Getting your first home audio system? Read this.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Getting your first home audio system? Read this.

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

prom candy posted:

Alright so you guys were right and I do just want an AV receiver now. The SMSL I'm running occasionally has tiny little drops in audio and now that I have nice front speakers I also want a nice Center and maybe even some rears. What's the receiver to get? Ideally no more than like $500-600 CAD since the dang Center speaker is gonna be $700.

Also do I want to run my devices into the receiver and receiver out to TV, or devices to TV and then TV out to receiver?

Buy a gently used Yamaha or Denon AVR that's around 1-3 years old, and save the money compared to buying new. Put those savings into good speakers and you'll be pretty pleased. Definitely get a sub as well. Even at low, neighbour-friendly volumes, a sub can do a /lot/ to fill out the sound.

# ¿ Jan 25, 2023 18:26

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 13:04

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

For a nearfield setup like that at a computer desk, I would not bother for a center channel either. The money would be better spent in getting better bookshelves. You can also get speaker stands that will sit on your desk, and elevate the speakers to around ear height, which will give you some of your desk space back. And personally, I found my particular speakers sounded better above the plane of my ears, rather than below. But I did both for years and they're both good choices. The main thing is having the tweeters roughly aimed at your ears, with the speakers just somewhat canted inwards to form a triangle, with the tip of triangle being behind your head, so to speak.

I had a PC 5.1 setup, and eventually switched to a 2.1 setup with decent bookshelf speakers through an amp and a sub on the floor and never looked back. If the speakers are good quality and spaced properly, you'll get great stereo separation and proper sense of spatial placement for voices and whatnot.

# ¿ Jan 26, 2023 05:17

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

KozmoNaut posted:

Sending LFE to the front speakers is a bad idea, unless they're very bass-capable.

If you only have stereo speakers, just leave the LFE out and run a full-range stereo signal to them.

E: and at least on Denon AVRs, LFE only goes to the fronts if you specifically select the "LFE+main" subwoofer mode, which sends all bass to both the fronts and the subs. Which is dumb and shouldn't be used.

The AVR will decode the full range signal from the Windows computer, and using an internal low-pass filter will send the low frequency sounds to the sub.

Ryuga Death posted:

Good to hear. Thank you. What sort of speaker stands would you recommend that would sit on a PC desk?

Something like this for a shorter amount of lift https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Studio-Monitor-Stands-600024/dp/B097CP8SVM

Or something like this for a bit more of a boost(I have ones like this except mine are adjustable from like 18-30"): https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Glass-Speaker-Stand-Management/dp/B0859NRCWW

Ryuga Death posted:

Dumb question but I assume nearfield just means being close to the speakers?

Yeah

Ryuga Death posted:

Definitely not the right place, but if I do settle with a 2.1 speaker set up, how would I set it up through windows? I think windows settings only has basic stereo but ignores the sub or is all of that handled through the GPU and AVR? The HDMI connection delivering audio is going through my gtx 1070.

Do you have an optical out anywhere on your PC and an optical in on the AVR receiver? If you do, I would probably connect the audio using that, and have the HDMI go straight between the monitors and the PC

Mederlock fucked around with this message at 19:55 on Jan 26, 2023

# ¿ Jan 26, 2023 19:45

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Ryuga Death posted:

Learning a lot here about how Windows and AVRs interact with sound stuff and it's so much more helpful than google and random reddit posts ever were.

So far I have the Micca Rb42, KEFQ150, and the ELAC Debut 2.0 in my cart. The Micca seem like the best option for size since I have multiple monitors on the desk already but I think the other two could maybe fit if I move stuff around.

I know CAPTAIN CAPSLOCK already offered their opinion on speaker foam pads and tilted speaker stands, but does anyone else have anything to offer about them? Reddit posts from audiophiles would have me believe that having speakers sit flat on a desk is a really bad idea but is that due to the sound vibrating on the desk or sound not properly hitting me as I sit or should I not concern myself with them?

