Speaker Problems with Center vs. Right and Left

[emilel]

Hi
Sorry for the dumb question but I am a newbie. I just upgraded my speakers to Paradigm Studios v.2. I have Left and Right and Center and sub woofer. When I first connected the Left and Right channel they were beautiful. Worked fantastically. Then I hooked up the Center Channel and Sub and now I have almost zero sound out of the L + R Speakers and everything coming out of the center. They are hooked up to a Denon 3808Ci and I confess i have been trying out different configurations in trying to set it up and somehow now I am getting NOTHING (or almost) out of the L+ R Speakers. can someone help me out?
Thanks
E

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum, E!

Once you hooked up the center and sub, did you run the auto set-up routine on the Denon? That would be my first recommendation.

I'd like some clarification on your issue. What material are you playing through the Denon that gives you sound out of the center but not out of the left/right main speakers? What surround sound mode do you have the Denon set to?

Thanks.

Adam

 

[emilel]

Adam
Thanks for getting back to me. I am playing DVD, TV and music, but the music is through airport express off of my computer. I currently have the surround sound set to Dolby Pro Logic II, I did the auto set up but i did not do the microphone set in the middle of the room and tones to set up the system. I am pretty sure I have the microphone in the back if that is what you recommend. The problem exists in all of the different inputs. I just realized as I am writing this that I have the mains set thru a switcher and the center and sub direct to the amp and not thru the switcher. I guess maybe this could be the problem? And that I shoudl try wiring them directly now since the 3808ci has a multi Zone control? I am just puzzled as when the mains were first hooked up I tried all media and they sounded great. ( they were then connected through the switcher) but that once the Sub and Center were hooked up they went away...

 

[emilel]

sorry more details here:
when I switched the surround sound mode to Direct or Stereo I had almost no sound...the faintest muffled sound out of the mains...and then nothing out of the center. By having it on the Dolby Pro Logic or the dts: neo 6 I get then a tleast sound I can hear thru the center but nothing form the mains...

 

[snappy_snoopy]

sorry more details here:
when I switched the surround sound mode to Direct or Stereo I had almost no sound...the faintest muffled sound out of the mains...and then nothing out of the center. By having it on the Dolby Pro Logic or the dts: neo 6 I get then a tleast sound I can hear thru the center but nothing form the mains...

gee wizz i sure hope that you did not manage to blow the amplifier stage for the left and right some how simultaneously, maybe a short circuit some where in your wiring could also be the problem . Just a thought not too confident on the DENON systems do not have the cash for one of those myself but its on the wish list for sure.

 

[bandphan]

do your test tones to check your ouput and wiring

 

[emilel]

thought so. alright. Let me do those and get back to everyone. will update later.

 

[jcPanny]

Receiver setup.

To do the auto setup with the included mic, you need to place it at the primary listening position (i.e. on the couch or chair at approximately ear level).

If the system is not working normally after the auto setup then refer to the manual and do a factor reset and repeat the auto setup procedure.

 

[emilel]

Thank you

Thanks to everyone. So I had hooked up the new Paradigms to the old wiring and rewired the Sub. In the end I had a really great (read NOT) trip under the house to look at the wiring the installers had put in 5 yrs ago. Bottom line is there were some staples through wires and some open ended wires. So I rewired al the speakers, ran the auto set up with the MIC and it sounds beautiful.

A couple of last questions.
These Paradigm Studio v.2s are considered "smalls" correct?

Do you recommend running the sub with "Low frequency" Or LFE +Main.

And I am using Dolby Pro Logic II Cinema for movies and DVDs. What do people recommend for music? Same but with the music setting? Or going to "Direct". And what is everyone's opinion on Dolby Pro Logic VS. dts:neo 6

Thanks a lot for all the advice! Things are looking up!

 

[jcPanny]

Paradigm speakers

Your paradigm speakers have a model number. If they are bookshelf speakers they are probably the Studio 20 model. SMALL size and 60-80 Hz crossover would be appropriate for these. They also have a version/revision. The v2 is a few years old, the current one is v4.

 

[emilel]

They are Studio 40s v.2