I recently installed my AVIC-Z1 along with a DEQ-P8000 w/ AXM-P8000 (controller). Initially, I installed it just like in the install manual: plug in the optical cable to the DEQ-P8000 Optical 1 input, and Front RCA output into the analog input, which is what is instructed for analog signals.. 2 Things, no digital sound and no output from the Front RCAs unless 5.1 Sound is set Off. The only way I got mine to work is to plug it into Optical 2 and using the subwoofer/non-fading output. Did Pioneer make an error in the installation instructions or is something else wrong? FYI, I already called Pioneer tech support and spoke with a guy named Adhama. All he could tell me was "uhh...... well.... there you go..... something must be wrong. Send it in for repairs...." And that was it. I hope someone else here has this type of setup.

I have mines in the optical 2 input to get the digital sound while using the front outputs. The pioneer techs I noticed this year are no help at all. When you have a troubleshooting problem, their response is "Take it back to your installer or like you said, "send it in for repairs" Last year the help was much better.

solrackm said:

I have mines in the optical 2 input to get the digital sound while using the front outputs. The pioneer techs I noticed this year are no help at all. When you have a troubleshooting problem, their response is "Take it back to your installer or like you said, "send it in for repairs" Last year the help was much better.

thanks.... I figure at this point, I'll just keep the configuration that works and disregard the manual and Tech support. I'm still wondering why my front outputs don't seem to work unless 5.1 Sound is off, and hooking them up to non-fading works fine with 5.1 Sound On.

How do you like the 5.1 processor? I'm upgrading to the Z-1 from the AVHP7600DVD and already have 5.1 speakers and amp set up. I don't listen to the 5.1 that often it seems to sound better when I have the Dolby turned off. I’ve never really been satisfied with the playback sound with the 5.1. My question to the guys with the DEQP8000 is it worth it? What are some of the Dolby and DSP modes? Any feed back would be appreciated. Thanks

So far i am very satisfied with the deq 8000, I had it for almost two years and it sounds great.

^Great to hear..That is what I am getting next, and then the XDV-P6 DVD changer.

RCC said:

How do you like the 5.1 processor? I'm upgrading to the Z-1 from the AVHP7600DVD and already have 5.1 speakers and amp set up. I don't listen to the 5.1 that often it seems to sound better when I have the Dolby turned off. I’ve never really been satisfied with the playback sound with the 5.1. My question to the guys with the DEQP8000 is it worth it? What are some of the Dolby and DSP modes? Any feed back would be appreciated. Thanks

I'm very happy with it, especially when watching DVDs. My other vehicles all had Mark Levinson systems, so I grew to appreciate the sound of proper staging. I do once in a while switch off Dolby Pro Logic to gain overall volume when showing off.

One way to truly appreciate the sound of 5.1 Digital and DTS is to play a demo disc.

About the only gripe about running the DEQ-P800 with the Z1 is the Z1 does not have direct control over any DEQ functions. Everything, including the main volume, is remote control via the AXM-P8000.

G-Man, Can you turn off the AMX8000 and use the Z-1 for volume control or do you always have to use the AMX8000? This makes me wonder about not being able to use Voice controls, and this means I'll have one more remote control to lose. If I lose the remote than I can no longer control the system? Another thought came up...now I'll have three crossovers in the system, Amp, Z-1, and the DEQ-P8000. Doe's this make tweaking the system more difficult? I like to tweak with my systems as much as the next guy but I don't want it to get confusing either. I just want to make sure this product is for me. Thanks everyone for all your input.

Ryan said:

G-Man, Can you turn off the AMX8000 and use the Z-1 for volume control or do you always have to use the AMX8000? This makes me wonder about not being able to use Voice controls, and this means I'll have one more remote control to lose. If I lose the remote than I can no longer control the system? Another thought came up...now I'll have three crossovers in the system, Amp, Z-1, and the DEQ-P8000. Doe's this make tweaking the system more difficult? I like to tweak with my systems as much as the next guy but I don't want it to get confusing either. I just want to make sure this product is for me. Thanks everyone for all your input.

Technically, my DEQ-P8000 (the AXM-P8000 controls this) outputs to my amplifiers, so I can't 'turn it off'. What I can do is turn off 5.1 digital on the Z1, this way, the volume control on the Z1 is active, and the sound is outputted through the RCA output. Just set the AXM-P8000 at a set level and adjust source volume via Z1.

Even with the DEQ-P8000 and AXM-P8000 active, I can still use voice controls. The only additional part needed when using the DEQ-P8000 is the external voice guidance speaker. Without it, there's no NAV voice and no button prompt sounds.

Unfortunately yes, if you lose the AXM-P8000 remote, you can't control ANY of the DEQ-P8000 functions.

Crossover setup is not a big issue. Since Z1 feeds the DEQ-P8000 with a single source, either the non-fading RCA output or the digital output, all crossover functions are setup with the DEQ-P8000. I also do not utillize any amplifier crossover. The DEQ-P8000 alone has a ton more sound control than the Z1 or the amplifiers combined.

Tuning the system is the easy part when is involves the DEQ-P8000. You initially use the auto EQ / TA, which is a closed loop sound test using pink noise. Simply hang the included microphone on the driver's seat headrest and start the test. The DEQ-P8000 finds the optimum EQ curve for the whole system resulting in a flat response thereafter. Each channel (front, center, and rear) have independant 3-band parametric equalizers to fine tune your final sound preference. Also, each of those channels have independant crossover setups.

Another reason for my decision in using the DEQ-P8000 is the RCA outputs to the amplifiers are boosted to Hi-Volt outputs (5 volts) compared to the Z1's 2.2 volt. This minimizes noise considerably.

G-man, Thanks for your valued input. I'm going to have the Z1 installed on Wed. without the DEQ-P8000. I want to see how it sounds with the 2.2v. I'll just add the DEQ-P8000 later if I'm not happy with it. It sure would be nice for this Z1 to intergrate with out having to use the AMX8000. Pioneer really doesn't make a true all-in-one unit. Thats too bad.