Sorry, answered some of your questions by editing my previous post before you responded if you wanna check that out

For reference, here's my setup. Pardon the rats nest of cables and stuff, been busy with work stuff. I personally use a USB DAC, then into a vintage stereo receiver, which I then feed the speaker outs through my line-level speaker inputs on my Polk sub, then on up to the speakers. But I used to use an optical cable to my AVR receiver under my TV (out of frame to the right), and then an LFE cable to the sub and used the Zone 2 speaker outs on the AVR to the speakers before I switched to this arrangement.

Mederlock fucked around with this message at 20:19 on Jan 26, 2023

# ¿ Jan 26, 2023 20:04

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Ryuga Death posted:

The only thing I could find on my PC was an SPDIF thing and I think there's something similar on my AVR.

Pretty cool set up pic but I admit I got lost in the sea of words there. Does having speakers above your head not make the audio sound weird? Also, I should probably look into getting a monitor I can swivel and make tall like in your pic. Is there a way to show a pic of my desk without it being public or seen by anyone else outside of these forums? I'm kind of embarrassed by my setup but maybe having this thread see it would help with suggestions.

I've seen this setting on my yamaha AVR. How do you know when to set speakers to large or not?

No, it actually sounds better. But my understanding is that these speakers (Linn Tukan) were specifically designed to be placed higher up in say, a bookshelf. Supposedly it has more to do with the design and aim point of the tweeters more than anything. I think imgbb.com doesn't publicly post photos, but I personally use imgur and have all my albums set to private, so only a direct link to the url works on the forums.

The main this is getting the angle of the tweeters to be vaguely aimed at your ears, which you can achieve from above or below. I opted for going above to allow for my monitors and more desk space for my extra nerdy audio hardware.

And yeah SPDIF is the format that optical out and Coaxial digital audio uses, the optical out is a 1/4" or so wide square connector with a hinging plate in the center that folds back when you plug it in. HDMI can carry the most advanced surround sound formats, but for a 2.1 system they're irrelevant, and going with the spdif optical for audio and HDMI straight to the monitors should reduce latency for gaming to the minimum.

Mederlock fucked around with this message at 20:43 on Jan 26, 2023

# ¿ Jan 26, 2023 20:40

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Ryuga Death posted:

Sorry, I need an editor for my thoughts and comments.

I just meant that due to the curtain placement, speakers being placed to the left and right of it would look weird and I'm not sure if that would cause audio problems? My primary monitor is the middle one and the speakers would be shooting audio towards that area at different distances but I don't know enough about audio to say if that's actually an issue or not.

I think the clamp on, telescopic desk mounts are probably your best bet for your desk

# ¿ Jan 29, 2023 20:38

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Ryuga Death posted:

Random question but how important is it to have speakers at ear level? I realized my tv speakers are a bit below my ear level when I'm sitting down and facing my tv.

Marginally impactful when you're further away. Think of a cone coming out of the tweeter. The closer you are, the narrower the cone is, so the more impact proper facing has. At TV distance, the cone, so to speak, is a much wider field, so you probably won't notice much difference. Fold some cardboard up and tuck it under the front of the speaker to tilt the speaker up, and then try a piece of music you know intimately back and forth. I doubt you'll pick up on much of a difference though

# ¿ Jan 30, 2023 00:54

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

I would toe them in less, maybe half of what you have them confused to parallel, and shove something under the front lip of the speakers to pop them up at an angle towards your ears. And yeah, having a decent sound setup is a game changer

# ¿ Feb 5, 2023 07:56

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Ryuga Death posted:

Don't know why it took me this long to notice and ask but what's the point of the foam plug insert things that came with my KEF 150 speakers?

