Help for a Home Theater Dumbass

[scasarano]

OK so right now I have a Sony STRDE575 (100W / channel) connected directly to my TV (Toshiba 32AF62). When I watch TV I have to turn my receiver up to 28 to hear it well. The TV is connected (video) to my Tivo Box which is connected to my cable box. Right now I am getting a new reciever (mine is dying - see my other post). I am looking at the Onkyo TX-SR503 which is 75W / channel. Can anyone tell if I have the TV / receiver hooked up wrong and that is causing my TV sound problem? My speakers are Yamaha satellites (30 W nominal - 100 W max) Can anyone tell me if these speakers will work well with the Onkyo? Any other advice will be appreciated. Also, will the Onkyo (7.1) work well with my 5.1 speaker set up?

 

[MDS]

Nothing wrong per se with your connections although it would be better to take the audio directly from the cable box to the receiver. If the cable box has a digital output (coax or optical) use that so you can get Dolby Digital from the cable box.

What's the problem with a volume setting of 28? Mine is on 30 right now (Onkyo TX-SR502). The actual number is not important as long as you can turn it up as loud as you like. However, if you think it is too low, one possibility is you are using the variable out from your tv to the receiver and the tv volume is low - switch to the fixed output or turn the tv volume up a bit more.

You can use 5.1 speakers with a 7.1 receiver no problem. Just go into the setup menu and set the surround back speakers to 'none'.

 

[scasarano]

So will I get more volume by connecting the cable box to the receiver?

 

[MDS]

You may get a very slight boost in volume if you were using the variable output on the tv and the tv volume control was low. The variable out, as its name implies, varies the output based on the position of the tv volume control. Since you are using the receiver for volume, you would be better off using the fixed output so that the position of the tv volume control setting is irrelevant. That is assuming you are using the variable out - I was just suggesting that as one possible issue.

However, it seems that you are concerned with having the volume at 28. Why is that? Would it seem better if you could get the volume you want at 25 instead? Makes no difference.

It would be better to go from the cable box to the receiver though. Why send the audio from the cable box to the tv only to be sent back to the receiver? If the tv doesn't have a digital audio out, you won't get Dolby Digital with that approach. Send the audio directly from the cable box to the receiver and use a digital audio connection if the cable box has a digital out.

 

[scasarano]

Cool - thanks for the advice. I think my issue with having the volume high is that when I first got the receiver, I played my music with the volume pretty high (35-40) and I blew out a speaker (this happened twice). I assumed that this was b/c I had the volume too high (please note I am not too technically sound when it comes to audio). My receiver (Sony STRDE575) is 100 W / channel and the speakers are Yamaha satellites 100 W max. If it was not the volume, why did my speakers blow out? I guess I'm just trying to work out the kinks in my system while I upgrade my receiver. Also looking for advice between the Onkyo TXSR503 and the Pioneer VSX805.

 

[MDS]

It's all going to depend on your own personal preferences - either receiver will do well. If you ask me, I would say go for the Onkyo but that is because I have always bought Onkyo and have been very pleased with them.

I would suggest reading the manuals for each to get an idea of how easy it is to operate. Here is the page for the Onkyo: http://www.onkyousa.com/download/own_manuals.cfm?cat=Receiver (scroll down and select tx-sr503).

 

[scasarano]

My bad - I meant the Pioneer VSX 815. It's 100 W / channel vs. 75 W / channel for the Onkyo.

 

[j_garcia]

The real world output of those two receivers is probably even closer than the specs would suggest. I've found Onkyo to be a little optimistic on their ratings while Pioneer's lower models to overstate their power more, similar to Sony. For my 3 most recent customers I installed Onkyo receivers because they were the right price point and have given me good results. I installed a 502 (HTS780 HTiB), 601 and a 8011, and I felt they were all quite good for the $$$. Between the two listed, I'd go for the 503, but you might look around; with the 603 coming out, the 602 should be on clearance and you might be able to find a good deal on one on closeout.

 

[Bryguy]

Remember, the numbers on your volume read out are just for reference purposes. If you scan through many channels on your TV and leave the volume setting where it is, some channels will come in louder than others. Some channels I keep my volume on -30 and others down to -26. It all depends on how you tweak your system during the setup phase and how the audio was mastered for transmission. This explains why some commercials are REALLY loud and some aren't. They're trying to use the mastering to get your attention on the commercials.

Bryguy