Yamaha rx-v377 (HTR-3067) sound mode question

[Sander89]

I purchased a used Yamaha RX-V377 (HTR-3067) receiver and I hooked it up to my LG CX with an HDMI cable. I currently only have 2 speaker setup.

I have the TV set to passthrough, the other option is PCM. When I'm watching shows on Netflix, the audio usually defaults to 5.1 setup by Netflix and the receiver decoder info is showing Dolby Digital+ signal. I can choose a wide array of different sound modes on the receiver, but I figured that STRAIGHT is my best option, but now I'm not so sure.

If I have STRAIGHT mode selected, is the receiver downmixing the 5.1 signal to 2 channel stereo? Or is it sending through a 5.1 signal, even though I only have 2 speakers?

If the latter is true, then does that mean I'm missing certain audio, which I could only hear if I had a 5.1 system? If that is the case, then should I change the sound to stereo in Netflix menu or choose 2ch stereo music mode (downmixing) on the receiver or set audio mode to PCM on the TV? If I have the audio mode set to PCM on the TV, it seems it disables any kind of surround mode signal, since in Netflix I can't choose 5.1 anymore, it automatically defaults to stereo mode.

 

[gibbsy]

If you've configured the amp correctly, ie, showing just two front speakers connected all other shown as 'none' then every multi channel signal will be downmixed to stereo. You should also show no subwoofer present and the two front speakers configured as large.

As this is a used unit then it may be best to re-set to factory default and then initialise your own setting from scratch.

PCM from any TV will only be in stereo. Using that from the TV then the TV itself will do the downmixing per se by reverting to the available PCM soundtrack.

 

[Sander89]

If you've configured the amp correctly, ie, showing just two front speakers connected all other shown as 'none' then every multi channel signal will be downmixed to stereo. You should also show no subwoofer present and the two front speakers configured as large.

As this is a used unit then it may be best to re-set to factory default and then initialise your own setting from scratch.

PCM from any TV will only be in stereo. Using that from the TV then the TV itself will do the downmixing per se by reverting to the available PCM soundtrack.

I did the automatic setup with a microphone and the display on the receiver is showing that only L and R speaker are connected.

But the manual is a bit confusing, when I read it about STRAIGHT mode:

"When the straight decode mode is enabled, each speaker
produces its own channel audio signal (without sound field
processing). When you play back 2-channel sources, such as a CD
player, stereo sound is heard from the front speakers. When you
play back multichannel sources, the unit produces unprocessed
multichannel sounds."

It makes it seem that if the receiver is getting a 5.1 signal, then the receiver is sending through an unprocessed signal without downmixing. So if I only have 2 front speakers, then I'm only receiving audio, which is only meant for those 2 speakers and the rest of channels are muted because I'm missing the other speakers.

 

[JediMaster]

Here is an interesting discussion on this.

Question - Straight versus Surround Decoder

I have a Yamaha RX-A760 receiver. I'm using DirecTV NOW, but when I have the receiver set to Straight, I only get sound from the Front (L+R). When I set it to Surround Decoder, I get total 5.1 surround, which is how I have my system set up. When I watch Netflix in Straight Mode, I get surround...

www.avforums.com

 

[gibbsy]

t makes it seem that if the receiver is getting a 5.1 signal, then the receiver is sending through an unprocessed signal without downmixing. So if I only have 2 front speakers, then I'm only receiving audio, which is only meant for those 2 speakers and the rest of channels are muted because I'm missing the other speakers.

Regardless of whether you are the Straight mode you should, when running YPAO configure the unit to show that you just have the two front stereo speakers and no sub woofer present. Everything then will be serviced with a stereo signal. If you have indeed configured the unit to show as 5.1 then any signal which it receives as being 5.1, even in Straight, will just have the elements of those two stereo speakers playing and other data lost.

Can you confirm you actual speaker configuration.

 

[dante01]

If he's used the mic and run the YPAO cal;ibration with on;y a left and roght speaker cpnnected then the AV receiver will have detected that no other speakers and or sub are present.

The AV receiver will automatically downmix any multichannel source to give you 2 channel stereo. Any discrete surround channels ans or an LFE channel will be mixed down onto the front left andf right channels. This would be the case even if engaging the STRAIGHT mode whilst receiving multichannel sources.

Also note that the front 2 speakers would also be set as LARGE and cannot be set as anything but LARGE in the absence of an active sub. A discrete LFE channel would be sent to the fropnt speakers if there's not an active sub present to portray it.

 

[Sander89]

If he's used the mic and run the YPAO cal;ibration with on;y a left and roght speaker cpnnected then the AV receiver will have detected that no other speakers and or sub are present.

The AV receiver will automatically downmix any multichannel source to give you 2 channel stereo. Any discrete surround channels ans or an LFE channel will be mixed down onto the front left andf right channels. This would be the case even if engaging the STRAIGHT mode whilst receiving multichannel sources.

Also note that the front 2 speakers would also be set as LARGE and cannot be set as anything but LARGE in the absence of an active sub. A discrete LFE channel would be sent to the fropnt speakers if there's not an active sub present to portray it.

Yes, I ran the calibration. AV Receiver is showing only L and R speaker and they are set as LARGE. I added pictures of what I see on my receiver display.

That's good to hear that STRAIGHT mode will also downmix multichannel sources. I don't have to worry about it anymore.

There is another small issue that I have encountered, which is a bit out of topic, but when I open up Netflix or pause Netflix, then I won't get any sound. The receiver is on AV4 channel, when connected to the TV through HDMI ARC. To get sound back I have to change channel from AV4 to something else (like AV3) and then back to AV4 again. As soon as I pause Netflix, I don't get sound again and I have to repeat the process of changing the channel.

This only happens if TV is set to passthrough and if Netflix sound source is set at 5.1 (which is the default version).

Is this some kind of a handshake issue?

 

[gibbsy]

Looking at your images then the Dolby Digital + is the maximum that any TV or streaming service is broadcasting. So all is well with that. The loss of sound from Netflix maybe an ARC related problem and not that unusual. There is an easy cure and that is to connect the TV to the Yamaha with an optical cable. There will be no loss of audio quality at all as it will be the same lossy SD audio that, in your case, as you would get with HDMI ARC.

 

[dante01]

Yes, I ran the calibration. AV Receiver is showing only L and R speaker and they are set as LARGE. I added pictures of what I see on my receiver display.

That's good to hear that STRAIGHT mode will also downmix multichannel sources. I don't have to worry about it anymore.

There is another small issue that I have encountered, which is a bit out of topic, but when I open up Netflix or pause Netflix, then I won't get any sound. The receiver is on AV4 channel, when connected to the TV through HDMI ARC. To get sound back I have to change channel from AV4 to something else (like AV3) and then back to AV4 again. As soon as I pause Netflix, I don't get sound again and I have to repeat the process of changing the channel.

This only happens if TV is set to passthrough and if Netflix sound source is set at 5.1 (which is the default version).

Is this some kind of a handshake issue?

Your issue with Netflix seems to be quite common. I myself don't experience this, but I've read quite a few reports that a very similar. It would appear that the AV receiver has issues establishing an ARC connection with the TV after video is paused (or in some instances even fast forwarded or rewaound)? I've not encountered a permanent fix for this and the only solutions have so far been to do as you are doing. You could try a different HDMI cable though and maybe even consider reporting what you are experiencing to both Yamaha and your TV\s manufacturer?