According to your manual, it does this, apparently

So, taking it out will give you a slight boost in the bass and more low range presence. Leaving it in gives you a more flat, neutral, unaltered tone.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2023 23:54

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Yeah it's worth it, as long as you can dictate the distance and volume level of each individual speaker in your AV Receiver's settings so the audio delay and relative volume balance between all the speakers is right. You could also mount it on the wall a little ways up

# ¿ Feb 6, 2023 15:03

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

The amount of very decent speakers I've found at thrift stores, that I ultimately walked from because what was very obviously a child had gone and crushed the tweeter dome in on them, is insane :negative:

. Kids are great but God drat are they little destruction machines

# ¿ Feb 10, 2023 00:41

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

kliras posted:

yeah, just the internal speakers on the tv

ps4 should probably just be pcm given how old it is, and given that the lg c1 tv doesn't support dts anyway, but nothing about the apple tv interface is very intuitive

It's all a moot point if you're only on 2.0 TV speakers. DTS/Dolby only had merit for surround sound, and MAYBE if you had a subwoofer.

If you wanted a cheap upgrade, https://www.amazon.com/PROZOR-Digital-Converter-Optical-Toslink/dp/B00KNNSKV0/ from your TV, to a https://www.amazon.com/Fosi-Audio-Amplifier-Professional-Speakers/dp/B08MJBG53V/, feeding into these https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-core-series-5-3-way-bookshelf-speakers-pair-black/5721014.p?intl=nosplash&skuId=5721014

Would be a massive jump up. Wait for the speakers to go on sale, they go from $90-$125 on deals throughout the year. Just a thought for you to consider in the future for something better than a soundbar

# ¿ Feb 13, 2023 17:12

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

KillHour posted:

Actually, I do have a question, and I bet people (especially KosmoNaut) will have opinions.

I have a Denon AVR-S760H and it's great, but I'm getting up there in the amount of poo poo I have hooked up to it in the never-ending pursuit of pissing off my neighbors. I have two SVS PC-2000 Pro subs hooked up to the two sub outputs on the receiver, and the passthrough from those goes to another pair of SVS SB12-NSDs.

# ¿ Feb 13, 2023 19:21

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

KillHour posted:

Is there something wrong with that setup?

Nothing wrong at all lol, dat's just a lotta bass. Bet your neighbours love it :sun:

# ¿ Feb 13, 2023 22:27

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

intheflesh posted:

How old was yours? My 505 died a couple weeks ago, purchased in 2015.
Tore it apart, figured out the amp died, likely one of the amp inductor coils as I didn't want to tear it apart fully to see exactly what. There were a could fried looking resistors, none of the capacitors were bulging or leaking, and nothing smelled like magic smoke. Amp would still make power, but only for 1/10th of a second at a time. Like the attack of a note would be perfect, but it wouldn't be able to sustain. Using a different amp, subwoofer driver itself tested just fine. Polk had used a BASH licensed amp until mid 2014 then ripped off the amp without licensing but keeping the design nearly identical. Was able to find the same BASH amp on Parts Express for $200. Hope I didn't make a mistake by attempting to replace the broken part instead of just hucking the whole thing. Where were you reading the coils died? All my reading showed the amp was the weak part lol

I went to a local stereo shop I've never been to to ask if they knew anywhere that might be interested in looking into my broken amp and fixing it up or replacing it, and dude proceeded to show me then try to sell me on a 20k JL audio Gotham V2. Like wtf I'm trying to fix a 8 year old $500 entry/mid subwoofer what could possibly indicate that I'm ready to dump a pretty nice used car amount of dollars on a subwoofer

Just buy a cheap Chinese mono channel sub amp off Amazon in a case like this, its way cheaper and like. It's a sub. There's even reviews of people specifically with Polk 505's for this one specifically
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Full-Frequency-Switchable-Fosi-M02/dp/B07L4VMCRD/

# ¿ Feb 19, 2023 21:43

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Hang the tv from the ceiling using springs :sun:

# ¿ Feb 22, 2023 02:45

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

SweetMercifulCrap! posted:

I finally picked up the .1 to complete my small 3.1 setup in my bedroom! Just wanted to clarify a few things with you guys:

1. My A/V receiver has one pre-out jack to the subwoofer but the subwoofer has a left and right channel RCA input. Can I use any RCA cable and can I just plug it into either channel on the subwoofer?

