Denon receiver and Paradigm speakers - need advice

 

New member
Username: Slacovdael

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-09
Hello everyone.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Basically what I want to know is if there is anything you experts think I should know. I am not necessarily asking about how to make it sound its best, but mainly, i do not want to damage any of the spearkers. Additional tips are appreciated but not necessary.

So, How do I avoid damaging or blowing my speakers. All specs are included below.

Denon AVR-3806:

Front:
120 W + 120 W (8 Ω/ohms, 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz with 0.05 % T.H.D.)
160 W + 160 W (6 Ω/ohms, 1 kHz with 0.7 % T.H.D.)
Center:
120 W (8 Ω/ohms, 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz with 0.05 % T.H.D.)
160W (6 Ω/ohms, 1 kHz with 0.7 % T.H.D.)
Surround (A, B):
120 W + 120 W (8 Ω/ohms, 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz with 0.05 % T.H.D.)
160 W + 160 W (6 Ω/ohms, 1 kHz with 0.7 % T.H.D.)
Surround Back:
120 W + 120 W (8 Ω/ohms, 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz with 0.05 % T.H.D.)
160 W + 160 W (6 Ω/ohms, 1 kHz with 0.7 % T.H.D.)

Paradigm cinema series:

Surround Speakers:

Design 4-driver, 2-way acoustic suspension surround / rear,
mineral-filled polymer enclosure, optimized reverberant soundfield
Crossover(s) 3rd-order electro-acoustic at 2.0 kHz
High-Frequency Driver(s) Two 25-mm (1 in) PTD domes
Bass / Midrange Driver(s) Two 90-mm (3-1/2 in) ICP cones
Low-Frequency Extension* 80 Hz (DIN)
Frequency Response:
On-Axis
±2 dB from 120 Hz - 20 kHz
(reverberant soundfield)
Sensitivity - Room / Anechoic 90 dB / 87 dB
Suitable Amplifier
Power Range 15 - 100 watts
Maximum Input Power 50 watts

Front speakers:

Design 2-driver, 2-way bookshelf / stand-mounted
Crossover(s) 3rd-order electro-acoustic at 2.4 kHz
High-Frequency Driver(s) 25-mm (1 in) PTD dome,
ferro-fluid cooled
Bass / Midrange Driver(s) 140-mm (5-1/2 in) ICP cone,
25-mm (1 in) voice coil
Low-Frequency Extension* 55 Hz (DIN)
Frequency Response:
On-Axis
±2 dB from 89 Hz - 20 kHz
30° Off-Axis ±2 dB from 89 Hz - 15 kHz
Sensitivity - Room / Anechoic 90 dB / 87 dB
Suitable Amplifier
Power Range 15 - 80 watts
Maximum Input Power 50 watts
Impedance Compatible with 8 ohms

Center Channel:

Design 3-driver, 2-way acoustic suspension center, mineral-filled polymer enclosure,
MagneShield
Crossover(s) 3rd-order electro-acoustic at 2.2 kHz
High-Frequency Driver(s) 25-mm (1 in) PTD dome
Bass / Midrange Driver(s) Two 90-mm (3-1/2 in) ICP cones
Low-Frequency Extension* 85 Hz (DIN)
Frequency Response:
On-Axis
±2 dB from 130 Hz - 20 kHz
Sensitivity - Room / Anechoic 89 dB / 86 dB
Suitable Amplifier
Power Range 15 - 100 watts
Maximum Input Power 50 watts
Impedance Compatible with 8 ohms
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 14288
Registered: Dec-04
Are you planning to blow something up Zach?

Be sure that all connections are tight, no loose strands of wire on the speaker runs and enjoy.

If something sounds wonky, turn it down.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 14289
Registered: Dec-04
What sub?
 

New member
Username: Slacovdael

Post Number: 2
Registered: Dec-09
i am running my powered polk audio. I am very familiar with my sub and its capabilities as i have owned this for a very long time.

All my connections are solid and tight, so that isn't an issue. It is just that I am not an audio geek, not yet anyway (I plan to learn as much as possible in a very short amount of time).

But just looking at the specs for the power output from my receiver and the specs for the power handling on my speakers, does it not matter that the output seems to be so much more than the speakers can handle? or am i missing something here?

And what do you mean by wonky? How loud can a system like this get before I need to be worried?

And for some reason i can never seem to get the voices loud enough, when i turn my center channel up, i think i hear some distortion, but it could be my imagination, I'm very concerned about all my equipment, mainly because i don't know enough about it yet. It was all given to me by my father-in-law. the receiver is old but the speakers are new.

thanks again.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Methenewbie

Post Number: 50
Registered: Jul-05
I saw this on amazon. Dont know if it is of much help. Search for "paradigm" on the page.

http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-1609-7-1-Channel-Multi-Zone-Receiver/product-reviews/B001BKLC50
 

Bronze Member
Username: Methenewbie

Post Number: 51
Registered: Jul-05
also found this....
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/184194/denon-paradigm-reference-mat ch-up
 

New member
Username: Slacovdael

Post Number: 3
Registered: Dec-09
thanks so far for all the input.

