AV AMPLIFIERS

Best buy 4000-8000
Clearly on display Well thought out design

Pioneer SC-LX90 | 5000

www.pioneer.co.uk
The display screen is great: it gives all manner of useful information about the content youre listening to, the numbers of channels youre using etc. And it looks the business.
The two-in-one design isnt just for show: the internal layout is clearly demarcated, with the power amplication in the bottom, and all the processing brains in the top.

PLAY THESE

THESE DISCS MAKE TOP TESTERS FOR PIONEER RECEIVER
Pioneers first foray into the world of high-end multichannel amplification is an unqualified success. Check out the SC-LX90.
Sensational speed, attack and drive; comprehensive spec; easy to live with; desirable looks; ne build

AGAINST

Very little: its a shade more forward-sounding than some, but never enough to be a problem

VERDICT

A remarkably good foray into this price class for Pioneer: well worth a proper investigation
ALTHOUGH PIONEER IS no stranger to high-end home cinema, this price-level is still uncharted territory for the company: the SC-LX90 is the companys most expensive multichannel amp yet. It certainly looks the part, though. Pioneers development codename for this project was Susano, a Japanese God endowed with power over the seas and storms, and the finished amp looks every bit as heavenly as its origins suggest. The glossy black finish is exceptional, with the fascia being dominated by a large, full-colour and usefully clear display screen. The Pioneer is also uncommonly large: the pronounced cutaway around its waist serves to visually
The Pioneer charges into the fray with extraordinary zeal its sheer drive and ability to capture fast shifts in effects is breathtaking
(and technically) separate the box into distinct pre and power units, with the smaller lower section playing host to 10 channels of power amplification. Developed jointly with ICEpower, founded by Bang & Olufsen, these compact Class D power amps are claimed to deliver low distortion, ultrafast response and exceptionally high power. That inherent speed perfectly fits in with the sonic signature weve come to expect from Pioneer products,
in part because the SC-LX90 has been fine-tuned in close collaboration with British-based Air Studios. Each amp can also be assigned to certain specific tasks: you could set up your system to drive seven speakers with the front three biamplified, for example, or with specific speakers used to drive music in another room. Power aside, the Pioneer also features powerful video upconversion and scaling, ultra-precise automatic calibration and equalisation, a horde of processing and decoding options (including, of course, the latest highdef audio modes), and full Network Media support for all manner of computer content, including digital music, digital pictures and even movies.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD

The HD soundtrack of this Blu-ray offers a pristine version of Radiohead guitarist Johnny Greenwoods awesome score.

WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL?

Fully loaded
Every form of surround sound decoding and processing youll want is present and correct here. It makes operation more straightforward, too, thanks to its very useful fascia display.

REPRODUCED FROM

SON OF RAMBOW
This DVD requires deft control to bring the humour and intimacy to bear, while the 80s soundtrack with Gary Numan and Depeche Mode is also great.
Immensely powerful performance
Set-up is rapid and easy, and from the off, the Pioneer charges into the fray with extraordinary zeal. The SC-LX90s sheer drive, its ability to capture fast effects shifts, is breathtaking. It can charge from quiet to loud in the blink of an eye, as the jump moment at the start of I Am Legend ably illustrates. However, while the SC-LX90 is undeniably forward-sounding and direct, its by no means harsh or hard, even at huge volumes. High frequencies are pin-sharp, but also well-marshalled and accurately defined. The result is an amp youve just got to listen to. It makes movies thrilling or intimate as needed, and is a more musical listen than many of its ilk.

Glossy finish

Havent seen a glossy piano black nish on an AV amplier like this before. It looks so fresh and modern, we wonder why. That said, itll probably be a bugger to keep clean
War The 2008 remaster of this CD doesnt sound as it might through a high-end stereo amp, but the Pioneer captures the energy and spirit.
POWER 10 x 140w SURROUND MODES Pro-Logic II, Pro-Logic IIx, Dolby Digital EX, DTS Neo:6, DTS-ES, DTS 96/24, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS HD, Dolby TrueHD, DTS Master Audio TUNER THX Ultra 2 GENERAL Auto set-up, room EQ, video upconversion, 1080p, HDMI 1.3a, HD audio via HDMI, learning remote, multiroom (3 zone), network capable AUDIO INPUTS 6 x HDMI, 4 x coaxial digital, 7 x optical digital, USB, 13 x analogue audio, phono (mm/mc), multichannel analogue (8ch), Ethernet VIDEO INPUTS 6 x HDMI, 5 x component, 4 x S-Video, 8 x composite, USB, Ethernet AUDIO OUTPUTS 2 x HDMI, coaxial digital, 2 x optical digital, 5 x analogue audio, 12 x preouts VIDEO OUTPUTS 2 x HDMI, 2 x component, S-Video, 2 x composite DIMENSIONS (hwd) 25 x 44 x 48cm WEIGHT 36kg

