Help / Advice on Reciever and TV upgrades Pioneer Elite (1 Viewer)

[arjunsud]

Hello,I am a current owner of a Pioneer VSX 1020 receiver which i have connected to my Energy CB-20 ( L , R Front ) , Energy CB-10 ( SL, SR ) and Klipsch Quintet ( SBL, SBR and Center Channel). I really enjoy my receiver but was considering upgrading to a Pioneer Elite SC-77 or SC-75 as it does sound better with my speakers ( I believe due to the Class D Amp? ). I consider my self to be a techie, but this is one field that I am not too familiar with. Hence I was hoping that some of you could be kind enough to shed some light on the following:1) What are the key differences between the VSX 1020 and the SC-77 ( as this I am guessing would be better than the SC-75) that would be more than fluff and actually add to the Home Theater and Music Experience.2) Between the SC-75 and SC-77 which one would you recommend and why? Does the SC-77 warrent the price increase?3) If you suggest the SC-75, how do you feel that compares against the Pioneer 1523 K? Are there any Denons / Yamaha you reccomend instead? My goal is to future proof myself as well.Lastly would you reccomend switching to the SC-75/ SC-77 or should i just stick with my reciever?--------------------------------------------One other thing, I am also thinking about upgrading to 4k. Is it worth it with the upscalers , as I know the content is few and far between , but is getting there and netflix plans to integrate 4k come jan? What is your advice on this issue.Thank you so much for taking the time out to help me. It is greatly appreciated .

 

[arjunsud]

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[*]Join Date: Jan 02 2013
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[/list]Posted Today, 12:40 AM

Hello,

I am a current owner of a Pioneer VSX 1020 receiver which i have connected to my Energy CB-20 ( L , R Front ) , Energy CB-10 ( SL, SR ) and Klipsch Quintet ( SBL, SBR and Center Channel). I really enjoy my receiver but was considering upgrading to a Pioneer Elite SC-77 or SC-75 as it does sound better with my speakers ( I believe due to the Class D Amp? ). I consider my self to be a techie, but this is one field that I am not too familiar with. Hence I was hoping that some of you could be kind enough to shed some light on the following:

1) What are the key differences between the VSX 1020 and the SC-77 ( as this I am guessing would be better than the SC-75) that would be more than fluff and actually add to the Home Theater and Music Experience.

2) Between the SC-75 and SC-77 which one would you recommend and why? Does the SC-77 warrent the price increase?

3) If you suggest the SC-75, how do you feel that compares against the Pioneer 1523 K? Are there any Denons / Yamaha you reccomend instead? My goal is to future proof myself as well.

Lastly would you reccomend switching to the SC-75/ SC-77 or should i just stick with my reciever?

--------------------------------------------

One other thing, I am also thinking about upgrading to 4k. Is it worth it with the upscalers , as I know the content is few and far between , but is getting there and netflix plans to integrate 4k come jan? What is your advice on this issue.


Thank you so much for taking the time out to help me. It is greatly appreciated .

 

[schan1269]

1. Four years advancement in class D amps.2. Whichever one has the features you'll use.3. Same AVR. Elite(If bought correctly) has a 2 year warranty. Future prood? Ha. That isn't even happening if you bought the 79.If you can tell the difference keep it. If you don't, return it.Buying a 4k TV will require a newer AVR anyway. HDMI 2.0 is coming.

 

[arjunsud]

Hi Sam, Thanks for your reply! What would you do if you were in my shoes and had to choose? Which one would you pick? Thanks!

 

[schan1269]

I'm getting ready to start a review of the 79(should be here Friday).

The only thing curious to me(and will be figuring out first) is if it will do SACD as DSD over HDMI. The 75 shows that as a feature. The 77 and 79 show DSD over USB. Why they would lose DSD over HDMI is beyond my scope of knowledge...and would be a criteria for me to make a choice...

Otherwise...the 77 over the 75 gives you 2nd zone digital audio(except over USB...which curiously the 77 technically doesn't even show USB as a feature).

