Another little puzzle

S

Shashi Kumar

Audioholic Intern
My av receiver is marantz SR 5600-7.1 channel. You can use it as a full 7.1 channel system, or as a 5.1 channel system plus as a 2 channel system for another room. In hifi paralance - multi room system. The same or different sources can be played in both the rooms simultaneously.

Here's the puzzle.

Situation 1: The system is connected as any normal 5.1 system. The suround sound is selected for stereo mode. A stereo source is played. For comfortable listening a volume setting of -35 dB is required, as read from the receiver display.

Situation 2: The main speakers are disconnected from the main L & R terminals and connected to the SBL & SBR terminals of the receiver. The same source is played with the receiver in the multi-room mode. For the same level of listening, a volume setting of only -55 dB is required.

The difference is so obvious one does not need a sound level meter. Why such a big difference for the volume setting, when no other factor has changed?

Any explanations are most welcome.
 
M

MDS

Audioholic Spartan
When the system was setup as 5.1 was it calibrated - either via an auto setup routine or with the receiver's internal test tones and an SPL meter? It should have been and in that case the SBL and SBR channels were left at their default level - probably zero.

Now you engage Zone 2 and the receiver uses those two back channels. If the channel trims for SBL and SBR are at zero and the other channels were set much lower during calibration that would account for much of the difference.
 
A

AVTechnologyGuy

Audiophyte
Remember that a "dB" is a relative metric meanign that the refence on one mode may be different on another. That being said, there is some sort of level mismatch. It is hard to say where although it appears to be in the settings of the receiver.

Generally I like to stay away fromt he hometheater/distibuted audio type recievers since no manufacturer that I have seen has made the interface a simple one.
 
M

mattburk

Audioholic Intern
there should be a volume setting in the set up menu for the second zone. You should be able to set it at a set decible amount or if I remember right go with a variable setting.
 
S

Shashi Kumar

Audioholic Intern
When the system was setup as 5.1 was it calibrated - either via an auto setup routine or with the receiver's internal test tones and an SPL meter? It should have been and in that case the SBL and SBR channels were left at their default level - probably zero.

Now you engage Zone 2 and the receiver uses those two back channels. If the channel trims for SBL and SBR are at zero and the other channels were set much lower during calibration that would account for much of the difference.
The system was callibrated with the receivers internal test tone, as best as possible with the ear. BUT, at that time the SB channels were selected as None. You are correct in presuming that the speaker level for the SBL & SBR were left at 0 dB, but the settings for the other speakers were at a much higher level (for the mains it was +6 dB). By the way I checked this today after reading your reply, by changing the SBL & SBR settings from None.

With reference to mattburk's reply-I have checked the manual and the menu, there is no other volume level setting for the other room speakers, other than the setting in common with all other channels.

FYI, after changing the setting from none, the SBL & SBR level settings were changed from 0 dB to +6 dB and then the settings set back to none which has to be done to use the multi-room function. There was no difference.

Keep up the brain storming friends.

Regards
 

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