No separation in dd with a 3.1 setup

[Serg911]

Hello; I have a pair of Polk RT600 as my main (L&R) speakers along with a Polk PSW202 sub (10 inch woofer), and a small Klipsch center speaker (it has two small drivers and a horn tweeter in the middle) connected to an ONKYO TX-NR801 receiver.
Here's my issue: I get very little detectable imaging from this setup, I mean, when I'm playing a movie in which a helicopter is flyng from left to right, I expect the sound to mach the movement of the helicopter as it moves from left to right. It is not! it seems lke the sound is just louder and not 'better' when I turn on my Hometheater setup.
I've played with the many settings available on the Onkyo receiver and have moved the speakers hoping to get better imaging but, nothing has really improved it.
I wa very disappointed yesterday when a very basic and inexpensive LG all in one hometheater at target seemed to sound better than what I have right now. I know my gear is older and not super expensive, but I would expect it to outperform an LG all in one setup, Am I wrong?

The room dimensions are rectangular, wood floor, big brick fireplace about 6 feet away from the left speaker, center channel is about 2 feet away from the left and from the right fronts, and sub is a couple of inches away from the right front speaker and about 6 inches away from the wall (no corner near by) The fronts are about 8 inches away from the wall, and also no corners nearby. Center is about a foot and a half from the wall, but right in front of the TV. The room itself is about 18feet by 22feet, seating area is 14 feet away from the speakers -on the short length of the room.

Any suggestions as to how to adjust either the settings of the physical placement of the speakers to improve sound separation and better experience the sound in the movies?

thanx in advanced.

 

[Swerd]

Double check the polarity of the wires running from your receiver to your speakers. Getting one speaker out of polarity with the other can collapse image placement.

For each channel, make sure the plus (or red) terminal on your receiver is wired to the plus (or red) terminal on each speaker. Likewise for the minus (or black) terminals. It is important that the polarity between the receiver and speaker terminals be the same for all your speakers. It is surprising how many people get this wrong, despite their best efforts.

 

[MDS]

Hello; I have a pair of Polk RT600 as my main (L&R) speakers along with a Polk PSW202 sub (10 inch woofer), and a small Klipsch center speaker (it has two small drivers and a horn tweeter in the middle) connected to an ONKYO TX-NR801 receiver.
Here's my issue: I get very little detectable imaging from this setup, I mean, when I'm playing a movie in which a helicopter is flyng from left to right, I expect the sound to mach the movement of the helicopter as it moves from left to right. It is not! it seems lke the sound is just louder and not 'better' when I turn on my Hometheater setup.

It's always best to have the same brand and model of speakers for the front three channels because speakers vary in their tonal qualities. The Klipsch with a horn tweeter is vastly different than the Polks and is likely more sensitive too which would make it overpower the front mains if you haven't at least calibrated the speakers.

To try to ameloriate the problem:
1. Make sure you indicate to the receiver that the only speakers connected are front left, front right, center, and sub and the distances from the listening position are correct.

2. Use the internal test tones to calibrate the speaker levels (the 801 is a few years old so I don't think it has any Audyssey type auto setup). This is probably the most important step because the Klipsch center is no doubt far more sensitive than the Polks and would be much louder than the Polks at a given volume setting if you didn't calibrate and left all the channel trims at the default of zero.

 

[Serg911]

I have adjusted (at the time of setup a few months ago) the L-C-R sensitivity and they are as follow Left at 10, center at 6, right at 9 since it is the speaker that is closest to the sitting area. And as for the wires, I always double-check the polarity from receiver to speaker plugs and just checked again to make sure they are correct...they are.
I am using a cheap set of banana plugs (bought them at a computer store that also sells connectors here in the SF bay area), the cables are from an old Bose Acoustimass 7.
I'll remove the banana plugs to see if it make any difference at all.

great suggestions, by the way; trully appreciate it.

 

[DD66000]

4 ft spread?

If I understand right, from your first post, you only have 4+ft between your mains? That is not far enough apart to produce a good, wide soundstage. Being your room is 18'x22', you should have plenty of room to spread them farther apart.
My last house I had a room 17.7'x22' and I had a full 8', c/c between my L/R.

 

[Serg911]

DD66000, I might have not been. There is a space of about 6 feet between L and R, the Center (about 16 inches wide) is placed about the mid point between the mains.