New to Home Theatre and setting up (Need Help)

[Shicks18]

Ok so I have an Insignia Reciever (6.1 Channel, 600W) at my home and before I ship it up to my college apartment I wanted to make sure it worked. I have some old JBL surround sound speakers (never used or hooked up) and a spool of copper wire. I decided to hook the receiver up to a Tube TV and hook up 1 of the surround sound speakers to the Insignia Receiver to test it out. I hooked up the speaker to the Front Right Speaker input in the reciever to make sure I got the full TV sound.

After doing all that and getting it all to work I noticed that cranking up the receiver full blast that the speaker gets semi-loud, and there is a white noise in the back ground and it doesnt sound all that great. My question to you guys is:

1) Is the reason for the white background noise and not being extremely loud due to the Receiver or the Speakers?

2) Or is it the copper wires I spliced myself and connected? Would using Banana Plugs help?

Thanks for the help. I rather save myself $40 worth of shipping if it all sucks.
I am buying some Polk R50 front speakers when I get back to my apartment.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I am not sure about the Insignia but most AVRs nowdays need to be calibrated before you listen to them.

Banana plugs will do nothing for sound and any wire will work fine as long as it is 16 AWG or bigger.

 

[Shicks18]

So you dont think it would be the speakers and might just need to calibrate the receiver?

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I dont know but it is free to check and see.

So you dont think it would be the speakers and might just need to calibrate the receiver?

 

[Shicks18]

ok well being the noob that I am .. I have no earthly idea how to calibrate my receiver.. its an Insignia IS-HC040917 600W 6.1 Channel. (it is discontinued)

Do you have any idea what some of the setting or anything should be set on?

I appreciate your help.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Did it come with an owners manual?

ok well being the noob that I am .. I have no earthly idea how to calibrate my receiver.. its an Insignia IS-HC040917 600W 6.1 Channel. (it is discontinued)

Do you have any idea what some of the setting or anything should be set on?

I appreciate your help.

 

[Shicks18]

Yes but I was not able to find anything about calibrating the receiver

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Does it have a menu button on the remote?

Yes but I was not able to find anything about calibrating the receiver

 

[Shicks18]

yes it does =]

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Push it and see what all screens you can get into.

yes it does =]

 

[Shicks18]

sorry man I had to go. Anyway I jacked around with the receiver and speaker and even changed out with different brands. I was able to get the volume up really really loud now. The clarity improved a lot as well. There was only little white noise when you put your eat up to the speaker and when you changed the channel or muted the TV. All in all it improved a lot.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Sounds like you have it going. Sorry not to be more help but I have never even seen that AVR.

 

[Shicks18]

me either until i looked through my garage seeing if my dad doesn't use any electronics =P