2. The subwoofer has a crossover dial, but my understanding is that I should set the dial all the way up and use the crossover settings in my A/V receiver to let it control it, correct?

3. My left and right speakers have a low frequency response of 62hz, with my center channel being 89hz. Should I set the crossover at 60hz, 80hz, or 90hz?

4. The subwoofer has a phase switch and the receiver also has a phase setting. I'm not sure how these should be set.

Thanks in advance!

1. Read the sub's manual, it may tell you which one to use. But you're safe to just choose one or the other for now

2. Turn the sub dial all the way up, and let the Receiver do the crossover

3. I would set it at 90hz, personally, to have the sub prop up the low end some more, although 80hz is considered the "THX Standard" or something like that

4. Keep both phase settings at the Normal setting, and only adjust the one in the receiver. If the receiver already has speaker distance delay settings, I wouldn't touch it all. If it doesn't let you set a delay, and your subwoofer is in-line/ near the speakers, leave it at normal. If your subwoofer is across the room from the speakers(ie. Near you) and/or is facing the speakers, then you should turn it on and try it A/B while a bass heavy song is playing. The purpose of the switch is to help sync up the in/out movement of the sub with the in/out movement of the speaker woofers.

# ¿ Mar 5, 2023 05:18

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

SweetMercifulCrap! posted:

Thanks!

So if both the receiver and the subwoofer have a phase toggle, does that mean:

Receiver + subwoofer set at normal = normal output (aka most likely what I want)
Receiver at normal; subwoofer at inverse = inverse output
Receiver at inverse; subwoofer at normal = inverse output
Receiver at inverse; subwoofer at inverse = converts back to normal output?

Essentially, yes. Although inverse on both may cause weirdness that I haven't personally experienced or tried.

# ¿ Mar 5, 2023 21:36

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Dietrich posted:

I have outdoor speakers on my house that I would like to be able to stream music to from my google home stuff. I currently have a chromecast plugged unto my 5.1 receiver and the outdoor speakers set up on the B channel, but something that doesn't require changing inputs and outputs would be preferable. Any products sub 150 that handle this kind of thing?

Wiim Mini streamer with a Fosi Audio or Douk or etc. amplifier should fit the bill nicely.

# ¿ Mar 5, 2023 21:38

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Yeah, it's pretty unfortunate but it is what it is. They're competing in a field where Sonos Port/Connect is the main player, which are/were $550 units for essentially the same functionality as the Wiim Mini. In that context it is a good deal, but yeah my intuition is that it's still waaaay more expensive than it really ought to be. A lot of people used to and, well I'm sure still do, make streamers out of Raspberry Pi's, but :lmao:

at the price of a Pi these days, since the COVID supply chain woes

# ¿ Mar 7, 2023 14:43

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Even the older diamond speakers are great. I picked up a pair of Diamond III's from the 80's or 90's at a thrift store and they sound fantastic too.

# ¿ Mar 12, 2023 23:38

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

prom candy posted:

Looks like none of these are too easy to come by in Canada without paying significant shipping/duties and waiting a long time. Are any of these any good? (prices in CAD, for reference I paid $500 for a pair of Q150s) https://www.visions.ca/category-name/162/subwoofers?menu=153&sortby=price

What kind of music/content will you be playing? Depending on your main use case, a smaller sub may be more "accurate" , really meaning less boomy but fills the low range pleasantly, or do you like your bass big and booming, the sort of thing that rattles your fillings? Is it more music or is there going to be home theatre use as well out of this sub. And what's your neighbour/SO approval factor look like?

# ¿ Mar 13, 2023 17:19

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Yeah, I wouldn't necessarily agree that the biggest, baddest, most powerfulist sub for your dollar is going to necessarily be the best choice for everyone. If you have it in a place that won't cause the neighbors to call in noise complaints, your SO or roommates are on board with it, and you like more modern music and movies that actively hits the sub-bass region, then yeah absolutely I agree.

