Slippery slope of home audio

 

New member
Username: Abbyying

Post Number: 7
Registered: Feb-10
long story short.. bought blu ray.. wife says "i can't hear dialouge!" find center speaker on craigs list polk 400 (not much reseach)..now it is all center! not much "middle" background music.. car tires..ect.. so now i want floorstanders.

start off back on craigs list..and start research (this forum for example)
$100 polks.. no..
$200 infinity..humm

now i think ok, maybe i can spend $300..$500.. $800??

i am no audiophille, but i don't want to buy something, then have to replace it when i learn more (spend $300 and later want more, then spend $600, now i have spent $900!).. i have listened to a couple at the store (best buy) i can tell the difference, but will probably be different at home)

here is the rub, i am playing all this off an older sony reciever.. no amp.

is it even worth it to spend the $ on like something like a Wharfedale Diamond 9.6. or something similar when i am using an old reciever w/no amp? am i traveling further downthe rabbit hole? $ spent above $200 is on the down low from wife.. she thinks i am crazy to spend even that much. amature (sarcasim).
 

New member
Username: Abbyying

Post Number: 8
Registered: Feb-10
i do have a sub.. kef something.. sounds pretty good. i think.
 

New member
Username: Abbyying

Post Number: 9
Registered: Feb-10
i never thought much about reciever, it says it puts out 100w per channel.
 

Gold Member
Username: Jrbay

Livonia [Detroit area], Michigan USA

Post Number: 1029
Registered: Feb-08
How old is the Sony? IS it even a surround sound unit?
 

New member
Username: Abbyying

Post Number: 10
Registered: Feb-10
yes, Sony STR-DE598 6.1 Channel Surround Sound

6.1-channel audio/video surround receiver with 30 radio presets and 90 full-range watts per channel x 6
Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES/Neo:6/96:24, and Dolby Pro Logic II/IIx 6.1-channel surround processing for lifelike, exciting audio from any source
Features Sony's Digital Cinema Sound System with Cinema Studio EX for full, cinema-like sound
Three composite-video, 2 assignable HD capable component video inputs and 1 output
 

Gold Member
Username: Jrbay

Livonia [Detroit area], Michigan USA

Post Number: 1030
Registered: Feb-08
The good news is that you can start a decent system with that receiver (it isn't really THAT old!) but my next question is did you have this receiver hooked up to any speakers at all prior to the purchase of your center channel?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Abbyying

Post Number: 11
Registered: Feb-10
yes, some smaller kef speakers..

Kef KHT-1005 5.1 Home Theater Speaker System (Silver)

i later added some book shelf speakers to boost the sound a bit..
 

Gold Member
Username: Jrbay

Livonia [Detroit area], Michigan USA

Post Number: 1032
Registered: Feb-08
So with all of that you should be able to come up with something that sounds decent. The Polk center may not be playing well (impedance mismatch) with the KEF's so I would set the KEF speaker system back up and then use the receiver set up controls to fine tune the system. There will be all kinds of DSP settings (sound processing) as well as speaker settings that should easily solve your major concerns.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Abbyying

Post Number: 12
Registered: Feb-10
hummm.. i did check out manual for reciever. lots-o-settings. i never considered that the center might not be set up right.. i need to put on my thinking cap and turn some knobs and pull some levers. good advice.

but if i do decide to buy some floorstanders.. with my reciever/lack of amp, still worth it to go with (relative) high quality?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Abbyying

Post Number: 13
Registered: Feb-10
also, it is possible, my smaller ref speaker system not as bad as i have convided my self they are? could be settings?
 

Gold Member
Username: Jrbay

Livonia [Detroit area], Michigan USA

Post Number: 1033
Registered: Feb-08
If you can't get those KEF's to work for you then the only answer to that question is yes definitely!! But then again, I would say that no matter what!!!

 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 14490
Registered: May-04
.

Don't go overboard with speakers. Better speakers are somewhat of a waste on a receiver as they tend to show you what is in front of the speaker which in this case is mass market gear without the pedigree to resolve what a higher quality speaker can reproduce. When it comes time to step up in speakers, find a better dealer than the big box stores such as Best Buy and don't buy on Craigslist without first listening to a speaker. Doing otherwise is throwing you money away. You're escapade with center channel speakers should have shown you throwing money at a problem isn't going to solve the problem when there are other underlying causes to deal with first.



As suggested, take all of your receiver's and your Bluray player's speaker settings to default or "zero" level. You haven't stated whether the problem exists on all sources such as satellite TV and DVD or only on the new Bluray player. If the dialogue problem exists only on the Bluray, then I would make corrections at the Bluray player. If the problem is with all multichannel sources, then I would make the corrrections at the receiver. If you have no idea, then return all settings on all items to their defaults and start from scratch.


You've managed to put together a system with mismatched speakers of various sensitivity levels. Meaning there is no coherence between speakers regarding how loudly they play with the same amount of power input. This isn't a matter of impedance mismatch as the center speaker would still play well - I suppose that could be considered the good news. You do, however, have a bit of a mess on your hands because of your buying without understanding what you were buying. Now you have to correct this to the best ability of the system.

First set your speakers to "small" across the front and then set the crossover for the subwoofer at approximately 80Hz. Set the level and crossover controls on your sub to max and let the receiver control the crossover and level settings for LFE. Make as few contrveneing settings as possible. That means do not use the receiver and the Bluray both to set levels and crossovers, use only one and make certain you aren't setting the system to have more than one location where levels and crossovers change.


Use the test tones provided by the receiver to match levels across the front three speakers as closely as possible. There should be no large jumps in level as the test tone sweeps across the front speakers. If there are level changes from speaker to speaker, you can correct them with the controls on the receiver or the Bluray. There should also be "on the fly" adjustments which can be used to tweak levels for any particular source - just don't rely on these on the fly settings or you will eventually get everything out of whack and be back where you started.


If, after you are satisfied you have all levels set appropriately, you should still have problems with dialogue, the problem then is likely to not be in the speakers or electronics but in the set up of the speakers and the room. That is another discussion all together. Do make certain the center speaker is pointed at your general listening area and not at your knees or over your head.




P.S. "amateur"



.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Abbyying

Post Number: 14
Registered: Feb-10
outstanding advice. i never thought about the fact that my blu ray might be the issue. the problem with the center speaker dominating the other speakers is more of an issue with the blu ray player. still noticable with music (mostly pandora streamed from blu player) AHH!! still blu ray! i need to better assess if this problem exist with the cable.


thanks again. you made my day.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 14491
Registered: May-04
.
Pandora streams at MP3 quality which is not great quality stuff. Try the small upscale charge and listen to their higher quality soundstream.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Abbyying

Post Number: 16
Registered: Feb-10
again, great call. i will do that.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 14541
Registered: Dec-04
PS, it's only a slippery slope if you can't aford the cost or marital discord.
 

Gold Member
Username: Jrbay

Livonia [Detroit area], Michigan USA

Post Number: 1035
Registered: Feb-08
or never find something your truly satisfied with!!!
 

Gold Member
Username: Gavdawg

Albany, New York

Post Number: 1424
Registered: Nov-06
Jan, the quality of Pandora streaming is halfway decent if you have the ability to select the HQ option (which you suggested). It isn't at all a substitute for vinyl or CD, but the high compression algorithm to my ears is less offensive than lower grade mp3. It doesn't sound as "flangy" in the highs and midrange.

I'd never use it for critical listening, but it works for background music (or when I want something that I don't already have)
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