AUDIO/VIDEO MULTI-CHANNEL AMPLIFIER VSA-AX10Ai Operating Instructions
IMPORTANT CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. CAUTION: TO PREVENT THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
This product is for general household purposes. Any failure due to use for other than household purposes (such as long-term use for business purposes in a restaurant or use in a car or ship) and which requires repair will be charged for even during the K041_En warranty period. If the socket outlets on the associated equipment are not suitable for the plug supplied with the product, the plug must be removed and appropriate one fitted.
Contents Our philosophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Checking the settings on your DVD (or other) player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Playing a source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 01 Before you start Checking the supplied accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Using the remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operating other Pioneer components with this unit’s sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 THX Audio Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 THX Ultra2 Subwoofer Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Surround Back Speaker Position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 08 Using other functions Making an audio or a video recording . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Monitoring your recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Our philosophy Dolby Pro Logic IIx and DTS Neo:6 decoders Pioneer is dedicated to making your home theater listening experience as close as possible to the vision of the moviemakers and mastering engineer when they created the original soundtrack. We do this by focusing on three important steps: The built-in Dolby Pro Logic IIx and DTS Neo:6 decoders not only provide full surround sound decoding for Dolby Surround sources, but will also generate convincing surround sound for any stereo source.
Before you start 01 Chapter 1 Before you start Checking the supplied accessories Please check that you've received the following supplied accessories: • U-shaped connectors x2 (attached to back of amplifier — see item 8 in Rear panel on page 12) • Microphone • Calibration disc • Multi-channel audio speaker setting guide • These operating instructions • Remote control unit Using the remote control Keep the following in mind when using the remote control: Operating range of the remote control • Remote
01 Before you start • Do not use the AC adapter or AC adapter cord for any other purpose than those specified below. Note • The remote control operations in this section are accessed from the remote setup menu. To go to the SETUP remote setup menu, press from the remote control Home menu ( ): 1 Connect the AC adapter cord then connect the adapter to the recharger and plug it into an AC outlet.
Before you start 01 2 Press the center of each cross point to align the touch screen with the LCD panel underneath. This adjustment will make sure your remote control is calibrated correctly. 3 Press NEXT to continue and set the time. Use the + and – buttons to set the hour and minute. 2/2 TIME + + 17 PLEASE TOUCH THE UPPER "+" MARK : 08 - - ENTER CANCEL "MUTE": CANCEL 4 Press ENTER when you’re finished. You’ll return to the remote setup menu.
Before you start 01 2 Use the + and – buttons to set the LCD TIMEOUT and BACKLIGHT TIMEOUT settings. You can adjust these from 20–120 seconds. • The backlight timeout can’t be longer than the LCD timeout setting. LCD TIME OUT 1 At the same time, press the and hard keys for about three seconds. • This is not possible from the remote setup screen.
Before you start 2 Remove the battery cover. 01 1 Use a small phillips screwdriver to remove the screw fixing the battery cover to the back of the remote. 3 Use a pen or other sharp instrument to press the reset button located in the hole to the right (above the battery). Remove the battery cover. RES ET 2 After restarting the remote control, the touch screen shows the Home menu.
02 Connecting your equipment Chapter 2 Connecting your equipment This amplifier provides you with almost limitless possibilities for connecting your audio/video system, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Depending on your needs, you could be up and running in no time after a few simple connections. This section has been designed so that you can read through this short introduction, then jump to the specific connections that you need to make.
Connecting your equipment 7 Turntable ground A grounding (earth) terminal for use with turntables that require it. See Connecting analog audio sources on page 22 for connection details. 8 Pre-amplifier output/power amplifier input Do not remove the U-shaped connectors unless you plan to connect an external power amp to this amplifier. When using this amplifier as an integrated amplifier, leave the pre-amp outputs connected to the power amp inputs with the supplied U-shaped connectors.
02 Connecting your equipment Connecting your TV • See Using the component video jacks on page 20 if you want to use the component video outputs to connect this amplifier to your TV. This page shows you how to connect your TV to the amplifier. To be able to play the sound from the TV’s builtin tuner, connect the analog audio outputs from your TV to this amplifier. 2 Connect the analog audio outputs from your TV to the TV/DVD AUDIO inputs on this amplifier.
Connecting your equipment 02 Connecting a DVD player CONTROL S400 IN PHONO OUT 2 OUT 1 6 IN 5 IN 4 R AUDIO (SAT) IN IN AUDIO POWER AMP IN IN R L MONITOR OUT 2 IN CD L DVD/ LD IN IN TV/ DVD IN IN SAT IN IN OUT DVR/ VCR1 IN OUT (DVD/ LD) IN 1 Y OUT REC CD-R/ TAPE1/ MD IN SUB W.