Like for me personally, I live in a hi-rise condo with a tyrannical condo board filled with bored retirees, and I listen to a lot of classical and jazz (as well as DnB/EDM, Metal, and a bunch of other stuff), and the sub does double duty for my home theatre(5.1.2 via the lfe in) and my near-field audio setup at my desk (Linn Bookshelves via the speaker ins on the sub). It's a slim-line, side mounted Polk 12", but it really plays more like an 8" or 10" sub given the lack of cabinet volume, and if I replace it I'll probably end up with a 10". I have it dialed in just right to fill things out, without being boomy or loud enough that people start banging on the wall or make complaints. A big, huge sub would be wasted in that sort of environment, imo

But in my car? Hell yeah, I've got a 12" in a big enclosure cranked right up. And when I end up getting a house, I can't wait to double -sub it up in the basement :sun:

E: and yeah, Canuckaudiomart, Kijiji, and Facebook marketplace would be the best places to look. I've been an avid thrifter for a good 10 years, and it's fairly rare to find audio gear priced fairly at the thrift stores these days.

# ¿ Mar 13, 2023 20:21

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Racing Stripe posted:

I have a decent audio setup in my living room, with a NAD C 720BEE receiver, Denon DP-30LII turntable, and classic Advent speakers. No questions about that, really, but feel free to comment on it.

I want to be able to listen to acceptable audio (that is, better than bluetooth speaker paired with iPhone) in my kitchen, connected with my living room receiver so I can listen to vinyl in there. I'm also interested in maybe getting a nice DAP so I can listen to FLAC and Spotify or whatever on my good stereo setup.

Here's what I see as the biggest obstacle: it's impractical to run cables from the receiver all the way into the kitchen. It's a rowhouse, so it's a straight shot from living room into the kitchen, but cables would have to run along at least 20 feet of baseboard or ceiling and cross walkways. I think I just have to rule it out.

I'm thinking that what I need is a pair of speakers that can connect (or be connected) via bluetooth to my receiver. I imagine there is a device (bluetooth radio?) that plugs into the receiver outputs. Any DAP I get could then pair directly with the bluetooth speakers for listening in the kitchen, or plug physically into the receiver for listening on the good speakers.

Here are my questions: are there recommendations for a pair of small speakers that can go on a shelf (budget of maybe $250)? Should speakers come with built-in bluetooth, or is there a separate device that I should get? How much does audio quality suffer if it's transmitted via bluetooth? Is that decay strong enough that the origin (vinyl, flac, mp3, streaming) doesn't matter, or is audio reproduction via bluetooth pretty good? Any DAP recommendations for $600 or less? Is this a stupid plan? Thanks!

Apparently you can use two Wiim Mini's to do this. According to the user manual, you can connect the Zone 2 pre- outs of your AV receiver to the first Wiim Mini, and then you connect the other Wiim Mini to the inputs of whatever powered bookshelves you end up with. In the app, you group the two Wiim 's together, and then you can play high quality wireless audio over wifi, instead of Bluetooth( which may be problematic depending on LOS, range, etc. Inherent to Bluetooth). It basically makes a budget Sonos multiroom setup with them paired up like this. As a bonus, the Wiim can also receive Bluetooth and is a film fledged wireless streamer for services like Spotify and Tidal.

# ¿ Mar 15, 2023 05:26

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Hippie Hedgehog posted:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003748959047.html

This doesn't transmit, only receive, but just saying bluetooth receivers don't have to cost $100. They have options with optical or electrical S/PDIF if you want that, too.

