Need surround sound help.

tsoperator · 12-08-2006, 10:16 PM

I'm a bonehead and am in need of some tips. I just bought a six speaker surround sound system. I got it all hooked up but it just isn't right.
I bought 16 gauge speaker wire due to the long runs, checked to make sure I was color to color. I ran AV cables from the DVD player to the "DVD" input on the receiver, I can hear audio(which is kinda weak) from the front speakers, but mostly buzzing/humming from the surround sound speakers(faint audio).

What did I honk up?????

notatallhappygolucky · 12-08-2006, 10:40 PM

???

If you need to double check your speaker wires you can use a 9V battery against the wire (disconnected from the amp) & have someone listen for the driver to "pop".

Beyond that you'd have to post a pic of the rear

Phishnoob · 12-08-2006, 10:44 PM

Make sure that you are keeping the correct polarity on each wire. If the wire is clear there will be some molded grooves and ridges and probably a silver and gold conductor in the wire. Make sure you always are consistent and make the stripe and grooves always go to ground.

Also, there are a lot of controls on the front and make sure you are truly in surround mode. I would unplug it all and hook up each speaker on A then move it over to the surround part of the set up. Just don't ever run your system without a load. Some systems can blow a fuse or fry trying to pump an infinite amount of current into an open circuit.

tsoperator · 12-08-2006, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phishnoob

Make sure that you are keeping the correct polarity on each wire. If the wire is clear there will be some molded grooves and ridges and probably a silver and gold conductor in the wire. Make sure you always are consistent and make the stripe and grooves always go to ground.

Also, there are a lot of controls on the front and make sure you are truly in surround mode. I would unplug it all and hook up each speaker on A then move it over to the surround part of the set up. Just don't ever run your system without a load. Some systems can blow a fuse or fry trying to pump an infinite amount of current into an open circuit.

Sorry, that's what I meant by color to color(polarity). So that's been checked. Good trouble shooting advice though. The reason I haven't done it is because both of the rear speakers were doing the same thing.

Hey happygolucky, both wires to both sides of the 9v? I'll post a pic.

Thanks guys!

tsoperator · 12-08-2006, 11:18 PM

OK, hooked up the FM and I get good audio through all speakers. DVD player and cable box have humming. Tried two different sets of AV cables(one set brand new). I have AV cables from the DVD player R/W out to the "DVD" R/W in. Input is selected to "DVD">

notatallhappygolucky · 12-08-2006, 11:35 PM

could be a ground loop. Don't get too excited though - it's a broad problem.

I hate to say ground the chassis together but that may be a solution. First I'd try taking a cheap ($3) power strip, break the ground prong off & see if the prob is gone. That's just to trouble shoot.

You may be getting a bad connection. Are you using RCA or Optical? If you're using optical I don't think GL probs are even relevant, if you're using RCA then you could scrub the connectors with alcohol & a toothbrush & then lightly coat the connector with mineral oil. I've heard that sometimes there's a residue but have never seen it personally.

Oh yeah ts, yes, touch the neg to one terminal on the 9v, the pos on the other. It doesn't matter, it will just charge the voice coil & force the speaker to move slightly in or out.

...R/W must mean Right Left or Red & White. Try the power strip or go optical.

GL

notatallhappygolucky · 12-08-2006, 11:44 PM

also make sure that you don't have the RCA (line level, analog) cable from the source to a (digital) coaxial audio port on the amp- that could cause problems too.

alaskaknucklehead · 12-09-2006, 12:02 AM

I gotta think somrthing is not hooked up right.
To confirm operation of all speakers - most recievers will have a "Test Tone" button, that will put a static signal to each speaker "one at a time"
Once I could confirm the reciever and speakers are working properly then I would backtrack where to where the problem is, making sure all connections are correct. Good tip on the RCA/Coaxle confusion. Assuming you do have image check your setup menus on both - DVD player esp. any "output" settings.

jenajet · 12-09-2006, 12:56 AM

The hubby is the one that does all this stuff and he'd kill me if I wake him up so I'll ask him tomarrow but I do know our tv interfered with the surround sound somehow. He actually had to go into menus and disable the sound from the tv and it started working fine. Sorry cant be more technical but if you are still having issues when he gets home from work tomarrow I will ask him.

tsoperator · 12-09-2006, 01:04 AM

OK guys, I'm going to triple check the connections in the AM and post up. What is killing me is that the FM tuner input works fine, so you would think it would be somewhere in the connection from the DVD player and the receiver, but that connection is so simple. I tried different cables, inputs, and also tried my cable box with the same result. I've had a few too many brewskies by this point so I'll continue with a fresh mind in the morning.

Hey happygolucky, it sounds like you're way too smart for me. I though only cars had chassis'.

Thanks for all the responses guys, I'm gonna go pass out now.

AdamG · 12-09-2006, 01:49 AM

can you just hook a fiber optic cable to your reciever from your DVD and a DVI or component cable set to your tv from your DVD and see if you get sound through your reciever when you watch a DVD?