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jonathan posted:A very thought-out and informative post TLDR version: The rule of thumb, as I've understood it, is: if you're going to be playing loudly, get an amp rated at a the same or higher wattage than your speakers. The Monitor 70 seems to have a sensitivity of 90 dB/W, though, which is pretty OK, so you'll probably go deaf before a 110W (rated) receiver starts clipping...
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Aug 19, 2011 09:41
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Kash posted:
What you're looking for is called "dynamic compression", and it smooths out volume changes, basically allowing you to crank the volume on quiet parts while still keeping the louder parts slightly less loud. It's usually billed as "night mode" or similar in product infos, and it's usually included even in bottom of the line AV receivers. My Denon 1610 has it, for example. It lets me choose between three levels of compression. E: Sp. Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 11:46 on Sep 30, 2011 |
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Sep 24, 2011 20:37
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Twiin posted:I'm thinking about getting an AVR-391 on the cheap, running all the video to my TV through HDMI, and using the Advents as my rear channels. I figure because they're so huge and boomy, I probably won't miss the sub right away You should keep in mind that most 5.1 mixes (movies & such) don't really put any bass content in the rear channels. That goes in the fronts and sub.
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Oct 7, 2011 09:29
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ILikeVoltron posted:I've got another question, how can I take my OTA antenna and plug it into a receiver? I don't think my TV supports return audio via hdmi 1.4 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004VRJ3FG) So does your TV not have a digital out, or is there some other reason you can't take the audio from the TV into the receiver?
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Dec 12, 2011 12:37
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ILikeVoltron posted:Just double checked, nope. It has no outputs what-so-ever. Guess that's why it was only $499. Wow, that's really lovely. I feel sorry for you. It looks like you're right, going by Samsung's web site as well. I guess another option (beside TV dongle for Boxee) would be to get a standalone tuner. Edit: Can't find any info on what HDMI version it supports though. Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 17:20 on Dec 13, 2011 |
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Dec 13, 2011 17:15
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Mikey Purp posted:Hi thread, I could use some guidance. I am planning on putting together a decent audio system to replace the tinny crap speakers on my tv. My budget is ~$500.00 and I'm looking at the following options: I don't know if it's because I'm not in America, but Newegg just gives me "We apologize for the inconvenience, but the item you are looking for has been deactivated. Here are some similar products that you may wish to consider".
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Jan 22, 2012 10:16
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Mr.Showtime posted:The system I found doesn't have any sort of dvd/aux markings just the 8 inputs and the 5 outputs. What you have there on the sub is basically the amplifier inputs and outputs that you would usually find on a receiver. The only problem is that you need to somehow get the 5.1 sound decoded, since I bet the xbox does not have 5.1 RCA outputs. You could easily connect it as just stereo, though, using just the red and white RCA cables from your xbox into the AUX R/L inputs of the subwoofer. Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 14:53 on Jan 23, 2012 |
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Jan 23, 2012 14:34
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Mikey Purp posted:From what I can tell it measures up pretty well to the 709, although the amp seems to be weaker. Would the 90 watt channels underperform with the Energy set compared to the 609's? 90 watts is probably plenty enough to make your eardrums bleed, if the sensitivity rating of the speakers is correct as advertised (89dB).
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Jan 25, 2012 12:59
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FordCQC posted:I'm upgrading from a stereo+sub system that is basically glorified computer speakers, that I've had since 2001 or so. My budget is $500-$800. You're right about the HDMI switching - that's one of the advantages of a proper receiver. You can connect as few speakers as you like. I built my first system as 2.1 like you suggest, and it sounded great. Then I added a center speaker later, and it was improved. The receiver will have a setting for which speakers are connected - possibly it may auto-detect using Audyssey or similar. It will then downmix the signal into 2.1 or whatever is relevant.
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Feb 3, 2012 09:45
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Christoff posted:I know this is a silly question but I assume the sub connects via speaker wire? It's not a silly question! A powered sub (which is most home A/V subs including yours) needs line level signal from the receiver, because it has its own power amp. So what you want is a mono RCA cable. You can find it branded as "subwoofer cable" but that's really just marketing, it can be the same type as used for composite video as well. Like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-Value-03167-Meters/dp/B0002J1LD4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1329380656&sr=1-2 But you might need a longer one of course, depending on sub placement. vvvv Yeah, you'll be fine. You only need one of the leads, but having two won't hurt as long as you leave the other one unconnected. Usually you would only connect the L or R input on the sub. Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 13:35 on Feb 16, 2012 |
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Feb 16, 2012 09:24
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Sagacity posted:Well, I currently have a simple Logitech Z-5500 setup that I'm looking to upgrade / convert to a system with a smaller footprint. That has approx. 500W of output in total and I don't think I've ever turned it up past "3" (though it goes all the way up to 11, I'm assuming). I like to listen to stuff at regular TV-levels, instead of full-on home theater levels, I guess. I think you'll be fine, especially since I would be willing to bet that a Marantz "watt" is significantly more powerful than a Logitech "watt". Those numbers mean next to nothing since we almost never get a context for them. In this case, sources on the Internet indicate that the 505W rating for the Logitech was obtained at 10% THD(yes, ten percent!), which would be completely unlistenable, not to mention probably harmful to the speakers. Marantz' is rated as "50W (20Hz - 20kHz, 0.08% THD, 2ch driven)" which is a lot more information, and not too bad numbers either.
