New receiver sounds really weak - any ideas?

[hybridauth_Google_113807282713730087876]

Recently purchased a second hand Pioneer VSX-321, really only needed it for the HDMI inputs instead of using a external box to split audio from an HDMI signal to use a chromecast with my old amp.

But upon using it there just seems to be no bass at all from the new amp, my old receiver is a Yamaha RX-V350 for reference.

My speakers are Wharfedale diamond 8.1's with some KEF eggs for surround.

The only thing that i'm not sure on that might need testing is I bought it from a european man, so the original cable is power lead is 15A/250W, all the cables I can find in the house are 5A/250W. Is it possible i'm not getting enough power to the amp and It's causing issues? Or have I just bought a bad amp......

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[f1only]

Did you get the manual with this amp? & do you have a subwoofer plugged in to it?

If not maybe you need to go in to the speaker settings in the menu & adjust them.

Acccording to the manual this AV is part of a system listed as Pioneer HTP-071 & its power consumption is 165 Watts so a 5 amp fuse should be fine.

Regards

 

[hybridauth_Google_113807282713730087876]

I have the manual but it's in Polish...
No subwoofer connected at the moment, but the speakers worse than they ever have before I got the subwoofer with several amps I've used before it.

 

[Samd]

Manual here

https://www.manualslib.com/products/Pioneer-Vsx-321-K-P-3081634.html

 

[rocketrazor]

Make sure the cables from the Amp to the speakers are the right way round, i.e. negative to negative and positive to positive. I made that mistake once before, it sounded awful. Swapped them the correct way round and hey presto, sounded great

 

[hammill]

Just to be clear, it is absolutely nothing to do with the mains cable. 5A is plenty

 

[Feral]

if you think a mains cable will make an improvement *biggrin*

 

[hybridauth_Google_113807282713730087876]

Even on near max volume the speaker cones aren't visibly moving (obvious vibration and sound)
The volume is high, but the sound isn't exciting or enjoyable, there is very little bass.

Whenever I've used the speakers with other amps there's been visible movement to the speaker cones at higher volumes.

There's clearly something wrong.....

 

[jmjones]

Have you checked the amp settings for any problems? Subwoofer cross-over points and the like? Might be worth running a set-up procedure from scratch.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Have you checked the amp settings for any problems? Subwoofer cross-over points and the like? Might be worth running a set-up procedure from scratch.

If that doesn't work, and if you've thoroughly checked out all the other possibilities, I would contact the seller and try to get your money back. You've bought a lemon and you need to get your money back.

If you bought the unit through a "popular internet auction website" (in my best BBC style no advertising parlance), check out their guarantee policies, but act SOON or you could loose your rights.
Remember Sale of Goods Act or whatever has replaced it, applies, with allowances, to used goods too. And since Poland is in the EU, EU laws apply too.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Make sure the cables from the Amp to the speakers are the right way round, i.e. negative to negative and positive to positive.  I made that mistake once before, it sounded awful.  Swapped them the correct way round and hey presto, sounded great

Doesn't matter as long as all +s are connected to +s, all -s to -s. The colour of the plastic on the wire won't hurt a bit. Even so-say directionally sensitive speaker cables still work connected back to front.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Just to be sure, can you get your hands on something basic like a DVD player you know works well with an HDMI connection?
Use this to test the receiver. If there's still no sound, it's the receiver. If there IS sound, however, it might be the settings on your source box(es).

 

[Series1boy]

Silly question here; are your whardale diamonds biamped? Basically, are there 2 wires + and - connected only and have you biamped the other connections on the speakers?

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Silly question here; are your whardale diamonds biamped? Basically, are there 2 wires + and - connected only and have you biamped the other connections on the speakers?

Good point.

And if so, have you remembered to set the receiver to recognise the fronts are bi-amped?

 

[Series1boy]

Silly question here; are your whardale diamonds biamped? Basically, are there 2 wires + and - connected only and have you biamped the other connections on the speakers?

Good point.

And if so, have you remembered to set the receiver to recognise the fronts are bi-amped?

another good point....*good*

 

[Series1boy]

And, if you have a subwoofer, are your speakers set to small in the settings, if not then try this.