HK 6.1 set up problems

[newf]

I've recently had my HK AVR130 replaced with the AVR135 which now gives me 6.1. So I finally got rid of the Bose cubes and purchased Paradigm's Cinema series:

Receiver - Harman Kardon AVR135
L/R/C - Cinema 330's
SL/SR - Cinema ADP's
Rear - Cinema 110

However I cannot seem to get the receiver to reconize the rear speaker. I understand that you need movies coded in ES/EX to receive signal in that speaker but shouldn't I at least be able to set it up (test tone) or have the amp reconize it? I tried Pirates of the Caribbean which I thought was in EX but it still didn't see the speaker.

Thanks in advance,

Jeff

 

[JVC]

On a 6.1 or 7.1 receiver, the back speaker(s) will usually be off. You should be able to go into the receiver's setup menus, and enable it. Not familiar with HK's personally, so I don't know how good the manual is explaining how to do this. But, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out, once you get into the setup menus.
Good luck!

 

[newf]

Thanks JVC

I needed to actually have a DVD playing that was capable of that format then I could access that part of the menu.

Thanks again,

 

[JVC]

Huh?
That's the first I've ever heard of that. Most receivers can be set up to the basic settings, without anything playing.
Now if you're trying to calibrate the speakers, that's another story. But, just to enable a speaker, only requires the receiver to be on, and be in the setup menus. Unless HK's are that much different from other receivers.

 

[billy p]

Is your sub

connected you have not mentioned one? Also if your rear is bi polar or just a single speaker?Might be a wiring issue!

 

[MDS]

I needed to actually have a DVD playing that was capable of that format then I could access that part of the menu.

One other thing that has not yet been mentioned and perhaps is what newf meant by the above quote is that some receivers have menu options for how to deal with EX discs. Typically you can set it to only switch to 6.1 if it correctly reads the EX flag on the disc, have it always switch to 6.1, or never have it switch to 6.1 (and you have to do it manually). I believe these options are provided because a lot of discs are not properly flagged and/or some people may be running 7.1 and would not like the receiver to automatically switch to 6.1 just because the disc had an EX flag.

I recall a very long thread some time ago where there were complaints about HK receivers always switching back to 5.1 when you play a DD disc, even if you had the receiver in PLIIx mode for 7.1. It's those kinds of situations where having the options mentioned above can be useful.

 

[JVC]

I can see where you'd have to have a 6.1 disc (Gladiator) in, to actually hear the 6th speaker. But, just to enable the speaker, so you can hear it, when you have a 6.1 disc in? I've just never heard of such a thing.................
Oh well.

 

[Nick250]

I did not see this scanning through the thread, so, have you tried using the test tones to see if the surrounds are getting a signal or not.

Nick

 

[JVC]

He said in his original post that there's nothing in the test tones. That's why I figured the rear speaker is still disabled, from the factory, and needs to be enabled.

 

[AVRat]

Speaker setup starts on pg. 17 of the manual. Set your rear to small and make sure you test the channel levels. YOU DO NOT NEED A DVD HOOKED UP TO DO THIS!!

 

[jcPanny]

Speaker test

Using the 6 or 7 channel stereo mode is another good way to determine if your rear surround speaker is setup properly.