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Very Specific Question About Pioneer VSX-1019AH-k Receiver

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Deleted member 133

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I'll start with my very specific question.

For this receiver (Pioneer VSX-1019AH-k) do the MCACC settings apply to the multichannel analog inputs?

I've read the owner's manual a few times and cannot find a definitive answer. While I can assume they do (since I can't find where it says they don't) I'd rather know for sure. I'm thinking of pulling an old Denon DV-2200 player out of storage and connecting it to the Pioneer via its multi channel analog outputs. It's going to be a hassle to physically install it (in the family room home theatre) and the answer to the question will determine whether I do, or not.

If the settings do apply (which I hope is the case) then I will simply set the Denon's speaker configuration to neutral / no processing (ie. all speakers set to "large" to eliminate bass management; all channel level adjustments at 0 dB; no delay time) and let the MCACC settings (which are infinitely more detailed and accurate) handle things.

Again I'm assuming that the MCACC works its magic at the very end of the signal chain and thus for all inputs, including the multichannel analog ones, but I need to know for sure. It would mean that the Pioneer takes the analog inputs and does a D/A conversion before then doing an A/D conversion just before the power amp section, but I'm fine with that. However if the Pioneer treats the multi channel analog inputs as "pure" and bypasses those conversions / MCACC then I won't go ahead with the install.

Thanks to anyone who knows the answer to the question.

Jeff
 
rammisframmis said:
MCACC? Must be one of those military acronyms for a tank or something.
Click to expand...
I used the undefined acronym on purpose, to weed out anyone who really did not know the answer and who might otherwise post gibberish instead.

Obviously I now need to revamp that strategy!

Multi Channel ACoustic Calibration is Pioneer's all seeing / all knowing auto calibration / EQ etc. system. Of the three such systems that I've used over the years, Pioneer's comes out on tops in my books.

Jeff
 
So I downloaded a copy of the receiver's service manual.

As near as I can tell from both the Digital and Analog Block Diagrams, and the Schematic for the Audio Assembly, the twain meets at the selector/volume control, right before the power amp section.

The multichannel (5.1) analog signals appear to be straight pass-through, with no processing of any kind. Whereas all of the stereo analog inputs get first sent over to the digital side of things for ADC, processing, and then DAC before coming back to the selector / volume control. The exception is that the Zone2 analog outputs don't pass through the DSP portion of the digital side.

This makes sense - although complicates things for me. It would be nice to be able to choose whether to apply DSP to the multichannel analog signal, or not, since, as I said, that processing is far superior to what I can accomplish with the basic bass management etc. available on the Denon. I guess Pioneer wanted to keep things "pure" for that input.

One thing I should be able to do is to see what settings the MCACC has applied for speaker settings (large or small, channel level, and delay time) and use those in the Denon's set-up for the multichannel output.

Something to keep me busy on this ice stormed-in Monday afternoon!

Jeff
 
Mission accomplished!

Pain in the butt physically installing the Denon DV-2200 - having to disconnect and move other gear out of the way.

It then took an hour or so of futzing about to get the channels balanced - especially the sub. But it now sounds really good.

The only reason that I went through this exercise is the Sony UBP-X800's inability to play (even recognize) just about any DVD-A-R. In my main HT I have an old Oppo DV-980H that plays them beautifully (through its HDMI connection.) But in the family room HT I had nada - until I pulled the Denon out of storage. Because it has no HDMI out, and because its digital outs will only pass stereo from DVD-A / SACD discs, that left only its multichannel 5.1 analog outputs.

Time to spin some discs.

Jeff
 
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