Newbie question

Archangelboy
Archangelboy Posts: 6
edited December 2012 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
Hey all-

My first post here at Polk, I'm super excited about learning from you guys.

I have purchased a Polk PWS10 sub, a CS1 Series II center channel, and I've just received a pair of Monitor 70 Series II floorstanding speakers. Each M70SII speaker has two sets of inputs, but I've only got one set of outputs from my AVR. Do I need to hook them both up (there's a little metal strap connecting them so I'm not certain)?

I'm also having issues setting up my receiver but that's another story for another post, likely one with much deleted cursing :mad: Silly low-end Sony schtuff...

If only one set of the inputs needs to be connected, is it more advisable to connect the upper or the lower set?

Thanks in advance!
Post edited by Archangelboy on
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  • goofyGAguy
    goofyGAguy Posts: 545
    edited December 2012
    Archangelboy wrote: »
    Do I need to hook them both up (there's a little metal strap connecting them so I'm not certain)?

    Welcome to the madness.

    No, you only need to connect one set. Make sure to leave the jumpers in place. I always connect to the bottom set, but I don't think it makes much difference. Just a habit I've gotten into.
    My humble setup...

    ...is no more. :cry:
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  • Archangelboy
    Archangelboy Posts: 6
    edited December 2012
    Thanks, Goofy! Any words of wisdom on setting up Sony's STR DH520 AVR (other than burn it and get a new one? I'm coming to that conclusion myself already)
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  • goofyGAguy
    goofyGAguy Posts: 545
    edited December 2012
    Archangelboy wrote: »
    Any words of wisdom on setting up Sony's STR DH520 AVR

    What issues are you having?
    My humble setup...

    ...is no more. :cry:
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  • Archangelboy
    Archangelboy Posts: 6
    edited December 2012
    Never having set up 7.1 sound before, I'm having trouble reconciling what speakers I've got positioned (and in what locations) around the room with what settings to use on the receiver and what those settings are called in relationship to the real world.

    In addition to the aforementioned Polk speakers, I've got 4 identical Yamaha 9-something speakers which seem to produce fine quality sound. I had them set up as fronts and rears before the M70Sii's arrived, although I'm not sure if the disparity in sound volume between them and the center channel was due to the speakers or my settings.

    Now that the real front speakers are here, I am not sure if I should reposition the former 'front' speakers to the sides and leave the rears as 'rear surround', or leave the fronts up on the wall out of the way of my TV (where they are) and put them as 'front high' speakers into the receiver and move the 'rears' to 'surround' on my sides and in the receiver. Apparently I cannot have both front high and rear surround speakers with this AVR.

    Once I've got that all figured out, I can make the AVR power them as needed, but then I'm not sure whether these Yamahas can handle being set to 'large' or not in my sony's settings... I believe these particular speakers can handle 180 watts max, but I'm not sure what the large/small settings do to my sound field (apparently the DH520 pumps out 130W/ch).

    Any recommendations on sound field setup for best sound (i.e. set up front high's and surrounds or set it up for surrounds and rear surrounds)?

    Thanks again!
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  • jeremymarcinko
    jeremymarcinko Posts: 3,785
    edited December 2012
    I would set them all to small, let that sony breathe a little better. Crossover set at 80hz all channels. Double bass off(probably did this on its own.) I am assuming your room is under 2500cf. If it is larger you may consider a larger sub. Its not only a question of whether your speakers handle the power but your receiver handling the load.
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
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  • Archangelboy
    Archangelboy Posts: 6
    edited December 2012
    Jeremy, my living room is about 2400 cf, not worried about blowing out the windows ;) I set surrounds to small, I'm wondering if I should set the center (CS1, series II) to small as well?
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  • goofyGAguy
    goofyGAguy Posts: 545
    edited December 2012
    I would set them all to small. This will greatly lighten the load on that anemic receiver. There is no way a 16 pound 7.1 channel AVR is putting out 130 wpc!
    My humble setup...

    ...is no more. :cry:
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  • Archangelboy
    Archangelboy Posts: 6
    edited December 2012
    good point... Maybe then I can figure out what's going on with my inability to edit crossover frequencies. nothing I have set to 'large' as a speaker will let me do so. For now, it's surrounds and front highs that are small. Tonight I'll set the center to small as well. Am I going to hate myself if I set the m70s to small too?
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  • goofyGAguy
    goofyGAguy Posts: 545
    edited December 2012
    Archangelboy wrote: »
    Am I going to hate myself if I set the m70s to small too?

    No, but you probably will end up hating yourself for buying that POS10. :lol:
    My humble setup...

    ...is no more. :cry:
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  • Archangelboy
    Archangelboy Posts: 6
    edited December 2012
    Heh but that's better than all my neighbors calling the police every time I watch movies in my living room ;)
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