Need Yamaha Receiver audio settings help!!

[Shake The Rug]

Just got a surround sound system with a Yamaha RX-V559 receiver. Would love some answers to these questions. Anyone who has the time, I would very much appreciate it.

1) What's the best audio setting to use for live concerts? The "music" setting or "standard" surround?
2) If a dvd offers a dts audio option, should I use it? Is that the ultimate setting you want?
3) Please check me if this is correct - The "standard" setting plays audio equally through all 5 speakers. The "music" setting uses the front left and right speakers as the primary speakers. The "movie" setting uses the center channel for dialogue and everything else for surround. The "standard" setting uses the front left, center, and front right speakers equally. Are these statements correct?
4) Is "extended surround" only if you have 2 speakers and not a 5.1 setup?
5) The lowest volume level on the receiver before it goes mute is -80db. Is it normal that you have to turn it all the way up to about -40db before you hear any audio?
6) I always use the "music" setting when I watch dvd concerts, but I'm still not sure what the best setting is to use when I watch music documentaries like the Classic Album series which has both music and dialogue interviews. Advice?

Any other tips/help would also be great.. especially if some of you happen to find that some settings that are designed for specific things (movies, concerts, etc.) actually sound good for others.

Thank you!

[Wireworm5]

Just got a surround sound system with a Yamaha RX-V559 receiver. Would love some answers to these questions. Anyone who has the time, I would very much appreciate it.

I'll try to answer your questions but I have a different model with different names for settings.

1) What's the best audio setting to use for live concerts? The "music" setting or "standard" surround?

Myself I prefer the 'standard' on my receiver its called 6ch stereo. If the music setting sounds better to you than use that. My opinion is the music setting will sound better on dolby encoded material but could be wrong.
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2) If a dvd offers a dts audio option, should I use it? Is that the ultimate setting you want?

I always prefer the DTS track if available, its more articulate than Dolby.

3) Please check me if this is correct - The "standard" setting plays audio equally through all 5 speakers. The "music" setting uses the front left and right speakers as the primary speakers. The "movie" setting uses the center channel for dialogue and everything else for surround. The "standard" setting uses the front left, center, and front right speakers equally. Are these statements correct?

That sounds correct to me?

4) Is "extended surround" only if you have 2 speakers and not a 5.1 setup?

I.m not sure on this. My receiver uses the word enhanced and I take this to mean the same thing. I like using the enhances sound occasionally just for a different sound and as stated before sounds best with Dolby encoded material.

5) The lowest volume level on the receiver before it goes mute is -80db. Is it normal that you have to turn it all the way up to about -40db before you hear any audio?

This sounds similar to mind, my volume range was between -30 and -40. Presently I have an equalizer boosting the bass freq. and my volume range is usually -40 to -45.

6) I always use the "music" setting when I watch dvd concerts, but I'm still not sure what the best setting is to use when I watch music documentaries like the Classic Album series which has both music and dialogue interviews. Advice?

Well there is no right or wrong answer, whatever sounds good to you. I would guess though that movie mode would place the dialogue to the center speaker which might be prefered in some situations.
I find sometimes that I like listening to music in 70mm Spectacle mode. It gives the music that theatre feel to it and directs the main sound to the centre channel. This sounds good to me only if the recording is very good usually instrumental music.

Any other tips/help would also be great.. especially if some of you happen to find that some settings that are designed for specific things (movies, concerts, etc.) actually sound good for others.

Use what sounds good to you but don't be afraid to change the settings once in awhile and try a new sound. Sometimes it brings excitement back into a recording you've heard a thousand times to hear it in a new way. The good thing about using the av/receiver dsp is that even on stereo recording it'll still direct the bass to the sub. Normally this as far as I know only happens if the material is Dobly encoded.
Also I have all my speakers set to small and direct the bass to the sub. This gives me much better mid-range and highs even though my speakers are large.

Thank you!