that in the right side is not perfectly assembled but this not important , just to mention.
Sorry for the big post but i wanted to inform you as good as i can.
Thank you & I am waiting your answers!
Cris Donopoulos
Greece
ps:Here is a photo of the right side that is not perfectly assembled.
And next is the picture of the left side which is perfectly assembled.