02 Connecting your equipment Connecting the multichannel analog outputs CONTROL S400 IN PHONO OUT 2 OUT 1 6 IN 5 IN 4 R AUDIO (SAT) IN OUT IN IN AUDIO CD POWER AMP IN IN R L IN TV/ DVD IN IN SAT IN IN OUT DVR/ VCR1 IN OUT (DVD/ LD) IN 1 Y REC CD-R/ TAPE1/ MD IN SUB W.
Connecting your equipment 02 Connecting a satellite/cable amplifier or other set-top box • If your set-top box only has a coaxial digital output, you can connect it to one of the coaxial inputs on this amplifier using a coaxial digital audio cable. When you set up the amplifier you’ll need to tell the amplifier which input you connected the set-top box to (see also Assigning the digital inputs on page 83).
02 Connecting your equipment Connecting a VCR or DVD recorder 3 Connect an optical digital audio output from the recorder to the DIGITAL 5 (DVR/VCR1) input on this amplifier. • Use an optical cable for the connection. This amplifier has three sets of audio/video inputs and outputs suitable for connecting analog or digital video recorders, including VCRs, DVD-recorders and HDD recorders. 1 Connect a set of audio/video outputs on the recorder to the DVR/VCR1 AUDIO and VIDEO inputs on this amplifier.
Connecting your equipment 02 Connecting other video sources • You may need to assign the digital input you used when setting up the amplifier (see also Assigning the digital inputs on page 83). You can basically use any of the audio/video inputs on this amplifier for any kind of video source. The example illustration below shows a component connected to the VCR2 inputs. 3 If the source component is an LD player with a 2 RF digital audio output, connect this to the 2 RF input on this amplifier.
02 Connecting your equipment Using the component video jacks 2 Connect the COMPONENT VIDEO MONITOR OUT jacks on this amplifier to the component video inputs on your TV or monitor. • Use a three-way component video cable. Component video should deliver superior picture quality when compared to composite or S-video. A further advantage (if your source and TV are both compatible) is progressive-scan video, which delivers a very stable, flicker-free picture.
Connecting your equipment 02 Connecting digital audio sources This amplifier has both digital inputs and outputs, allowing you to connect digital components for playback and for making digital recordings. Many digital components also have analog connections for recording analog sources (such as a turntable or tape deck). See Connecting analog audio sources below for more on this. 2 Connect one of the DIGITAL outputs on this amplifier to a digital input on the component.
02 Connecting your equipment Connecting analog audio sources • Use a stereo RCA/phono jack audio cable for the connections. This amplifier features five stereo analog inputs for audio sourses such as a CD player, tape deck, turntable, or a radio tuner. Two of these inputs have corresponding outputs for use with audio recorders. • If your cassette deck has a monitoring function, connect it to the TAPE 2 MONITOR jacks on the rear panel. See Monitoring your recording on page 69 for more on this.
Connecting your equipment 02 Connecting a component to the front panel inputs • The input signals can be accessed by selecting VIDEO using the INPUT SELECTOR dial on the front panel. The front panel inputs include a composite video jack (VIDEO), an S-video jack (S-VIDEO), stereo analog audio inputs (AUDIO L/R) and an optical digital audio input (DIGITAL).
02 Connecting your equipment Installing your speaker system main surround speakers should always be connected as a pair, but you can connect just one surround back speaker if you like (it must be connected to the left surround back terminal). You can use speakers with a nominal impedance between 4–16Ω (please see Switching the speaker impedance on page 72 if you plan to use speakers with an impedance of less than 6Ω).
Connecting your equipment Caution • These speaker terminals can be under hazardous voltage. When you connect or disconnect the speaker cables, to prevent the risk of electric shock, do not touch uninsulated parts before disconnecting the power cord. • Make sure that all the bare speaker wire is twisted together and inserted fully into the speaker terminal. If any of the bare speaker wire touches the back panel it may cause the power to cut off as a safety measure.
Connecting your equipment 02 Plugging in the amplifier Only plug in after you have connected all your components to this amplifier, including the speakers. Caution • Handle the power cord by the plug part. Do not pull out the plug by tugging the cord, and never touch the power cord when your hands are wet, as this could cause a short circuit or electric shock. Do not place the unit, a piece of furniture, or other object on the power cord or pinch the cord in any other way.
Controls and displays 03 Chapter 3 Controls and displays Display 1 2 3 4 SIGNAL L C R AUTO LS S RS RF DIGITAL ANALOG 5 6 DIGITAL LFE OVER ATT SP AB DISC MTRX PRO LOGIC TAPE 2 Neo :6 RDS E ON RF ATT 2ch PLAYBACK 87 1 SIGNAL indicators (page 69) Light to indicate the currently selected input signal. AUTO lights when the amplifier is set to select the input signal automatically.
03 Controls and displays Front panel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 AUDIO/VIDEO MULTI-CHANNEL AMPLIFIER VSA-AX10Ai LISTENING MODE SELECTOR TURN/PUSH STANDBY/ON STANDBY VIDEO OFF DVD/LD ON TV/DVD SAT VIDEO AUDIO DVR/VCR1 VCR2 VCR3 CD CD-R/ TAPE1/MD TUNER PHONO MULTI CH INPUT INPUT SELECTOR 11 12 MASTER VOLUME 13 ACOUSTIC CAL.
