So what do you get for your $1500?

After connecting the unit up to my AV setup i thought id give the Auto Calibration a test run and see how it faired with the supplied mic. The Advanced Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration System (MCAAC) did a fantastic job and to be honest, unless you are really picky or someone that likes to mess, you will find it sets the system up perfectly – a great selling point in my eyes.

Be careful if you do like to tweak here and there as it can get very complex with adjustments for an absolutely endless array of settings. If you really know what you are doing then a RS232 connection is available to hook up a PC. This will allow you do do even more with the receiver.

Internals

The Pioneer Elite SC-07 was built from the ground up with High Definition surround sound being the aim. It packs 140 watts of power that is generated through an excellant ICEpower Class D amplifier that will absolutely blow your mind. The sounds were crisp and clear with rich bass tones that gave a powerfull punch.

HDMI 1.3a is on hand to connect all your AV equipment although you do not get HDMI video processing from this receiver. It will however, upscale analogue video sources to 1080p.

An interesting feature is a Pecision Quartz Lock System (PQCS) that claims to reduce jitter when coupled with a compatible Blu Ray player. This is achieved by reclocking the HDMI audio signals. This appears to work quite well and the Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD would make an excellant companion.

Standard Fetaures

Standard features of a unit in this class include 7.1 Channel Audio, Dolby True HD, DTS-HD and 4x HDMI In 2x out. If you make use of satellite radio the receiver is XM/Sirius ready.

Conclusion

To sum up, the Pioneer Elite SC-07 is a great sounding, great looking and solid performing receiver. It cannot compete with the SC-09 feature-wise but the price reflects this. In addition, since the it has come down in price to around $1500 it is an even more attractive buy. Pioneer fans will undoubtedly love it!