Newbie Hooking up Virgin System

TerrellC

I hope I'm almost done with all my newbie questions.

Most of the below tems should be here by today. I just want to double check that I understand how to hook it all up

Components:

Denon 3805
DVD Player TBD
LSI 9 Front
LSI 7 Back
LSIC Center
3 Outlaw 200 amps for Front L & R
Hsu STF-2 Sub



Hookups as I understand it:

DVD-> Receiver:
Component Video
Digital Coax Audio

Receiver-> Amp for Fronts, Center
Digital Coax Audio from Preout to Amp in

Receiver->Speakers for Rears,Sub
14 Gauge Home Depot Speaker Wire
Sub wire from Sub out to Subwoofer

AMP's ->fronts, Center
14 Gauge Home Depot Speaker Wire

Receiver-> TV
Component Video

Everything powered through Monster Power Stage 2

I just bought the cheap AR interconnects from Best buy. They don't carry the AR Master line. Will I be OK with this setup? Are the interconnects going to be a weak link in a good system?

thanks!

Terrell

PETERNG

The AR interconnects should work fine between the receiver and the amp, if your DVD player has DVD-A or SACD, you will also need 3 pairs of interconnects for this features. Otherwise the optical or coax digital will do the job for DD, DTS.

For peakers, if the distance is more than 15 ft from the reciever to the speakers, I would recommend using the heavy duty 10 gauge. You also need a decent audio cable to connect between the sub and the receiver (Monster cable is fine). If you intend to use your receiver as the video switcher, you will need 2 pair of the component video cables as well( from DVD to reciver, then receiver to TV).

Good selection of the components, good luck and enjoy...

Cheers

reeltrouble1

Terrel,

Please let me add to the others. You do not have to have a digital cable from the pre-out on the Denon to the Outlaw amps. You can use a standard interconnect available from $5.00 to $10,000.

I would hook the DVD component cable straight from the player to the tv/monitor and bypass the receiver, but you can do it through the receiver if you like.

As far as your question about interconnects being the weak link, well, you can read hundreds of threads on the forum about wire. My advice would be to start with a connect you feel comfortable with, you are already questioning the AR?? Upgradites before you even start.

Check out Signal Cable, Blue Jeans Cable, Cobalt Cable and get your read on.

Let me add my welcome to Club Polk.

LittleCar_w/12s

well, I'd use the Dennon receiver for video switching if you have a cable or satellite box as well as the DVD player. (makes a all in one switching point for source and volume) If you have cable that is direct to your TV, then you have to use the TV remote anyway. I'm not sure what your TV is, but remember to turn off the internal speakers for that HT. Additionally, if you want to controll the volume from the receiver, put all video and audio switched through it, and leave your TV vol 75% or so, and on vid in.
Ideally, you should use your TV as video and nothing more, not as a receiver, or for vol control.

TerrellC

Heheh I do have Upgradeitis!

Ok I'll hook it all up and see how it goes. Thanks for all the input and suggestions.

Terrell

amulford

It will do good. Get it all hooked up and enjoy. If you think of it, try to get yourself a RS SPL meter to help you calibrate. I will do wonders for your HT rig calibrate. Good choice on the amps, those outlaws come highly recommended. One more thing, don't try to push it too hard for a little while. Let everything burn in for, oh maybe twenty five, thirty hours. Thenlet 'er rip!!!

reeltrouble1

Originally posted by LittleCar_w/12s
well, I'd use the Dennon receiver for video switching if you have a cable or satellite box as well as the DVD player. (makes a all in one switching point for source and volume) If you have cable that is direct to your TV, then you have to use the TV remote anyway. I'm not sure what your TV is, but remember to turn off the internal speakers for that HT. Additionally, if you want to controll the volume from the receiver, put all video and audio switched through it, and leave your TV vol 75% or so, and on vid in.
Ideally, you should use your TV as video and nothing more, not as a receiver, or for vol control.

HuH?????????????If you want to control the volume from the receiver put all the video through it????? Sorry LittleCar but I think your MoMo's shook something loose there.:cool: I suspect the Denon has a learning remote to run everything.

Amulford gave you some great advice on getting the spl meter to calibrate the system.

Tour2ma

EDITED to compensate for brainlock...

Moving on...

Should be no debate over audio control, that's an AVR's turf. All sources through it allows you to balance each one's input levels, so that SPL doesn't change dramatically from source to source at a given Master Volume setting.

Your 3805 has "7 assignable digital inputs (5 Optical, 2 Coaxial)". I'd recommend using them for every source you can as the 3805's processor is going to be better than many DVDP's and nearly all the cable/ satellite box's internal ones. Doing so obviously puts the Audio control in the Denon's capable hands.

The notable exception, multichannel CD's, has already neem mentioned.

Video control? It is nice to have the 3805 in play for upsampling any signal from lesser sources, e.g., an old VCR. Can always split the main video feed from a single cable/ satellite box (or take separate outputs, if available) and route one through the Denon and another direct to your TV. DVD's? Try both ways and see for yourself...

And I'll third Anthony's SPL meter recommendation and toss in the need for a good calibration disk at no extra charge...

LittleCar_w/12s

Bassically I was saying the same thing that Tour said, but I didn't know the Dennon had a full learning remote. In that case there's NO reason not to put it all through the AVR.

Oh, and you wouldn't find a MoMo in my system... bah, I go back to the old days where the DB was a real speaker...

reeltrouble1

How far back Littlecar? I am from the old days, we drove big gas guzzling cars with 8 tracks, the systems well they pretty much stunk, but hey we were loving them and life!!

Guys I already said he can hook it through the receiver if he wants, you are adding another connection though which does not have to be made, yes the Denon has adequate Bandwith for video I believe its 54mhz maybe higher cant say for sure. Should the monitor only have one component in then yes you need to go through the receiver so you can add other source components, but most have at least two. If the source DVDP is bad then its bad whether you hook to the receiver or not. If the processor has some sort of sync for time delay to match picture and voice for watching TV you would want to use it, however, for DVD this is not an issue.

Terrel, dont get confused, those optical and digital coax connections are for sound no video passes through them, Tour knows this, just clarifying. Have fun there are numerous configurations to try.

RT1

TerrellC

Thanks everyone! I'll keep you posted as soon as its up and running. By the way, as far as burn in...How long and how loud?

I have heard to be careful for a month? Is that only if I am like if I want to turn it up to reference level?

Terrell

Tour2ma

I think you always have to careful around reference level... if not out of concern for your gear, for your health as your neighbors can easily sneak up behind you with baseball bats and shovels in hand...

Not a big break-in believer here, but certainly does no harm to leave your system on 24/7 at a low level (around -40 or -50 dB) with a source (FM or cable music) playing. And stepping it up for "normal" evening listening is no issue.

How long before you cut it loose? I couldn't wait a month and wouldn't be fearful of doing it the same day... Whenever you decide your rig and you are ready, IMO, just approach with caution, until you learn the limits of your system and then back off a safe margin... Hopefully you will reach your listening limits before the system's limit.

rt and LC,
Y'all were very kind above... I read my post from last nite, and could not tell from it whether or not I knew what I was talking about... Cleaned it up some...