The Wiim isn't a simple Bluetooth transmitter though. That's why it costs $100 a pop. It's a fully featured streamer/DAC/home multiroom device that also has Bluetooth inputs. The Wiim costs more than Bluetooth but also gives the OP the wireless output streaming capability he was looking for on top of being a DAP/streamer. Plus, the OP can connect the line level out on the Wiim that's connected to the receiver, and use it to play digital sources and Bluetooth on his higher quality stereo setup. The connections would be something like this

NAD Stereo Setup -> Wiim A - Aux Input from Receiver's zone 2 pre-outs, Aux output to one of the receiver's inputs. Outputs turntable audio to the Wiim to stream to zone 2, and inputs digital audio sources like Bluetooth and Spotify/Tidal to the receiver

Kitchen Zone Setup -> Pair of powered bookshelves speakers -> Wiim B, Aux output or optical output to the RCA or optical input on the powered monitors. Inputs turntable or analog radio from the NAD via the multiroom link, and plays digital sources like Bluetooth and Spotify/Tidal as desired.

For $200 for two Wiim's, that's not too bad at all imo

# ¿ Mar 15, 2023 18:08

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

BrainDance posted:

I've got a problem that I could really use some advice on, I've done all the troubleshooting I can think to do and it ended up with me being way more confused than when I started.

I've got a couple computers and a Switch plugged into a Denon avr-x580bt, all HDMI, then that goes out to a 5.1 speaker setup all wired up.

Then, the receiver goes out through a 5m HDMI cable to a BenQ th685 projector.

Yesterday I go to turn on the projector and, no video. Audio works, the computers see that the projector is a screen and the projector actually sees that something's connected to it but it just tries and then fails.

So, I thought, first thing to check is the HDMI cable. I tested 3 other HDMI cables going to the projector, one a known really good cable, one a new cable, and they still don't work. Also, I connected one of the computers and the Switch directly to the projector and they all worked.

So at that point it seems obvious the problem is the receiver, right? But then I plug a monitor into the receiver with a short HDMI cable and.... It works. So I figure ok maybe it's that it's a long HDMI cable, right? Because longer HDMI cables, maybe the output is "weak" and it's struggling over the distance. So I test with the other long HDMI cables to the monitor and they do work. At this point I'm swapping the new 5m cable between the monitor and the projector, works every time on the monitor, fails every time on the projector.

So now I have absolutely no idea what's broken. If its the receiver why does it work with my monitor, even with the same cables? If it's the projector, why can literally everything else plug into it just fine?

Luckily I have warranties on both but it's a pain in the rear end to send back the projector cuz that means getting up there and unmounting it (and also that means a week with no 120inch videogames )

Please help me I'm going insane

What's the resolution and refresh rate on the monitor compared to the projector? Are you sending HDR? If there's a data rate issue because of the long cable, or perhaps a new source of interference or damage in the cable, then 4K/or even 120hz HDR 1080p can expose an issue, where it'll still totally work fine on 1080/60hz. Try forcing 60 hz non-hdr 1080p on your PC to the projector, to test if that works. If it does work, then you need to hunt in your projector settings to see if you can try enabling/disabling features and see if it'll work at 1080p/120HZ HDR.

If it doesn't work at all, you may need to get a HDMI certified 2.1, 48gbps cable. A large proportion of the ones you find on Amazon and at unscrupulous local retailers claim to support it, but are actually straight up lying and are rebranding 18 Gbps cables, so make sure your cable has the QR code that leads you to the HDMI.org website(another trick is they'll put a QR code that looks like the right site, but if you look at the URL it'll actually be different). It'll future proof you for a while. If that doesn't do the trick.. then yeah, either your receiver or your projector has an issue. Scan through the receivers settings as well, and if all else fails, check for firmware updates and finally, a factory reset.

The only other thing to check for is possible EMI between the Receiver and the projector. Have you added any new electronics, wifi, appliances, any other similar thing that might be the culprit? Another last ditch test you can do to rule this factor out, is to unplug all the electronics in the vicinity (don't forget closely shared walls or floors), except the projector, receiver, and your source, and see if it works. It's fairly unlikely, but not unheard of.

Mederlock fucked around with this message at 06:40 on Mar 22, 2023

# ¿ Mar 22, 2023 06:35

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

BrainDance posted:

How do I test for this? I have had problems with stuff like this before (from the Chinese deathtrap receiver that was electrocuting everything within a bubble around it including me) and, I have my suspicions that might be the problem here in some way too.