Controls and displays 11 Front panel controls To access the front panel controls, push gently on the lower third portion of the panel with your finger. 03 25 TAPE 2 MONITOR (page 69) Press to monitor recordings on the device connected to the TAPE 2 MONITOR inputs/outputs as they are being made. 26 STREAM DIRECT (page 43) Press to switch on/off Stream Direct. 27 SETUP MIC jack Use to connect the supplied microphone.
Controls and displays 03 Remote control 9 Contrast control Use to adjust the contrast of the LCD touch screen. 10 VOLUME +/– Use to adjust the volume. 6 07/24 PM 3: 55 HOME AMPLIFIER AMPLIFIER INPUT 1 2 11 MUTE Press to mute all output. Press again (or adjust the volume using the MASTER VOLUME control) to restore the sound.
Controls and displays 03 2 INPUT 1 / 2 / 3 Press 1, 2 or 3 to find the screen with the input source you want. After pressing the appropriate button to choose a source, you are taken to the corresponding function menu (see Operating menus for additional components below). 3 Press to return to the main Home menu (see Home menu screens above). 3 TV CONT Press to access the TV control menu (see TV control menu screens below). 5 STREAM DIRECT (page 43) Press to select a Stream Direct mode.
03 Controls and displays TV control menu screens 14 LOUDNESS (page 48) Press to switch Loudness on/off. 1/3 TV CONTROL AMPLIFIER AMPLIFIER 3/3 1 TV CONT 15 INPUT SB CH MODE 19 16 SPEAKER A/B INPUT ATT 20 17 VIDEO SELECT DISPLAY DIMMER 21 18 TAPE2 MONITOR STATUS 22 2 15 INPUT (page 37) Press repeatedly to cycle through all possible input sources. 16 SPEAKER A/B (page 75) Press repeatedly to select speaker system A,B, A/B or off (in that order).
Controls and displays 03 15 SLEEP Press to set the TV sleep timer. 2/3 TV CONTROL 16 FREEZE Press to freeze the picture when using a plasma display. TV 10 11 MPX DISPLAY SPLIT SELECT P in P SWAP IN 1 IN 2 IN 3 17 RETURN Press to return to the main menu. Operating menus for additional components The example below shows the DVD menu screen. IN 4 DVD 1 10 MPX Press to mute/restore the sound. 1/2 DVD TV CONT AUDIO SUBTITLE DISPLAY TOP MENU 6 2 DISPLAY Press to change the display.
Controls and displays 03 3 AUDIO Press to select the audio channel or language. SUBTITLE Press to select a subtitle display. DISPLAY Press to display/change disc information shown onscreen. TOP MENU Press to display the top menu of a DVD disc. 4 Press to return to the main Home menu (see Home menu screens above). 5 / (soft keys) Press to go to the previous/next TV control menu screen. 6 TV CONT Press to access the TV control menu (see TV control menu screens above).
Getting started 04 Chapter 4 Getting started Introduction to home theater You are probably used to using stereo equipment to listen to music, but may not be used to home theater systems that give you many more options (such as surround sound) when listening to soundtracks. Home theater refers to the use of multiple audio tracks to create a surround sound effect, making you feel like you're in the middle of the action or concert.
Getting started 04 4 ‘Auto Surround Setup’ should be highlighted. Press ENTER. 8 Confirm the speaker configuration in the OSD. The configuration shown on-screen should reflect the actual speakers you have. System Setup [ Auto Surround Setup ] [1. [2. [3. [4. • Do not to turn down the volume during the test tones. This may result in incorrect speaker settings.
Getting started 10 The Auto Surround Setup has finished! Press SYSTEM SETUP to exit the System Setup menu. Auto Surround Setup ! ! Complete ! ! [Data Copy] [Check] 04 • Check that your DVD player/satellite amplifier is set to output Dolby Digital, DTS and 88.2/96kHz PCM (2 channel) audio. If there is an option for MPEG audio, set this to convert the MPEG audio to PCM.
04 Getting started 3 Change the amplifier input to the source you want to play. You can use the front panel INPUT SELECTOR knob or the dedicated INPUT buttons on the remote control touch screen Home menu (see Basic remote control displays on page 30 if your unsure how to do this). 1/3 HOME AMPLIFIER AMPLIFIER INPUT 1 2 3 TV / DVD SAT DVR / VCR1 CD TUNER TV CONT MULTI OPERATION SYSTEM OFF DVD / LD SETUP 4 Start playback of the DVD (or other component).
Listening to your system 05 Chapter 5 Listening to your system About the listening modes Using this amplifier you can enjoy listening to sources, analog or digital, in either stereo or surround sound. However, the listening mode options and the current active mode may change depending on your speaker setup and the type of source you’re listening to.
