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What preamp to pair with Pioneer Elite M-10X?

WattNot

WattNot

Glazed Over
I just scored a Pioneer M-10X at the local GW for $15 and I need advice about what preamp I should use with it. I have several Pioneer, Technics, Kenwood and Sansui integrated amps sitting around but I was wondering if a specific preamp would be best.

Further research shows a Maverick Audio tubemagic d1 plus dac w/ opa627 opamp & ge5670w tube upgrades might be a good choice. Any input appreciated.
 
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Unfortunately they didn't make a matching preamp to that. The M-10x was built mainly for a rear back surround amp for the TOTL receivers of the early 2000's that had 6 and 7 channel processing but only 5 channel amps like the VSX-35TX, VSX-36TX, VSX-37TX, and VSX-39TX. I personally have never listened to one but if it sounds anything like the VSX-39TX of the same era, it is mediocre, I much prefer the the sound of my VSX-95 from the early 90's (really a 2 channel amp with surround tacked on as an after thought). As for a preamp to pair it with is more of a personal preference and what exactly you want to do with it. Me, I like things to match, one day I will find a C-90 to go with my M-90.
 
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Thanks White_Wolf,
That gets me started as I did not know what the original pairing was. At least now I have a starting research point and I am planning to add a surround system to the garage for the TV concerts and and DVDs I have.

This was intended as a "project" system anyway as I already have 5 systems in the garage now. I love the Pioneer stuff and for $15 bucks could not pass up on this amp.
Regards
 
The Maverick works well for me. Laptop to it via USB. Had it for a while with no problems. It has several input options. Depends what you are trying to do.
 
Just picked up a Pioneer VSX-37TX which should be here in the next couple of days. Gotta pull the D-409 out and redo the whole corner area to set up this new surround system. Will post how the whole setup turns out.

rwartner.....thanks for the recommendation on the Maverick DAC, i am reading good things on that piece elsewhere as well.
 
The VSX-37TX is good for surround and the M-10X will let you get the other two channels the receiver can process but doesn't have an amp for. I had a VSX-39TX for a while (same amp just with the wood paneling and copper chassis treatment) and it sounded good for movies, (I didn't use a sub-woofer just used some 15" fronts with it), I didn't have an amp hooked up to the surround back the entire time I used it. The only reasons I went to the VSX-95 other than I like all the buttons on the front :) was the superior 2-channel sound and better phono stage (my most common input other than my computer).

I hope you got the remote with it as it is required to properly set up the system, speaker size setting, channel level, bass limit, digital input assignments and things like that, if you didn't it might not sound right.
 
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Thanks for the input. I did get the remote and a manual. I did a test setup the other day with 6 speakers (no sub) and the M-10X driving the rear surrounds. I have a Pioneer Elite DVD player and it also has a speaker setup menu on it that I could view on the TV, but no matter what I did I could not get the on screen display (OSD) to work with the smart TV I was using. I followed the instructions as far as using like video cables and still got no OSD. I have a couple of older TVs that I might try to get the OSD setup menu to display on. I was pretty impressed with the sound and I wasn't using my best 6 speakers yet. Gonna rework some shelving, decide on a sub and try to get the system up and running in the garage in the next 2 weeks. Eric Clapton at 70 Live in England DVD was pretty amazing.
Regards
 
White_wolf said:
Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Which DVD player is it? Did you try each video output?
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The player is a Pioneer Elite DV-46AV and I did try both the composite and component video cables separately from the DVD player to the amp and then to the TV. The TV does not have an S-video port so I was not able to try that one. I am pretty sure I followed the instructions for the OSD but will check again.
 
Are you using the 5.1 outputs on the player to hook it up or digital connections? the manual says the speaker setup on the player is only if you are using the discrete outputs on the player.
 
Ah, I see that. I am using the digital connections. I hope to hook everything up permanently this week so maybe I am good to go.
Thanks for all your help.
 
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