*Official* Denon AVR 2309CI/889 Thread - Page 60

what input signal is the receiver reporting? If your SACD player has the ability to convert DSD>PCM, it's possible the player is "auto-detecting" the supported audio format and just converting to multichannel PCM even though you have selected DSD.

Very well could be. I'm new to this SACD business. It displays multi-channel when DSD or PCM is selected. From your question I assume the 2809 and up display something other then that to let you know the incoming signal is DSD?

bare wire hooked up and got some occasional speaker popping and cut outs.
moved the wire and it cleared up. Must lave a stray wire somewhere that I can't see. Banana plugs are on the way

So, I just got an 889 from Circuit City. Got a great deal, but it didn't come with anything. So, I went to Radio Shack and got a power cord and downloaded the manual. But, I'm wondering if I really need the remote and/or the audessey microphone. Can I set this thing up without the remote (I do have a harmony 660 universal)? Also, I have some other microphones? Can I just use those? Or should I just buy the remote and mic?

clip, welcome. You can set it up manually but you would be missing out on a lot without Audyssey. And for that you need the exact model mic (see below) that came with it, listed on one of the first pages of your manual. Some folks have gotten very good deals on those off ebay, as bp has suggested. Read the Denon threads here, (the 1909 thread has the most info) and batpig's guide.
http://batpigworld.com/
Yeah that mic is the DM A409 and no don't bother with the remote. To get your codes for the Harmony see recent postings by bp such as: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...6#post15983196

so, no on the remote... I take it that with the proper codes, my harmony should be able to do all the setup options needed. And, yes on the mic... I found it on ebay for like $20 or so... Thanks for your help. I imagine that I'll be back here, as it looks like I'm just starting my journey with my Denon.

Yes Harmony can do all. Thanks for reporting back on the ebay success. I'm pretty sure you can do all setup operations with just the buttons on the front, so you can go ahead and follow the batpig guide for Manual setup now, then when you get your mic, read the Audyssey Guide (referenced on bp's site) and run autosetup.

I've had the AVR-2309CI for about a month now and I'm officially in love with it. I need some quick tips though if anyone has the time. Let me break down my setup really quick.

Motorola cable box, Denon DVD-955S, and media center all hooked up via HDMI to the AVR-2309. I'm using the HDMI out to my Panasonic 42PZ700U. I'm using a Furman Elite-15i for line conditioning of all components. I have 3x B&W M-1's and a Polk 10" sub (I know, I know, I'm saving to get rid of that piece of trash).

So my issue is this...I just hooked up the third B&W M-1 today as a center channel. I was constantly turning movies up and down during dialogue and action sequences to control the vast differences in volume. I figured having a center channel would improve things. However, now I feel like it's too *obvious* I have a center channel. Though the dialogue is louder I feel like it's thinner due to it's focus in only one speaker now. I feel like all of my sound is coming out of that one speaker. Nuances and background music in movies come out of the L/R like they're supposed to, but I feel like the sound lacks synergy across all speakers. I've run the Audyssey setup since I added the center channel and this improved sound a great deal.

I'm wondering what the optimum setting should be for simply watching TV or movies on the DVD player or media center? I'm new to multi-channel setups as you can tell. Should I just leave the AVR-2309 on Dolby Digital + Multi-EQ at all times?

I also listen to alot of music on my turntable and on the media center. Should I use direct stereo for this? I depend on my subwoofer for bass due to the small nature of the M-1's and direct stereo seems to shut the subwoofer off.

Believe it or not, I've found a scenario where the stock Denon AVR-889 remote is actually useful.

It is better than the remote provided with the Denon DVD-2500BTCI Blu-Ray Transport. The BD remote is slow to respond, whereas the AVR remote is spot on when it is set to Video mode and those big fat buttons actually make a little bit more sense when watching Blu-ray discs.

Yes, I know the Harmony is the way to go....but in a pinch...

"During commercials and non HD/SD shows you will most likely only see stereo 2.0 input and the display will read Dolby PLII (which takes the stereo input and simulates 5.1 surround)."

I'm definitely not seeing this happen. Do I need a full 5.1 setup or is my 3.1 configuration enough to achieve this?

the number of speakers you have is irrelevant to what input signal you are receiving. all he was saying is that, while most shows are broadcast in 5.1, on some commercials and on SD channels you will get 2.0 audio instead. whether you see PLII or STEREO or whatever depends on what surround mode you have selected.

In general, just hit the STANDARD button when watching a movie or TV show to engage the "default" multichannel option. This will put it in DOLBY DIGITAL mode if you are getting 5.1 content, and PRO LOGIC II mode if you are getting 2.0 content.

Perfect. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

With DD 5.1, the majority (roughly 85%) of the dialogue is directed to the center channel, therefore it will of course be "obvious" you have a center channel. This is why many would say the center speaker is the most important speaker in a 5.1 setup, and where the first upgrade is generally better served when just starting out with a small HTIB setup especially when someone is primarily interested in home theater surround sound (movies and TV).

Although not apparently an issue in your case, we've seen complaints from folks that have "weak" centers and "difficult to hear the dialogue" which can often be the result of smaller/lower quality bookshelf speakers that are used as a center and just aren't up to the task.

Thank you for your insight. I feel like maybe I should've gone one level up in B&W's line for the center channel. They have the VM1 which seems like it might be a little beefier than the M-1. All is not lost, I can repurpose this M-1 as a rear when the time comes.

I just feel cheated and the math doesn't add up for me. I added a third speaker so everything could come out of that one vs. being split even over the L/R? The sound will probably be more full once I complete the 5.1 and I'll kick myself for thinking that. These M-1's hit for about $250 a piece at my local dealer so I'm having to buy in stages.

