System Disappointment...

dmcknight

Three years ago I decided to create my first home theater system. I did not want anything extravagant, just a 5.1 setup that I could enjoy with movies (DVD), video games (XBOX and XBOX360), music (mainly MP3's from my media center PC), and TV (RCN digital cable).

I ended up going with the following:

Yamaha RX-V757
Polk RTi8 fronts
Polk CSi5 center
Polk RTi4 rears
Martin Logan Dynamo sub

After setting everything up, I was initially content with my selections. The only problem I had was the room layout, as it was not ideal for a 5.1 speaker set-up. I have since moved to a new place I finally have a better setup (typical 5.1 setup with the furniture in the center of the sound field).

After the move I have been using my entire system almost daily for the tasks I mentioned above and am constantly disapointed in the system performance.

I used the configuration MIC that comes with the Yamaha receiver to configure my speakers location/sound level accordingly. I used Digital Coax. for my cable TV audio input and optical for my XBOX and XBOX360 audio input into my receiver.

The overall sound quality tends to be poor (on Dolby Digital and Pro Logic settings): 1) overall too quite (receiver has to be between -20 to -30Db to hear all sounds, 2) I CAN BARELY HEAR THE CENTER CHANNEL.

This means that if I am watching a movie or TV shows (DVD over optical, or TV over Digital Coax.) I am constantly turning the volume UP and DOWN throughout the movie. More importantly I can never hear the voice channel and have to increase the volume to hear it and then lower it once any other sound within the movie starts (music, surround noises, etc) because it will be way to loud.

The sound from the XBOX 360 seems to be OK (optical), but the center channel tends to be significantly quieter than the others in that as well noted from the voice tracks within games or during multi player.

I have also played with the speaker level configuration on the Yamaha and have it so the center channel speaker level is much higher than all other speakers and it is still an issue.

I am really trying to figure out what the problem is: Receiver, Speaker or Audio input(s).

My inputs are as follows:

RCN Moto HD Cable Box (Digital Coax.)
XBOX (Optical)
XBOX 360 (Optical)

Outputs:
CSi5: 12 AWG with banana clips (2 wire configuration with jumper)
RTi8: Transparent cables with banana clips (bi-wire cable but configured in 2 wire configuration [2 wires per channel] with jumper)
RTi4: 12 AWG with banana clips (2 wire configuration with jumper)
Dynamo: Digital Coax. Cable

Does anyone have any suggestions or comments on what I can do to either detect the exact problem or fix my issues?

I have been dealing with this for about 6 months and have grown frustrated with it.:(

Anything would be appreciated.

Thanks!

danger boy

replace your receiver with a new one.. not Yamaha.. and I think you'll be happy again. Not that Yamaha is bad.. just that there are better sounding receivers out there.. namely Denon, Pioneer Elite, Sony ES, NAD, Outlaw, Marantz, B&K, etc.

danger boy

you might also need an SPL, Sound Pressure Level meter. if your receiver doesn't have a auto speaker calibration. then you should look into getting an SPL meter. that way there will be no doubt as to what the exact audio levels are for each individual speaker is.
doing this by ear is not very accurate..

seeclear

Have you checked the tweeter on the center to make sure it isn't blown? If I'm not mistaken, it will carry most of the dialogue.

dmcknight

It does not sound muddy or distorted; just really quite.

I did make one change tonight and it made things a little better. I bumped the speaker levels of all speakers except the center down about 14, leaving the center almost maxed in the receiver settings. Seems like a band-aid approach to me.

I may try to borrow one of my buddies amps and see if it is a power issue this week.

I would hate to have to by a new receiver after only 3 years..

Any specific way I can tell if the tweeter is damage?

phuz

I'll second the SPL meter suggestion. Receivers with MICs never get it right.

bumped it down to 14 from what? What is the default setting, 0? Does it go into negative numbers?

A cheap radio shack SPL meter will do wonders when configuring a 5.1+ system.

seeclear

dmcknight wrote: »

Any specific way I can tell if the tweeter is damage?

You can isolate the tweeter to see if it is producing any sound by holding a paper towel tube over it and place your ear at the other end. Be careful, start with volume low and turn it up gradually.

dave shepard

Have you set the speaker distance for each speaker? I have found that the center has always been louder then needed (or I perfer) and it would almost always be the one that needs trimmed down to better match the L/R even after using the Radio Shack meter and the surrounds generally need trimmed up a smidge.
The SPL meter will give you a referance point and it is ok to adjust to your liking.
Each format DTS, PLII etc. have their own speaker leval performance, meaning that even though you set the main leval on you reciever you will notice that each format will make each speaker perform differantly (louder/quiter) and each recording even if in the same format could have each speaker perform differantly and you could have to make on the fly changes to your speaker levals.

Dave

cfrizz

Your receiver has preamp outputs so you don't have to get a new receiver, you would just have to buy a separate amp.

ben62670

cfrizz wrote: »

Your receiver has preamp outputs so you don't have to get a new receiver, you would just have to buy a separate amp.

Still has that Yami "Natural Sound":( Been there done that.

nebborjk

If the non dialog portions of a movie are too loud for your taste when using DD or DTS, try using the dynamic compression or "midnight mode" if available in the receiver. This will help even out the sound playback to a more constant volume.

tonyb

If he has the center jacked up to +14,something is wrong.Double check your set-up menu manually,speaker distance,crossover,etc.Start with everything at 0.Make sure all
speaker wire is connected properly and not touching another post.Try a different optical cable from the dvd player to receiver.Granted,the yammie isn't the best match but should do the basics fine.Is the sub hooked up by one coax cable to the lfe or sub preout on the receiver?Is the dvd player set to dolby digital? Double check all connections and set-up menu's manually.

markmarc

Start with the least expensive option first checking the settings, then the SPL meter, etc., then move up the chain. But, I would bet that eventually replacing the Yamaha would be a solid move. I just know of a couple of former Yamaha owners who felt their receiver was the bottleneck.

ward91

try resetting the reciver.(dont ask how, consult the manual)
:-)

Kex

It does sound to me like you have something going on somewhere. My speakers are not that different from yours (albeit older equivalents) and I do not use a Yamaha, but I do use a receiver and would certainly not expect to have to do what you are doing with the volume levels and receiver settings.

Even before you check out the external amplifier option, I think you should investigate what is wrong and why. Check everything from the beginning, and buy or borrow the SPL meter that has been mentioned several times, to see what your levels actually are.

hockeyboy

I had a similiar problem with my girlfriends son's system. It turned out that the digital coax box had it's own internal settings for audio. The default output was pretty low, which you didn't notice going directly to the tv, although his x-box and dvd sounded fine. Once I hooked up the AVR to the coax box it was super quiet. Once I reviewed the audio settings on the Verizon cable box, I turned the settings on that box to max and problem solved.

tonyb

hockeyboy wrote: »

I had a similiar problem with my girlfriends son's system. It turned out that the digital coax box had it's own internal settings for audio. The default output was pretty low, which you didn't notice going directly to the tv, although his x-box and dvd sounded fine. Once I hooked up the AVR to the coax box it was super quiet. Once I reviewed the audio settings on the Verizon cable box, I turned the settings on that box to max and problem solved.

Good point......you just reminded me that I had to do the same thing.One aspect we overlook,our cable boxes.Seems like there's a set-up menu for everything these days....even the couch.

vonnie123

Check your wiring carefully at each connection. Check your bass management settings from your source device(s). Make sure you select the correct size support speaker settings when using the Yamaha YPAO system.