New Sony DA2400ES - help! so many questions!!!

[roger06]

Blimey it's all got a lot more complicated since I last bought an AV amp - please assist - I need serious help!.

Blu Ray

Connected Sony BDPS550 to the receiver with HDMI (and component to the TV as the receviver doesn't seem to like HDMI in / component out).

I've run the auto calibration but it sounds awful - all I can hear is effects, dialogue and other music etc are really quiet the rears are totally dominating. I have Gladiator in the BD player and just want to output its DTS-HD Master audio to the receiver. The receiver displays 'Linear PCM' - shoulldn't it read DTS-HD or something?

I'm really confused by the buttons on the amp under the display - 2ch, A.F.D, Movie etc - and there's the 'input mode' button - what's the difference?

TV

When switching to TV (output from Pana plasma) I just get two channel which sounds awful - the old amp it replaced gave me Pro Logic surround - how can I get that?

Speaker Impedance


I've set the amp to 4 Ohms for the speakers as this is what the fronts are - the rears are 8 ohms - does this matter?

Thanks !

 

[d4v3pum4]

No amp can downconvert HDMI to analogue. You can do it via a converter such as this. However, why are you not using HDMI from the amp to the TV?

You need to set your BD player to 'Direct' (not mix) in order to bitstream the raw data from the disc to the amp for decoding. It sounds like you still have the player set to 'Mix' which is the default. You're still getting HD audio, it's just the player is doing the decoding. This is due to the limitations of bluray with regards to PiP, secondary audio mixing e.g. commentary etc.

AFD is the automatic setting which should effectively decode whatever audio is received automatically, so if a stereo signal is received it should mix it and give you a pseudo surround effect such as dolby pro logic ii.

Yes, you should set the amp at the lowest impedance rating of your speakers.

 

[roger06]

Thanks so much - am in the process of tweaking and have indeed changed to 'direct'.

- but while in the BD's settings there are entries in the audio section for Dolby Digital and DTS - each has options for 'Downmix PCM' or DD / DTS respectively - these were on downmix but I've changed these as well. Is that right?

 

[professorhat]

roger06:while in the BD's settings there are entries in the audio section for Dolby Digital and DTS - each has options for 'Downmix PCM' or DD / DTS respectively - these were on downmix but I've changed these as well. Is that right?

I'm guessing the reason you have the Sony connected straight to the TV via Component is your TV doesn't have an HDMI input?

 

[roger06]

professorhat:
roger06:while in the BD's settings there are entries in the audio section for Dolby Digital and DTS - each has options for 'Downmix PCM' or DD / DTS respectively - these were on downmix but I've changed these as well. Is that right?

I'm guessing the reason you have the Sony connected straight to the TV via Component is your TV doesn't have an HDMI input?

No it does. It's a year old Pana Plasma. The AV kit is not under the TV so I need long cables - when I bought the BDP last Xmas I couldn't stretch to a 5m HDMI so bought component instead.

Going to have to buy an HDMI though as I have to keep swapping the component cable from BDP to amp to change settings.

Have now got the amp decoding but right rear is really loud (sounds like the fronts) - and left rear is almost silent!

 

[professorhat]

Sounds like it's either not calibrated or the speakers aren't connected up properly - have you been through the Auto Calibration process as described on page 2 of the Quick Setup Guide?

 

[roger06]

Yes.

Both rear speakers are on the window sill behind my head. I put the set up mike where would head would be so about a foot from the left rear and perhaps 2 feet from the rear. The auto calibration had set the nearest (left) at -6.5db and the right at +6 db so no wonder there was such a difference.

I assume when you make manual adjustments the auto calibration is cancelled?

 

[professorhat]

Not cancelled, but to be honest, if your auto calibration is that far out, I would just set it up by ear for now and maybe consider getting yourself a sound pressure meter - they can be picked up for about £20 these days from the likes of Maplin. I'd check the distances it's set as well.

 

[d4v3pum4]

As Prof has said, you'll get it sorted by ear but an SPL meter (borrow one if you know someone with one!) will get it more accurate. The sound should be at the same volume to your ears at the listening position for all speakers.

A 5m HDMI cable needn't cost the earth. I can recommend these guys. It's cat2 so up to the job of 1080p/HD audio etc. and comes with a lifetime warranty and costs £20. You can't say fairer than that.

http://www.hdcable.co.uk/hdmi-cable-pro2.html

 

[roger06]

Thanks for the HDMI recommendation - I guess the really important one is the one from the BDP to the amp ? - this is a Chord one.

Sadly the web site you recommended doesn't work as it won't let me actually place the order!

 

[Big Chris]

Had a brief scan of the other posts, so if I'm repeating someone elses recommendation, I appologise.

Double check you've connected both of the rear surround speakers to the surround L & R terminals, not the surround back terminals. The surround back terminals are only for use in 6.1 or 7.1 set ups.

 

[roger06]

Thanks

Yes, the speakers are connected properly. Think I'll just have to tweak the volume levels manually.

What about getting surround sound on the TV input ? Is it just a case of selecting one of the sound modes to achieve this? - the manual seems to imply this but I'm not too sure...

 

[professorhat]

If you select Dolby Pro Logic mode, this will create a surround sound effect for stereo sources like TV if you want it.

 

[roger06]

d4v3pum4:
As Prof has said, you'll get it sorted by ear but an SPL meter (borrow one if you know someone with one!) will get it more accurate. The sound should be at the same volume to your ears at the listening position for all speakers.

A 5m HDMI cable needn't cost the earth. I can recommend these guys. It's cat2 so up to the job of 1080p/HD audio etc. and comes with a lifetime warranty and costs £20. You can't say fairer than that.

http://www.hdcable.co.uk/hdmi-cable-pro2.html

Wow thanks - that was a top tip! I ordered aforementioned cable on Weds and sure enough it turned up yesterday. I duly replaced the component cable and was stunned by the difference. Picture clearer and richer.

I'd largley dismissed HDMI before as tested one using the Chord one (that's now between the BDP and amp) and wasn't that impressed - but as it was short I had to hold the BDP near the telly to test it.

Thanks again for a great recommendation. Oh, and I reported a problem to them about their web site and as a thank you they knocked 10% off. Which was nice