$3000 and sound like $%&#$

[jopela]

I am very angry right now and need input from cooler heads... after listening to several speaker setups and playing with numerous receivers I finally made my decision and purchased an Onkyo 806 with Klipsch RF-52 / RC-52 / RS-52 and a rw10d sub. I finally got it hooked up this weekend and everything is very quiet. I mean ridiculously quiet. I was watching a movie at -20db and it was as loud as the tv speakers at ¾ max volume. I put in a CD and at -15db it was quieter than my old Technics (50 x 2 watt) paired with $50 KLH speakers at 4 out of 15 on the analog volume knob. Obviously something is very wrong here. I am going to start switching out components with my old system and start to eliminate things but I am at a loss. This setup should be crazy loud at -15 db and I can put my ear right up to the speaker without a problem.

I have not done any real setup to the receiver so it is basically right out of the box. I am using 12 gauge wire with banana clips to the speakers. I have tried several input sources (TV, CD, IPOD) and everything is quiet.

Any thoughts on what is going on here?

 

[Davemcc]

Can you run through the connections you're using and the settings you have in the setup menu.

 

[OttoMatic]

Hi there,

Did you set the levels for each speaker? This might make a difference, but I would expect them to all default to 0dB, so perhaps not.

Is it possible that something has its polarity reversed? When connecting each speaker cable, ensure that the red is attached to the red, and the black is attached to the black from the receiver to the speakers. I would expect this to have less of an impact on movies, since you would have at least two speakers (of the front three) with the correct polarity.

Perhaps there's some other setting in the receiver that limits levels (I've not seen things like this in the past, just guessing).

Is is possible that your speakers are bi-ampable and the hi/low jumper straps are not installed?

Those are just a few weird ideas off the top of my head. I bet someone with direct experience with your receiver will jump in in a minute.

Good luck.

 

[mike c]

also check the channel level trims on the receiver setup.

the master volume number is relative to many things and doesn't mean anything by itself.

run the calibration thing on your receiver, but edit it after by changing all speakers to "small" instead of "large" and crossover at around 80hz

 

[Nomo]

(1)Run Audisey
(2)Have a beer (personally I'd put this at the top of the list but that's just me)
(3)How big is your room?

 

[ThA tRiXtA]

We always hear about problems like this, it will work itself out friend.

It more often than not is usually an improperly calibrated receiver issue. I would try a full reset of the AVR and look over your manual and go over your settings carefully page by page, trying to understand what each setting does.

One last little note, I understand your barely getting any real volume, but in the end loudness does not always equal greatness.

Edit:

Don't forget to check the intelli-volume feature. It can limit all your sources.

On the side of safety for both your hearing and equipment, before you make any software or hardware changes in your system, please ensure you turn down the volume on your receiver. 15 dB absolute volume is nasty *** loud. If you don't damage your hearing your poor speakers may not be so lucky.

 

[mike c]

I have not done any real setup to the receiver so it is basically right out of the box. ...

Any thoughts on what is going on here?

basically, you need to set up your receiver

gone are the days when you can plug and play electronics

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Just a set up issue. An Onkyo 806 with Klipsch speakers is gonna get so loud that dogs wont come around your house.

 

[calnbs]

LOL. You are only half way through your journey. Now here comes the REAL work. Setting up your Home Audio. You won't find a perfect diamond dug up from the ground. It needs to work on before it becomes the diamond you see at the store.

Read your manual and these links to get you up and going:

Home Theater Set up 101:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=824554

 

[Halon451]

The one thing I would suggest, Mike C has already mentioned it, is to get into your volume trim adjustments. These are present so that you can vary the incoming level of each of your source devices so that, theoretically they all play at about the same level without having to adjust the master volume each time you switch devices. On my Yammy they were all set to default level 0 with a swing of 6 db each way (+ and -). Set at the default levels kept my volume really low on all sources, and now pretty much have them set at +6db, which provides a good full signal, and can listen to my system at a reasonable volume with rarely ever having to go above -30db on the master volume.

 

[annunaki]

I know some guys at the local Circuit City and they had some issues with the Klipsch speakers for output (when setting them up the first time). It turns out the jumpers on the speakers were not making good contact. They may appear to be fine, but ensure they are fit properly and the wire is making adequate contact.

I would also re-verify all the correct polarities on speaker and the receiver.

Reset the receiver once you have done all of this and re-analyze.

 

[MatthewB.]

First thing I would check is to make sure the "Dynamic Range Compression" or "Midnight Mode" isn't on. Check your players and the recieve itself.

Also some people aren't aware is that if watching the movie "Ironman" and you have the Bluray player Dynamic Range Compression set to "Auto" or "On" the movie will flag it which sets it to on all the time. So any movie you watch after that movie will also have the DRC on.