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Mar 12, 2012 13:27
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HampHamp posted:I've just moved in to a new apartment just outside Amsterdam - it's on 2 floors, the room is approx. 20' x 20', and the cinema setup is on the bottom floor so I have a downstairs neighbour. For this reason, I was considering not getting a sub and instead getting 2 good quality floor standing speakers. Is this viable? Sounds like a great plan! I don't have any particular recommendations for your front speakers, and I think the advice you'll get in this thread will chiefly be: Find a store that will let you listen to speakers, and check out what's available in your price range. You started at the right end by choosing a budget first!
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Mar 16, 2012 14:14
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Nierbo posted:Just as a dumb aside question because I'm just entering the awesome world of home theatre (entry level! what what), if a sub goes from 25-300 (I'm just using a random example) why would I set the crossover on the fronts at 80 and not like 290? Well, for one thing, directionality. We have trouble telling the direction of incoming sound of very low frequencies*. That means that having just one subwoofer is enough, and its placement is not very important, as long as it only plays low frequencies. However, at 300Hz, you'll probably be able to hear stereo imaging if the sound comes from your front speakers. So you should have that sound come from the front speakers. Below 80Hz, though, it's a little pointless to have the front speakers working, as it will only stress out your amp and add very little volume compared to what your subwoofer is pumping out at that frequency. Generally, we regulate this with a crossover filter in the receiver, and it makes sure that the speakers roll off around where the subwoofer picks up so you don't miss out on any frequencies. So set the crossover filter to 80 (if your fronts go that low) and relax. =) That way, the front speakers work where they are most efficient, and the sub works where it is the most efficient. * Because the sound wavelength is long enough that the distance between our ears is not enough to hear the phase difference, if I understood correctly. Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 10:11 on Mar 20, 2012 |
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Mar 20, 2012 10:06
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ntan1 posted:Well, can be enough. Bass is rather hard to tame, and even with the right acoustics, sometimes it's easier to get a flatter frequency curve at low frequencies with more than one subwoofer. Granted, with particular rooms, and enough money, two subs may be worth it. Edit: And, to clarify, not because of directionality issues. Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 10:56 on Mar 22, 2012 |
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Mar 21, 2012 14:38
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Mr. Crow posted:Onkyo TX-NR709 The sub you're getting is the type called an "active sub", which has its own built-in amplifier. The best way to connect it to a receiver is via a line-level connection, i.e. with a single RCA lead. As luck would have it, your receiver has such a line-level output for a subwoofer - one of the 9 RCA connectors in the "PRE OUT" group, labeled "SUBWOOFER". Just connect those 2 together with a RCA (phono) cable. Don't bother buying anything sold specifically as "subwoofer cable"; any old RCA cable will do. Then set the crossover frequency knob to max, and volume to 12 o'clock, and engage the Audyssey programme in the receiver. It will take care of the rest.
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Mar 23, 2012 10:58
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jonathan posted:Do all of this, except I disagree with the joining of the 2 subwoofer outs. Don't do this as this is a 7.2 channel receiver which will measure each subwoofer independently. If you join them, it will think there are 2 subs and get screwy trying to balance them against each other (short answer). Sorry, maybe I wrote that unclearly. I meant connect the output on the receiver to the input on the sub. I agree completely that you should never connect two outputs together. I totally missed the fact that there are two subwoofer outputs on that receiver...
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Mar 27, 2012 12:31
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TheCIASentMe posted:
By "weak", do you mean as in low volume? Because that is likely to change when you run the auto-setup. Or do you mean they have particular shortcomings, as speakers go?
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Jun 12, 2012 16:58
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Otik posted:I just bought an Onkyo HT-S4505 5.1 system, and it's working like a dream even without calibrating it (which I'll do once everything's in it's final place). I think that the receiver should not normally introduce any lag, but I don't see any good way to find out other than to try it. You can probably expect that audio and picture will sync up with each other slightly better when they go the same route, rather than using the ARC.
