What to do about HT receiver?

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ProPerDoper

Active Member
I have three HT systems in my home. The one in my office only gets used for 2 channel stereo, and is driven by an older yet powerful Denon AVR-5600. The amp section of this outputs such clean, powerful sound to my Klipsch KSF 10.5's that I would never want to part with it.

However, I also have a great RC-3 center, with some great surrounds and think that maybe I should consider utilizing the room for full HT also.

So....do I invest in another HDMI HT receiver that will do both? Chances are that I'm not gonna be able to replace the high quality output of the Denon for 2 channel mode very economically. Or...do I simply pick up a used HDMI receiver for HT mode, and wire both to my speakers depending upon which mode I want to utilize?

Is there any potential harm to either receiver of damaging back-current if powered off?

Help me gather my thoughts here please.....
 
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Why do you even want HDMI anyway? Yeah I know it's the latest and greatest, carrying lossless audio and video one one cable....but if you like the Denon so much (as well you should BTW) just use it as it was intended...a killer 5.1 channel AVR. You already have the three most important speakers, just pick up a pair of surround speakers that you can live with and you're all set.
 
ProPerDoper said:
Is there any potential harm to either receiver of damaging back-current if powered off?
Click to expand...

I don't think it can be said with absolute certainty that damage will occur. But, it is NEVER recommended to connect two outputs directly to the same pair of speakers as you are considering.

A speaker selector used in reverse or a simple 4PDT toggle switch will mitigate all risk of damage to the amps (in this regard).
 
ProPerDoper said:
I have three HT systems in my home. The one in my office only gets used for 2 channel stereo, and is driven by an older yet powerful Denon AVR-5600. The amp section of this outputs such clean, powerful sound to my Klipsch KSF 10.5's that I would never want to part with it.

However, I also have a great RC-3 center, with some great surrounds and think that maybe I should consider utilizing the room for full HT also.

So....do I invest in another HDMI HT receiver that will do both? Chances are that I'm not gonna be able to replace the high quality output of the Denon for 2 channel mode very economically. Or...do I simply pick up a used HDMI receiver for HT mode, and wire both to my speakers depending upon which mode I want to utilize?

Is there any potential harm to either receiver of damaging back-current if powered off?

Help me gather my thoughts here please.....
Click to expand...
Actually there is. I've done it and I know others who have. I learned the lesson when I was a teen, so that mistake was excusable. Use a speaker switch in reverse, i.e. hook the receivers to the speaker side (one on A and one on B, or whatever is marked on the switch) then run the speakers from the Amp/Receiver/in connections. Set to "A" to listen to one receiver or "B" to listen to the other. No harm, no foul.

I'm a fan of HDMI, wasn't at first, but mostly for picture quality. However, I'm not of the impression you need to go that far.
 
Good Question

prisoners said:
Why do you even want HDMI anyway? Yeah I know it's the latest and greatest, carrying lossless audio and video one one cable....but if you like the Denon so much (as well you should BTW) just use it as it was intended...a killer 5.1 channel AVR. You already have the three most important speakers, just pick up a pair of surround speakers that you can live with and you're all set.
Click to expand...

5.1 is all I'm looking for, and I've already got good surrounds. The sound output on Prologic just doesn't come close to the incredible output on my other HDMI receiver downstairs, especially from the center and rears.

I must have a setting wrong somewhere. I'd prefer to simply use the esisting Denon...it's an awesome quality receiver.

Any thoughts on setting s to check???
 
ProPerDoper said:
5.1 is all I'm looking for, and I've already got good surrounds. The sound output on Prologic just doesn't come close to the incredible output on my other HDMI receiver downstairs, especially from the center and rears.

I must have a setting wrong somewhere. I'd prefer to simply use the esisting Denon...it's an awesome quality receiver.

Any thoughts on setting s to check???
Click to expand...

Just for the record, the difference likely has nothing to do with HDMI per se, but moreso what the two different receivers are capable of decoding and the types of matrix surround modes available, and possibly some setup issues as you mention.

I couldn't easily find a manual for the 5600 but it appeared to have Dolby Digital processing.

What are you trying to play back on it? If just two-channel stereo sources all that you're going to be able to get is a matrixed surround like Dolby Pro Logic et al. A newer receiver would have Dolby Pro Logic II which is a very nice step up from Pro Logic.

If you are trying to play some movies through the Denon but are not getting Dolby Digital, then be sure you have them connected via a digital connection and be sure you have the source (presumably a DVD player to play a movie) set to output bitstream, not PCM.
 
What he said! Having the settings correct is the key. The onscreen menus of Denon's AVRs are very easy to navigate as compared to most others manufacturers. Take your time, think about what you are doing with a clear head, and check from the beginning. You should have no problem playing a dvd in 5.1 through either the optical connection or the digital coax. Just make sure whatever disc you are playing is encoded that way...but pretty much anything released in the past 10 years is.
 
Thanks

prisoners said:
What he said! Having the settings correct is the key. The onscreen menus of Denon's AVRs are very easy to navigate as compared to most others manufacturers. Take your time, think about what you are doing with a clear head, and check from the beginning. You should have no problem playing a dvd in 5.1 through either the optical connection or the digital coax. Just make sure whatever disc you are playing is encoded that way...but pretty much anything released in the past 10 years is.
Click to expand...