I would redo Audyysey and hope that helps.

 

[jopela]

Thank you all for your advice.... I sat down with a glass of cabernet and my Onkyo manual and am now a happy man... After running through the recommended setup and still having no luck I explored the rest of the menu and found an option called IntelliVolume and it was set to 0. It can go from -12 db to +12 db. I changed it to +12 db and wow... things are much louder now... at a volume of -20 db it is almost deafening.

You were all right… it is not like the old days with an easy plug and play analog volume knob… there is defiantly much setup required. I still have some settings to tweak, but it looks like I am on the road to success.

Now for a follow-up question: (Remember I am trying to break out of the analog mindset) After increasing the IntelliVolume setting I thought “is this like increasing the gain in the old days where increased gain = more distortion” is this the case or do I just need a kick in the *** to the 21st century and I should stay distortion free.

AND THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR HELP!!!

 

[jostenmeat]

Hah! Glad to hear it was that easy.

I just posted about intellivolume 10 seconds ago. Its to level match your different sources... so that you don't have to change volume depending on what you are watching...

don't worry about distortion. just calibrate levels... voila.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

IntelliVolume and You Guys are almost making me regret I got rid of my analog components!

 

[just-some-guy]

glad ya fixed it. i wonder if my new pioneer has that feature, hmmmmm.....

 

[Nomo]

Thank you all for your advice.... I sat down with a glass of cabernet and my Onkyo manual and am now a happy man... After running through the recommended setup and still having no luck I explored the rest of the menu and found an option called IntelliVolume and it was set to 0. It can go from -12 db to +12 db. I changed it to +12 db and wow... things are much louder now... at a volume of -20 db it is almost deafening.

You were all right… it is not like the old days with an easy plug and play analog volume knob… there is defiantly much setup required. I still have some settings to tweak, but it looks like I am on the road to success.

Now for a follow-up question: (Remember I am trying to break out of the analog mindset) After increasing the IntelliVolume setting I thought “is this like increasing the gain in the old days where increased gain = more distortion” is this the case or do I just need a kick in the *** to the 21st century and I should stay distortion free.

AND THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR HELP!!!

So..... did you run the auto calibration?
My gut tells me that if you need to set anything at it's the max (or min) of it's settings then you are compensating for some thing else that ain't right.

 

[geedee]

Thank you all for your advice.... I sat down with a glass of cabernet and my Onkyo manual and am now a happy man... After running through the recommended setup and still having no luck I explored the rest of the menu and found an option called IntelliVolume and it was set to 0. It can go from -12 db to +12 db. I changed it to +12 db and wow... things are much louder now... at a volume of -20 db it is almost deafening.

You were all right… it is not like the old days with an easy plug and play analog volume knob… there is defiantly much setup required. I still have some settings to tweak, but it looks like I am on the road to success.

Now for a follow-up question: (Remember I am trying to break out of the analog mindset) After increasing the IntelliVolume setting I thought “is this like increasing the gain in the old days where increased gain = more distortion” is this the case or do I just need a kick in the *** to the 21st century and I should stay distortion free.

AND THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR HELP!!!

So..... did you run the auto calibration?
My gut tells me that if you need to set anything at it's the max (or min) of it's settings then you are compensating for some thing else that ain't right.

I think Nomo's right. I have an Onkyo too. The IntelliVolume is for compensating for the slight differences in different inputs, eg the DVD and the Tuner (or whatever!) so when you switch from one to the other, there's no dip or rise in the volume which sends you scrabbling for the volume switch.

I'd get in touch with the store if I were you and tell them to sort it out or you're taking it back.

Just out of interest, how loud does the tuner sound? I take it yours has a built in tuner? If that's quiet too, then I'd hazard a guess that there's something wrong with the speakers or speaker set up.

Which brings me to another thing! Have you got your speaker settings right? Mine allows you to choose "Big" or "Small". how many speakers and whether you have a sub connected or not. That could make a difference.

Zero should be the normal setting.

 

[jopela]

Nomo... you get a gold star. I had not ran the calibration yet as my rear surrounds are not mounted where they will live, but I read a little more about what the auto-calibration does and found that my speaker levels were at 0 db. I increased all of the channels to between +6 and +8 and was able to back down the intellisource from +12 to +8.

Things are definitely getting louder with each setting I find. I hope to have my rears mounted this weekend so I can run my calibration and really start tweaking.

I think Onkyo needs to send all new customers to a training class.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Just a set up issue. An Onkyo 806 with Klipsch speakers is gonna get so loud that dogs wont come around your house.

I agree. I can see having some issues, but no way is quietness one of those issues!