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Sep 10, 2012 10:14
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weaaddar posted:Does anyone know if Sony or someone else makes a system like the HT-IS100 which has the receiver component built into the sub woofer? I don't have a huge amount of space for receiver in my media center, and this seems like a great solution to the problem. I need something that is 3d capable and supports at least 3 hdmi inputs. Wouldn't the cabling arrangement be awkward if you put the receiver in the subwoofer and thus outside the media center? Or do you propose to put the subwoofer/receiver into the media center? That would seem to give you even less room to spare, I would think.
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Sep 13, 2012 15:33
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BANME.sh posted:I picked up a used sony 5.1 surround receiver for a very non tech savvy friend (STR K790). It's all set up and works perfectly, but after reading the manual I found out that it should have came with an auto calibration microphone. The manual says it's used to automatically adjust each speaker's volume for optimal performance. I was wondering if anyone here has heard of such a thing, and if so, is it worth bothering to find a replacement? Will any mic work? I have a few headset mics laying around. The mic jack on the receiver accepts a standard 3.5mm input as well. Another mic will almost certainly not work, since the software would be calibrated for a particular model of microphone, with a particular frequency response etc. Sony should have a replacement mic, but their spare parts never come cheap, in my experience. Call your nearest Sony service center and ask.
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Sep 14, 2012 08:57
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Laser Cow posted:
That receiver is an amplifier, but with all the bells and whistles. If you were just going to listen to stereo music, I would have suggested a stereo amp, as that would have been better bang for the buck. As it is, I think the AVR-2313 will do wonderfully at playing music, too. It will make switching sources a little easier for you than a stereo amp would, since you can connect both video and audio though the receiver, so you don't have to fiddle with both the stereo and TV remotes when you go from watching TV to playing PS3. I like how it supposedly supports flac streaming over network or USB! You will have to attach your turntable via a pre-amp, though. Hardly any receivers these days have a phono input (due to the low demand, I suppose). (The Denon AVR-3313 has it, but that feature alone is not worth the markup.) I'm lazy so I bought the first preamp I could find, which was a NAD PP2. It's a little pricy but sounds great! Edit: I don't know about the speakers, all I know is B&W are a well-regarded brand. Possibly priced a little high, but they do look good! I'd be wary of anything with a "piano" finish though, you'll be constantly dusting them... Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 13:29 on Sep 18, 2012 |
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Sep 18, 2012 13:21
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Laser Cow posted:Regarding the feature list of the receiver (thanks for digging through that comparison for me), I had to look up pretty much all of that and it wasn't important. Except the pre-outs and the increased power but I don't know how important that actually is. How much power you need depends on two things: 1. How loud you want to play 2. How sensitive your speakers are. The CM8 are rated 88dB (per Watt @1m), which is not all that impressive but not terrible either. CM8 are 8 ohm speakers, and the power ratings @8 ohms for the 2113 and 2313 are 95 W and 105 W, respectively. That's not a huge difference, but if you're right on the verge of getting distorsion, of course it will be a world of difference. Maybe someone else could estimate how loudly 95 or 105 W would play those speakers, but I can't. I can only say that it will probably be enough to make most people cover their ears. Note that the power ratings are for only two channels playing, with 0.05% THD (which should be just about still listenable, I think). As for the pre-outs, I doubt you'll need/want to get separate power amplifiers in a living room environment. It would again depend on whether 105 W will play loud enough for your tastes or not.
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Sep 19, 2012 12:23
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jonathan posted:Someone with $1000 cables aren't audiophile, the term is "gullible". As for the center channel matching, you don't HAVE to match the same brand or speaker line, but it takes a lot of the guess work out. I might add that modern AV receivers that have some sort of auto-setup (Audyssey for instance) can, to a certain extent, compensate for differences in speaker frequency response by measuring with a microphone, and applying different parametric equalization to each channel.
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Oct 3, 2012 19:54
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Shielding should only really matter for CRT monitors/tvs. It's the static magnet that wreaks havok with the monitor alignment, usually. Your receiver will be fine. Would it be easier wall-mount the center speaker above the TV? That's what I did. It works especially well since my bookshelf front speakers are placed at more or less that same height. In practice, your ears are not very good at picking up differences in height anyway, so it might work even if your fronts are floorstanding.
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Oct 10, 2012 14:22
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Volkerball posted:I recommend Amazon Warehouse for receivers as of today. I ordered a Denon 1612 used for 160, and it would appear they accidentally sent me a 3312CI. Whoops. Somebody's head is gonna roll for that. Let us know how that goes - I somehow doubt they'd let you keep it if they ever figure out what happened...