Something else i noticed today is that there is some distortion at certain times during a movie, music, or video games and i am wondering if that distortion could be from the source?

Is that possible?
 

Gold Member
Username: Gavdawg

Albany, New York

Post Number: 1365
Registered: Nov-06
You probably don't have the bass management set properly. Go into the receiver menu and set it to small. That will send all the bass to the sub. More than likely you have it set to large, which has bass that is too low for the speakers to play going to them. This will cause distortion.
 

New member
Username: Slacovdael

Post Number: 4
Registered: Dec-09
so even if it is just someones voice that is causing the distortion, you think it could be that the settings for the speaker size were incorrect? I did check, and you were right that it was set to large.

I also have two stereo speakers from the same line, the specs are in my OP, do you think they should be set to small as well?

I do have two powered subwoofers, one on either side of the couch, so i am not short on bass.

Right now i am just trying to get my system as loud as possible, because for some reason, everytime we watch movies, it seems too quiet, would turning the crossovers up on my stereo speakers allow them to get louder? what should i set my stereos to? 80hz? 100hz?

I really appreciate all your help guys, thank you so much.
 

New member
Username: Slacovdael

Post Number: 5
Registered: Dec-09
also, with my surrounds, when i am playing video games or watching blu-rays, I notice that when explosions happen, there seems to be what sounds like high-end white noise, or maybe distortion. Can anybody shed some light on this?

is this a technique they use to make explosions sound like explosions? When listening to other sounds i don't notice it. If someone could come in here and just tell me I am being paranoid that would be great :P, lol. I just don't want to blow any speakers.

The thing is, the "distortion" or white noise i am hearing, is happening at relatively low volume levels, do I have to worry about it?
 

Silver Member
Username: Boulderdashcci

Canton, Massachusetts USA

Post Number: 132
Registered: Apr-07
Most likely you have your surround levels set too high and you're hearing the side effect of the matrix they use to make the surround channels. You'll hear this especially prevalent in ProLogic.

I don't think you're going to blow your speakers. Don't pay any attention to receiver power ratings, they don't mean anything really. Like Nuck said, if it starts to sound bad turn it down just a bit.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 14313
Registered: Dec-04
Zach, you may be falling for a shite recording as well.
Overloading the inputs of a mic sounds the same on digital or analogue, and everything has its limits.

Here is where a quality player comes into question, because a quality player will NOT send that noise to you.
 

New member
Username: Slacovdael

Post Number: 6
Registered: Dec-09
Ok, so i did consider that it was the source recording, but it even happens on my blu-ray discs. Do the sound technicians really miss that kind of stuff when theey are recording the audio for these movies? For example, "Fight Club", i just got through watching it, and there were some parts where they would yell or speak loudly, and i would get distortion, even at normal volumes.

If this is the result of a bad recording i'm fine. but even now, people tell me to turn it down, and the sound is already down.

so it may be my blu-ray player? or should i just pick up a bigger center channel?

Again, thankyou for all the input.
 

New member
Username: Slacovdael

Post Number: 7
Registered: Dec-09
I think i may have figured out what is going on. The drivers for my center channel are a full 2 inches smaller than the drivers for fronts. I believe that they simply cannot keep up, in volume, to my fronts. so when i try to get my system loud enough to immerse myself in my movie, the fronts are doing fine but my center channel just doesn't have the driver size needed for the sound i am looking for. I believe i am going to take my current center channel back and go with the paradigm cinema 220

http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/centers-cinema-cinema220-model-3-2-1-78.para digm


How I wish I had the money for this one:

http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/centers-cinema-cinema330-model-3-2-1-79.para digm
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 14314
Registered: Dec-04
And I wish I had my teeth back from the rink.

Can you determine your signal output to the receiver from the OSD of the player?
I would suggest first checking your level settings.
 

New member
Username: Jimbob69

Post Number: 1
Registered: Apr-10
Was using some Paradigm ATOM speakers in my edit suite. Sounded great!

I've upgraded though and they happen to be for sale on EBay. http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem%26item%3D170467509928
 

New member
Username: Jimbob69

Post Number: 2
Registered: Apr-10
k, you know what's lame, your message board changes special characters to HTML codes than will now not open. what's the point?
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 14859
Registered: Dec-04
Sorry, jimbob, it keeps the bot-scam-posts away, it seems.
 

New member
Username: Mostly_digital

London, ON Canada

Post Number: 3
Registered: Dec-10
Mostly Digital in London, Ontario sells both Paradigm and Denon. Bill Brady is their most knowledgable audio expert. Email him at bill.brady@mostlydigital.ca for all his free 35+ years experience and advice. check their site out ... www.mostlydigital.ca
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