Denon3805 set up with B&W ASW650

[Wyngdh]

Before I tell my story, let me just preface this by saying I have read every speaker and SW set-up article on audioholics and then some. I've asked a few guys who are supposedly in the business, but talk about being vague.

I have spent most of the weekend setting this up (adding sub-woofer) and still can't decide at what crossover frequency is best.

I first set it to 80Hz, turned the dB and Hz to full. Wasn't sure this was the best set up. Then changed it to 60Hz, set ASW dB 9 o'clock (manual says Hz irrelevant). Still wasn't happy. Then tried 80Hz, dB 12 o'clock. Not too sure. Trouble is the volume variance between watching a DVD video (anything between -24 to - 8) and listening to music (-40 to -30).

Just picture the user forgetting to alter the volume after watching a DVD-V at -8 and sticking in Sting's "A brand new day". Get the picture?

Finally decided on 60Hz, dB 12 o'clock. Now the volume for a DVD-V is - 31 to - 24 and music -42 to -33.

I still get the feeling this is not an ideal way to drive my speakers. Can anyone give me some really 'definitive' advice.

Oh yes, and what about cross over frequency in the speaker manual - how do I convert 2.5kHz to Herz when i try to set my cross over frequency to be as close to the speaker specs?

Denon 3805
Denon 2910
Marantz CD63MkII
B&W 610i (surround)
B&W 602S3 (Front)
B&W LCR60
B&W ASW650

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

2.5 kHz = 2500 Hz.

How do you have your dvd-v player hooked to the receiver?

 

[br33zy]

It sounds like you are trying to set this up so you have the same volume level for all of your sources? I dont believe that will happen. Although I could be wrong. As for your sub, I have the ASW600 and I have the volume at or around the 10 o'clock position and the crossover at 60Hz. Your volume level should never go above half or 12 o'clock position. As for you crossover....that is more of preference rather than a certain config. When you are trying to set your crossovers for all your speakers you are looking for the freq. response on your speakers and they should read something like 23Hz-200hz...that should be your subs freq. response. Your other speakers are going to be much higher. Hope that helps.

 

[zipper]

Not sure what you're trying to do. You cannot match your speakers crossover with the receivers settings. The only control you have is for the the subwoofer, or LFE if you will. I would suggest you set the sub (LFE) output of the Denon to 80Hz, set the speaker size(all of them) on the Denon to "small" (also set it for "sub only",not both), set your subwoofer to somewhere just above 80Hz (between 80 & 90), & the subwoofer volume to about the 10 o'clock position as br33zy suggested. Then play from there after you have sampled some music.

There will always be a difference in volume between sources so you just need to remember to turn the volume down on the receiver when finished with it.

 

[Nick250]

I would suggest you set the sub (LFE) output of the Denon to 80Hz, set the speaker size(all of them) on the Denon to "small" (also set it for "sub only",not both), set your subwoofer to somewhere just above 80Hz (between 80 & 90), QUOTE]

If you are using the cross over from the Denon then the sub should have it's crossover as high as it will go (esentially taking it out of the cross over duties) or many subs will allow you to totally disengage it's cross over and that is the optimum choice. You want only one cross over working, either the subs cross over or the receiver's crossover. You do not ever want them engaged at the same time.

 

[Wyngdh]

2.5 kHz = 2500 Hz.

How do you have your dvd-v player hooked to the receiver?

The 2910 is connected via co-ax cable to the 3805, plus the speaker outs are connected (co-ax) to the "Ext In" on the 3805.

 

[Wyngdh]

It sounds like you are trying to set this up so you have the same volume level for all of your sources? I dont believe that will happen. Although I could be wrong. As for your sub, I have the ASW600 and I have the volume at or around the 10 o'clock position and the crossover at 60Hz. Your volume level should never go above half or 12 o'clock position. As for you crossover....that is more of preference rather than a certain config. When you are trying to set your crossovers for all your speakers you are looking for the freq. response on your speakers and they should read something like 23Hz-200hz...that should be your subs freq. response. Your other speakers are going to be much higher. Hope that helps.

Hell, no. I realise that output depends on input and that some CDs and DVD's have a higher output level. I'm concerned that I've screwed up some of the settings which have resulted in some pretty huge variances. A 'balance' would be where the variables didn't change from -31 to -8.

 

[Wyngdh]

Thanks. My SW does have the facility to 'take out' the Low-Pass Filter frequency. I will again go home and try.

 

[shokhead]

2910,dig to 3805 and 6 analogs to 3805.
3805 LFE out to sub. That bypasses the subs x over.
Set speakers to small and sub yes and sub is LFE not LFE+Mains
Set speaker levels in setup menu to 75db and sub to 80db.
Put volume on sub at about 3/4
Setup the dvd player multi-audio same as reciever
Did i forget anything for a basic setup?
Oh,set reciever x over at 80Hz.