Traveling this week but home tomorrow and armed with info above will check settings. Understand processor vs. HDMI, just using terminology for easy reference. (Old vs. New equipt.)

Running Bluray player via coax into receiver playing Transformers II

gotta board an airplane!
 
I feel both foolish, and elated all at the same time! :-)

Your advice was perfect...thanks. The Bluray player was set at PCM. Manual says select Primary Pass-Thru for connecting Digital Audio Out to a device with Dolby Digital, which the AVR 5600 has.

Wonderful results!

Last question: There is also a Sampling Frequency setting for Digital Audio Output. The three options are 192 KHz, 96 KHz, or 48 KHz. I couldn't find a manual online either, so I set it at 96 KHz as a guess. Anyone know how I might determine which to select?

Thanks for helping me though....great advice!
 
ProPerDoper said:
Last question: There is also a Sampling Frequency setting for Digital Audio Output. The three options are 192 KHz, 96 KHz, or 48 KHz. I couldn't find a manual online either, so I set it at 96 KHz as a guess. Anyone know how I might determine which to select?
Click to expand...

The receiver probably is the limiting device as to what it can accept. Other than that, I think it's commonly assumed a higher sampling frequency is better but that may not necessarily be true. Comes back to which ever you think sounds better.
 
No output on Bluray?

whoaru99 said:
The receiver probably is the limiting device as to what it can accept. Other than that, I think it's commonly assumed a higher sampling frequency is better but that may not necessarily be true. Comes back to which ever you think sounds better.
Click to expand...

First...I need to figure out why I can output digital audio on a DVD, but no sound output regardless of setting I try when playing a BluRay disc.

Any thoughts?
 
Try every digital setting from 48khz up on the Denon. Some discs have weird copy protection (Sonys are notorious for that).

Denon menus should also be checked, there may be 'more' than you think. Earlier Denons have many, many sub menus that are often 'counter-intuitive'.

Also need to check ALL Audio settings on the Blu-ray player to match the Denon.

That unit Denon probably maxes out at 96Khz.

If you could give us some ideas of what the menus look like on both units it might be easier to troubleshoot?

Perhaps Blu-ray sound has HDMI defaults on your player...? There are many possibilities here!

cnh2
 
Do you have the player also connected with HDMI to something else? If so, that can sometimes cause the player to try to output formats different than what the regular digital connection can deal with.

If yes, you could try disconnecting the HDMI and restarting the player to see if that does it. Or, check for any setting to turn OFF HDMI audio, or maybe see if there is a setting for secondary audio and try that either ON or OFF, whichever is opposite if what it is now.
 
Is that a Samsung Blu-Ray player by chance? They are notorious for having difficulty passing audio over HDMI.
 
prisoners said:
Is that a Samsung Blu-Ray player by chance? They are notorious for having difficulty passing audio over HDMI.
Click to expand...

It's an LG BD550. I'm running HDMI out to the TV, and coax to the receiver. Funny thing is that it will play the intro to the movie just fine, but when it gets to the actual Bluray audio output of the movie itself, nothing.

I need to take some time to see about menu selections on both the receiver and the player. Without a manual on the receiver, it takes some effort.
 
Does Denon's site archive that model or is it too old? I know they go back at least several years in their archives!

cnh
 
The settings for my LG BD550
HDMI:PCM Multi channel
Digital Output:Primary Pass-Thru
Sampling Freq:192k
DRC:AUTO
DTS NEO6:Off
This is going to An Onkyo with HDMI Video Switching only into a Panasonic Viera 50" Plazma
This ensures that decoding happens at the Onkyo digital input not via the HDMI. Some BD programs select DTS by default. If the Denon doesn't support DTS decoding this may be an issue so while in the BD disks menu ensure selecting dolby digital audio instead of DTS.
Hope this helps.
 
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ericzim said:
The settings for my LG BD550
HDMI:PCM Multi channel
Digital Output:Primary Pass-Thru
Sampling Freq:192k
DRC:AUTO
DTS NEO6:Off
This is going to An Onkyo with HDMI Video Switching only into a Panasonic Viera 50" Plazma
This ensures that decoding happens at the Onkyo digital input not via the HDMI. Some BD programs select DTS by default. If the Denon doesn't support DTS decoding this may be an issue so while in the BD disks menu ensure selecting dolby digital audio instead of DTS.
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Appreciate the help....

None of these settings provided a remedy. I suspect it may be a problem with the receiver as when I purchased it used (for a mere $75.00) I was advised that the video portion was having problems. My main objective was to use it for 2 channel stereo only, and in that capacity it has served me very, very well. It's an awesome amp.

I've since stumbled across additional H.T. component bargains, (a little hobby of mine) and thought I'd try it in H.T. mode.

The receiver doesn't seem to like the signals it's getting as it will go through all sorts of relay clicks back and forth from Pro Logic, to THX, AC3, etc.

I almost never use this room for H.T., but it would be nice to have the ability. I'll keep working at it....
 
Does your receiver handle DTS? Often, the types of decoders are listed right on the front panel.

Some brands in certain situations convert signals to DTS or maybe DTS is the only format on the disk. So, if your receiver won't handle DTS then you won't get sound in those cases.

That it plays the movie intro isn't necessarily surprising as the intros are often in a different format than the main movie.

Look for a setting in the player called "DTS re-recode". Try it in both settings.
 
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