Center speaker turned on = floorstanding speakers volume lowers significantly

ps2cho

Hey guys,

I have this weird thing that just happened recently.

Whenever I have the center CS1 speaker on, my Monitor50's suddenly lose all sound from the tweeter, and the other drivers lose about 50% volume.

As soon as I turn the center off via my Harman Kardon amp, the volume instantly gets higher and the tweeter kicks back in.

Any ideas? So weird I can't figure it out.

codyc1ark

Really weird. Are you switching sound 'modes'? Check your levels. If that doesn't work try a factory reset?

Mon40CSMM10

Are you using a mode with a Center Width parameter?

I can cause something similar with my Pioneer receiver in Pro Logic II Music mode. The Center Width parameter goes from 0 to 7, with a default value of 5. If I set the value to 0, I will only get the center channel speaker. If I set the value to 7, I will not get any center channel speaker. The closer the value is toward 0, the less output from the left and right channels, something like a value of 1 or 2, for example, would be close to what you are reporting. Center Width would be invalid if the center channel was turned off.

If it's not related to Center Width, please disregard.

ps2cho

That was it....for whatever reason, "Logic 7 Movie" or "Auto Select" (which defaults to Logic 7 movie) completely elminates and puts all power to the center.

I guess I have to manually keep it on anything else?

I have had it on Logic 7 modes before and this never happened. I wonder what could have changed?

Mon40CSMM10

Is the source material music, rather than a movie?

If it is, then from what you describe is seems the Logic 7 Movie is acting very similar to Dolby Pro Logic (original) or Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode--all music sound is played from the center speaker only. This is expected behavior for the Dolby movie-specific modes.

Try this bit of troubleshooting:

* Use only Stereo (re-verifies both left and right channels are working properly).

* Dolby Pro Logic II Music mode, Center Width parameter set to 5 or 6, ignore the default Dimension parameter value (you can change it later to adjust front or rear listening position bias), and set the Panorama parameter (wrap front speakers to the surround speakers) to Off if it is On by default (if you want Panorama you can turn it back on later). If supported, this should add some center channel presence but keep a very good left and right front speaker presence as well. (If not supported, check what Harman-Kardon uses as the equivalent for a music surround mode, they may offer a Logic 7 Music mode or some other receiver-specific DSP mode.) Note: I don't recommend using this mode regularly with FM radio if there is any significant static in the reception, because the static will be heard in the surround speakers when sitting at the listening position, and that becomes very annoying. (But for testing purposes, or if radio reception is good or else won't be used, this mode works just fine. Personally, I prefer a Center Width of 6 and a Dimension value of +2, but I also have my center channel level calibrated up to around 77 dBC for better dialog presence in movies and TV.)

In my own experience, I've had odd results with Autodetect with the receiver I own (and Pioneer calls it "Autosurround"), such as 2-channel Dolby Digital DVD playing only stereo left/right (not being played in 5.1 surround sound by default without using Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode) or Dolby Surround VHS tapes only being detected only as an analog stereo source (so again playing left/right only and no center and surrounds). Therefore, I usually set receiver modes manually.

Unfortunately, I don't know specifically how Harman-Kardon does Auto-detect, or why it's defaulting to Logic 7 Movie.