Yamaha HTR-5450: L/R Speaker Volume

[ndebard]

I have a stock HTR-5450 receiver setup with basic Yamaha speakers. Classic 5.1 with sub, front L/R, center, and rear L/R. The front L/R speakers are in channel A (no other speakers on in channel B).

The volume coming out of the front L/R speakers is very low, so I used the volume adjust to adjust the volume of each individual speaker. The option is 'Test'. When it goes around the room playing static I can hear the front L/R speakers are very soft. I try and turn up the individual volume of these channels and when I do it immediately switches to controlling the volume of the center! I can adjust the center, L, and R rear volumes perfectly fine.

As it stands now, it's almost like I have a 3.1 system.

Any thoughts/ideas?

Much thanks.

 

[MDS]

The test tone plays for a few seconds and then moves to the next speaker. It sounds to me like you simply haven't hit the level up or level down button in time before the tone moves on to the next speaker.

On my Onkyo the buttons are marked 'test', 'ch sel', 'level lup', and 'level down'. Hitting test starts the tones. Ch sel (channel select) lets you pick the channel and level up and level down adjust the level up or down respectively. I'm sure the Yamaha has similar buttons.

Just press whatever button is 'channel select' on the Yamaha remote repeatedly until it cycles back around to the speaker you want to adjust. Then adjust the channel level up or down.

 

[ndebard]

Sadly that's not the problem. The instant I press the button it immediately switches to changing the volume of the center channel. It really is almost as if it doesn't respect my ability to change the volume of the front L/R channels. That's really the problem because the sound coming out of them is so faint it's basically nonexistent.

 

[Cygnus]

Do you have the "a" speakers on? Are you sure you didnt accidentally push the button for the "B" set of speakers?

 

[jcPanny]

Speaker level adjustment

I think this is what is happening. The front L and R speakers are set at 0dB and no adjustment is possible. You can adjust the center and surround speakers to match the level of the front speakers. Turn the volume level on the center channel down until it matches the front channels. Repeat for the surrounds.

 

[MDS]

jcpanny,
Do you know if that is how all Yamaha receivers work? Just curious. I know many older receivers behaved that way - you could only adjust the levels of the other channels relative to the mains rather than adjusting each individually.

 

[jcPanny]

MDS,
My Yamaha HTR-5860 ( and all current models) definately allow you to independentally adjust the distance and level of each speaker channel. It sounds like the older model in question had a more simplistic bass management system.

 

[ndebard]

I just don't understand why the manual and the on screen display say I can adjust the speaker volume of those speakers but it doesn't allow it. I've mailed Yamaha a few times now and not even gotten back a courtesy email saying that they're too busy to answer me.

It's really bothering me and I figure I might go and buy a new receiver soon if I can't come up with a fix for it.

And yes, I have only the A speakers selected. And yes, I'm pressing the right buttons.

 

[jcPanny]

The front L and R speakers are set at 0dB and no adjustment is possible. You can adjust the center and surround speakers to match the level of the front speakers. Turn the volume level on the center channel down until it matches the front channels. Repeat for the surrounds.

Why isn't this an acceptable solution?
Receivers continue to increase the number of features and complexity with each generation. I would recommend that you become familiar with the setup of your current receiver before purchasing a more complicated one.

 

[ndebard]

For whatever it's worth, here's Yamaha's response. They finally got back to me:

In response to your emaiL: With the HTR-5440 you cannot make
adjustments to the volume level of the Front speakers. The receiver
will allow you to do a test on all speakers but you can only increase
the volume of the Rear speakers, Center, and subwoofer. This is listed
on page 37 in the HTR-5440 owners manual under "Sound Output Level".
With the current Yamaha receivers you can increase the level of all
speakers. YOu may want to consider getting stronger speakers for the
front channels. Thank you!​

 

[rschleicher]

Yeah, Yamaha's reply and what you experienced are consistent with how my previous Yamaha receiver worked. The front speaker levels are basically fixed, and then you adjust the center and surrounds to match. There's nothing wrong with this, unless you are also trying to insert a permanent bias to the left/right balance of the fronts (as opposed to using the balance control knob/buttons). It also assumes that you have enough adjustment range in the center and surrounds to bring them into matching levels.

You might feel subjectively that the fronts are too soft for a particular setting or position of the master volume knob, but there's no real problem as long as you are still able to get as much volume as you want, with it cranked up.

Older Yammies (maybe older than yours) also didn't have delay/distance adjustment between the fronts and center - just relative delay adjustment for the surrounds. Once they added distance/delay settings for the front and center speakers, they also added independent level adjustment for the front channels.