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Oct 25, 2012 12:00
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redreader posted:-is newegg the best place to look on the internet? I don't know anything about Newegg or Black Friday or Polk, since I'm not from the U.S, but regarding wattage, the important thing is generally that your receiver can provide "enough" power to drive your speakers. If your amp cannot handle the volume, it will start clipping (sounding horrible) and your speakers will die quite quickly. The OP of this thread goes through basically what wattage means in terms of audio, but I'd like to add that if you find speakers with a "wattage" rating, beware that that's a gross simplification and relax. Speakers transform energy from one form (electric) to another (heat). As a small side effect, you will also get sound. The speakers' efficiency rating determines how much energy becomes sound, and how much is wasted as heat. You can find efficiency rated as "sensitivity", and it's usually given in dB/W. It should be high (usually ~85 or up). If that's not listed anywhere, buy something else. Someone more knowledgable than me wrote up this: http://www.the-home-cinema-guide.com/speaker-sensitivity.html#axzz2CsFDFn88 In your case, your receiver will probably be able to provide 100W on ONE channel at a time, for a very short time, before being overloaded. That's how most manufacturers rate their equipment. That said, it's very likely enough to play most consumer-market speakers quite loudly. Edit: Mixed up efficiency and sensitivity... And I'm not even touching on the issue of sound quality here, I just want to point out that wattage on its own is a poor way to tell if components go well together. Whether or not your receiver's wattage is enough depends entirely on speaker sensitivity and how loud you like to play. Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 17:17 on Nov 21, 2012 |
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Nov 21, 2012 17:10
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Raspberry Bang posted:So my Pioneer VSX 1121 just conked out of me after a year of service. I was wondering if any of you guys had any recommendations on a good 7.1 receiver that has a good track record of lasting much longer than the warranty. HDMI would generally be preferable, due to the convenience of having just one cable.
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Dec 28, 2012 00:49
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Chemmy posted:I'm thinking about building a surround sound system but my problem is the rear channels. Does anyone make wireless rear surrounds that work with standard receivers? I haven't found anything reasonable and I don't want to run wires through the walls because I'm lazy. How do you feel about running power wires to those rear speakers? Because they will either need that, or run off batteries that will need constant replacement. Edit: Here's a decent writeup on why wireless speakers never seem to really break into mainstream: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/t/309191/wireless-rear-surround-speakers
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Jan 1, 2013 17:12
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Laser Cow posted:What is a good way of getting two optical cables to share a single optical input? http://www.amazon.com/CCM-SWOPT2-Optical-Splitter/dp/B0002MQGR2 Take care though, the signal strength is probably halved, so if one of the cables is too long, the signal may drop or not arrive at all. Double edit: You obviously meant the opposite of what you wrote, see the better answer below. Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 23:38 on Jan 24, 2013 |
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Jan 22, 2013 19:20
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The Dude posted:Some new receivers at the midrange or higher level are able to convert signals from their analog inputs and pass them out through HDMI. However, some are limited to only being able to convert 480i signals, and your old game systems might output 240p, which would be incompatible. You'll usually have to read the manual to discover this. For example, both the Onkyo 616 and 717 list "Analog To HDMI Upconversion" as a feature, but the 616 accepts 480i only and the 717 does not have this limitation. FWIW, I think all the available Denon AVRs do analog to digital conversion since a few years back.
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Jan 24, 2013 23:53
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The Dude posted:That's what I expected, but when I looked at their current models (the xx13s) the first one with a checkmark in the "Video Conversion - Analog to HDMI" box is the 1913, so I added the midrange qualifier. Maybe in previous years they included it on the lower models but pushed it up to provide additional reasons to buy the more expensive one. I also didn't dig into the manuals to see if there are any limitations on the upconversion. That's interesting, they seem to have done just that. Cheapasses. My dad is considering a Yamaha AVR. I'm trying to see if he can make do with the cheaper RX-V473. They have an xbox 360 that needs to connect with component+optical. In this comparison chart, does the absence of "HDMI upscaling" mean that the RX-V473 will not take analog inputs and convert to HDMI? Or does this feature mean that the 673 will upscale HDMI 720p sources to 1080p (which seems unnecessary)? http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/av-receivers-amps/rx/?tab=product_lineup&selected=372801_372797_372795_372793_&mode=compare
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Jan 26, 2013 11:43
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tagelthebagel posted:Is there any good options for wireless speaker setups? This is not for my home audio system but for a business that does fitness things inside. Pretty open space but installing wires to loop around in these areas are not something I think any of us will be capable of doing. The space is semi large...maybe the save of a 2 bedroom apartment without the walls. So...lots of wires hanging off the ceilings would be hard I'm guessing unless there is a good way to mount it all. Any suggestions either on a good wireless system for an ipod or should I be looking at some of the builds here...bite the bullet and learn how to wire things better? And some documentation on wiring? Do you already have power outlets in the ceiling, near where you want to have the speakers? Consider that wireless speakers won't run without electricity, so you may have to wire power instead of speaker wire, and power wire is usually thicker and harder to work with.
