Onkyo HT-S5400 - Page 2

I know this is the 5400 thread pardon me from posting.

i got the 5300 at amazon i think its the last batch of 5300 that they have. luckily it seems i dont have problem with flickering issues on my ps3, it runs smooth and flawlessly to my 5300. so far i'm still happy with my 5300 it's been 3 months since i own it and the usage is maximum. i think 5 hours is the less period of using it a day.

my only complaint is the sound in playing musics i always use stereo mode, but it's understandable for the price, the receiver is a stand alone you can upgrade the speakers if you want.

Just installed mine and the receiver has the exact same problem! Support says take it to service center (mine sat in box for over 30 days while we remodeled basement). Not happy . . .

Most of the "audio dropout" you guys are hearing is in THE SIGNAL you are using. IE - cable, netflix, etc and NOT the receivers issue. No audio source, whether digital or analog is going to be perfect 100% of the time. Not even new blu-rays, DVD's, or CD's as they are STILL subject to recording imperfections, normal disc transfer error, etc. HENCE why Onkyo wont do anything about it. The actual receiver issues were in the OLDER Onkyo HTIB's and they were recalled for their issues.

I'll add my two cents. Been running mine for a few days now. As far as sound goes, it's great! For $360 from amazon it's a killer deal and ideal for most people who can't afford a $2k system.

On the other hand, for other users, I have a few questions (I have a seperate thread on this but I figured I would put it here too).


Relating to the receiver:
Every once in a while it will have a physical "click" coming from the receiver (like the sound it makes when it's turned on or a channel/setting is switched). The clicking seems to be random, happens without me switching anything and sometimes happens when I'm watching tv, a movie, etc. It is only ever a single click.
Is this normal just due to the channels switching for different things or something I should be worried about?
I've read in other threads to switch all listening modes to "direct"...but that doesn't make any sense because then you can't get any surround sound...it's just direct out of the front speaker...

Also, I have a macbook hooked up to it via a converter and hdmi. It is plugged into the "bd dvd" slot. When I try to switch listening modes via the "movie/tv" button on the remote only a few are available (multichannel, all stereo, direct, and a couple more). If im watching cable, many more options under that same button are available such as dolby, plIIx movie, etc. Is that normal?

Please help

All in all, a so far so good setup

If you're watching tv that click could be caused by sound modes changing... happens when some commercials come on vs. the show you're watching. As far as during the middle of a movie... are you referring to a DVD/BluRay? Or a movie through cable or netflix?

If its NOT a DVD or BluRay it is caused by signal change and is VERY normal. Nothing to worry about. Almost any interruption in the signal will cause that click. If its DVD/BluRay I have no idea what would be causing it except a hardware or firmware issue.

As far as macbook connection vs cable... the connection type will vary the listening options. HDMI and digital connections will have a lot more than ethernet or analog connections.

Thanks. I have not noticed the click with a dvd bluray. Only with cable, and sometimes when watching a bluray rip which is being played on my macbook through an hdmi cable connected to the macbook via a minidisplayport adapter.
I have also noticed the click sometimes when playing music from my macbook via a 3.5mm headphone too RCA cable.

For the listening types, my cable box is hooked up via hdmi and so is my macbook (but has the adapter), yet the modes under "movie" are different for both...does that make sense?

Like I said, I am new to all this so I don't what what connections are supposed to do what, make what sounds etc. Slowly learning (and I am super anal, so that doesn't help with stuff like the clicking...)

No problem... I'm pretty new to HT's as well but I've done a little research on AV stuff even before I joined this website. What I always find is that no matter how much you know, there is ALWAYS something else to learn.

Anyways, I have owned my Onkyo for almost two years and it does the same thing with cable signals or any signal that gets interupted. I'm pretty sure its nothing to worry about, just the AVR changing the signal. (Ex. Most HD shows are broadcasted in dolby 5.1 vs. the commercials would be in stereo or something lesser so the AVR would have to change the listening mode automatically in order to compensate for the difference.) Hope that makes sense.

The macbook output is an analog signal (3.5mm to RCA) even if its converted to hdmi for input to the AVR so it would definitely not have the same listening modes as say a DVD or BluRay which are digital and likely 5.1 or better. DVD's and BluRays are also played off of a disk which is going to remain a continuous sound format during its play vs. a computer recording or digital media copy that has been butchered through the internet and its unpredictability can EASILY have spikes, interruptions, changes in format etc.

Hi,

I was going to purchase the 5400 system off of Amazon as well, but I noticed that the SPECS they have on AMAZON are different from The ONKYO website. Amazon says 80WATTS/CH and I think the ONKYO Site says 130WATTS/CH. Is the Amazon one an older model or just a spec error. Can anyone confirm the Specs on the model being sold off Amazon for $360? Thanks in advance for the help!