PERFECT PARTNERS SYSTEM PRICE 13,500
AV SPEAKERS MORDAUNT-SHORT PERFORMANCE 6
BLU-RAY PLAYER PANASONIC DMP-BD50 500 Were already massive fans of the companys entry-level player, the 350 DMP-BD30, but this latest model brings new features and added benets. The DMP-BD50 not only plays discs exceptionally well, but also has all sorts of added online and downloadable extra to entertain you.

Studio sound

Fine-tuned by AIR Studios in London, the Pioneers sound bears a fair resemblance to the direct, ultra-fast and dynamic balance of studio speakers but its a shade more forgiving, too.

Conguration

The Pioneers poweramp conguration is different from almost any other in this class; it uses compact ICEpower Class D amps to deliver a combination of speed and dynamics.

Wireless

The DLNA-certied Pioneer can be connected via Ethernet into your home network, from where it can access and replay your digital music, movie and photo collections.
PROJECTOR JVC HD-DLA100 4500 JVCs outstanding D-ILA projector is just the ticket: its simple to set up and operate; brilliantly sharp, with a detailed, clean image and impressive contrast and black detail. Indeed, it wont be long before Pioneer launches its own version. See p118.
3500 The Performance 6s are the result of a three-year research and development programme we reckon it was time well-spent. This is a terrically fast and energetic multichannel loudspeaker package, making it the ideal sonic foil for the Pioneers pace and timing. See p98 for more.

NEED A HI-FI RACK?

See p140
HIGH END ULTIMATE GUIDE | SEPTEMBER 2008 www.whathifi.com
www.whathifi.com REPRODUCED FROM HIGH END ULTIMATE GUIDE | SEPTEMBER 2008

48 PIONEER SC-LX90 5,000 Approx www.pioneer.co.uk
Pioneer summons the Stormbringer
Pioneers long-awaited Susano amplier sets a new benchmark in AVR design. Steve May celebrates the dream thats become a reality
nd Lo, Pioneers oft-reported agship amplier, the towering SC-LX90, nally arrives in the UK. In development for four years the usual turnaround for an AVR is 18 months its not difcult to conclude that this isnt going to be your run-of-the-mill music centre. Affectionately referred to as Susano, after the Japanese god of storms, its the most signicant audio product from Pioneer since the VSA-AX10, and in terms of complexity and ambition it leaves that model in the kindergarten. In truth, the LX90 is not really an integrated amplier at all. Its really a pre-power combo conned to a single metal cage. The power plant, comprising 10 digital modules codeveloped with Bang & Olufsen, has its own power supply, with signal routing and audio processing meticulously organised above it. Ive been keeping an eye on the Susano project since its inception. The brainchild of Keiichi Onodera, then a senior audio engineer within Pioneer, it was envisaged as a radical multimedia hub built around state-of-the-art digital amplication. The project almost derailed when Onodera left the corporation, but was subsequently adopted and rened by Product planner Yoshiyuki Yamada. Tim Vine-Lott, Technical Director of AIR Studios, the world-famous recording facility which ne-tunes Pioneers high-end audio products, conded to me that he had his
HOME CINEMA CHOICE OCTOBER 2008
doubts about the brands decision to adopt digital amplication. But months of ne-tuning allayed his fears. The LX90 is the rst product to win AIRs Reference Monitor status endorsement and with good reason. Its a scorching performer.
Product: Cutting-edge audiophilegrade digital amplier, with support for Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA and THX Ultra2 Plus processing Positioning: Sits God-like in the rareed atmosphere of megabuck integrated amps. The rst in a range of digital AVRs from Pioneer, which will come in cheaper guises later this year Peers: Yamaha DSP-Z11