Thanks for the advice again guys.

You're actually better off having all (3) speakers identical, rather than someone that has an odd out (yet better quality) center speaker which might not be timber matched with the mains. As has been pointed out many times, it's very important that L.R, and C channels all be timber matched (usually same mfr). Seems like you're used to listening to predominently stereo music so it makes sense that the center dominance seems "unnatural" to you. The correct setup is what YOU personally find appealling. Some folks opt to NOT have a center channel for that very reason and just go 2.1 or 4.1. Also, it's doubtful that "the sound will probably be more full" once completing your 5.1 as the surrounds are not meant to be a dominant feature of the setup, mearly playing the occasional "rear" surround noises; (that is in regular DD 5.1 mode rather than 5 CH Stereo). IMHO you should get the 3.1 sound to your liking first and then adding the surrounds will be icing on the cake.

Have you tried flipping to X Channel Stereo mode?

Huh?

He means to switch to 5 CH Stereo mode to more evenly distribute the dialog across all 3 speakers.

But I thought maybe I missed a "firmware update" that added "X channel" mode.

Nah, seriously I figured that was probably what cm meant, jd, and you had already alluded to that in your response to the OP. I just thought barfly might need a clarification on the typo.

Excuse the extremely terrible picture, but I think if you all can see the setup then you'll understand a little more why the center channel sounds separate from the rest of the system.

My setup

It's turned on it's side like it's supposed to be, but I think it's positioned too low in relation to the L/R speakers. I'll try tilting it up a little bit and may bring the L/R forward to make them sound more prevalent again. Then re-run Audyssey. I'll also try 5CH stereo. For now it's in standard mode per batpig's advice.

Do things still sound bad after running Audyssey? It shouldn't sound WORSE with a center channel, but it will sound different.

Also, is this with all content? a lot of TV programs (i.e. News, prime time sitcoms) are predominantly dialogue heavy and almost all the content will come out of the center channel. Coming from a stereo setup where the sound was distributed by necessity to two, stereo speakers, these programs can definitely take some adjustment time to get used to the new central focus.

So don't make judgements off TV shows. The real test is a well-mixed movie soundtrack, so after Audyssey calibration you should pop in a flick and sit back (maybe crack a beer as SoM would suggest ) and see how it sounds....

Looking at that picture the acoustics (position and also being inside an enclosed shelf space) are playing a large part in the sound. If at all possible the center should be as far forward as possible (so the upward dispersion of the tweeter is not being blocked by the shelf above it) and tilted up slightly towards ear height.

Here's an experiment: Just as a trial run (maybe when the wife isn't home to complain) try putting that third B&W speaker on top of the shelf, in front of the TV. Re-run Audyssey (maybe just do 3 positions since this is a quick test run) and see if the speakers sounds good together when the positioning factor has been taken out of the equation (using the good ol' beer + movie test protocol).

Doubt it was a typo ... he was just using "X" to mean "5" or "7".


Center speakers generally sound better in the "vertical" position, however, most folks are not able to do this effectively and thus place them in a horizontal position in order to fit them below a TV or inside of a shelf.

Ohhh!
Thanks again, jd!

Wii Problem on 889. Hi. I am having an issue with Wii having sound and no picture when assigned to VCR input. I am using Wii composte cable to VCR inputs on back of 889 (left side of rear panel). Composite cable is connected to VCR video in with YELLOW and VCR audio in to RED & White inputs. I assigned VCR input 1-RCA to Comp-1, Video Select set to VCR, and Input Mode set to Analog. Addditionally, I have Satellite, DVD, and Xbox 360 coming in on HDMI and have HDMI to TV. These are working perfectly.

Funny thing is when i go into the Denon menu after selecting VCR input to show on TV, the video comes on with the sound, but goes away when I reselect the VCR input.

Can anyone help me get this problem figured out? Wife wants to use her WiiFit and would prefer not to run the Wii inputs to the TV separately.

Thanks.

[quote=
Center speakers generally sound better in the "vertical" position, however, most folks are not able to do this effectively and thus place them in a horizontal position in order to fit them below a TV or inside of a shelf.[/QUOTE]

My Infinity CC2 is built to be longways on a horizontal plane. the stand it sits on allows it to rotate on its long axis to point directly at the listner.

Hi using a Denon 889 and PS3 trying to stream MP3's using WMP.

When I had my "old" receiver hooked up via optical from PS3 I had no problems.

Now that I have HDMI from PS3 to Denon - I don't get any audio when I try to play an MP3. The PS3 has no problem seeing the media server, just no audio. I have a wireless set-up and 60GB PS3.

I figure it's a set-up issue but can't pin it down.

Help.

Do you have the correct block checked on the PS3 under HDMI?

Where in the set-up menu are you talking? Under the music menu?

Thanks.

The CC2 comes with a stand to sit horizontally on it, true, although that doesn't necessarily mean it sounds better that way, however, I was really referring to better quality center speakers. Horizontal center speakers can tend to get into frequency cancelling issues when moving away from the center sweet spot seating position.


I just meant to check the settings in general as I don't play MP3 files.

I don't know about the quality issue but it was a 200 speaker.

But I have another issue about set up. My AVR 2309 comestomorrow and my harmony remote the next day. I have a laser disk/CD player that I want to hook up. I assume that I would hook up the leads of the video, and RCA of the laserdisk to the vcr input and tell the Harmony when I want the amp, laser disk and tv to turn on all three. But then for CD only would I need to split the RCA inputs and run another RCA cable to the CD input and tell the Harmony to just turn on the AMP and Laser disk? Or is this unnecessary???