You just unplug everything in the room and try it then. I really do suspect it's your cable tho. HDMI cables can work for lower bitrate transmissions, and then not work for a higher bitrate transmission, so. It's kind of the smoking gun, so to speak. Either something interfering with it, some damage to the cable, or it simply not being adequate for the bitrate that your system is putting through it.

# ¿ Mar 22, 2023 14:21

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Taima posted:

And that's fair regarding cheap audio man. Another criticism I would level is that he makes a video like every single day, definitely a quantity over quality kinda guy. There's just not a ton of resources for making systems on that level, or at least, I had trouble finding them. A lot of audiophiles I talked to said things like the Aiyama A07 pro were poo poo and would sound like a dying turkey, but I feel like it's a decent kit for the price, so idk. Yeah, it's just a confusing space. What equipment do you like the most? Do you have a treated room and such?

I don't believe he does this because he particularly wants to, I'm sure he'd love to be able to pour more time into higher quality, better researched videos. But the YouTube algorithm has seemed to favour the content mill over the content craftsman, so to speak, lately and churning out tons of videos that gets more engagement gets you more views than spending a few weeks between videos making high quality hour long vidjeyos.

# ¿ May 11, 2023 17:13

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

qirex posted:

People underestimate how annoying it is to have to juggle remotes to change volume.

That's why I have a Logitech harmony remote :science:

# ¿ May 16, 2023 06:00

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

olives black posted:

oh yeah, now I remember. This was the magic thing that they killed off a couple of years ago that everyone was sad about.

The software is a little janky but I love mine. Check Ebay and your local online classifieds, I've gotten 2 so far from there, two of the Harmony One's, and I had a model 650 from years ago.i don't use it for my TV and controls because the TV remote seems to be more responsive input lag wise, but for the blu ray player, carousel CD player, and the other random stuff I've gotten from thrift shops it works great

# ¿ May 16, 2023 14:58

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

olives black posted:

Upon further consideration, I think I'm going to stick with the RB42s. I fully acknowledge that they're going to need to be replaced with something else if/when I get a bigger room, but for now I really like how they fit into my current space. Bigger speakers and floorstands aren't really an option for me right now.

I think you're right about futureproofing with the amp, though. The A-S801 should still play nice with the RB42s, right? What does "100W + 100W" mean?

Also seeing that I can get the amp "Like New" for about $200 less from Amazon Warehouse.

A-S801 has a lot of nice internal upgrades too, so it's a great long term choice. Having more power available won't hurt your speakers, as long as you don't play them louder than the speaker can handle which is so loud you won't ever get there, so you're totally safe to go with it.

# ¿ May 20, 2023 04:47

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

NotNut posted:

Could I just plug the 3.5mm from the console into the line-in port on my motherboard?

Yes, and then you could use the Virtual Audio Cable app to mix in the line in audio to your speaker out audio

# ¿ May 25, 2023 22:40

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Budget speakers $90-$150, Sony SS-CS5 has some steep competition but goes on sale for like $90, outrageously good for that price.
Midrange: too many good choices, very subjective. The thread will have lots of suggestions here. Don't sleep on used speakers from sites like https://www.usaudiomart.com/ or your local classifieds , these audiophile nerds cycle through speakers like crazy and you can cash in on that
Upper range, Wharfedale Linton's are supposed to be pretty great, honestly there's lots of choice here but $2k for a pair is double your stated budget and way outside of what I'm comfortable spending myself.

Bonus comedy high value/DIY option: CSSa 1TD-X kit speaker you build yourself. These are supposed to be the bee's knees, competing with stuff in the $2000+ range. Just need a decent stain+finish and some basic hands skill, or if you want it to look nice without the plywood look, get some cherry or walnut veneer and glue it on(way easier to do than you'd think). https://www.css-audio.com/online-store/CSS-Criton-1TD-X-Kit-Pair-p221163830

# ¿ May 27, 2023 15:18

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Bunk Rogers posted:

That makes total sense and serves me right for using ChatGPT to troubleshoot my poo poo.

