Polk R150s not very loud

[redgoat2006]

I hooked up my R150s today as my surrounds to a Onkyo 605. The speakers are working, but they are not very loud. I can barely hear them.

I don't know a lot about speakers, but any ideas what to do? I have the db set on +6 on them. The cinema filter is on neo cinema.

 

[Adam]

Have you run test tones through your speakers, or some sort of calibration routine or DVD? Did you run the Onkyo auto set-up? I'm wondering if they sound quieter than your other speakers with the test tones. Rear speakers normally have less audio sent to them then the mains or the center channel, so they may just seem to be quiet depending on the source material.

 

[calnbs]

This is a must read for people who are new to HT or new to Onkyo. This is a higher model but will be able to answer some of your questions.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12162481#post12162481

calibration and audyssey is needed before your system will sound properly.

 

[redgoat2006]

I ran the audessey set-up. The test tones were as loud as the fronts. The fronts are just drowning out the sound from the surrounds.

 

[Ron Temple]

Neo Cinema is a 2 channel matrix and won't sound as loud as discrete multi-channel (Dolby Digital or DTS). Make sure your DVD player is set to bitstream and re-calibrate. Throw in a movie and select the audio format (if you have the option). The AVR will display which one you've selected, either DD or DTS. Your surrounds should them be fairly active, depending on your calibration and the source (some movies are very active in the surrounds, some not)

 

[j_garcia]

Yeah, what Ron said It sounds like your player may not be configured correctly, or you are forcing NEO. Try setting the receiver to Auto detect and see if it picks up DD/DTS tracks natively and if it makes a difference. Also, do you have them connected to the correct speaker outs? If 5.1, you should be using the side surrounds and the rears should be turned off.

 

[patnshan]

I agree with the above posts, something is set wrong. Although they are no paradigm's, those speakers can get plenty loud. Mine do

The other "doh" thing to check is if there is an A or B speaker switch. If both are pressed and you are connected to speaker A, this could happen. I am unfamiliar with your receiver specifically, but it's something to check. Good luck.

Pat

 

[jonnythan]

Surrounds aren't supposed to be loud.

I notice a lot of people expect to be able to hear their surrounds directly the way they hear the mains. That's not the case.

 

[Pyrrho]

I hooked up my R150s today as my surrounds to a Onkyo 605. The speakers are working, but they are not very loud. I can barely hear them.

I don't know a lot about speakers, but any ideas what to do? I have the db set on +6 on them. The cinema filter is on neo cinema.

Typically, most sound comes from the front channels. If you are watching a movie, it would be very strange for the sound to be evenly distributed. Normally, the person speaking on screen or the action taking place is in front of you, so the majority of the sound should be in front of you. You would not really want the dialog to typically come from the back, would you? Surround channels are primarily for sound effects that are supposed to be behind you, or ambient sound. The same idea is typically true of music; you normally face the musicians in front of you, so most of the sound comes from the front. Of course, some surround music is mixed to try to get you in the middle of it all, and then it may have a lot of direct sound coming from the rear, but that is not the way one would naturally hear the sound at a concert.

Now, if you don't like that, you should try all of your DSP surround modes to see if you like any of them. If you don't like any of them, and if you want sound to be the same front and back, then you might want to use the A & B speaker connections for both front and back speakers (if your receiver has them) instead of using the surround connections for the back. That way, the same sound will come from the back as well as the front. But it will not sound natural that way.

 

[j_garcia]

Surrounds aren't supposed to be loud.

I notice a lot of people expect to be able to hear their surrounds directly the way they hear the mains. That's not the case.

While this is true, in a level matched system they are playing back at the same level as the other speakers. They just don't play back as much information.

 

[Audioman321]

I guess you should try your sound set system, maybe something is not proper there.

 

[markw]

this may just be a matter of semantics.

While this is true, in a level matched system they are playing back at the same level as the other speakers. They just don't play back as much information.

what you say is true and can be verified by playing the test tones. If the source signal were channeled equally to all channels than this would be true.

Many newbies don't understand that "movie sound". which exists only to compliment a visual experience, is not at all like "music stereo", which is an audio experience in and of itself.

What many newbies don't understand is that having information fed to all channels simulteneously in a movie is extremely rare. It's not a "stereo music" application where the sound is balanced between all (both) available channels at all times. HT is basically the front center carrying most of the dialog, the front right and left carrying most everything else and, from the surrounds, perhaps ambience cues (usually at a low level) or an occasional sound effect.

If one wants consant sound rom all channels then one would be better off choosing something like "stereo 6" or whatever.