Caped Crusader

Once its settings have been massaged, the LX90 is capable of sensational imaging, delivering snake-tongue fast transients and articulate multichannel effects. During the review period, Ive been shocked by the depth and reach of the low-end bass on offer, and have often found myself having to rein in the bludgeoning LFE, even while mid-range vocals remained nuanced and tangible. Music or movies? This storm god seems just as happy with both.
When it comes to widescreen audio action, the LX90 can ght crime with the best of them.
The Batmobile chase sequence from Batman Begins (Dolby TrueHD, Blu-ray) mixes helicopter blades with panning police sirens and hi-octane front/back/front image steering. The LX90 never sounds muddled, despite the chaos. It just seems to want to go. louder. The Dark Knight Prologue (an extra on the Batman Begins BD) is equally thrilling. The sequence has a Dolby TrueHD mix that opens with portentous LFE, and employs a frantic pulsing riff that insidiously takes you

hostage. Soundtracks become a visceral thing with the LX90. It isnt all about heavyweight harrumphing though. For evidence of the amps often tantalizing delicacy, listen to Emi Fujitas surround sound rendition of All My Loving (from the Super Audio CD Camomile Best Audio, a Japanese import on Leafage). Engineered by Sonys Chief Distinguished Engineer Takashi Kanai, the records seductive, smoky vocals and perfectly placed jazz-club accompaniment is conveyed with almost holographic realism. The Beatles Love DVD-Audio (which might be easier for you to get your hands on) is to my mind one of the most sublime multichannel discs ever made here it sounds ttingly jaw-dropping. Tim Vine-Lott tells me that he considers Love spiritually at least an AIR album. Although none of the record was mixed at AIR Studios (EMI wouldnt allow the master tapes or digital clones to leave Abbey Road), record producers George and Giles Martin used a system specied by the AIR technical team to remix the original source tracks into stereo and 5.1. On the Pioneer Susano, the album feels as if its nally come home. From the birdsong ambience and harmonics of Because to the chopping riffs and multi-tracked rearchannel handclaps of Revolution, these virtual Beatles are a pure joy. The bofns at Pioneer rate the LX90s power plant at 200W per channel, but theyre being

HCC160.pio 48

7/8/08 12:02:22

REVIEWS 49

Pioneers SC-LX90 has been given Reference Monitor status by the prestigious AIR studios
OCTOBER 2008 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

HCC160.pio 49

7/8/08 12:02:45
50 REVIEWS Backside story

A High-end HDMI

The LX90 claims superior audio over HDMI courtesy of its SRC (Sampling Rate Converter). This re-clocks all digital audio signals up to 192KHz before they hit the DAC, dramatically reducing the jitter component in high-resolution audio formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio

B ICE Power

The digital ICE Power modules behind the LX90s brawn are rated analogue Class D. Pioneer describes the result of this collaboration with B&O as a Direct Energy HD amplier. Its no hyperbole to state that the LX90 can deliver over 1,400W simultaneously with ultralow distortion

C DLNA LAN

The LX90 is DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compliant and allows access to AVIs, WMVs, MPEG-4, and MPEG PS/TS les (up to 720p). These can be watched on the fascia LCD monitor as well as output to a display. JPEG images and MP3s can also be streamed. The amp can browse les from a USB stick, too

D Connectivity activity

There are six HDMI v1.3 inputs and two outputs (the latter do not squirt simultaneously; you have to switch between them); there are also ve component inputs and a whole platoon of legacy AV ports that youll only use to feed the front LCD

E Multichannel audio

This bank of phono inputs are for Super Audio CD, DVD-A and Blu-ray sources, if required

F Badge of honour

The Susano project name will not gure in any of Pioneers ofcial nomenclature. However, the top-plate of the receiver features Kanji characters depicting Susano. We suspect the god of storms will be quietly pleased.
conservative. In our Tech Labs, we measured a constant 250W into 8 when ve channels are driven simultaneously. Its delity rewall, our measurement of absolute, distortion-free muscle, is 228W per channel at 0.05% THD. This is a weapons-grade performance.
Flexible friend: Copious connections mean you should have no trouble hooking up all your sources

In control

One feature that will probably get less attention than most is actually one of the LX90s neatest tricks. Pioneers proprietary Full Band Phase Control technology has been designed to compensate for
variances in speaker congurations and drivers. If your system is built with different enclosures front and back, the amp uses innovative DSP to create a coherent, balanced image. My Denitive Technology reference system actually has good timbrematching, but just for fun I listened with an odd assortment of boxes and was amazed at how seamless the soundstage became. Given that most living rooms are far from symmetrical in layout, and tend not to use perfectly matched speakers, its a signicant attraction, and one that should be left on at all times.
The amp is not particularly demure. Its most striking aspect is, of course, the LCD condence monitor on the front panel. This conveys the units GUI and allows you to tinker without recourse to a TV screen. It doesnt relay video delivered via HDMI, though. Youll also need to lace up an analogue feed from your HD component to see video. Its a great way to navigate DVD-A discs without turning on the TV. When you place the receiver on your home network (via the LAN port on the rear) you can also browse connected PCs for audio and video les, but this

HCC160.pio 50

7/8/08 12:02:51

REVIEWS 51

Perhaps CEC is handy in a simple system, but if you have multiple components, annoying things happen (turn off the TV to listen to a CD, and youll shut down your disc-spinner in the process. Doh!).

