Pre outs question

[SiUK]

Hello, got a question which could be bit daft but I'm in the dark so here goes:

On the back of the Marantz NR1504 there are two main pre outs. Can I connect these to a M-CR610 to use it for the front channels? Do I just connect with normal phono/rca cables? How does it work exactly?

 

[Crocodile]

Yes & yes.

The pre-out is simply a tap from the pre-amp stage & presents a variable output to another amp. Unless the 610 has a fixed gain AV mode you will have to match levels by firstly setting a reference point on the 610 that you can easily remember & then fine tune using the 1504's level controls.

On rotary controls 12 o'clock is often used for convenience. A digital readout can be set to more accurately match the 1504's level to start with.

Then when you want to listen to multi-channel you just set the 610 to the reference level chosen & control the overall volume of both amps from the 1504.

 

[SiUK]

Thanks very much. That worked. Took a while to get the best volume level on the 610 so that it matched the NR1504 but sorted. I imagine it may need tweaking according to what film is being played...could prove annoying.

Also, the issues I had previously with the Marantz remotes seem to partially work in my favour now - the volume buttons on all marantz remotes increase and decrease the volume on any Marantz component that happens to be on at the time. Also, the AVR remote switches the CR610 off and vice versa....if the AVR is off already and the 610 is on pressing the on button on the AVR remote turns it on and switches the 610 off...and vice versa. Yeah, PITA.

Anyhow, now, if I make sure that I manually turn on the all the Marantz units and manually set the reference volume on the 610 using the fascia volume up and down buttons it works okay as using the avr remote (or the UD5007 remote which has amp volume on it as well) controls the volume on both the 610 and 1504 simultaneously...and you see the volume bar increase/decrease on the 610 oled display and the numeric display on the 1504 as you press the volume buttons.

Oh yes, I watched a film called White Out on blu-ray to test it. it sounded excellent through the new speakers.

One thing I soon realised though was that the little Boston Acoustics speakers connected to the front channels of the NR1504 were still pushing out sound and were not actually silenced when using the pre outs.. which I understand but then I can't actually see a way to silence them without physically disconnecting them for the AVR's rear left and right speaker inputs. Perhaps that is the proper solution.

Anyhow, all very interesting for five minutes.

 

[Crocodile]

You shouldn't be adjusting volume on both amps. Once the 610's reference volume is set you then run the calibration on the 1504 to match levels. All volume changes should then be made on the 1504. Because the pre-outs are variable increasing the volume on the 1504 will also increase volume on the 610. Not sure how you're going to achieve that though unless one of the devices can be set to operate on a different IR code. Maybe you can pace something to block the receiver on the 610 once set up?

You will have to remove the original front L&R speakers unless there's an option in the 1504 to mute them.

 

[SiUK]

Ahh, got it. Understand now, thanks Crocodile.

So the ruddy remotes altering volume on both is still the same PITA problem. Oh well. Only other option (other than covering the sensor on the 610) I can see then is to actually get up off my arse each time I need to adjust master volume and manually adjust up or down on the front of the 1504. Tha'll be novel. Been a long time since I've had to do that. Pre wired remotes even. Very retro ;-)

--

wow. Strict profanity filter here. Don't think of ars[e] as being profane. I must be a crude fella.

 

[Crocodile]

It would be worh contacting Marantz to see if the code set can be changed on one of the devices to get round this. Some manufacturers offer the facility but don't necessarily document it. Could be worth an enquiry in the AV Receivers forum as well in case someone else has a solution.

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/home-cinema/av-receivers-3

Edit - using a smartphone/tablet app should solve the issue.

 

[SiUK]

Hello Crocodile,

I spoke to someone at Marantz about the remotes the other day as it was annoying me, and they said that their remotes don't use individual IR codes so that was that. Oh, and the chap also said I should try using the Marantz remote app on my smartphone, which I did. It was okay, and I enyoyed playing with it for a while, but I don't find it anywhere near as 'useable' as a physical remote and of course these types of apps drain smartphone batteries very quickly...well they do on my Galaxy SIII.

Maybe I'll looke for another tablet just for remote apps and music playback in the front room: I tried a cheaper import Ployer Momo8 tablet a few weeks back but aside the fact it was a return sent to me as new the battery life was abysmal...truly ridiculous, so I sent it back. But then it seems that most people's experiences are that smart phone and tablet battery life isn't great, unlike physical buttoned remotes.

