PROBLEM WITH RCA RECEIVER (volume related)

 

New member
Username: Ryanrca1

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jan-07
Hi guys - I recently purchased a new surround sound system. To make a long story short, I had a difficult time figuring out how to properly configure all of the wiring. Now that I have everything wired correctly (atleast I think I do), I am encountering a new problem...

When I had my surround wired INCORRECTLY, the audio was working temporarily. At that time, I was playing music at volume level "50" (as indicated by the receiver). I realize that "50" is just an abstract number to classify the volume level, but here's the problem...Now that I re-wired my system, and everything is working, I can only turn up the volume to a maximum of "31" (which isn't very loud, considering how loud I like my music).

Does anyone know what might be causing this problem? I have tried messing around with virtually every setting on the receiver and other components - yet "31" remains to be the maximum volume. I am absolutely dumbfounded because "31" seems to be such a random number. Any insight would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!
 

Silver Member
Username: Davidpa

Portland, Oregon US

Post Number: 335
Registered: Nov-05
Could be that you inadvertently set the "max" volume to 31, meaning it wont go beyond that. Check your owners manual to see where there might be a setting to put a max volume level. I personally have a limit on mine as well, because I have a 14 year old son who loves the volume knob, especially when Im not home, and hes showing my stuff off to his friends.
 

New member
Username: Ryanrca1

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jan-07
Well...I don't think it is a problem with a "max volume". I just got finished reading the entire owners manual & I just tried going through every menu & tried pushing every button. I don't think my receiver even has the "max volume" option. (By the way, I have an RCA-RT2760 surround system...incase anyone knows anything about the specific model)

Any other ideas?

The only other potential problem that I can think of is that I have my DVD and VCR players wired into the receiver now. Do you think one those devices could be restricting the maximum volume?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Usernamex

LondonEngland

Post Number: 38
Registered: Oct-05
Do you test tones come out louder, or they the same volume? Some detail on how it was wired incorrectly and what you did to fix it might help garner a few more suggestion.

Mike
 

New member
Username: Ryanrca1

Post Number: 3
Registered: Jan-07
When it was wired "incorrectly", I simply had my front speakers wired as the back speakers, and vice versa (rear sound coming from front speakers). I realized that mistake almost immediately, but I was busy for the next few days, and just left it how it was. It was during time it was wired incorrectly that I had the volume level at "50".

When I finally had the time to come back and fix it, I also went ahead and added my DVD player, VCR, and computer into the set-up. After everything was re-wired, I turned on music, but it would only go up to volume level "31" on the receiver. With the exception of adding the computer, DVD, and VCR, I didn't change anything, other than moved the front and rear speaker wires into their correct position on the back of the receiver.

I have honestly sat in front of this receiver for hours just pondering what in the world could have caused this problem. Like I said in my previous post, I also read the owner's manual, but there is nothing in there about setting a "maximum volume".

But to answer your question, usernamex, the test tones come out at the same volume level as whatever audio is playing. For example, if I am watching TV at volume level "20", the test tones will be equivalent to volume "20".

Once again, any help would be appreciated because I am about to pull my hair out!
 

New member
Username: Ryanrca1

Post Number: 4
Registered: Jan-07
I'm guessing that no one was able to help based on the lack of responses. I still have not been able to figure out the problem. Today I found a cord that I had which basically turns one headphone jack into two (one end plugs in, then two wires are coming out, each with another head phone jack). I plugged that cord into my computer. In one headphone jack, I plugged in my surround sound (with the volume turned up as loud as it would go @ 31) and I plugged my computer speakers into the other headphone jack. My computer speakers were considerably louder than the surround system. I don't know if this information would help anyone answer my question, but I thought I'd give it a try...
 

Bronze Member
Username: Usernamex

LondonEngland

Post Number: 45
Registered: Oct-05
Hi Ryan,
Is the volume consistently low across all sources? Does volume "20" sound like 20 on the dvd, tv, vcr, skybox etc? or is it only low from your pc oplaying mp3s? If its just the pc, I'd be looking for a proper line out rather than headphone out. If all sources are too quiet, and it was louder before (when the front were plugged in as the rears etc), I think you may have wired the speakers out of phase. Speaker placement can affect things too.

Double check that all speakers are correctly wired -ve to -ve, +ve to +ve on the amp and speaker. If that's all okay, I'd be suspicious that your centre speaker is different to your left and right and the phasing is different between the brands.

"When a speaker is connected out-of-phase it will produce very little bass and will have a poor center image. While facing both speakers that are out-of-phase, the sound will have a "spacey" quality and no sound will appear to come from the area in between the speakers. If you have any doubt whether a given speaker pair is connected correctly,... reverse the polarity on just one of the speakers and see if it sounds better"

FYI, it'll help if you listed the all your equipments brand and model number, the amp, the speakers etc. I expect you'll get more replies too.

Mike
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