05 Listening to your system With multichannel sources, if you have connected surround back speaker(s) and have selected SB CH MODE ON, you can press STANDARD repeatedly to select: • DIMENSION – Adjusts the depth of the surround sound balance from front to back, making the sound more distant (minus settings), or more forward (positive settings). • 2 Pro Logic IIx MOVIE – See above • PANORAMA – Extends the front stereo image to include the surround speakers for a ‘wraparound’ effect.
Listening to your system 05 Using the Advanced surround effects Adjusting the Advanced Surround effect level The Advanced surround effects can be used for a variety of additional surround sound effects. The Advanced Cinema modes are designed to be used with movies, and the Advanced Concert modes are for music. You can emphasize or reduce the effect of the Advanced Surround modes as you like. For each Advanced Surround mode you can set the effect level independently.
05 Listening to your system With two channel sources, press THX repeatedly to select a matrix-decoding process for the THX CINEMA mode (see Listening in surround sound above for an explanation of each process): • 2 Pro Logic IIx MOVIE • 2 PRO LOGIC Listening in stereo You can hear any source through just the front left and right speakers (and possibly your subwoofer depending on your speaker settings). • While listening to a source, press STEREO for stereo playback.
Listening to your system Using the multichannel analog inputs If you’ve connected to the multichannel inputs on the rear panel (see Connecting the multichannel analog outputs on page 16), you will be able to select them as your input source. See Using the Stream Direct mode below if you want to bypass the signal processing in this amplifier for a pure analog signal. 1 Press MULTI CH INPUT on the remote control Home menu ( ) screen. You can also use the front panel INPUT SELECTOR dial.
05 Listening to your system Listening with Acoustic Calibration EQ You can listen to sources using the Acoustic Calibration Equalization set in Automatically setting up for surround sound on page 35 or Acoustic Calibration EQ on page 55. Refer to these pages for more on acoustic calibration equalization. • Press SIGNAL SELECT to select the type of input signal for the current source.
Listening to your system • If you want to play DTS-encoded sources, you need to have digital connections. If ANALOG is selected, you’ll hear digital noise through your speakers. • Make sure you connect your DVD/LD or LD players using the 2 RF jack. If your player has a 2 RF output this will ensure you can use all LDs. Refer to Connecting other video sources on page 19. • The input signal for unassigned i.LINK-equipped components is fixed to inputs on page 84. . See Assigning the i.
05 Listening to your system Using the surround back channel • Default setting: SB CH ON You can have the amplifier automatically use 6.1 or 7.1 decoding for 6.1 encoded sources (for example, Dolby Digital EX or DTS-ES), or you can choose to always use 6.1 or 7.1 decoding with other sources (for example, 5.1 encoded material). With 5.1 encoded sources, a surround back channel will be generated, but the material may sound better in the 5.
Listening to your system 05 Listening with virtual surround back speakers • Default setting: VIRTUAL SB OFF If you don’t have real surround back speakers connected, you can use the Virtual Surround Back feature to simulate one. Sometimes the material may sound better in the 5.1 format for which it was originally encoded. In this case you can have the amplifier only apply this effect to 6.1 encoded sources like Dolby Digital EX or DTS-ES (VSB AUTO), or you can simply switch it off (VSB OFF).
05 Listening to your system Using Hi-bit and Hi-sampling You can use both Hi-bit and Hi-sampling to create a wider dynamic range with digital sources like CDs or DVDs. • Press MIDNIGHT or LOUDNESS to switch the effect on or off. The remote menu for this step is shown below (see note at the start of this chapter if you need help). 1 Press OPTION repeatedly to select HI-BIT or HISAMPLING. The remote control menu for this step is shown below (see note at the start of this chapter if you need help).
Listening to your system 05 • Press TONE to switch the tone control on or off. When the tone control is switched off, BYPASS shows in the display. The remote control menu for this step is shown below (see note at the start of this chapter if you need help). AMPLIFIER TV CONT MIDNIGHT DIGITAL NR TONE LOUDNESS – – ACOUSTIC CAL. OPTION + CH LEVEL + LOUDNESS TONE OPTION DIGITAL NR SP SYSTEM A/B SIGNAL SELECT VIDEO SELECT TAPE2 MONITOR INPUT ATT Press ENTER to confirm.
05 Listening to your system Listening to dual mono soundtracks You can specify how dual mono encoded Dolby Digital soundtracks should be played. Dual mono is not widely used, but is sometimes necessary when two languages need to be sent to separate channels. 1 Press OPTION repeatedly to select DUAL MONO. The remote control menu for this step is shown below (see note at the start of this chapter if you need help). 2/3 AMPLIFIER ACOUSTIC CAL.
The Surround Setup menu 06 Chapter 6 The Surround Setup menu Making amplifier settings from the Surround Setup menu 2 Using the remote control, press AMPLIFIER on the touch screen, then press the SYSTEM SETUP button. This amplifier allows you to make detailed settings to optimize the surround sound performance. You only need to make these settings once (unless you change the placement of your current speaker system or add new speakers.).
