Best settings for movies - Denon X3500H with 5.0 speakers

[Lyvyoo]

Hello,
I chose X3500 mainly for audio, together with a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 6 and I'm satisfied.
At the same time, thinking about some movies in the future and trying to combine a budget solution, I bought a pair of Bronze 1 for surround and a center, also from Monitor Audio. The source for movies is a media player with very good specifications (Xiaomi Mi Box S) that works with Netflix and an Intel NUC i5 for mkv's.

I search for some help because I'm disappointed with the sound of my movies. Yes, my setup is not the best thing for movies, but something like 5.0 system because I don't want to buy a subwoofer in my apartment for building a 5.1 and I consider that Bronze 6 can provide enough bass for me. With that in mind I changed the settings for center speaker and now center means 3 speakers, including Bronze 6's. I won some bass and a big difference in the amplitude but the surround still sucks in the Dolby audio mode of Denon X3500, being able to hear only some little sounds in the Bronze 1, way far from the real 5.1 experiences from my friends. Switching to Multi Ch Stereo it's a more powerful option but I assume that I have no real surround only a kind of "all in"... The room is an 18-20m2 living room of an apartment.

Can you help me please with some advice for the best settings of this configuration in order to obtain the best sound in movies? I don't have in my plans to buy a sub or atmos speakers, but if it's mandatory I can consider some little improvements. However, the first step for me is to run the horses that I have.

Thanks,

 

[DavidT]

Have you run audessey? What were the results?

 

[dante01]

If you've no sub then your options are limited. I can only suggest that you run the Audyssey calibration and the set all your speakers apart frpm your left and right front speakers as being SMALL. The left and right speakers will have been set as LARGE and will not allow you to set them as SMALL in a setup devpid of an active sub. I'd suggest you then set the crossovers for the speakers set as SMALL no lower than 80Hz. What this will do is redirect all frequencies at and below 80Hz away from the speakers set as SMALL and rediorect this to your larger front left and right speakers to portray.

I a setup inclusive od a sub, the frequencies at and below the crossover configurations would be redirected away from speakers designated SMALL out to the active sub for it to amplify and portray. In such a setup you'd also be able to set the front stereo pair as SMALL and also redirect lower end frequencies away from those speakers out to the sub.

Being able to redirect the lower end frequencies results in better mid and upper frequency headroom from your main speakers because the AV receiver isn't having to amplify the harder to amplify lower frequencies. AS it stands, you cannot really benefit from this without adding n active sub to your setup.

 

[Lyvyoo]

Thanks a lot! For sure I will run again Audyssey for better calibration and I come back with news!

 

[LittleNipper]

I would say the biggest change to my x3600h set up was, as @dante01 says is a sub. Start off second hand and small and change as you get more funds. Even spending a £200 you should be able to find something.

 

[Lyvyoo]

Do you use the sub even for music (stereo) or just for movies / concerts ?

 

[LittleNipper]

Do you use the sub even for music (stereo) or just for movies / concerts ?

I don't really listen to music. However, if you do then I would advise a sealed rather than ported sub. As they are more 'controlled'. When I listen to music on a two way system, I do have a sub with them. Actually my new system ( Butchard A500 ) don't need a sub as they go down to 22Hz. But they were £3k !

 

[SeanBrothers]

I use my sub when listening to music on my x3700, but my fronts only go down to 42Hz. I have my crossover set to 60Hz although 80Hz is recommended.