Help! 5.1.2 setup with Rotel preamp & 2 power amps (Rotel & Parasound)

[Chrispy1328]

Hi everyone! I'm stumped -- hoping some of you might have an idea of what the problem is and how to fix it?

So I have a 5.1.2 setup (Focal Choras + Rhythmic sub) with a Rotel RSP-1576 mk ii. The 5.1 speakers are driven by a Rotel RMB-1555, but there are only 5 channels on that amp, so I'm driving the 2 height speakers with a 2-channel Parasound Zamp v.3.

Here's the thing: when I run a levels test through the RSP-1576, everything works -- no problem. BUT, when I try to run the room calibration through Dirac, no sound comes out of the height speakers run through the Parasound amp. I can't for the life of me think of what the issue causing that would be.

Do you think I just need to swap the Parasound with a new amp? Or is there something that I'm missing?

Thank you!!
~ Chris

 

[lovinthehd]

I doubt it's the amp since it works, I'd think it's more your Dirac setup/configuration at a guess, but not familiar with such. The height channels function otherwise outside of using Dirac?

 

[Chrispy1328]

I doubt it's the amp since it works, I'd think it's more your Dirac setup/configuration at a guess, but not familiar with such. The height channels function otherwise outside of using Dirac?

Yeah, that’s what has me stumped — the up-firing speakers don’t seem to be working at all (except for the levels test).

 

[lovinthehd]

Yeah, that’s what has me stumped — the up-firing speakers don’t seem to be working at all (except for the levels test).

You're playing something with such content or upmixing or both? If nothing either way I'd personally run a reset to see if that changed anything.

 

[Chrispy1328]

You're playing something with such content or upmixing or both? If nothing either way I'd personally run a reset to see if that changed anything.

It’s upmixing, content natively encoded w/ Atmos, & Dirac that doesn’t seem to work, while the levels calibration/test does.

i’ll try a reset & see what happens!

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

How did you establish they’re not working? Was it at the MLP with actual content? Or ear to the speakers etc?
DAE(Dolby Atmos enabled) speakers can be really tricky to set up, and if not aimed to properly “hit” the LP you might not notice them.

 

[Chrispy1328]

Thanks everyone!

It was simple mistake in my part —when I set up the processor, I set them up as front height speakers instead of overhead. As soon as I toggled their setting to overhead, everything worked as ether should.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Nice! Was gonna go there next…
I would still recommend taking time to make sure they are angled for the best dispersion at the MLP. Some have even reported better imaging etc after tweaking the distances for the DAE speakers too.

 

[lovinthehd]

Thanks everyone!

It was simple mistake in my part —when I set up the processor, I set them up as front height speakers instead of overhead. As soon as I toggled their setting to overhead, everything worked as ether should.

That terminology is not clear with some processors it seems, what with the transition from 7ch front height type setups to 7.1.x atmos.....