The Surround Setup menu 06 • Speaker Systems – Specify the size and number of speakers you’ve connected (page 52). 3 2.1.Speaker Systems Manual Free • Channel Level – Adjust the overall balance of your speaker system (page 54). Speaker System Select • Speaker Distance – Specify the distance of your speakers from the listening position (page 55). [Normal Surround ] _ SP B: [ Second Zone • Acoustic Cal EQ – Adjust overall equalization depending on your room characteristics (page 55).
The Surround Setup menu 06 • If you select SMALL for the front speakers the subwoofer will automatically be fixed to YES. Also, the center and surround speakers can’t be set to LARGE if the front speakers are set to SMALL. In this case, all bass frequencies are sent to the subwoofer. 5 Choose the set of speakers that you want to set then select a speaker size. 2.1.
The Surround Setup menu 06 a decrease in the amount of bass due low frequency cancellations. In this case, try changing the position or direction of speakers. If you can’t get good results, listen to the bass response with it set to PLUS and YES or the front speakers set to LARGE and SMALL alternatively and let your ears judge which sounds best. If you’re having problems, the easiest option is to route all the bass sounds to the subwoofer by selecting SMALL for the front speakers.
The Surround Setup menu Speaker Distance For good sound depth and separation from your system, you need to specify the distance of your speakers from the listening position. The amplifier can then add the proper delay needed for effective surround sound. 1 Select ‘Speaker Distance’ then press ENTER. 06 according to your room’s reverb characteristics (see Professional Acoustic Calibration EQ on page 57). You should have the mic connected when using any of the setup options.
The Surround Setup menu 06 2 Select ‘Manual’ then press ENTER. 2. 4. Acoustic Cal EQ [Data Copy] [Manual] CUSTOM1 , CUSTOM2 [Auto] ALL ADJ & FRONT ALIGN [Professional] [Return] 3 Select CUSTOM1 or CUSTOM2 then press ENTER.
The Surround Setup menu Professional Acoustic Calibration EQ This setup minimizes the unwanted effects of room reverberation by calibrating your system based on the direct sound coming from the speakers. It can also provide you with a graphical output of the frequency response of your room. 06 The graph below shows the difference between standard acoustic calibration and professional calibration (the gray circles represent the point at which the microphone captures the sound for frequency analysis).
The Surround Setup menu 06 Note that changing the room (for example, moving furniture or paintings) will affect the calibration results. In such cases, you should recalibrate your system. 4 If you selected ‘Auto Pro.’, select ‘Start’ and press ENTER. 2.4. Acoustic Cal EQ Pro. Auto Pro •Connect microphone •Please be quiet •Move obstacles away •If you have a subwoofer turn power on and turn volume up Using Professional Acoustic Calibration EQ 1 Select ‘Acoustic Cal EQ’ then press ENTER.
The Surround Setup menu 7 If you selected ‘Reverb View’, you can use the cursor buttons (hard keys) to check the reverb characteristics for each channel. Select ‘Return’ and press ENTER when you’re done. 2.4. Acoustic Cal EQ Pro. Reverb View [ C ] dB [ 500Hz ] 0 80 06 X-Curve Most soundtracks mixed for cinema sound too bright when played back in large rooms. The X-Curve setting acts as a kind of re-equalization for home theater listening, and restores proper tonal balance of movie soundtracks.
The Surround Setup menu 06 Use the / (cursor left/right) hard keys to adjust the setting. The X-Curve is expressed as a downwards slope in decibels per octave, starting at 2kHz. The sound becomes less bright as the slope increases (to a maximum of -3.0dB/oct). Use the following guidelines to set the X-Curve according to your room size: Room size (m2) ≤36 ≤48 ≤60 ≤72 ≤300 ≤1000 X-Curve (dB/oct) –0.5 –1 –1.5 –2 –2.5 5 –3 Select ‘Return’ then press ENTER to finish.
Controlling other equipment 07 Chapter 7 Controlling other equipment Using the remote control with other components The supplied remote control can operate not only this amplifier, but also your TV, DVD player and other components. If the component is listed in the remote control's memory, simply follow the steps in Recalling preset codes below. If the component is not listed, or if you want the remote to learn additional operations, see Programming signals from other remote controls on page 63.
07 Controlling other equipment 4 From the ‘Replacing Device’ screen choose the type of component that you’ve connected. In this example, we’re setting the remote to control a DVD player, so we’ll select DVD. 7 Point the remote at the component and press TRY to test if you've set it up properly. If the component you are trying to control turns on/off, the setup for this component is complete and you can go to step 8.
Controlling other equipment To exit without saving the preset you have assigned, press CANCEL instead of INSTALL above. Tip • Pioneer DVD recorders fall into the following setting types: Pioneer-1 – DVR-7000 07 • Use the / (cursor up/down) buttons to scroll through the component options (the AMPLIFIER and TUNER screens are not available). 3 On the touch screen, press the button that corresponds to the command you want to teach the remote control.
