what I am doing wrong?

[caoauto]

Hi, I Just bought couple amps. First is Mcintosh mc402, and Monster 3 chanels 250 watts/chanel. I hood up in stereo the Mc402 and B&W 604 and preamp Marant AV 560 and sony cd (dvd) . The sound is OK (loundness), The volume is about 3/4 position.
Now for the surround, if I hook up the same as above for front, and the monster amp, 2 chanels for the rear to Jamo 507 speakers and one to the paradigm center, and one build in power sub paradigm. I have to turn the volume all the way MAX to barely hear it.
I used all monster cables. Please help, very appreciated.

 

[zumbo]

I can try to help. But we have to break it down a little.
1) List your connections exactly.
2) List your menu set-up on pre-amp exactly.
3) List the source. (cd,dvd,etc.)

 

[caoauto]

Thanks for your help, here is all the conections, the preamp menu and the source: from the preamp have 6 outputs for surround sound and bunch of inputs.
For the surround sound when I try to watch the movie. I connect the output of the preamp left and right (front) to the input of the Mc 402 amp, the left and right (surround) output from the preamp to the input left and right Monster amp, The (center) output from the preamp to the center input of the Monster amp, and the last output (sub) from preamp direct to the active sub with the rca cable.
From the amps Mc402 Speaker connectors 8 Ohm to the B&W 604 speaker left to left side and right to right side, and from the Monster amp speaker connectors left to the left rear speaker and right to the right rear speaker Jamo 507. Also from the Monster amp center speaker connector to the center Paradigm speaker.
Now the DVD audio output left and right to the preamp DVD input and the video output from the source DVD direct to the video input on the TV.
To the menu on the preamp, I set DVD input, movie mode.
That's it.
When I used cd. I pull out the cables left and right in the back of the preamp come from the source DVD to put it back to CD input in the preamp and set the preamp to audio and stereo mode.
Should I try another preamp? like Bryston full balanced or Krell or even Mark Levinson and used all balanced cable instead? WOW alot money!!! if this solve the problem. Because some preamp that not enough gain control.
How about the speakers?. The source (Player)? Because I think those amps must be good. Maybe I connect it wrong? No Ideal??? Thanks again.

 

[Leprkon]

First is Mcintosh mc402,
Monster 3 chanels 250 watts/chanel.
preamp Marant AV 560

Cao,
a couple more quick questions.. how many watt does the McIntosh provide ?also, does the pre-amp have a set-up procedure or just menus to tell it what you are hooking up ?

this information might help us figure out what's going wrong.

 

[caoauto]

First question, How do you know my name? you are must around here MN. Thanks anyway.
The mc402 is capable to put out 400 watts/chanel, but when I watch the meter it only move 4.0 watts is the peak, and normal it does at 4mm watts.
The preamp just tell me the menu what I was hooking up. I don't know if I have setup procedure in that preamp, it is Marantz AV 560 digital re/eq I bought it a while ago around 1999. Thanks again

 

[zumbo]

I can't find a manual for your Marantz to even begin to try to sort this thing out. But, it sounds like there is a set-up issue.

Also, I don't see a need to pull out the cables. Just change to audio mode.