Problem with FXi3's

QMGE81A

Thank heavens I found these forums because I've been going mad trying to find out what I'm doing wrong in setting up my new audio system. I'll start off by declaring I am a total noob to 5.1 systems. I just upgraded to one about a week ago. I have all Polk speakers with the exception of the sub, and my receiver is an Onkyo tx-sr603x. For the left and right surround I bought two FXi3 speakers. I have them set to dipole, and placed on the wall to the direct left and right of the main seating in my home theater. In order to set them up properly I bought a home theater set up dvd called, "Avia's Guide to Home Theater." When I run one of the audio tests there is a voice that comes through each individual speaker. EX: When he says "Left Front channel" it emminates from only the left front speaker. "Center channel" comes from the center speaker, ect. The problem comes when it tests the left and right surround speakers. The voice saying "left surround channel" and "right surround channel" emminates from both speakers at the exact same volume. I've checked and rechecked all my wiring which all seems correct. Nowhere are any wires crossing, so I'm at a complete loss. For all I know maybe this is normal with the FXi3's. I just need someone to tell me if it is.

Thanks,
Jason

Ricardo

There must be a connection issue or set up issue; each channel should go to only that channel's speaker. Look at the connections in the back of the receiver; are the FXi3's connected to the "surrounds" or "surround back's"? Not sure if your Onkyo has both, but my Denon does and in some setups you hear the same from both surround backs...
Check your speakers set up in the receiver/DVD player; make sure everything is in line with the physical setup...

StopherJJ1980

Yeah I agree this sounds weird.

The only thing I can think of is the point of having speakers set to dipole is to have drivers running out of phase with each other. Them being out of phase makes the sound hard to localize thus resulting in a more diffuse surround perception in the 'null area'. At least this is how I understand it. I personally dont use dipole. So are you SURE that this sound is coming from both speakers? Perhaps it is just the dipole setting giving that perception. Try to see if you get the same result in bipole mode.

Other than that Im kinda stumped, it would have to be a setup thing i'd guess.

PolkThug

Your reciever is set to Dolby Pro Logic instead of Dolby Digital.

StopherJJ1980

PolkThug wrote:

Your reciever is set to Dolby Pro Logic instead of Dolby Digital.

Ahh, thats smart, I didnt think of that.

QMGE81A

PolkThug wrote:

Your reciever is set to Dolby Pro Logic instead of Dolby Digital.

Thanks everybody for the quick responses. PolkThug, you hit the nail on the head. I switched my receiver to Dolby Digital and tried Avia again and sure enough the surround cannels are now responding correctly. Thank you.

aaharvel

it happens. if they're performing as advertised in both movies and music and it sounds good to your ears don't worry about it. AVIA test discs or THX optimode are not the last words in enjoying your system.