07 Controlling other equipment Note • If you see Failed (or OK! doesn’t appear) on the touch panel, or OK! is displayed, but you find that the command wasn't learned, try teaching the command again, but vary the distance (closer or farther) between the remote controls. Some signals may be stronger than others and require more distance (a projector’s remote signal, for example). 2 Choose the setting of an input by pressing the ON/OFF button on the touch screen. Each press switches between ON and OFF.
Controlling other equipment 3 Select the button you want to rename. For example, choose the SEARCH MODE button if it was programmed with the ‘eject’ command from your DVD player’s remote. 07 5 Edit the button as necessary.
07 Controlling other equipment Multi Operation and System Off The Multi Operation feature allows you to program a series of commands for the components in your system. For example, you could turn on your TV, turn on your DVD player and start playing the loaded DVD using only two buttons on the remote control. If you are programming a shutdown (system off) sequence, select AMPLIFIER from the end of the list.
Controlling other equipment • You don't need to program the amplifier to switch to the input function selected in step 2, or to switch on or off. This is done automatically. 07 • To add a new command above another command, press the existing command before pressing Add. With Pioneer components, you don’t need to: • To erase a command, select the operation you want to erase and press Delete.
07 Controlling other equipment Using System off • From the remote control Home menu press SYSTEM OFF. The command sequence you programmed will run, then all Pioneer components will switch off, followed by this amplifier. 2 Connect the CONTROL OUT jack of that component to the CONTROL IN jack of another Pioneer component. Use a cable with a mono mini-plug on each end for the connection.
Using other functions 08 Chapter 8 Using other functions Making an audio or a video recording Monitoring your recording You can make an audio or a video recording from an audio or video source connected to the amplifier (such as a CD player or TV). You can listen to (monitor) the recording as it’s being made if you’ve connected a cassette deck with a monitoring function to the TAPE 2 MONITOR jacks on the rear panel.
08 Using other functions Reducing the level of an analog signal Adjusting the delay of a soundtrack The input attenuator lowers the input level of an analog signal when it’s too strong. You can use this if you find the that the OVER indicator is lights often, or you can hear distortion in the sound. • From the remote control amplifier menu, press INPUT ATT to switch the input attenuator on or off.
Using other functions 2 Use the (OPTION) +/– buttons to switch the SACD gain between 0dB and 6dB. For most SACD sources, selecting 6dB will result in high sound quality and greater detail. The level will be adjusted automatically for playback at the same volume. 3/3 AMPLIFIER TV CONT AMPLIFIER SB CH MODE INPUT ACOUSTIC CAL.
08 Using other functions Dimming the display Switching the speaker impedance You can choose between four brightness for the front panel display. Note that when selecting sources, the display automatically brightens for a few seconds. • From the remote control amplifier menu, press DISPLAY DIMMER repeatedly to change the brightness of the front panel display.
Using other functions 08 Checking your system settings Resetting the system Use the status display screen to check the various settings you’ve made for features such as sound delay, digital noise reduction, and high-sampling. Use this feature to reset the system to its factory default settings (see Default amplifier settings below). 1 From the remote control amplifier menu, press STATUS to check the system settings.
08 Using other functions Setting type Default setting Page ref.
Other connections 09 Chapter 9 Other connections ACOUSTIC CAL. Caution • Before making or changing the connections, switch off the power and disconnect the power cord from the power outlet. Plugging in components should be the last connection you make with your system. • Be careful not to allow any contact between speaker wires from different terminals. • Note that the + and – connections on speaker terminals A and B are in opposite positions.
09 Other connections Alternating surround speaker setups using speaker system B (ITU-R) After you connect an alternate set of surround speakers, you can use speaker system B to provide surround sound when listening to sources like DVD-Audio discs. This will give you a setup of 9 speakers where the front and center speakers can be used with normal 7.1 surround (speaker system A), or 5.1 surround with DVD-Audio sources (speaker system B in ITU-R setting).
Other connections 2 Select the ‘Front Bi-Amp’ setting from the Speaker Systems menu. See Speaker Systems on page 52 to specify how you’re using the surround back speaker terminals. Note • For 7.1 surround sound with this configuration, you must connect an additional amplifier to the surround back channel pre-outs. See Connecting additional amplifiers below for more on this. Caution • Most speakers with both Hi and Low terminals have two metal plates that connect the Hi to the Low terminals.
09 Other connections Using the i.LINK interface Note • Before making or changing the connections, switch off the power and disconnect the power cord from the AC outlet. ANALOG INPUT L R DIGITAL USB AUDIO S400 IN PHONO OUT 2 OUT 1 6 IN 5 IN 4 R AUDIO ANALOG L INPUT (SAT) IN AUDIO CD Powered subwoofer SUB W.
