help setting up Marantz SR7010 (not quite 5.1??)

[gixxerific69]

well i have Marantz SR7010 my problem is i have champagne audio taste on a Best Buy budget . I had some Towers (Focal/Chorus) for some time finally got around to getting a center channel (Focal/Aria). I also have a sub (SVS).

What is the best to set this up with amp assignment? Whatever I did so far made the center loud and the towers almost nonexistent in output. Should I set it up as 5.1 just having 2 of the 5.1 amps running blind? Sorry I'm an idiot.

Thanks, Dono

 

[Poofables]

Sounds like you’re just running a 3.1 set up. (Your front three). In the marantz you can set your rear channels to bi-amp. Take the bars out of your left and right Focals and run an extra set of speaker wires to the currently unused binding posts on them from the rear channel posts on the back of your receiver.

In the speaker set up menu, just tell it you have no surround speakers and it will downmox everything to use your three speakers only.

 

[gixxerific69]

my focals are not bi-ampable

 

[Poofables]

my focals are not bi-ampable

Just skip that part of the set up. Bi-amping isn’t necessary, but if you can do it, you should.

You can get a DB meter in your phone and go I to the settings on the Marantz. Go to channel level and make sure all the speakers are giving you the same output from the listening position. If you run Audissey it will do this for you as well.

If all the speakers are matched on output, it’s simply the way the soundtrack is designed if the left and right are more quiet than the center. Keep in mind that for movies and tv the center is used for 90% of critical information and the rest of the speaker are just there for effects and music.

 

[slipperybidness]

(Passive) Bi-amping is dubious. All it does is add complexity and opportunity for error.

Try all 3 speakers in a direct mode before you try any fancy setup routines.

 

[Poofables]

(Passive) Bi-amping is dubious. All it does is add complexity and opportunity for error.

Incorrect. It may have better results from some speakers than others and some amplifiers than others. But I have yet to see a time when it doesn’t benefit stereo listening. For movies only, it might not matter. But for music if you can, you should. It’s not going to make things sound worse.

I don’t think the OP should be worried about the different modes on their receiver just yet. Sounds like they need to make sure they have everything connected correctly and properly placed first, then go though the settings in their receiver and make sure that it knows what they have and where they have it.

 

[slipperybidness]

Incorrect. It may have better results from some speakers than others and some amplifiers than others. But I have yet to see a time when it doesn’t benefit stereo listening. For movies only, it might not matter. But for music if you can, you should. It’s not going to make things sound worse.

I don’t think the OP should be worried about the different modes on their receiver just yet. Sounds like they need to make sure they have everything connected correctly and properly placed first, then go though the settings in their receiver and make sure that it knows what they have and where they have it.

You really don't do anything with bi-amping when you are pulling all the power from the exact same power supply. All you do is add complexity and more wires to deal with.

I would suggest that all of your improvements are simply expectation bias.

However, I do agree that the OP needs to back up and start with fundamentals of the setup.