I was going to wait a while before trying another tablet but I may just start hunting again just in case there is something useful about. I'll want one for playing music when I eventually get around to sorting out a NAS server - after I've finished ripping my music to flac - so having one for all the remotes in the front room would be handy...as long as it didn't need charging after every use, or even each day. Imagine how popular pyhiscal ordinary remotes would be if you had to charge them daily or every time you wanted to watch TV? I like all the tech, it's great, but it certaintly isn't as convenient as it should be. Well I think it's mostly down to wretched power issues.

 

[The_Lhc]

Err, I hate to be a contrarian (well I don't really) but actually you CAN'T use those pre-outs on the nr1504. What you need are discrete front left and right channel pre-outs, the nr1504 doesn't have those, it just just has stereo per-outs, which isn't the same thing, which will give you a combined downmix of all the channels mixed together, which is NOT what you want at all.

 

[Crocodile]

They are labelled as front pre-outs rather than just audio out so that would suggest to me that they are front L&R pre-outs rather than just audio out as you're suggesting. Although the online manual is of no use.

I did try to post a pic of the rear panel but the stupid forum resizing makes it pointless.

 

[The_Lhc]

Hmm, good point, I didn't spot that. That's... odd but also interesting. Ignore me then, guess if it sounds ok it must be fine. :?

 

[Groke]

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but I'm hoping someone here can answer this question (google can't!).

If I run a sub and pair of active fronts from this receiver, can I upgrade to 5.1 by adding three passive speakers?

thanks

 

[davedotco]

Assuming the outputs are Front left and right as discussed above then I can see no reason why not.

You will need some kind of level control on the active speakers though, most have them but some do not and some might not have the range to get the correct balance.

There will almost certainly be a level discrepency, this really is the only thing to watch as far as I can see as long as the speakers are a reasonable sonic match.

 

[bvrulez]

Hi, I also tried to use the pre outs on my Marantz 1504 with a pair of active Teufel Stereo M Speakers my girlfriend already had in her flat. Unfortunately, the level of both, the Marantz and the Teufel Speakers has to be very high to give a usefull sound output - so high that there is a distortion. Also, as mentioned before, the manual is not paying attention to the pre-outs at all. So I question if they are really usable.

Another problem is that since my TV is not able of HDMI arc I connected it via optical audio to the Marantz as written in the manual and should now be able to listen to the TV sound for normal cable TV input - not the cable HDMI on the Marantz (I am german, the TV comes via coaxial direct to the TV.) - over the input "TV audio" on the remote. But nothing happens, there is no sound.

I would appreciate any hint how to use the pre-outs correctly and how to set the output for the optical audio input.

Ben

 

[wilro15]

I have the Marantz NR1602, which I am guessing is similar. The Pre Outs work fine and don't need to be configured as such. They are designed to send the front two speakers signal to an external power amp - which I do to integrate into my stereo system. Not sure Pre Outs are designed for active speakers - I would have thought a regular line out (like Tape Record Out) would be used for actives. I don't recall if the Marantz has one of those though.

Regarding the optical from TV, check that your TV is actually sending data down the optical cable. Unplug it from the Marantz, is the end of it lit up red? If so, then the TV is sending a signal so the problem must be at the Marantz end.

My Marantz allows me to assign a digital audio connection to one of the inputs. So for example you can say HDMI1 uses Optical1 and HDMI2 uses Coax1 or HDM1 uses the audio in HDMI1. Check your amp menu settings for this.

 

[steve_1979]

...Not sure Pre Outs are designed for active speakers - I would have thought a regular line out (like Tape Record Out) would be used for actives. I don't recall if the Marantz has one of those though...

I use the pre-outs on a Yamaha AVR with active speakers which works perfectly in my system.

Pre-outs give you built in adjustable volume control where a line out has a fixed volume so you would need something else to control the volume if using a fixed line out.

 

[Jonmil]

Hi there. New to this forum. Just purchased an NR1506 and connected Sennheiser TR120 wireless headphones to the Pre-outs. No sound at all. also connected Auvio wireless headphones. Same problem. Wondering whether there's a problem with my AV Receiver or whether there's a setting I'm missing. Help would be much appreciated.

Jon