Newbie with plenty of connections

rchavez1

Greetings all,

First off I’d like to start off by stating that I have been an electronics enthusiast for most of my life. My first experience as a kid goes back to the days of the Quadraphonic systems of the early 1970’s. I’ve been hooked to home and personal electronics since then.

Fast forward 30 some odd years later to the present time. As electronics become more sophisticated, so are the multiple options as far as the choices of components to choose from and the many different ways to connect them.

I am in the process of building a Home Theatre System. After extensive research, talking to people and some soul searching, I have purchased the following; (all latest models)

• TV HDTV Ready Widescreen TV (w/ HDMI) - Sony / KV-34XS955
• A/V Receiver Sony STR-DA2000ES
• DVD Player Sony DVP-NS975V (w/HDMI)
• Speakers Polk RM20 Sub/Sat System
• Hookups Monster HDMI400-2M
o Monster Speaker Cable XPHP
o Audioquest CinemaQuest Optilink-G Optical Cables (for TV to AV)
o Monster-Power HT700 Protection System.

Question, with all the connectivity options available (HDMI, Optical, ect), what would be the best way to connect all this in order to achieve the most performance from the complete system.

Thanks in advance,

Ray

PolkThug

Do you have an HD cable box also?

rchavez1

Regarding HD Box, No..at least not yet.

I currently subscribe to Dish Network Satelite TV. I currently live in a Condo and i share the common dishes located on the roof of the building. At some point in the near future, I will get the HD Receiver from Dish Network. Until then, I have an OTA antenna which i use to receive some HDTV channels from Chicago.

PolkThug

Does your Dish box have an optical out?

rchavez1

Regarding Dish Optical Output, No. Its all cable.

PolkThug

Oh yeah, Welcome to the Forum!

OK, this is the simplest way to skin this cat:

Audio:
DVD to AVR= optical
TV to AVR = optical, assuming TV has optical out

Video
DVD to TV = HDMI

(I don't think they are currently pushing sound through HDMI yet)

rchavez1

Thanks Polkthug!

I was thinking same as you,

DVD to AVR = optical
TV to AVR = optical (yes, tv has optical out)
DVD to TV = HDMI

How about audio setup for the RM20 sub/sat system, i'm not sure if i should go sub woofer out from the receiver or take the audio signals from the front left and right speakers instead...

rchavez1

I'm just about complete in getting all the cables and accessories in preparation to firing up my new home theatre system. One thing i quickly learned is that in order to get the most of a mid to high-end system, you need to use higher quality connections. Considering the sum of all the money spent on all the components, I want to make sure i get the best quality audio and video possible. Yes, and as a "Newbie with plenty of connections", it can be expensive but if done the correct way, it should be worth it!

Here is a visio layout of my room. Enjoy!

nebborjk

rchavez1,

You'll want to hook the front speakers up using the Polk Method. From the AVR -> Sub in -> to speakers. Set speakers to large on the AVR. I would not suggest that these speakers be connected directly to the AVR. Also experiment with different sobwoofer crossover setings to find the correct balance. A SPL meter will come in handy for this.

jarros

Originally posted by nebborjk
rchavez1,
I would not suggest that these speakers be connected directly to the AVR.

Out of curiosity, why not?

I've learned that wiring methods with regards to the sub can vary from room to room. You may find that you get a better blend with using the "Polk Method" to wire the sub (using speaker level outputs into the sub and use the subs crossover for the front speakers), or you could find that it sounds better using the receiver's crossover for all your bass managment.

The best way to find out what works for you is to try it out. You'll also find that sub placement can make a huge difference in the sound quality, so again, play around until you find something that sounds great to you.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum!

nebborjk

I agree the best way to find out what works best is to experiment. I suggest the Polk method for the better blending as you mentioned. Also some of Polk’s previous satellite speakers (RM6700) have an internal crossover. This crossover was set to 250 Hz (I think, might be only 200 Hz though). If the bass management in your AVR doesn’t allow you set the crossover at 250, you will have a “hole” in the audio spectrum. For example: if the AVR crossover is set to 150 Hz all audio from this point and below (ignoring the X-Over slope) will be sent to the sub. Everything above this point will be sent to the front mains. If the front mains have in internal crossover at 250Hz everything below this point would be lost. This isn’t exact because it doesn’t account for the crossover slope, but you get the idea.

rchavez1

After 27 days of researching, planning, purchasing, receiving, installing, connecting, and praying, I finally fired up my system on Sunday.

Except for the TV, all my purchases were done online. Several items were backordered which delayed my installation which for me allowed me the time to read-up on product manuals and get the most out of this new hobby. I took my time and paid special attention to detail as far as making sure all my wiring and connections were secure and complete.

I was delighted that when I powered everything up that all my connections proved successful!
Now it’s time for the last phase of this project. getting the most out of all my Audio / Video components.

One of the first challenges I have encountered is setting up the RM20 Sub / Sat speaker system. I wired the system as recommended by Polk (AVR Left & Right speakers out to Sub first, from Sub to speakers), on AVR, Speaker setup as Large, Sub Off.

Question, on the back of the Sub is a Volume and Frequency dial. What would be the best way to get the speakers to work efficiently and sound the best? The manual does not provide any details as far how to set-up the sub.

Thanks in advance!

nebborjk

Congrats on the getting the system up and running. There are no definitive answers as to which setting will work best. As all theater rooms are different, so are the in room responses (room gain).

As for the volume, you're going to need to get a SPL (Sound Pressure Level) meter. This is really the only way to properly set-up any system. Radio shack sells them for about $50.00. You can use the test tones in the AVR or use a Home Theater tune up DVD. There are several threads on this forum which discuss the best way to do this.

The frequency dial is the adjustable crossover. You'll more than likely need to set it to the highest possible setting. Again the SPL meter can help you find the best setting.

Ditto for the phase control.

Hope this helps.