New hi-fi set up not happy with sound...

[thomaswarne]

I decided to finally upgrade from my horrible cd player and bought a DENO-PMA720 amp and DENO-DCD720 and also a PROJ-ESSENTIAL turntable. Having got everything setup, I'm not happy with the sound at all. I'm new to this and wasn't sure what to expect sound quality wise, but there's no depth to the sound. I have the bass setting to almost maximum all the time, and even then it's not enough really. I'm using some old speakers of my dad's they are Heybrook Heylette speakers. I wondered if perhaps the speakers were the problem. I have some decent Atacama speaker stands and I bought some decent enough speaker cable from a local shop. Does anybody have any idea what the problem might be? Thanks for your help in advance. Tom

 

[visionary]

Hi Tom

Worth double checking that you have both speakers connected in phase. If one has polarity reversed that could give the sound you describe

 

[thomaswarne]

Hello, thanks for your response. I'm sorry, but I don't know how to check for this!

 

[matt49]

For both left and right speakers, the positive terminal on the amp must be connected to the positive on the speaker and likewise with the negatives (obviously).

Matt

 

[thomaswarne]

Okay, I'm pretty sure that is the way I set it up, I will check. If not, any other ideas?

 

[thomaswarne]

The connectors on the back of the speakers have black and red connectors. Two red, two black. Reds at the top and black at the bottm, do I use one red and one black on say the right side, or one from each side? If that makes sense...

 

[SolarGlider]

Each speaker cable will go to a certain side, the amplifier describes it as speaker L and R. R goes to the speaker when sitting in front of the speakers on your right and the other one left obviously. You will connect each cable either to the bottom part of the terminal or only the upper part. Upper part will give emphasis on highs and mids while the bottom part will give emphasis on the lower spectrum.

 

[abacus]

It sounds like your speakers are designed to be bi- amped, and links will need to be inserted for use with a single amplifier. (Each speaker must have its red terminals connected together and its black terminals connected together)

WARNING: Under NO circumstances must you ever connect the red & black terminals together as it can cause serious damage to the amplifier.

Hope this helps

Bill

 

[Crocodile]

As Abacus said, sounds link the original liks are missing. If so, you can either cut short lengths from the ends of your cables to make links or just strip back more of the insulation so that it passes through the eye of one post & reaches the other.

 

[davedotco]

You need to determine whether your system is operating correctly or not, get someone who knows what he is doing to have a quick listen and check that everything is as it should be.

Should take about 5 minutes.

 

[matthewpiano]

Alternatively, if you don't know anyone who can provide this help, post a photograph showing your wiring at the back of the speakers and one showing the rear of the amp and we can advise.

The Denon combo is very capable so don't panic at this point.

 

[John Duncan]

Alternatively, if you don't know anyone who can provide this help, post a photograph showing your wiring at the back of the speakers and one showing the rear of the amp and we can advise.

+1

 

[thomaswarne]

Thanks for all your help guys! On the back of each speaker the red and black terminals have a piece of metal (?) connecting them... is that right? I tried swapping the + and - cables today and it sounded pretty much the same, no noticable difference.

 

[thomaswarne]

I tried to upload some photos but it didn't work, I'll keep trying

 

[thomaswarne]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153030003795313&set=a.10150267567455313.473306.661465312&type=3&src="https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash4%2F1000729_10153030003795313_2017728470_n.jpg&size=720%2C960"

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153030003855313&set=a.10150267567455313.473306.661465312&type=3&src="https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-prn1%2F557315_10153030003855313_1225347470_n.jpg&size=720%2C960"

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153030003850313&set=a.10150267567455313.473306.661465312&type=3&src="https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-prn2%2F988642_10153030003850313_253237402_n.jpg&size=960%2C720"

 

[Overdose]

Permissions?

 

[John Duncan]

Those links don't work for me - do you want to mail me at the mod address in my signature and I'll post them for you?

 

[thomaswarne]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1000729_10153030003795313_2017728470_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/557315_10153030003855313_1225347470_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/988642_10153030003850313_253237402_n.jpg

Finally! Sorry for being a pain! This should work...

 

[davedotco]

Thanks for all your help guys! On the back of each speaker the red and black terminals have a piece of metal (?) connecting them... is that right? I tried swapping the + and - cables today and it sounded pretty much the same, no noticable difference.

The two red terminals and the two black terminals are linked, correct? Speaker wire to one red and one black, correct?

Put some music on an modest levels, tone controlls flat and listen to each drive unit in turn, just to make sure everything is working.