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Jan 31, 2013 23:20
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Listerine posted:Stupid question here. I have a Rotel pre-amp (RC-1070, back panel here), it's over ten years old so it's pre-HDMI. Is it possible for me to get the sound from my PS3 into it? I don't know anything about audio connectors, converting between jacks, anything like that. I don't have a PS3 for reference, but googling suggests that it has something called an "AV MULTI OUT connector", which could give you analog 2-channel sound out. Convert whatever-it-is into 2x RCA (red+white) and you should be good to go. http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/settings/audiooutput.html This thread has a suggestion, see if that cable would work for you: http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-3/Hooking-up-a-PS3-Slim-into-a-older-stereo-system-for-sound-thru/td-p/5915001
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Feb 15, 2013 13:45
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Endless Mike posted:I did though I'm not sure how much it mattered with two speakers. My Denon allows me to disable the Audyssey settings to do a side-by-side comparison. Does the Onkyo not have that? In my room, it noticeably decreases some mid-high frequencies when enabled.
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Apr 7, 2013 22:03
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Trillest Parrot posted:My dad is super hard of hearing. We just got him a new Samsung LED TV, but the speakers face towards the rear, and the TV is mounted in a corner, so the sound doesn't reflect off the wall and forward. He's asking about sound bar systems. He doesn't want a fancy surround system, so it sounds reasonable. Any suggestions for SIMPLE sound bar setups? Or would a little 3.1 be better? I want to be able to set it and forget it. He can't even figure out the giant red NETFLIX button on a remote. Also, it needs to project without being loud. (I imagine any speaker system that's set up properly will do this, but just sayin'.) Also, I'm going to be buying it for him, so I don't want to spend a lot of money Does your dad have any kind of hearing aid? You might look into telecoil adapters. That would annoy your mom way less, I would think. If he doesn't have/need a hearing aid, maybe a pair of wireless headphones? Just make sure you can get "line out" of the TV without muting the speakers, otherwise they can't watch stuff together. Just thinking outside of the box a bit. =)
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Apr 15, 2013 21:34
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Anyone have any experience with the partial deaf? Is clarity more important than volume?
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Imp Boy posted:Is this the result of a lovely pre-amp with no built in ground, a bad receiver, or a general bad idea of running a record player through an AV amp? Any tips would be appreciated. It's not the last one, anyway. I run my turntable through a preamp into a Denon AVR-1610 and it's working fine. Could very well be a grounding problem. I guess you've double-checked your speaker connectors already, to make sure none of them have come lose and a triggering the protection mode when contacting the chassis? Also, try a different input on the AVR.
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Apr 17, 2013 09:31
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The Locator posted:I suppose the price differential is because of the heat/vibration resistance in the design. Also, cold resistance, I guess. Anyway...
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May 29, 2013 09:14
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The Locator posted:Thanks, both of you. That cable looks good. You shouldn't have to worry about interference at 40 feet, or even a bit more. I would guess that most RF interference usually occurs at frequencies way higher than the low pass filter on the sub, anyway.
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Jun 3, 2013 12:59
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Hob_Gadling posted:Not home speakers, no, but they have a ton of reasonably priced pro stuff that is popular. They're also well known for their instruments: as it happens, there's an 25-year old Yamaha piano next to me. Nothing wrong with the quality, the home stuff just isn't that competitively priced outside Japan in my opinion. For once that wasn't a problem. Fun fact: A Yamaha professional-model trumpet costs slightly MORE in Tokyo than it does in Sweden. And that's including Swedish VAT of 25%... Sometimes global companies just have weird pricing policies.
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Jun 4, 2013 16:32
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I've got a cheapo wireless keyboard, which I currently use to control XBMC, but I'm planning to abandon it in favor of a universal remote as soon as I can get my hands on a cheap used one. I'd use Yatse, but I have a weird home network where my NUC is getting a new IP address on every reboot, which kind of makes that impossible. (Yes, my ISP i weird. And yes, I could add my own router and NAT the network. I just can't be arsed to.) Plus, the GF does not use a smartphone (being even weirder than the ISP) so needs a proper remote.
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Jun 10, 2013 15:55
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