Other connections 09 1 Use an i.LINK cable to connect one of the i.LINK connectors on this amplifier to an i.LINK connector on your i.LINK component. CONTROL MONITOR OUT 1 DIGITAL USB AUDIO S400 IN PHONO OUT 2 OUT 1 6 IN 5 IN 4 R AUDIO AUDIO CD R L COMPONENT VIDEO DVD/ LD IN IN TV/ DVD IN IN (DVD/ LD) IN 1 Y REC CD-R/ TAPE1/ MD IN SUB W.
09 Other connections When setting up an i.LINK network, it’s important that the components form an open ended chain (fig. 1), or a tree (fig. 2). i.LINK cable fig. 1 i.LINK cable fig. 2 Using the USB interface It is possible to listen to multichannel audio sources from your computer by connecting to the USB interface on the rear of this amplifier.
Other connections • Windows® 98SE – Select Multimedia, and then select Audio. Choose PIONEER AV Receiver/ Amplifier from the drop down menu. • Windows® Me/Windows® 2000 – Select Sound and Multimedia and then select Audio. Choose PIONEER AV Receiver/Amplifier from the drop down menu. You will also need to make sure the correct speaker setting is selected with the audio software you’re using. Please refer to the manual that came with the software to make these settings.
09 Other connections Use a commercially-available cable to connect the RS232C jack on your computer to the 9-pin RS-232C jack on this amplifier. See the documentation provided with the Advanced MCACC application for more information. RS-232C PC Advanced MCACC output using your PC Before continuing, make sure you have completed steps 1–6 in Using Professional Acoustic Calibration EQ on page 58. Note • Transmission data is erased when the amplifier is turned off. 1 Select ‘PC Output’ and press ENTER.
Advanced setup 10 Chapter 10 Advanced setup The Input Assign menu Assigning the digital inputs You only need to make settings in the Input Assign menu if you didn’t hook up your digital equipment according to the default settings for the digital inputs, or if you have connected equipment using component video or i.LINK cables. • Default settings: Digital-1 (coaxial) – DVD/LD Digital-2 (coaxial) – TV/DVD Digital-3 (coaxial) – CD To access the Input Assign menu, follow the steps below.
10 Advanced setup 4 When you're finished, select RETURN and press ENTER. You will return to the Input Assign menu. Assigning the component video inputs • Default settings: Component 1 – OFF Component 2 – OFF Component 3 – OFF If you used component video cords to connect your video equipment you must tell the amplifier which device it is, or else you may see the S-video or composite video input instead of the component video signal. 1 Select ‘Component Video In’ from the Input Assign menu and press ENTER.
Advanced setup Assigning the video inputs • Default settings: MULTI IN – OFF USB – OFF You can choose to watch a video source at the same time as you listen to the audio source from the multichannel analog inputs or USB connector. To do this, you must let the amplifier know which video component you want to watch. After making the settings below, the corresponding video input is selected at the same time that you choose either MULTI IN or USB as the input source.
Advanced setup 10 4 Select the setting you want to adjust. 3.Expert Setup [1. [2. [3. [4. [5. [6. OSD Adjustment ] Bass Peak Level ] D-Range Control ] Function Rename ] OSD Overlay ] 12V Trigger ] Bass Peak Level Some audio sources (for example, Dolby Digital and DTS) include ultra-low bass tones. Set the bass limiter as needed to prevent the bass from distorting the sound.
Advanced setup 10 Dynamic Range Control 3 Edit the name as necessary and press ENTER. • Default setting: OFF 3. 4. Function Rename This setting specifies the amount of dynamic range adjustment to movie soundtracks. You may want to use this when listening to surround sound at low volumes. Choose the setting that you want. 3.3.
Advanced setup 10 3 When you're finished, select RETURN and press ENTER. You will return to the Expert Setup menu. 12 Volt Trigger • Default setting: OFF · OFF (all components) After connecting a component to one of the 12 volt triggers (see Switching components on and off using the 12 volt trigger on page 68), it switches on automatically when you select an input function set to switch the trigger on. Specify which input functions switch on which trigger(s) below.
Advanced setup 10 THX Ultra2 Subwoofer Setup With a THX Ultra2 subwoofer (or one that has a response to 20Hz), depending on the position of the subwoofer and the walls in your listening area, you may experience overly resonant frequencies in the bass. If you have this problem use the THX Ultra2 subwoofer setup to switch on boundary gain compensation (see About THX® on page 101 for more on this). Note • If you don't have a subwoofer, you won't be able to select this setting.
11 Additional information Chapter 11 Additional information Optimizing your speaker setup In addition to the speaker placement tips outlined in Placing the speakers on page 25, you can use the diagrams and explanations provided below as a reference for optimum placement of each set of speakers. Basic surround setup If you're using a center speaker, place the front speakers at a wider angle. If not, place them at a narrower angle.
Additional information THX speaker system setup If you have a complete THX speaker system, follow the diagram below to place your speakers. Note that the surround speakers ( indicates bi-polar radiating speakers) should output at an angle parallel to the listener. FL C FR LS RS Surround Surround SBL 11 Note • If you connect an alternate set of surround speakers, you can use speaker system B to provide additional surround sound options when listening to multichannel music sources.