The Onkyo website specs are watts per channel based on a 6 ohm load. 8ohm loads will have different wattage outputs. As far as Amazon ads, they are changeable by the vendor selling the item and they can post whatever they want. The amazon ad DOES say 80 watts per channel at an 8 ohm load but I'm not sure if even that is accurate. Most speakers are rated at 8ohm loads but I'm also not sure how to convert an accurate 6ohm wattage rating into 8 ohm. Someone else will have to chime in on that.

I DO know that the Onkyo S5400 HTIB model I purchased for my father-in-law off from amazon was what it was supposed to be and is making him very happy.

Hope that helps

-Nate

I'm inclined to say its 80 watts. 120 is quite a lot for an htib avr

These are 6 ohm speakers, therefore the wattage is higher. Less ohms, less resistance. I am purchasing this unit next week. Can anyone recommed speaker wall mounts for these? I heard from reviews that they are larger than most satellites but I don't want to fork over like 30% of the price of the HTIB just for decent mounts if I don't have to.

I just purchased this HTIB and got it set up. It sounded great after setting up with the Audessy mic, for a few minutes.

I hooked up everything as stated below. I ended up completely cooking a MOSFET on one satellite receiver within 10min of being powered on. I thought initially the satellite receiver may be the problem. I disconnected and hooked up my backup satellite receiver only to have it start cooking also within minutes, I was able to save it. Prior to this there was no issues with either satellite receiver.

everything else seemed to work fine.

would this be an issue with the Onkyo receiver itself sending voltage OUT through the component in ???

for now, I've hooked everything up through my tv inputs and only went out from the tv to the Onkyo with an RCA cable to get some illusion of surround until I can get this sorted out.

just so I am clear that I did hook this up correctly.

I have

1 sat receiver going to component video in
1 sat receiver going to composite audio/video in
1 wii going to composite audio/video in
1 bluray player to HDMI 1 in

one HDMI out to TV
one composite (rca) video out to TV
one component video out to TV

the 'out' on the Onkyo are the cross hatched banks

Thanks for your input.. hopefully it's not the receiver and just something I've connected incorrectly

Hi crashxxx, how is the audio connected for first sat (bold)?

sorry, missed that ... it is composite (rca)

Can an owner tell me if I can use speaker brackets (of some kind) to hang the surround speakers? Or, is the only option a keyhole on the back of the speakers like in the 3400?

I'd like to use brackets so that I can angle/direct the speakers where I want them to be.

Thanks!

they have the keyhole type hanger on the rear

Thank you crash...
Do you think it is possible to take the keyhole off and screw in a purchased bracket?

Bought mine for 368 at Frys. I didn't feel like price matching the 8 bucks at amazon. My inputs include a htpc dish VIP211 and Xbox360 .My output is hooked to a splitter for the 42 inch and the projector in the living room. Was very frustrated initially due to sound clipping black color distortion on the LCD and at points total signal loss. I turned off the hdic or whatever the hdmi function is and reset the dish receiver and it works flawlessly even with the powered splitter. Watched gladiator and heard growling animals and things I've never heard before.

Update: turning "deep color" off in my 210's settings did the trick. Handshake issue done.

Also, I think the sudden level decrease of the sub may have been the result of a function the machine was actually designed to do. Perhaps some kind of energy saver gimmick that powers down the bass levels until a drastic volume change..?

Other than that, let me say that I have had this HTiB for 3 days now and last night man I totally zoned out on some Soundgarden laying on the couch listening to the 5.1 sound (I have not mounted the back surrounds yet as I am waiting for the brackets I ordered to get here). Just for comparison I had a piecemeal 5.1 in here before (which is going in the bedroom). A Philips receiver was running the setup that came as part of a limited run of 80GB DVD-RW/DVRs that came with their own receivers and 5.1 speakers. It was actually a great deal for lower quality stuff that did its job. However, I blew one surround and replaced the 4 satelites with JBL SCS200s and the sub with the dual 8" box from my Durabrand shelf system. It actually worked well all things considered but the limitations on it were getting distracting. The RMS power output and center channel sound were really lacking.

For my birthday my wife asks me what I want and I told her I had been eyeballing the HT-S5400 and I thought it hit the "sweet spot" for us on a soundstage upgrade.

At first impression, the all black finish looks great next to my black ST30 and 210. The large front and center channel speakers share the large dark woodgrain six foot long credenza with the ST30. The surrounds are mounted on some nice black metal stands and sitting at both ends of the long "L" of our sectional sofa. All the wires are neatly concealed.

