Direct or Pure Direct on Pioneer receivers?

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by mywhitenoise

From my VSX-52 manual

"DIRECT - Plays back sound from the source with the least modification next to PURE DIRECT. With DIRECT, the only modifications added to PURE DIRECT playback are calibration of the sound field by MCACC system and the Phase Control effect.

PURE DIRECT - Plays back unmodified sound from source with only minimal digital treatment. No sound is output from the Speaker B in this mode."

Am I reading this description right? Pure Direct shuts off all calibration settings made by MCACC? I don't remember past receivers doing this on Pure Direct (it just shut off the receivers display). I've been using Direct for my digital components for years, but I was listening to some vinyl records yesterday on Pure Direct and noticed the records sounded much warmer (even though it shut off my sub), but the highs weren't present. With Direct I could pick out guitars a lot better, but bass was minimal (even though the sub was on), and the highs seemed a little too high.

Should I go with Direct for digital components, and Pure Direct for the analog sources? Should I use Direct for both, or should I use Pure Direct for both?
My focus is on music over film, should I use Pure Direct for albums and Direct for movies?

I know in my ancient Denon I can set a few different EQ settings. I do use Audyssey for 5.1 music but I also have a manual setting that I created somewhat based on the Audyssey curve but tweaked to my liking for 2 ch music. The only reason I did so is that going without EQ was just too different from Audyssey, but I believe we shouldn't really EQ 2.0 music, I don't think you'll see many 2 ch setups with EQs being used much, if at all.

But I don't think there's A right answer as we all have our preferences.

Try setting a manual curve if you can and get it to where you like it the most is my recommendation.

Edit: Darn fine setup you have there sir whitenoise, darn fine