Centre Channel not Loud Enough Problem
 

Here's my setup
Sony Str DE935 Receiver
Sony DVPS550P dvd player

B&W 602S2 Fronts
B&W CC6 Center
B&W LM1 Rears.

No SubWoofer.


I got around to actually putting my system in some working order
up to this point I had just been poncing around with it.

So I get the Auto Format Decode to finally work and everything looks good but I get practically no audio from the center channel.

There is sound coming from it. and I have switched the speakers around and cables around to see if that makes a difference but no.

So what is next to try.

to sum up using dolby digital 5.1 the audio track is next to non-existent...

Have you tried running the test tones from your receiver and adjusting the volume of each speaker?

Also most receivers have a "cinema EQ", it's basically an EQ when runnign in DD5.1/DTS. My experience has been that this EQ sucks and ends up making the center channel have less activity, so try turning that off...if you have it.

Also, you might want to check on your receiver and see if it has the option to adjust the volume for each channel. On my Onkyo 484 I can adjust the speaker level on all 5 channels...

Okay so some more futzing around, and it looks like I have the same issue with Dolby Digital from my directivo receiver, so for sure it has to be a setting on the receiver.

So here is what I have, front and centre set as large, rears as small.

And the centre is at +10db

I need to have a lot of volume going to it to make it audible.
No eq is being used, although some LFE thing is on...

I guess I really need to find the instructions for the receiver.

Okay I found the instructions, and played around, reset the receiver etc. I have also replaced the speaker Cable. So that's out.

At this point I am thinking of junking it, or at least borrowing a mates receiver and testing that one out to see if the same stuff happens.

So I may need advice on which receiver I should pick up, which sucks, as my dvd player just croaked as well arghhh...


So start making suggestions, I can get the
Sony 1075 for about 420 from buydig.com which seems like a good price.

It appears to have 6.1 so that's kinda neat I guess.

Any other suggestions out there?

I was somewhat thinking of getting the NAD T550 DVD Player.
Either that or the Sony 700P which is about 300 notes, the NAD is last years model and can be had for ~400

I wouldn't shell out money for a new receiver until I was sure it wasn't the speaker. Definitely check the speaker with your friend's receiver. Of course I'm thinking it's the speaker because you didn't mention if you had sound coming from your center before you started using that setting and whether or not you can get sound from another setting, if you have any settings that will play using the center.


Also, I hear a lot of good things about the Skyworth 1050P. A friend of mine just bought one, though he's still waiting for it to clear customs. As for receivers, give us a price range and plenty of people will pipe in with their favorites.;)

On another note, what kind of DVD player were you using, and in what way did it crap out? Just curious.

I have swithced the output from the front right speaker to the
center and that meant the front right now acting as a centre, was now the 'quiet ' speaker.

sony dvd player and I am getting the c:13:00 error
which is the dirty disc error, I had thought this was dirty discs, as I was renting but I just got teh godfather and some other new ones and same stuff.


is the sony DVP-S550D 2 years old. It was 600 when I got it, but I got it for 400. adn there seems to be a lot of good players in that range.

My price range is around 500 or so. for the receiver.,

So it was the speaker, and not the receiver?:confused:

And, have you tried a laser lens cleaner on your player? All those dirty rental discs can leave dirt (and whatever else) on your players lens.

I have no idea how old that sony is.

And I'd say, for $500 you've got a few really good choices.
Onkyo 494 and 595
Denon 1602, 1802, and maybe even a 2802, although it was still hanging around $530 last I checked.
Marantz SR3000, SR5200 (<--again, just above 500)
Harmon Kardon AVR-110, AVR-210
JVC RX9000VBK
Pioneer VSXD850S

I'd recommend the Onkyo 595, or the Denon 2802. Of course I haven't read the reviews on all of these models.

Well what do you know I got it to work, maybe some of the more technical folks can explain it to me.

on the back of the speakers are 2 terminals, so they can be biwired. I had the centre speaker plugged into the top set,
but on my fronts I had it plugged into the bottom, anyway I just put the wires into the bottom one, and bingo it works, how happy am I that I don't need a new receiver

thanks for the input.