[slitka]

Hey all,

I just got my home theater installed. Everything is working great, except for one problem. I've noticed that the center speaker is not using the subwoofer I have installed. For instance, any type of dialog coming from the center speaker sounds super hollow because the subwoofer is not being used for the bass for people's voices. However, the subwoofer is working for ALL other noises except for anything that is coming out of the center speaker. Below is my equipment:

Front Left and Right: Infinity Primus P363
Center: Infinity Primus PC251
Rear Left and Right: Polk Audio T15
Subwoofer: Sony sa-w2500
Receiver: Sony STR-DN1080

Anyone got any ideas? Do I need to post any more information?

 

[wilbur_the_goose]

I think that It'd be unusual for any significant center channel audio to be routed to the sub.

 

[Philnick]

Hey all,

I just got my home theater installed. Everything is working great, except for one problem. I've noticed that the center speaker is not using the subwoofer I have installed. For instance, any type of dialog coming from the center speaker sounds super hollow because the subwoofer is not being used for the bass for people's voices. However, the subwoofer is working for ALL other noises except for anything that is coming out of the center speaker. Below is my equipment:

Front Left and Right: Infinity Primus P363
Center: Infinity Primus PC251
Rear Left and Right: Polk Audio T15
Subwoofer: Sony sa-w2500
Receiver: Sony STR-DN1080

Anyone got any ideas? Do I need to post any more information?

Have you set the center channel's speaker size to Small in the Sony's setup menus? Most AVRs will only send the low frequencies for a channel to the subwoofer if they are told that channel has a small speaker.

Some AVRs, like those from Yamaha, allow doubling of a channel's low bass to both the channel's own speaker and the sub, but that feature is generally only available for the "mains" - the front left and front right channels.

Otherwise, saying a speaker is Large tells the receiver not to send its low bass to the sub but to that channel's speaker.

PS If that channel sounds "hollow" as you say, it may also simply be out of phase with the mains and/or the sub, with its bass being reduced by destructive interference in the air. And check the distance settings in your AVR if you're not using automatic room correction, which usually adjusts those for you.

 

[liffie420]

Hey all,

I just got my home theater installed. Everything is working great, except for one problem. I've noticed that the center speaker is not using the subwoofer I have installed. For instance, any type of dialog coming from the center speaker sounds super hollow because the subwoofer is not being used for the bass for people's voices. However, the subwoofer is working for ALL other noises except for anything that is coming out of the center speaker. Below is my equipment:

Front Left and Right: Infinity Primus P363
Center: Infinity Primus PC251
Rear Left and Right: Polk Audio T15
Subwoofer: Sony sa-w2500
Receiver: Sony STR-DN1080

Anyone got any ideas? Do I need to post any more information?

I am not sure what you mean by the sub not being used by the center channel? As someone mentioned make sure you have all your speakers set to small in the set up menu, also what is your crossover point for your speakers? You might have it set low enough that there just isn't anything to send to the sub.

 

[HarleyRider]

Go into the Speaker Settings menu and double-check the settings for Size and Crossover for the Center speaker. Size should be set to Small and the Crossover I'd probably set at 100 for a starting point with that center. It's only spec'd to go down to 80Hz, so if your center crossover is set at 80 currently, you could be losing a little sound there. Bump the center's crossover setting up to 100Hz, maybe even try 120.

 

[dpc716]

The purpose of the center channel is to "anchor" dialog to the screen. If your sub is behind you, next to you, or a significant distance from the screen, and you set the crossover for the center high enough for the sub to reproduce dialog, you will lose that effect. In other words, you'll see people talking on the screen, but the voice will sound like it's coming from somewhere else. Most people don't like that. The sub would have to be very close to the screen, and reasonably far from you, to retain that anchoring.


As others have mentioned, the "hollowness" might be for other reasons. I would check the settings, and make sure the center is pointed as directly at you as possible. If you can take measurements, all the better.

 

[RayGuy]

Is the center inside a box of some sort (i.e. a shelf with four sides)? If so, pull it out and set it on top of the shelf, in the open, slightly hanging over the front of the cabinet. Raise/lower the front so it points directly at your seated ear level. Set the speaker to small and cross over at 100, or bump to 120 if it still sounds tinny.

 

[Kini62]

Hey all,

I just got my home theater installed. Everything is working great, except for one problem. I've noticed that the center speaker is not using the subwoofer I have installed. For instance, any type of dialog coming from the center speaker sounds super hollow because the subwoofer is not being used for the bass for people's voices. However, the subwoofer is working for ALL other noises except for anything that is coming out of the center speaker. Below is my equipment:

Front Left and Right: Infinity Primus P363
Center: Infinity Primus PC251
Rear Left and Right: Polk Audio T15
Subwoofer: Sony sa-w2500
Receiver: Sony STR-DN1080

Anyone got any ideas? Do I need to post any more information?

Voices should never be heard coming from the sub.

 

[Alan P]

Voices should never be heard coming from the sub.

I would say "rarely" instead of "never".

i.e. Bane in TDKR, Max's intro in Fury Road, James Earl Jones in just about anything, etc.