View Full Version : Need Help With New Speakers?
Hi All, I am sort of new to home audio so please understand if I ask a few stupid questions. I went out and bought a all in one Home Theatre System - Sony DDW870. Its a 6.1 system with 100w X5 and 120w for the sub. It played ok but I just wanted more sound so I went out and bought a set of SS-CR550 used the 2 bookshelf speakers as the front left and right and the centre speaker as just that. After a few months I decided to get a set of towers and got the SS-MF650's took the ones I was using at the front to the surrounds and got a CR350 for my back centre. Thing is that I have to crank the volume up to about 65 to get it playing loud enough wheras before it was on about 45 to 50 for the same. (Max is 70) Is it possible that there is something wrong with the my choice in speakers or could there be somthing else wrong? I have noticed that the old speakers are rated at 6 ohm's and the new ones are rated at 8 ohms would this be the problem? If so how do I fix it? Thanks for the help.
Jack
markw
03-19-2006, 09:54 AM
While the 8 ohms vs 6 ohms might make some slight difference, I think main problem the newer speakers are not as "efficient" as your old ones. i.e. they take more power to reach the same loudness level as your old speakers.
Lool at it this way. you buy a car to tow a trailer of a certain weight. All is well. Now, you go and buy a trailer that weighs more. Now, the car has to work harder to pull that new trailer.
In the same sense, the receiver has to, instead of pull, push those speakers. If you change the speakers, it may have to push harder.
So what you basically saying is that I have wasted my money? The problem seems to be worse when I watch DVD's compared to plain CD's. What size amp would I need to drive the spakers to their full potential?
Thanks for your help....
paul_pci
03-19-2006, 10:28 AM
I wouldn't go so far as to say you've wasted your money, but it's just that people who buy a HTIB quickly learn of the inherent limitations of that purchase. You get a taste of what you like in home theater and want something better. Replacing speakers just illustrated the limitations of that cheap receiver. My advice is that you buy a mainstream receiver such as Yamaha, Denon, Harmon Kardon, or Onkyo and you should be good to go. Even entry level models of those receivers will blow away that Sony you purchased. Don't get confused. It's not the size of the amp or amount of watts, it's the quality of the power. You can take a high end 50 watt amp and it will blow away that Sony with one channel tied behind its back.
If it aint the watts that tell it apart then whats the best way?
Make sure your receiver is set to 8ohms
Are your speakers set to large or small on receiver?
When my receiver calibrated my speakers it set them to large center to small
I left them on Large and set the sub to plus
Play with different settings in receiver
Good luck
markw
03-19-2006, 11:13 AM
If it aint the watts that tell it apart then whats the best way?Be careful what you ask for. You just might get it.
http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/buyingguides/AVreceiversbuyingguide.php
Of course, this is not the end all and be all but it's a pretty good place to start.
teledynepost
03-19-2006, 06:04 PM
If you bought a "home theatre in a box" they usually rate the wattage at 10% distortion. So at 100W it's 10% distortion which is REALLY bad. Really the wattage is much lower. I would suggest getting a different receiver.
noddin0ff
03-20-2006, 06:52 AM
Be careful what you ask for. You just might get it.
http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/buyingguides/AVreceiversbuyingguide.php
Of course, this is not the end all and be all but it's a pretty good place to start.
Ha! Truer words are seldom spoken. Good link! Take some time, SIMS. Read up. Listen to several options. Ask some more questions. A little time here on the boards can help you spend your money and not feel like you wasted it! Good luck!
Thanks All, if only I had used my brain and come to you all a bit sooner. . . I just find it funny that my sound is totally different when I play from my sat. Tv, CD and DVD. Surley it should all sound the same? When i play throught the sat T.V.. i keep it at 40 through the CD (on the dvd) at 45-55 and on DVD its ridiculas as I don't get nearly enough at 65. It just does not seem correct. Anyways how do i check if my Amp is set to 8 Ohms?