The sub is tucked away in a corner. I definitely appreciate the 10" woofer but I wish Onkyo published the cone throw depth. The sub is new but sounds really good. Clean, deep bass. The 30hz sine wave sounded very smooth, very little warble that decreased to non-existent as the sub broke in. So far I am leaving the sub gain about halfway. The front speakers are large (5 1/4" drivers) and have good mid bass, as does the center channel. The AVR itself is a great matte black.

The sound is a great improvement from any home theater system I have ever owned before. It's is so much fuller and detailed, including the often overlooked but critical mid-bass stage of 80-120hz. The built-in crossover allows you to customize to taste where the sub leaves off and the full range drivers pick up. So far I have left it at 100hz but I may try 90 or 120 too to see how the sub does handling some mid bass duty. Or I may go like I do in my car, and drop it all the way to 80 (of course in there I have 2 8" dedicated midbass drivers handling the 80-120hz range but I digress).

The surround sound works well, really gives depth to it. I can't wait to get the rears in place and run the Audessey.

So far, I'm a happy camper!

OK now that I've had this thing for a few weeks:

I love it. For the price ($298 + shipping + tax), you can't beat it. I love the 7.1 setup. The extra speakers really add depth and volume to the soundstage.

I ran the Audessey calibration. Noticeable difference. Surround effect is more pronounced.

Tested the 3D pass through with Avatar on BD and it passed with flying colors. No handshake issues at all.

I find myself constantly trying to turn it on so I can enjoy the sound.

I liked this sytem so much that when my neighbor asked me to upgrade his living room setup for him, I ordered another 5400 for him, in addition to a 60" ST30.

I only have a few minor annoyances with this system:

1. The receiver powers down the sub volume until you turn it up or a bass heavy track begins. Sometimes, I turn it up to get the full bass levels to kick in and then turn it back down.
2. there is no upconversion of non-HDMI sources. For example, I'm running my trusty old PS2 to the AVR via component. The only way to get it to work is to run a separate component out from the AVR to the TV.
3. So far I have not seen an option to use more than one input with the same name. For example, I have a PS2 and a Wii connected via component and I can only select the "game" input level for one of them and I have to pick something else for the other (like VCR/DVD). I wish they gave the option of manually labeling the inputs.

Yes you can use brackets. I use these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...00_i01_details

I just removed the keyhole bracket and screwed these into the back of the speakers using the supplied wood screws. Mount looks good and works well, solid and more than holds the weight of the surrounds.

I believe you can rename your input settings to whatever you want. I rename my bluray setting to PC since I run bluray from an HTPC.

Oh really? I did not catch that in the manual. Can you share how to do this? There is no option to rename inputs in the 5400's setup menu. The only option you have is to assign names the receiver has available. So once you assign Game to a certain input, you cannot use it again for those inputs. So with a PS2 and Wii hooked up via component only one can be assigned the input label "game" and I have to choose from the remaining input lables for the second component input.

If there's a way around this, I'd like to know...

Sorry for the late reply.

You can reassign a different name by going into Setup, then scrolling down to "8. Setup Source", then scroll down to "Name". Then click right or left to view a number of different name selections. The list includes name selections for the Wii, PS3, and the Xbox among others.

wlamart... $10-$20 a pair and they work just fine if you mount them properly and securely. They aren't THAT heavy so nothing more is really needed.

Thanks for the info. I went with these:

Pinpoint AM 10 Universal Bookshelf Speaker Wall Mount - Pinpoint AM10

OK so for the record the bass issue is not resolved. It's so annoying because the issue is just subtle enough to be a royal pain in the ass to convince some kid from India that I really need a warranty repair/exchange. But, Onkyo's warranty policy seems pretty hassle free. I don't have to wait on hold and talk to a rep. I just print out the warranty form they provide and send the unit in with proof of purchase and description of the issue.
I know it's the receiver and not the sub. The receiver has a 24db boost/cut for the subwoofer output so the fact that the sub is self powered does not mean the issue has to be with the sub. I had the retailer send me a new sub and the same thing occurred. Then, I checked the new 5400 I ordered for my neighbor and his did not have the issue. THEN, to be really sure, I hooked his receiver up to my sub and the issue did not happen.
Process of elimination then would seem to point to the receiver as the culprit.
As much as I am going to hate losing my 7.1 sound for several weeks, it's worth it to get this fixed because bass is very important to me and this dull flat bass until you kick it up a notch to get it to "kick in" is unacceptable.

I didn't mean to be a smart ass at all... sorry if it sounded that way. I really didn't know much about mounts except that you could get ones for cheap if thats the route you wanted to go lol.

By the way... those you found look BAD ASS! Especially for the price. I might have to get some for myself. Let me know how you like them and how strong they are!

Just got mine yesterday, wow, for the price, you can't beat that. Sound's great, easy setup, tv menu is more then welcome.

Anybody know if these brackets will hold the speakers that come with this set?

Edit: I have to have a few more posts to posts URLs...