11 Additional information Troubleshooting Incorrect operations are often mistaken for trouble and malfunctions. If you think that there is something wrong with this component, check the points below. Sometimes the trouble may lie in another component. Investigate the other components and electrical appliances being used. If the trouble cannot be rectified even after exercising the checks listed below, contact the Pioneer Service Center specified on your warranty card.
Additional information 11 Symptom Cause Remedy No sound output from the front speakers. • The U-shaped connectors that connect the POWER AMP IN terminals to the front channel pre outs are not connected. • Reconnect the POWER AMP IN terminals to the front channel pre-outs using the supplied U-shaped connectors (see item 8 in Rear panel on page 12). • The front speakers are connected to the B speaker system jack.
11 Additional information Symptom Cause Sound is produced from analog • The digital input assignment is wrong. components, but not from digital ones (DVD, LD, CD-ROM etc.). • The digital components aren't connected properly. Remedy • Assign the digital inputs correctly (see Assigning the digital inputs on page 83). • Make sure you have properly connected the digital component to the corresponding input on the back of the amplifier (see Connecting your equipment on page 12).
Additional information 11 Symptom Cause Can't record audio. • You are trying to make an analog recording •You can only record analog to analog, or digital to digital. from a digital signal, or a digital recording of an analog source. Remedy • The digital source is copy protected. • You can't record digital sources that have been copy protected. • The analog REC jacks have not been connected properly. • Check your analog connections (see Connecting analog audio sources on page 22).
11 Additional information Settings Symptom Cause Remedy The Auto Surround Setup continually shows an error. • The ambient noise level in the room is too high. • Keep the noise level in the room as low as possible when using the Auto Surround Setup. If the noise cannot be kept low enough, you will have to set up the surround sound manually (page 51). After using the Auto Surround Setup, the subwoofer distance setting is set further than the actual measured distance.
Additional information 11 Symptom Cause Remedy Can’t switch screens using the cursor (up/down) soft keys. • There is either only one selection screen or you have reached the last screen for the function you selected. • This is not a malfunction. Choose between the options available. The display changes after selecting a button when using the learning feature. • You have selected a button that accesses a • These buttons cannot be programmed (see menu.
11 Additional information Symptom Cause Remedy When playing a disc, the 2 Pro Logic II or Neo:6 indicator lights on the amplifier. • The input signal type is set to analog. • Set the amplifier to AUTO or DIGITAL (see Selecting the input signal type on page 44). • A 2 channel soundtrack is currently playing. • This is not a malfunction. Check the disc packaging for details of the audio formats available on the disc. • The soundtrack currently playing is encoded using Dolby Surround.
Additional information 11 Message Explanation NO SIGNAL A component is outputting an i.LINK signal that the amplifier cannot reproduce. This amplifier can only reproduce signals from i.LINK-Audio-equipped components. See About i.LINK on page 79 for more on this. PQLS OFF This is displayed when PQLS turns off during playback. The sound may be interrupted momentarily when this happens. PQLS ON This is displayed when PQLS turns on during playback.
11 Additional information Surround sound formats Below is a brief description of the main surround sound formats you’ll find on DVDs, satellite, cable and terrestrial broadcasts, and video cassettes. Dolby The Dolby technologies are explained below. See www.dolby.com for more detailed information. Dolby Surround is an encoding system which embeds surround sound information within a stereo soundtrack, which a Dolby Pro Logic decoder can then use for enhanced surround listening with greater sound detail.
Additional information 11 DTS 96/24 THX Cinema™ processing DTS 96/24 is an extension of the original DTS Digital Surround which offers high quality 96 kHz / 24-bit audio using a DTS 96/24 decoder. This format is also fully backward compatible with all existing decoders. This means that DVD players can play this software using a conventional DTS 5.1 channel decoder.
11 Additional information Advanced Speaker Array™ (ASA) When you set up your home theater system using all eight speaker outputs and the two surround back speakers are placed close together as shown in the diagram in THX speaker system setup on page 91, the surround sound experience is optimized for THX Ultra2™ Cinema and THX MusicMode. THX's ASA circuitry will automatically detect DTS-ES (Matrix and 6.1Discrete) and Dolby Digital Surround EX encoded soundtracks for correct playback using all 8 speakers.
Additional information Specifications Amplifier section Continuous Power Output (Stereo Mode) Front. . . . . . . . . 170 W + 170 W (DIN 1 kHz, THD 1 %, 6 Ω) Continuous Power Output (Surround Mode) Front. . . . . . . . . 170 W + 170 W (DIN 1 kHz, THD 1 %, 6 Ω) Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 W (DIN 1 kHz, THD 1 %, 6 Ω) Surround . . . . . 170 W + 170 W (DIN 1 kHz, THD 1 %, 6 Ω) Surr. back . . . . 170 W + 170 W (DIN 1 kHz, THD 1 %, 6 Ω) Rated Power Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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