Onkyo SC5508 Surround processor [No Price Talk] - Page 6

Originally Posted by JackBarry

I am interested in Purchasing the Onkyo PR-SC 5508. Does anyone have a good source other than Best Buy? Please PM me, I will appreciate your help.

Thanks

Jack

Originally Posted by Jamie Hauser

I would like to add a small (19 or less) LCD TV/Monitor to my setup so I don't have to turn on the projector when I listen to just music (I need to navigate some menus on some DVD-Audio disks). I would like also to be able to see the OSD for the Preamp when making adjustment. Would it be best to use the HDMI Sub Out to feed the monitor and if so what would be the setting in the Monitor Out menu and what should I be looking for in a LCD monitor? The projector accepts a 1080p/24 signal from the HDMI Main Out; does the LCD monitor have to match that from the HDMI Sub Out? Or could I just use the composite video from zone 2?

Thanks

Originally Posted by pepar

Apologies for the cross-post ...

Anyone perform an Audyssey Pro calibration on their 5508?

Originally Posted by Johnla

Even though Audyssey has said the 5508 is capable, it's pretty unlikely anyone has done it. Onkyo has not yet released the firmware for it,

Originally Posted by Hammie

My BB did not carry them. Told me they were getting out of carrying Onkyo because they were too commercial...

Anyway, I think G&G Technologies and Summit Audio & Video are a couple decent places online. Or you can do as I did and e-mail the Onkyo Pro distribution for your area. They will let you know who the Onkyo Pro dealers are in your area.

At that point, contact the dealers and make an offer.

Originally Posted by JackBarry

Lou, thanks for the info, however I wasn't able to find a site for either of the dealers. Would you have a link or contact number?

Thanks again

Jack

Originally Posted by JackBarry

Lou, thanks for the info, however I wasn't able to find a site for either of the dealers. Would you have a link or contact number?

Thanks again

Jack

Originally Posted by pepar

Apologies for the cross-post ...

Anyone perform an Audyssey Pro calibration on their 5508?

I am very interested in hearing any comments regarding what gear you had before the 5508 (hopefully a predecessor model), how the 5508 compares to it sonically and ... most important ... what improvements did you hear with the Audyssey Pro calibration?

Thanks!

Jeff

Originally Posted by bioforce

Thanks Hammie for the mention.

I'd be happy to help any AVS members.

Originally Posted by Hammie



I have been advised since the Pro calibration does 32 points, it doesn't make sense in a room of my size (11x15) and with the couch against the back wall.

I have done the 8 point and really feel between that and the Dyn EQ, my HT experience is off the charts!!!

Originally Posted by pepar

Yes, the guidelines still apply to Pro wrt where to/to not measure, i.e. not close to a wall, .5m/24" minimum spacing between measurements, etc.

Can you expand a bit on "off the charts?"

Jeff

Originally Posted by Hammie

Sure, I'll try.

I guess by "off the charts" I mean that it is far more enveloping now. I feel the surround channels are much more active than when I had my Denon 3808 running.

They just seem much more detailed than before. I have read that because of the Dynamic EQ the surround channels are better calibrated. I am not sure how Denon implemented MultEQ XT, but the difference between it and the MultEQ XT32 seems to be a big difference, IMO.

After doing the Audyssey calibration, I level all channels with an SPL, so I know that my rear channels are not any higher than before. I have always had everything set to 80db with the sub at 83db on my SPL. So there is no difference between calibration other than the version of Audyssey.

On another note, I need to do some more playing around and testing because when we watched How to Train Your Dragon last night, the audio kept varying from loud to quiet within scenes. I need to try another TrueHD movie and see if it is an issue with that codec or not. I have not noticed this issue with any DTS Master HD encoded movies.

Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Originally Posted by pepar

I am curious as to why you used a sound meter to change the channel levels? The mic and software in Audyssey are far more accurate.

Originally Posted by craig john

Hi Jeff,

Why do you think the Audyssey mic and software would be more accurate for setting *levels* than an SPL meter? Audyssey measures the levels on the first chirp, so it's measured *before* any EQ is applied. Certainly the EQ could add or subtract some signal level, and I don't believe Audyssey re-checks the levels after it performs the EQ, so checking them with an SPL meter after Audyssey doesn't seem like a bad idea.

