CS1 sounds too tinny, and Large speakers take out all the base?

Nightsbane

First off I have appreciated the advice and answers everyone has offered thus far, I have evetrything wired, and just trying to calibrate.

I am using monitor 50s for the front, cs1 for the center, and monitor 40s for surrounds.

My main issue is that dialogue from the CS1 is way too tinny, doesn't seem to be using the bass drivers much at all.

I have tried setting the speakers to large, but too me it sounds like large actually makes all of the speakers sound MORE tinny, but just has better surround effects.

I have a sony dg820, and I am just trying to figure out what I need to be chanigngs settings wise to get better sounds out of this system. Small speaker settings according to the manual is supposed to take base load off of the speakers, and large is supposed to put base load on them, but why can I hear much better base once I switch to small?

I could use some help. Enjoying the speakers, so far not too impressed with the cs1 though.

Nightsbane

If the speakers are set to small it has an extra set of options for crossover? Is this the setting that is causing there to be more or less surround effects?

cnh

Do you have a sub in that mix....if so set all your speakers to small and increase the volume LEVEL adjustment for the center--setting your speakers to large or small will not in and of itself have much of an effect on HOW LOUD the CENTER PLAYS. You have to increase the dbs on that center! There is a menu somewhere on your Sony for that!

Look in the manual! And even as I say that I cringe because the manuals on those Sony's 'suck'!

cnh

cnh

Nightsbane wrote: »

If the speakers are set to small it has an extra set of options for crossover? Is this the setting that is causing there to be more or less surround effects?

Crossover setting is for your sub....tell the Sony you have a sub, if you do and set it to around 80hz. This affects which low frequencies are cut off and handled only by the sub in surround formats.

cnh

Nightsbane

I think the number it is set to right now is 120? If I am seeing the right thing. But should I put all the speakers to small?

cnh

120 is too high....for that speaker set....have you run the auto-calibration mic on the Sony. I'm pretty sure it has an AUTO set up with a mic feature?

The reason it is sometimes recommended to set all speakers to small is that this relieves that Sony from having to power a lot of bass on the M50s, etc. And puts more emphasis on the sub...freeing the Sony to better use what power it does have (and the 820 does not have much real power there) to pump the M50s/CS1 and your surrounds better.

I know it sounds counter-intuitive but it seems to work.

The lower you can get on the sub crossover (at least below 100hz) the less your sub will be localizable).

cnh

Nightsbane

The crossover frequency does seem to have had a very good impact to getting things not to sound so tinny. Should I just put them all to 80?

Nightsbane

the auto calibration mic does not mess with crossover settings to my knowledge on this receiver though

cnh

Yeah 80 Hz all the way around would be fine....your speakers can all get to at least 65hz so that's a good setting. It may be that the Sony does not set that crossover in calibrating the system but it will balance the loudness relationships between your center and all the other speakers...boosting the center if necessary, or any other speaker. Or lowering the sound on speakers...etc..

cnh

Nightsbane

thanks for all your help, I think I'm getting there. Not quite happy with some of the changes I have made, but understanding crossover has fully resolved the center speaker problem

cnh

That makes sense...with the system crossed over that high the center would not have much authority in the lower range and would sound tinny.

Good Luck..

cnh

Nightsbane

a final question, now that I have dumped some considerable money into better speakers, how can I be sure to not overdrive my speakers. I don't want to ruin them, and I am not sure how to tell how loud is too loud. I like to listen to movies akin to a nice theatre, rocketing action scenes, but not to the point where you get a headache, or high sounds are piercing.

I have also heard that going into the eq and messing with treble and bass settings is bad. I had set mine to +3 bass, do I need to get this back to zero to be safe?

cnh

I don't think having the bass boosted a little is a problem, I had a Sony amp ages ago and found I had to do that.

As for not overdriving just use some common sense...look at the range of numbers on you AVR....maybe set it to a source your not using and turn it up to see how high it goes. Note what that number is. Then play a DVD at what you think a reasonable volume is, compare the numbers. You want to stay away from the Maximum....because that Sony 'will' blow your tweeters! Especially in that Polk series. It is important to remember that you should judge these settings by the LOUDEST portion in the DVD because digital sources have huge dynamic peaks which blast power for brief moments. That's where you would BLOW something out or fry the amp or have it go into shutdown mode.

Just be careful. And you'll be fine. Another rule of thumb is if you begin to hear ANY distortion whatsoever...TURN IT DOWN! The problem is not the Polk speakers but the fact that the Polks can handle a lot more than that Sony can put out so you can clip it pretty easily.

cnh

Nightsbane

The max volume is 75. Some movies run quite loud in 25-30 range, a few 40s, never get close to or over 50. That sound reasonable?

cnh

I remember on my old Sony...and I think they still use the same system...about 50 or more was fine! So I think you're good even to mid-fifties.

cnh

superjunior

I'm having a simmilar experiance as nightbane. Cnh, can you or someone elaborate a little more on crossover settings, hz,ect.. I was doing a little testing last night, don't seem to get much base out of my a6, or my a9's for that matter. my little sony sub has 2 dials- 1 for level, and 1 for cut off freq. Also has a button for phase, I don't understand the relationship between these 3 functions, but no matter how it's adjusted, it lets out this loud distorted moaning- very painfull. I just turned it off and told my receiver "no sub". My front stage does sound a little fuller, but I feel its nowhere near what it could and should sound like. Not trying to jack nightbane's thread, but I thought this is on the same topic. thanks
jr