Specifications

Dolby TrueHD: YES and Dolby Digital Plus DTS-HD Master Audio: YES and DTS Neo 6, DTS ES discrete, etc THX: YES THX Ultra2 Plus certification Multichannel audio: YES 10 channels of ICE Power digital amplification Multichannel input: YES 7.1 channel analogue input Multi-room: YES option to run a stereo feed to another room Phono input: YES vinyl junkies rejoice AV inputs: YES 8 x phono/S-video inputs HDMI: YES 6 x inputs, 2 x outputs all v1.3a Component: YES 5 x inputs, 2 x outputs Dimensions: 440(w) x 247(h) x 479(d)mm Weight: 35.5kg Also features: Advanced MCACC mic assisted auto calibration; LCD confidence monitor; DLNA compliant network streaming; Full Band Phase Control; four 12v triggers; RS232; multiple DSP modes, backlit remote; Ethernet; USB; input for iPod dock

Ultra violent

It goes without saying that the LX90 can decode all high-rez audio bitstreams. It also comes with a plethora of sound-processing modes, many surprisingly good, plus the very latest in THX post-processing. If youve not experienced the latest avours from the THX canteen, youre missing out. The THX
Ultra 2 Plus cinema mode is probably the best cinematic post-processing Ive ever heard: as rich and taut as Paris Hilton, with
pitch-perfect vocal EQ and brilliantly theatrical surround imaging. Like Clyde the Orang-utan, the SC-LX90 can be hooked up any which way. I used the amp in a 7.2 conguration, but even this left digital power modules spare. For those with larger rooms, a 9.2 pattern is possible (using two sets of side speakers). Alternatively, cinephiles may want to bi-amp the front soundstage for a high-grade 5.2 system. Or you could run a 7.2 home cinema system, with a second two-channel package in a different room, or the same room feeding different speakers (creating a dedicated two-channel music system). But despite all this lavish praise, I do have a caveat. Pioneers MCACC (Multichannel Acoustic Calibration System) technology is extremely clever, but I found the end result of running the program was a moribund soundstage. Im generally appreciative of electronic EQ, but MCACCs predilection to give a at response means that youll need to tinker. Still, theres plenty of scope to rene the results, which is what I ended up doing. For those that like to get their hands dirty, theres a lifetime of tweaking to be had. It may have been a longtime coming, but ultimately Pioneers LX90 doesnt disappoint. Not only is it massively powerful, its also beautifully rened. The ICE power digital modules give it a character quite unlike its main analogue rivals, but the precision, speed and separation they offer is remarkable. With the SC-LX90, Pioneers engineers havent just engineered a monster amp; theyve created audio-visual art

Tech Labs

Manufacturers specification: 200W x 7 channels 251W (2 channels driven, 8 , 0.5% THD) 340W (2 channels driven, 4 , 0.5% THD) 250W (5 channels driven, 8 , 0.5% THD) 330W (5 channels driven, 4 , 0.5% THD) Fidelity firewall: 228W (0.05% THD, 8 , 1kHz) THD @ 50W: 0.0104% THD (1kHz, 8 ) Frequency response: 20Hz20kHz: +/- 0.30dB This 10-channel design performs well above its impressive spec, and features a raft of processing technology. Construction is based around a separated amplifier block the ideal design for multichannel performance

Home Media implementation actually feels a bit like a bolt-on. The gallerys graphical style is different from the main GUI and you even have to toggle your remote control from Amp to Source mode to navigate. Even more perplexing, given how the Susano is so network-savvy, is the lack of support for internet radio. I rarely, if ever, listen to AM/FM on receivers, and can even live without DAB, but no internet radio on this baby is a missed trick. Naturally, the unit supports CEC control via HDMI although Im increasingly nding this a bind.

VERDICT

Pioneer SC-LX90 5,000 Approx Price check: www.techradar.com/422279 Highs: Stunning clarity and power; versatile, comprehensive connectivity; network streaming Lows: Demanding to set up; MCACC results need tweaking; no net radio Performance: Design: Features:

Overall:

HCC160.pio 51

7/8/08 12:03:08