I just recently purchased a used Sony home theatre receiver and am starting to set it up. I've only hooked up the left and right speakers to make sure the system works well. Sound is great once acquired but I seem to have to turn up the volume fairly high to really hear anything. Volume indicator on display starts at 0 and I have to turn it up to about 30 or so get decent volume level. I even put my ear right to the speaker as I'm turning it up so I can hear the volume increase. Is this normal or would my receiver need to be "tuned up"?
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Home Theatre receiver volume issue
- Thread starter bigpoppamac31
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400 views and no one has an answer? That's odd. Any one able to help? I'm kinda new at this. Thank you.
It could depend upon your input source - or is the sound issue with all sources?
What home theatre receive are you using?
What home theatre receive are you using?
I am playing movies/games from my PS3 preferably using the optical digital audio option. My receiver is the Sony STR-DE985. Also one of the optical digital ports on the back stays lit up all the time when I'm on one particular function. Is that normal?
I just thought of something, In most cases, the dialog and sound effects only comes from the centre channel speaker. Try changing the sound field to a two-channel one or try connecting a speaker to the centre channel. If it's playing most of the dialog and sound effects through the centre channel, that would be why it's not loud enough.
You can also try playing a 5.1 dvd through and compare the sound.
Do you have any other digital-out components that you hook up to it to compare? If not, try hooking up your mac to it.
Yes, the digital ports stay lit at all times. Usually, there's a small plug in each one when it's not in use. In a dark room, the reflection off the wall could be annoying.
Nice receiver. I've got a similar one, the STR-DE935 - it's been running well since 1998!
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What's the maximum value for volume?
In general, as long as you can turn it up as loud as you need it to be, there is no problem. My receiver has to be at ~55-60 (out of 100) for it to even be audible from a few feet away. However, it gets plenty loud.
In general, as long as you can turn it up as loud as you need it to be, there is no problem. My receiver has to be at ~55-60 (out of 100) for it to even be audible from a few feet away. However, it gets plenty loud.
11 - lol
If that were my setup, I would think something is not right.
For me, at a comfortable listening level - so I don't have to raise my voice while I'm talking - 2 or 3. If I go to 5, the house will start to shake. When I watch movies in 5.1, 4 or 5 is enough depending upon the film. I'm afraid of putting it over 5 in fear of blowing my speakers.
My setup: receiver, a Sony STR DE935 is 110w per channel and my speakers, Paradigm Control Monitor Speakers (about 80w). I have a Paradigm centre channel and rear speakers also that are rated at about the same.
I think it might be a combination of the power your receiver/amp puts out and the rating of your speakers. This is my theory though as I'm not really sure.
There's definitely nothing wrong with my receiver. All these numbers are completely arbitrary. As long as it gets as loud as you need and adjustments are granular enough that you don't have huge jumps between numbers, it's fine.
So you have a five channel audio system and hooked up two of the channels. Fist make sure the system is set to route the sound to only the two speakers. Make sure it is not trying to play the center channel where yo have no speaker hooked up.
Next, volume depends more on the speaker than the amplifier. Speakers are spec'd for sensitivity in "dB per watt at one meter" low sensitivity speakers can be as low as 82dB/W or up to 100dB/W Each 3dB is the same a doubling the watts in the amp.
It doesn't matter if it's two speakers or five. If I have to turn the volume up 30 notches that seems a bit much. I have a Sony mini system that I've used up until now with my TV/PS3 and I only need to turn it up to 10 or 12 and that is plenty.
I'm just talking about volume overall. Turning up the volume from "0" to "30" seems like a lot. My two speakers Sony "Mini System" only needs to be turned up 10-12 notches to get more then adequate volume level.
What about audio cutout. when I play a DVD the sound cuts in and out. It's very jittery. It's like the receiver is trying to find something but can't. it's quite annoying. It always does it with the previews at the beginning of the disc but also during the feature film. I got it too work with the LOTR blu-ray dvd once the movie started but it wouldn't work with Transformers 3.
Its not the PS3/Blu-ray player. The sound worked just fine with a previous two speakers Sony stereo I was using. I think I'm going to get rid of this receiver and try for something else. Easier said then done as it's not too easy it seems to sell things on Kijiji.