We were all ignorant of the conventions before we made the same mistake lol, it's all good. Definitely try the ifi on a line source and the Yamaha phono preamp back to back though. The ifi phono has very, very accurate RIAA spec equalization, but seems to have a somewhat higher noise floor. You'll only notice that if you have very sensitive speakers or a very quiet listening room though. If you don't care for the ifi or can't tell a difference, consider selling it on the US Audio mart or whatever!

# ¿ Jun 4, 2023 02:25

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

smoobles posted:

What's the best small, basic receiver these days? All I need is 5.1 surround. The top reviewed receivers are loving massive and have too many features & outputs.

You can't go wrong with Denon's base model, the AVR-S760H . It's got all the latest specifications on inputs/etc., And if you only want 5.1 in your main room, you can use the Zone 2 later on to feed a second pair of speakers somewhere else in your home at some point to like your kitchen or bedroom or your patio/balcony/etc.

# ¿ Jun 4, 2023 16:54

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

The Elac DBR-62 is a very strong choice too, especially over the JBL 530 which costs the same but measures and sounds worse.

Speakers are a good area where you can buy used or refurbished and save a ton of money and get better speakers for your money.

# ¿ Jun 4, 2023 18:05

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

evobatman posted:

No optical at all. Connect the TV to the ARC port with HDMI, and the PS5 to any other port. Make sure that ARC and HDMI control is turned on on all the things.

This ^

You won't be using any of the TV HDMI ports except for it's ARC HDMI input from the receiver going forward. Default to HDMI on the receiver for inputs unless your other sources don't use it, like an older CD/DVD player or older game console or something, then you would use the optical in or digital coax for that. HDMI supports many more surround sound formats than spdif does.

# ¿ Jun 5, 2023 21:45

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Also, make sure that the Denon receiver is set to the right output setting. Usually you'll have a 2.0, 2.1, "Direct"(ie. Is in 2.0, 5.1, 7.1, Atmos, etc. Depending on what it detects from the signal source), and a variety of choices of Dolby and DTS matrixing options. The matrixing takes a 2.0 signal, uses some audio wizardry, and splits up the audio to your speakers, and the good settings will also take the 5.1 source and play it accurately and matrix out only the extra speakers. Personally I find the Dolby Surround matrixing works best on my Onkyo receiver with my speakers for Dolby 5.1 and 2.0 sources, DTS Neural:X for DTS 5.1 sources, Direct for 7.1/Atmos/DTS HD-MA sources, and 2.1 stereo for music.

# ¿ Jun 9, 2023 22:03

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

smoobles posted:

Sony XBR-85X900F

Also what surround sound format or option is the receiver set to?

# ¿ Jun 10, 2023 19:14

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 13:04

Mederlock: Jun 23, 2012; You won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it; Grimey Drawer

Aaronicon posted:

Any suggestions?

For a good 2.1 solution that easily upgrades to being a secondary system down the road, I think you'd be hard off to find a better compact combo for the money than a Fosi Audio BT20A amplifier paired with a SMSL SU-1 DAC , ordered directly from China for your location. The only catch with this is you'll need to find a subwoofer with speaker wire passthrough or get creative with RCA splitters.

https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/smsl-su-1-akm-ak4493s-chip-xu316-dsd512-pcm768khz-32bit-usb-mqa-audio-decoder

https://fosiaudioshop.com/products/...ac32f4931&_ss=r

It gets you a very high quality DAC, and a great compact class D amp with Bluetooth.

Your other $$-wise choice would just be buying a home theatre receiver used or refurbished from the last 3 years, either from your local buy&sells/refurb dealers/FB market/etc. E: maybe this outfit is good? https://excelhifi.com.au/yamaha-rx-v385-av-receiver-refurbished

Mederlock fucked around with this message at 05:17 on Jun 11, 2023

# ¿ Jun 11, 2023 05:09

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Getting your first home audio system? Read this.

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