? about Denon AVR's

[Mr Peabody]

My brother recently moved into a new house and when he hooked up his Denon receiver just using the analog inputs from his DVD player he could not get one channel to work. He could not find anywhere in the manual that talked about a Balance control. The store where he bought it told him the Denon AVR's don't have a Balance control, is this true? I told him to use the digital out and when he hooked that up the system worked fine. So if there isn't a Balance control then maybe an analog channel is out on the DVD player.

[markw]

My brother recently moved into a new house and when he hooked up his Denon receiver just using the analog inputs from his DVD player he could not get one channel to work. He could not find anywhere in the manual that talked about a Balance control. The store where he bought it told him the Denon AVR's don't have a Balance control, is this true? I told him to use the digital out and when he hooked that up the system worked fine. So if there isn't a Balance control then maybe an analog channel is out on the DVD player.

If it's a HT receiver, the "balancing" of the speakers is buried somewhere in the menus. It is on my 2802, anyway. Check the manual for this.

...dunno about their two channel units, though. Check the manual here too.

In any case, do both channels work on anything? Tuner, maybe? If so, then I'd be looking at the DVD player. Of course, it COULD be on the inputs of the Denon, but you could eliminate this possibility by trying another line level source through it. ..even a walkman with the proper cheap cable should serve as a test unit here.

[Woochifer]

Need to first figure out if the channel is shorted out on the receiver or the DVD player. Plug the analog outputs from the DVD player through another set of analog inputs on the receiver, and see if that changes anything. If not, then the problem is with the DVD player.

Unless you're using a DVD-A/SACD player, the DVD player will get connected digitally anyway. This allows the receiver's more advanced signal processing to work with the 5.1 soundtrack and create a virtual surround effect and make appropriate use of the receiver's bass management.

With the balance control, I would guess that there is a balance control somewhere in the menu system. If not, then the main channels would likely be adjusted using the same controls as the surround, center, and subwoofer levels. An AV receiver has to have some kind of channel level control in order to match the levels between all of the speakers in a multichannel setup. I seriously doubt that Denon would allow the user to adjust the levels for all of the other channels, but fix the main channels at a constant level. Check the manual.

[Mr Peabody]

His is an HT receiver. That is a good thought about the tuner I didn't think to ask him that.

Reading the manual is usually a novel idea to my brother but he says he checked to see if it had a Balance control but didn't find it mentioned.

[markw]

..for a 5, 6 or 7 channel HT receiver, "balancing" them (and the sub) obvioudly requires more than one potentiometer. There's test tones generated out of each speaker and you set the levels as the tones traverse the soundfield so they all seem equal to your ear (or SPL meter, depends).

If he's had the receiver for a while I'm surprised he never had to figure this out before. If it's new, he should learn to love his manuial. He's gonna need it. This ain't no vintage 70's receiver where most controls are intuitive.

Yeah, it's there in the menu system. Just have someone play Indiania Jones and dig for a while.

[Mr Peabody]

He's used the "set up" menu to adjust the volume of each channel but some HT receivers still have a separate balance control for use with stereo listening. Maybe manufacturers found this to be redundent and don't put it on there anymore.

[markw]

Two channel units, yes, but never seen a HT wit hone. Then again, I've not looked too hard for one either. Yes, it is redundant.

[Woochifer]

Two channel units, yes, but never seen a HT wit hone. Then again, I've not looked too hard for one either. Yes, it is redundant.

Actually, Yamaha receivers have had balance controls in the setup menu, as well as a -10 db main level trim setting. This is in lieu of including separate main channel adjustments in the surround/center/subwoofer level controls, so it's not redundant. Not sure if they've changed this with their THX and YPAO calibrating models.

[EdwardGein]

Try setting all the Db levels to 0 and the sub at plus 2. In your set up menu put the distance in og each speaker, try putting bass & treble to plus 2 for starters You will also have to set up the speaker size On your DVD player you'll have to set up the controls too. If you're nit ahppy with the levels I suggested then tinker with them but you have to start from somewhere. I personally was not happy with the test tone levels & SPL readings & so I made my adjustments based on how I heard the music not what some numbers told me.

In any case, from what you said, you better pay someone to set this up because it sounds like you're going to screw it up, nothing personal. I paid someone to set up my first receiver & someone on this board helped me set up my Denon receiver. Good luck

[topspeed]

What model does your brother have? On the xx03 models, I believe you can access the balance by using the Select nob and Tone Control button. Just cycle through. Like Mark and Wooch has noted, your brother should probably isolate the problem first before screwing around with anything else. It's a simple process and at least you'll know where the problem lies. In reality, as long as he's not using a universal player and requires the use of the analog connection, he's likely better off using the digital interface anyway. You've been in the game long enough to know how to set up the rig the right way, and unlike Hershon I'm not concerned that you'll screw it up.