If the SPL meter reads all the speakers at the same 80 dB, how would that not be "accurate"? I can see that the SPL meter might not be as accurate for the subwoofer level due to it's inaccuracy at low frequencies, but measuring the same "noise" signal from all the speakers and setting them to 80 dB sets them all the same, which is what is important for calibration purposes, right?

Thoughts?

Originally Posted by pepar

Craig,

I just trust the Audyssey test sweep, mic and algorithms to produce a better channel balance than the band-limited noise produced in the receiver/processor and a cheap sound level meter. This is especially true for balancing the sub and mains.

Jeff

Originally Posted by pepar

I am curious as to why you used a sound meter to change the channel levels? The mic and software in Audyssey are far more accurate. If you had posted that you changed the channel levels by EAR because you like them different than the calibration set them, I would understand.

Jeff

Originally Posted by Johnla

Unlikely that it will work on a 5508 until Onkyo specifically adds it to the firmware. That fact that the DHC80.2 has it, really means nothing in relation to the Onkyo 5508.



And just what do you think the reason maybe is for those differences in the files? Those differences in the files between a 80.2 & the 5508 firmware, may be all that it needs to prevent or enable it. Last year the 80.1 had the option of Audyssey Pro, and the 5507 did not. Onkyo did something to prevent the 80.1 firmware from being applied to the 5507 to enable Audyssey Pro on a 5507, so it's very likely are also doing it with the 5508 also.

Originally Posted by Hugo S

Hi,

I've just finished a Pro calibration of the (European) Onkyo PR SC5508 I have.

Now I wish to publicly thank here Audyssey's Luke and Chris who were of a particular and very appreciated help in this matter.

Hugo

Originally Posted by LarryChanin

Hi John,

This posting may be of interest.

Originally Posted by LarryChanin




I know, I know its just a European model and doesn't prove that we North Americans will be able to do a Pro calibration.

Originally Posted by Hugo S

Hi Larry,

The Pro calibration was done through the network connexion... and the mic has to be connected in the PC input in the back (not in the front as with a Denon A100, I previously had)... and there is an "Auto Power Down" function "On" by default on European versions... which eventually powers off the 5508 in the middle of a Pro calibration, so... I had to restart everything from scratch...

Anyway, yes there was a slight complication during the process, but Audyssey did solve this case very, VERY efficiently. And I'll add, it was made in a way, that simply does not exist on our side of the Atlantic...

Now it's a bit too early to give some definitive conclusions, but I'm really happy with the first listenings I made... and yes 9.2 A-DSX is great!

Hugo

Originally Posted by pepar

Thanks. An ethernet connection between PC laptop (running MultEQ Pro) and Onkyo/Integra gear (instead of USB-to-serial) has been the method for a generation or two.

Jeff

Originally Posted by Kris Deering

Hmm. I did it again yesterday and still had no issues via RS-232. I select Integra AVR 2 I believe and it asks for the IP address and done. No Ethernet connected at all to the laptop I use.

Originally Posted by LarryChanin

Hi Jeff,

Here's a quote from Kris Deering in the Integra DTC-80.1 thread.

Larry

Originally Posted by pepar

Thanks, maybe I need to do more research. I know I read that ethernet was used to connect Pro and laptop to receiver/processor. I'll see if I can find the post or link.

Jeff

Originally Posted by fitzcaraldo215

I tried that with the RS-232 and it just did not work - immediate communications time out. I have a 9.8 on hand, and the cable worked just fine into that under "Integra AVR". So, its not the USB/RS232 cable or my PC.

If we have any network guys out there, correct me if I am wrong, but an IP address just would not apply to a USB/RS 232 connection from the computer. Ergo, it seems to need the ethernet and that's what Audyssey told me. Both "Integra AVR" and "Integra AVR-2" got the communications timeout immediately into the 80.1 via RS232.

Are you on the latest 80.1 firmware? I am.

Originally Posted by pepar

Post from Chris ...

Originally Posted by audyssey

You need to hook up the mic in the room to the mic preamp and then the output of the mic preamp needs to get to the input of the AVR. You also have to connect your laptop to the AVR via the supplied USB to Serial cable (Denon) or via Ethernet (Integra).