 

[Wyngdh]

2910,dig to 3805 and 6 analogs to 3805.
3805 LFE out to sub. That bypasses the subs x over.
Set speakers to small and sub yes and sub is LFE not LFE+Mains
Set speaker levels in setup menu to 75db and sub to 80db.
Put volume on sub at about 3/4
Setup the dvd player multi-audio same as reciever
Did i forget anything for a basic setup?
Oh,set reciever x over at 80Hz.

What's the reason for setting the sub volume so high? I presume when you say 3/4, you mean 3 o'clock as opposed to 9 o'clock which is the general advice?

 

[shokhead]

Most bass management setups in DVD players for DVD-A and SACD is poor and lacks bass. Turn it up on the sub and then adjust volume on reciever.1/2 to 3/4,i use 3/4. 9 0'clock.

 

[Wyngdh]

Most bass management setups in DVD players for DVD-A and SACD is poor and lacks bass. Turn it up on the sub and then adjust volume on reciever.1/2 to 3/4,i use 3/4. 9 0'clock.

Right at the moment I'm looking for a really sharp set of razor blades, I am so disappointed with Denon. And I'm really p'd off at B&W. I know it happens, but when it happens to you, it's enough to take you over the edge - they forgot to ship the manual, rubber feet and spikes. I'm really struggling to get the Denon to see/hear the SW at the right distance. I have been told this is a common software problem on most new generation AVR's. It's not the mic because the AVR 'hears' them and measures the fronts and surrounds at the right distance. I am hoping that by elevating the SW I just might have won .25 of the battle. Until then, every night I go home and hear that system play I want those razor blades. I'm hearing what I call distortion, but going on the material I've been reading, it's probably clipping. And until I get all my bits and pieces from B&W, I don't see any point in trying to fix the setup until then.

Now, if I could just find those razor blades ....

 

[shokhead]

Your doing something wrong soimewhere. I have a denon and B&W's and i blast it and it only sounds better. I'm just not understanding what you have/havent done so far and whats wrong. Have you got everything hooked up right? Have you done the setup with or without a mic? What have you done and what are you not getting?

 

[Wyngdh]

Your doing something wrong soimewhere. I have a denon and B&W's and i blast it and it only sounds better. I'm just not understanding what you have/havent done so far and whats wrong. Have you got everything hooked up right? Have you done the setup with or without a mic? What have you done and what are you not getting?

I did the auto set up using the mic. I set my speakers to 'small', crossover to 60 Hz, entered the speaker distances, ran the auto setup. It got the distances between the front, centre and surrounds, but was 3 ft out on the SW. Since I know my room is not HT designed and that there could be some interference in the mic 'hearing' and 'measuring' accurately the distance between it and the SW, I was waiting for the spikes to slightly elevate my SW and retest the measurements. I also decided that at 60Hz, I wasn't getting the best sound possible out of my speakers. So I changed it to 80, but hadn't rerun the setup (still waiting for those elusive feet). Well, they arrived yesterday and the guys who dropped it off, reset some of my settings. They checked my speakers and said there was no damage and some of my settings were too high. I gave it a listen last nite. It's OK, but I am a purist. I like to hear every nuance in my music. So, I guess I am going to give it another go this weekend. I also leave my SW "on' and not on the "Auto" switch because the bass, unless I played something at an elevated volume, just wasn't being fed to the SW.

By the way, the Denon reads my speakers as "Large" - can I reset them to "Small" without having to manually change any settings? As I see the setup, if you run the 'auto' it chooses your speaker size and you don't have the choice of changing it before saving the auto settings. This can only happen afterwards. I'll probably give it another go this weekend and if I'm still not happy, I'll get in a 'professional'.

 

[shokhead]

Thats alot of reciever for 602's as mains and i dont think 60Hz will be the best for those. I wanted 602's as my surrounds but went with 601's because of money. Dont think the spikes will make alot of diff. I've read some put there subs on hocky pucks. Mine sets them to lg also and i switch back to small. Your sub in the 3805 is LFE and not LFE+Mains,right?

 

[zumbo]

I don't have a Denon or B&W. But, it looks like you are getting there. On my Yamaha, I have to manually set speakers to SMALL and choose SKIP speaker size in the auto set-up. When I run the auto set-up, I set the volume on the sub half way(12 o'clock). After set-up, I set the volume on the sub btw 1 & 2 o'clock. I also have the sub in a corner. This really helps.

Looks to me like your speakers can handle 60Hz just fine. -6dB at 40Hz and 42kHz . I have my crossover set to 60Hz, makes the speakers sound fuller, and the sub sound cleaner & less "boomy".