OK then, with the tone controls flat play some music a normal listening levels, check that it sounds the same left and right, if it does, try and describe the sound and what it is about it that you do not like. Also what sort of setting is the volume control, also how does this relate to the levels you would like to achieve.

Difficult to put into words bet do the best you can.

Just seen your photos, looks correct to me. Proceed to checking the drive units as above.

 

[John Duncan]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1000729_10153030003795313_2017728470_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/557315_10153030003855313_1225347470_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/988642_10153030003850313_253237402_n.jpg

Finally! Sorry for being a pain! This should work...

OK, those look OK. Have you tried CDs as well as vinyl, and do they sound the same? Is the turntable plugged into the 'phono' input?

 

[matthewpiano]

OK, I've found a picture of the back of some Heylettes. Looking at the image it looks as though the top two terminals on each speaker are marked in red and the bottom two are marked black.

If I am correct about the above on each speakers:

The top two terminals (both red) should be connected to each other by some sort of link, be it cable or metal links.

The bottom two terminals (both black) should be connected to each other by some sort of link, be it cable or metal links.

For the left speaker plug one end of the speaker cable in at the amp end. If your cables have plugs on the end one will be red and the other black. Make sure the red on is plugged into the Left red (+) terminal on the amp, and the black one is plugged into the Left black (-) terminal on the amp. (You should be using the set of terminals marked 'A' on the amp which are the bottom four). At the speaker end (provided you have plugs on this end as well) plug the red plug into either of the red terminals on the speaker, and the black plug into the black terminal below it.

Repeat the same for the right speaker.

If you don't have plugs on the speaker cables, depending on the cable type one half of each side will be marked with a black or red line or writing and the other half will not have these markings. Use the marked side as the 'red' (positive) and the unmarked side as the 'black' (negative) and follow the same basic theory as outlined above.

Hope this is helpful.

NEVER allow positive and negative (red and black) cables to touch each other when the amp is powered up. To avoid this make sure the amp is switched off when making connections and make doubly sure that you have followed the connection instructions above. For example, DO NOT put both connections into terminals of the same colour at the speaker end. When red and black touch each other you create a short circuit and risk damaging the output stage of your amplifier.

 

[thomaswarne]

Turntable is plugged into phono, and is quieter than CD, but that's to be expected. Just tried a cd with the levels flat and it sounded tinny. I pressed in the loudness button and it made a difference, but still didn't sound full enough to my ears. Pushed the bass right up and it came alive a bit, but I feel like it should sound great without doing those things... The bass part of the speaker is working, but didn't seem that powerful. Is it possible that the speakers just aren't to my tastes? How much difference do they make? Could someone recommend some speakers that could make the difference to me? Volume level was at about a quarter by the way...

 

[matthewpiano]

OK, cross posted.

Pictures look OK to me, as long as the red terminal on the amp is connected to the red terminal on the speaker and the black termainl on the amp is connected to the black terminal on the speaker (ie. make sure the two sides of each cable are running to their equivalent terminals on the speakers).

 

[matthewpiano]

Turntable is plugged into phono, and is quieter than CD, but that's to be expected. Just tried a cd with the levels flat and it sounded tinny. I pressed in the loudness button and it made a difference, but still didn't sound full enough to my ears. Pushed the bass right up and it came alive a bit, but I feel like it should sound great without doing those things... The bass part of the speaker is working, but didn't seem that powerful. Is it possible that the speakers just aren't to my tastes? How much difference do they make? Could someone recommend some speakers that could make the difference to me? Volume level was at about a quarter by the way...

Speakers make more difference than anything else IMO. I've tried the Denon with a few. The Quads sound superb - great imaging and a very natural sound overall. If you want something a bit peppier, the B&W 685s work very well with it (though I found them a bit tiring after a while).

When Ed Selley reviewed the CD and amp in Hi-Fi Choice he used Mordaunt-Short Mezzo 2s. Having had those speakers in the past, I reckon they'd work very well with the Denon.

Would also be well worth exploring the Wharfedale Diamond 121s for something more affordable, but just make sure you get a pair with decent quality finish.

 

[davedotco]

From memory, and it is a very long time ago, the Heylettes are a refined, neutral loudspeaker that can sound rather polite and lacking in punch and presence, particularly with modest amplification.

You are driving them with a budget amplifier with limited power, you are not going to get a big sound with plenty of bass which appears to be what you are after.

Try and get hold of a pair of loudspeakers that offer a lot of 'bang for the buck', Wharfedale diamonds of some sort are the obvious choice, see what they do for you.