Help Speakers and Set Up Please

Cat129

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Hi,

Were new to this, and am totally confused by everything we've read and on YouTube. Were not getting very good sound quality and find the bass is kicking in at random times. We bought our setup second hand, and are wondering if we need better speakers or we just need to set it up better.

This is our setup

AV Reciever - Pioneer VSX-932
Center, sub and both rears - JBL Cinema 510
Front left and right - Roth OLi RA1
Upspeakers - Onkyo SKH-410

I have set the crossover at 150Hz, and done all the distance set up on the reciever, unfortunately the previous owner lost the set up mic.

If anyone could help us would be really appreciated. Thank you
 
If you play a music track, is the bass consistent, or does it cut in and out? If it does cut in and out, there's a fault somewhere, probably with the sub itself. With movies, it's sometimes harder to tell if there's actually a fault or if some of the special effects are just not being well presented.

The crossover looks to be correctly set, so I would not worry about that.

The JBL Music range are good for what they are, but there are much better speakers on the market. How much would you look to spend?
 
We would be happy to spend up to about £1000 if that would sort it out. Playing music is fine, it's when were watching a film or normal TV the bass cuts in and out.

With acustic music it sounds better when it's in Stereo which is confusing us even more. Were wondering if it's our center speaker that's messing up at the sounds as it's a little JBL and the other 4 at the front the previous user upgraded.

Thanks for your help
 
Bass (the Sub) cutting in and out may simply be the Sub signal level from the AVR is set so low that the Sub's Auto Standby mode is cutting in and out - try raising the Sub Out level in the AVR settings and or disable any Auto power On/Off mode on the Sub.

For music playback most AVR's give you the option to play back in 2.0 (Front LR only), 2.1 (Front LR + Sub) or All channel mode.

Ideally a matched set of speakers across the Front LCR is always a good foundation - though I wouldn't rush out to send £1k until you have eliminated your settings being the issue.

You can use various Apps on your mobile phone to give you a fairly accurate Sound level and use the AVR manual set up process - John Sim from JS Technology who posts here on AVF has a couple of Apps you could consider.

http://www.js-technology.com/store/cms.php?id_cms=14

Joe
 
I live in Great Yarmouth if you live close i could pop round and lend you a mic
Sorry for the delay, I lost the post. You absolute legend! We live in Hemsby up the road. If you wouldn't mind that would be amazing. Thank You
 
Bass (the Sub) cutting in and out may simply be the Sub signal level from the AVR is set so low that the Sub's Auto Standby mode is cutting in and out - try raising the Sub Out level in the AVR settings and or disable any Auto power On/Off mode on the Sub.

For music playback most AVR's give you the option to play back in 2.0 (Front LR only), 2.1 (Front LR + Sub) or All channel mode.

Ideally a matched set of speakers across the Front LCR is always a good foundation - though I wouldn't rush out to send £1k until you have eliminated your settings being the issue.

You can use various Apps on your mobile phone to give you a fairly accurate Sound level and use the AVR manual set up process - John Sim from JS Technology who posts here on AVF has a couple of Apps you could consider.

Home Theater SPL - J.S. Technology Ltd

Joe

Thanks for the advice, I just looked at the app and unfortunately it's only for apple devices, and I don't own any apple items.

Will look at the sub settings, thanks
 
I know where the tattoo shop is.I think its called skin krazy if we could make a time i could meet you there and lend a mic and if you want maybe able to give you some help.
 
I know where the tattoo shop is.I think its called skin krazy if we could make a time i could meet you there and lend a mic and if you want maybe able to give you some help.

Hi Mick

Sorry for the massive delay replying (7 months) I lost the post and life got in the way. Do you still have a microphone we could borrow to set up the receiver, were still getting terrible sound of it and haven't got it right so any help is muchly appreciated.

Cat
 
@Cat129 If you are manually setting the sound up, its quite easy for a basic system, all you need is a tape measure and sound level meter with A/C and Fast/Slow (something like this) Use setting C and Slow.

Find your manuals for both the speakers and amp. As Joe has said - set the amp to Front/Sub - 2.1 to allow the woofer to work with both stereo and 5.1.

When running the room levels, simply set these to according to the sound level meter when it reads 75dB. Remember to set the speaker distances first. With the Sub, follow the same level setting as the speakers and then play with the level until you are happy. I suspect that the Sub level and crossover is woefully (similarly wrong and just need setting correctly. Ideally turn the dials 50% as a starting point.

So,
Set the woofer dials to 50%
Ensure all the speakers are set to small in the Amp
Set the distances in the amp for each speaker from the main seating position
Use the sound level meter to configure the levels off all the speakers and subwoofer to 75dB in the system
Look at the setting for Front/Sub in the Amp - this will usually be in the subwoofer settings
Once you have a more balanced sound, do increase or decrease the level of the woofer to your preference sound to your taste.

If you lose this tread, simply look to the bell (notification and alerts) on the top bar of every page and you will be able to find the thread much easier and the bold parts are the key parts
 
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@Cat129 If you are manually setting the sound up, its quite easy for a basic system, all you need is a tape measure and sound level meter with A/C and Fast/Slow (something like this) Use setting C and Slow.

Find your manuals for both the speakers and amp. As Joe has said - set the amp to Front/Sub - 2.1 to allow the woofer to work with both stereo and 5.1.

When running the room levels, simply set these to according to the sound level meter when it reads 75dB. Remember to set the speaker distances first. With the Sub, follow the same level setting as the speakers and then play with the level until you are happy. I suspect that the Sub level and crossover is woefully (similarly wrong and just need setting correctly. Ideally turn the dials 50% as a starting point.

So,
Set the woofer dials to 50%
Ensure all the speakers are set to small in the Amp
Set the distances in the amp for each speaker from the main seating position
Use the sound level meter to configure the levels off all the speakers and subwoofer to 75dB in the system
Look at the setting for Front/Sub in the Amp - this will usually be in the subwoofer settings
Once you have a more balanced sound, do increase or decrease the level of the woofer to your preference sound to your taste.

If you lose this tread, simply look to the bell (notification and alerts) on the top bar of every page and you will be able to find the thread much easier and the bold parts are the key parts

Hey, Thanks for the advice, will see if I can get hold of a sound meter as I don't have one, and the proper microphones appear to be like gold dust.
 
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