Thanks again for all the help
paul_pci
03-20-2006, 12:14 PM
Thanks All, if only I had used my brain and come to you all a bit sooner. . . I just find it funny that my sound is totally different when I play from my sat. Tv, CD and DVD. Surley it should all sound the same? When i play throught the sat T.V.. i keep it at 40 through the CD (on the dvd) at 45-55 and on DVD its ridiculas as I don't get nearly enough at 65. It just does not seem correct. Anyways how do i check if my Amp is set to 8 Ohms?
Thanks again for all the help
That happens to everybody and that just depends on the source material. My dvds have to be turned up more than tv, sometimes my ps2 plays louder than tv, etc. No biggie; there's just no way around it.
As for the receiver, most don't have a switch and the specs, usually in the back of the manual should specify wattage @ 8ohms. My receiver has a switch and it's specified in the manual.
Cal Blacksmith
03-21-2006, 01:08 PM
Another thing you need to think about is that you really should have all the speakers matched in timber. In other words, you need all the speakers to sound the same with the same input. The most important are the front 3 but the closer you get all of them the better. You usually can achieve this by buying all the same brand and from the same line of speakers. The same line should be voiced the same. You want the sound to seamlessly move around you, not jump from speaker to speaker.
Yip as I said all my speakers match. Fronts Sony SS-Mf650's and Surrounds SS-MF550's. Been looking at Amplifiers and as with everything there is so much to learn. I always thought that all you need to look at is the RMS watts - I guess thats why I am sitting with this problem. Anyways thanks to all the help here I have decided that I will save up and and retire my 2 month old Home theater system to my bedroom and get myself a decent amp. Of course I will need all your trusted advice though? - From what I pick up this kind of equipmebt is alot cheaper in Pounds than in Rands ( I'm in South Africa) Been looking at the Sony STR-DA3000ESG a bit pricy for me at R9200 about 900 Pounds and what you think about STR-DB2000S about R7000 about 680 Pounds. Would be very interested in what you all thought. Is it a wise I idea to go for a different brand now that I got all sony speakers? Thanks .....
paul_pci
03-22-2006, 12:55 PM
Get off the Sony already. Think Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, Harmon Kardon.
Ok Ok :) Is Sony that bad?
paul_pci
03-23-2006, 09:31 AM
Ok Ok :) Is Sony that bad?
For receivers, unless you're buying the Sony ES line, then yes. Or to be less dramatic, there are plenty of other brands which offer far more reliability and quality that one need not consider Sony when buying a receiver.
Cal Blacksmith
03-24-2006, 05:01 AM
I would also like to add that name brand electronics manufacturers rarely make high quality speakers. Just because you like the electronics, that is no guarantee that the speakers they make will deliver the same quality sound as dedicated speaker manufacturers deliver for the same price.
topspeed
03-24-2006, 09:07 AM
Some receivers, such as Denon, will allow you to match gains on your different sources. This mitigates the volume problems you're experiencing when switching between the sat and dvd.
One of the other things you may want to consider is making sure your rig is calibrated correctly. Get an spl meter and test disc such as DVE or Avia. You can also use the onboard test tones in your receiver. This will ensure you are receiving the same volume from each speaker. I don't think it will help the dramatic drop-off in volume that you are experiencing, but it will make your rig sound a lot better until you can replace the Sony.
As you've notice, Sony avr's aren't thought of too highly here. Pioneer, Denon, Yammie, HK, and Onkyo are the brands usually bandied about. All are very good. Pick the one that has the most useful features for your application as differences in sound are going to be very difficult to discern with your speakers.
Hope this helps and good luck.
sorry needed to learn to quote see below. :)
[QUOTE=topspeed] Pick the one that has the most useful features for your application as differences in sound are going to be very difficult to discern with your speakers.
What do you mean by this?
Still got it wrong:sleep: :sleep: I'm not always this stupid:)
paul_pci
03-25-2006, 12:32 AM
He simply means that different receivers will offer different features that you may or may not need and will have different remote controls that users will find either frustrating or useful, or something in-between. Since quality receivers will all do an adequate job with the audio/video processing, it's these ancillary features that will ultimately guide you to a specific decision.
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