When I did a quick scan of the 75/77/79 earlier today to see the feature set...I wouldn't need anything greater than the 75...especially as the SACD as DSD over HDMI is a requirement in any AVR I buy.

I started a thread about my 707 dying(the conundrum thread). Depending how I like this 79 I'm reviewing, the 75 is going on my short list...just like the Onkyo NR828/929, Denon 4520(the X4000 isn't 9 channel) and the Yammy RX-A20X0/30X0.

My choice will be these criteria(which you should do the same for your ciriteria)...

9-channel
Ability to to width(Audyssey DSX or Pioneer has wide...would make a concession with Yamaha and probably reconfigure the room as Presence front and rear...and move on to DTS NeoX as well)
DSD over HDMI
Pre-outs
Powered digital zone 2(will work around that with Onkyo with an ATV Gen 1)
Ipad/Android support. Just bought a Galaxy Tab at VZW that also has the IR remote capability and have an Ipad 1 and 2 with 2 Ipod touches.
2 HDMI out(if this ends up going in the theatre where the 1008 currently resides)

It is also possible I'll add my new AVR to my main theater...and move the NR1008 from there to replace the 707. But I'd rather not replace the NR1008 until HDMI 2.0 shows up...but....

 

[schan1269]

Things that will be of no use to me, but will be ride along with everything else I need...

HDMI matrix for 2nd/3rd zone(I have 4 total theatres. Have zero need for video matrix of any form)
IR remote in/out(never used it as I always leave my equipment out in the open...I've never, and will never, have reason to "hide the equipment")
Audio recording outputs(digital or analog)
If it goes in my main theatre...have no use for any networking(the theatre has a Lenovo HTPC. But if the 1008 gets moved, its networking will finally get used)
No need for 4K scaling(yet and when/if I go 4K I won't even care about 480i/p to 4K)...I do use 1080P scaling for CED/VHS/LD.

 

[gene c]

If you haven't seen this yet it's the Product Sheet for the SC-77. The items in Bold are upgrades over the 75. Doesn't like like much to me.

I like Elites over the standard Pioneers based mostly on appearance. I'd love to hear if those Sabre DAC's are as good as the ones in the Oppo BR players.

I've been using an Elite vsx-23 (the Elite version of the 1018?) in my family room for a year or two now and find it does/has all I really need. I've also had an SC-27 and SC-35 and while they're really nice receivers I just couldn't justify the extra cost.

I would hope the newer receivers also accept straight DSD (my 23 does) but DSD to PCM is O.K. for me.

 

[arjunsud]

Thank you guys !!! Based on your advice i decided to go with the sc-75! Just one other thing, what is DSD?

 

[schan1269]

DSD is the raw SACD track information.Do you own any SACD?

 

[arjunsud]

I am still relatively unfamiliar with SACD as wekk ( I am far from an expert on these things other than the very basics) what is SACD and what does it allow you to do? On another note, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

 

[schan1269]

SACD is an audio format.

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Side-Moon-30th-Anniversary/dp/B00008CLOA/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1385693287&sr=1-1&keywords=sacd

 

[zoetmb]

SACD is an audio format.

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Side-Moon-30th-Anniversary/dp/B00008CLOA/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1385693287&sr=1-1&keywords=sacd

A pretty much obsolete audio format, especially in the United States. While there are still some specialty labels making SACD CDs, especially in Japan, if you don't already have any SACDs, then you probably won't be buying any.

For a time, there were some hybrid CDs which had both a regular "red book" cd layer and an "SACD" layer. A regular CD player would play the regular track and an SACD player would play the the SACD track if set to do so. The OPPO players can play SACD, for example as can some of the Sony models (although some of the most recent Sony models can't). (SACD was a Sony-developed format). Examples of some of the hybrid CDs include some of the Bob Dylan and Rolling Stone releases. Look on the back of the jewel case to see if it says DSD or SACD anywhere. They do generally sound better and some are remixed to 5.1.