Need some advise/tips on current set up.

[Hoenig]

Alright, here we go.

I have a Pioneer Elite VSX 90 TXV Receiver. I run a 5.1 set up. Forte II's as my fronts and Forte I's as my rears. I am currently bidding on a Academy center (that I shoud get). I also have a Klipsch RT-12D for my sub.

I watch movies from time to time and listen to a lot of music when we have people over. When I listen to music it seems like the EXTENDED STEREO sounds the best (iPod and Concert DVD's). Obviously, when I watch a movie I switch it to Dolby Digital 5.1. I play my movies and concerts off my PS3. I currently do not have a TV that supports HDMI/1080P. I run component cables for visual and optical HD audio cable for sound.

Any recommendations? I really do not have any problems as I think it sounds great. Although, It is overbearingly loud sometimes as the highs get pretty high. It almost is too much. I currently have my fronts turned down to -2 and my rears at +2. It sounds a little better that way IMO.

My music sounds good (loud and clear). I would like to get better results when it comes to speaker seperation. When I watch a movie, the effects (rears) do not make you turn around like some other systems I have heard. Any ideas? Anyone have experience with this receiver? Would you do anything different? Any thoughts and/or recomendations are appreciated!

[Chris A]

Although, It is overbearingly loud sometimes as the highs get pretty high. It almost is too much. I currently have my fronts turned down to -2 and my rears at +2. It sounds a little better that way IMO.

Can you describe your room dimensions (width x length x height) and where your speakers are located? If you have pictures of your room, that would be even better..

Chris

[BE36]

I used to have a similiar Pioneer with Forte II fronts, Academy Center and
RS-7 surrounds:

Properly set up your system should sound darn good and rock the room with bass even without a sub. Your system should give the average Local Mall MovieTheatre a run for their money and beat them when you are listening to Blu-ray.

Dimensions/pictures of the room would be a big help, but without them here is a good link to get the speakers in the correct location:

http://www.thx.com/consumer/home-entertainment/home-theater/surround-sound-speaker-set-up/

Have you run the Speaker Level Setup on the Pioneer? Or calibrated with a SPL Meter?

Are all the Forte Speakers in Corners? Have you tried different distances away from the Corner?

If Forte speakers are not in corners, and a correct distance from the walls, the bass will drop way off and the Highs will be too strong . . . .

Surround Speakers, not the fronts, need to be slightly above your head, getting Forte 1s above your head and in a proper corner will require a stand for the speakers or some type of low seating position, sunken floor etc.

Optical for Dolby can get too much jitter on the higher bit rate Blu-ray disks, I switched to the Analog outs on my Blu-ray and got better sound on the high bit rate recordings. 24bit by 48Khz is where you start notice the difference.

Besides the potential setup issues the highs can be tamed by a warmer processor or seperates amps. This is higher cost solution the above are near zero cost and could make huge improvements.

[Hoenig]

BE36: I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I appreciate your comments.

My current set up (although waiting on my Academy in the mail) sounds AWESOME. I have all the bass I would ever want from my sub. Mu current set up is like what you have in the picture although my rears are a little more behind my listening position. Not too much, but definately not to my "side". My sub is positioned in the back of my room. My fronts and surrounds are currently on the ground. I like your point about getting the Forte I's off the ground, I may try that.

I cannot imagine buying anymore electronics in the near future so I may try moving my fronts around a bit to tame my highs.

As fas as the speaker level set up on the Pioneer, I have it adjusted manually. There is an auto calibration option but my receiver did not come with the microphone. I DO have the microphone from my Klipsch RT-12D (used for calibration), any idea if that would work?

[wuzzzer]

Don't use a setup microphone from any other component. Best tool to get is a Radio Shack SPL meter and use it to adjust the output of your speakers.

I have my Forte I surrounds directly to the side of my listening area on stands that are about 24" tall. Puts them at a perfect height for surround effects.

What problems are you having with needing to tame your highs?

[Hoenig]

I have put my rears up on pedestals and that made a difference. Although I am still not getting the surround sound that I have heard in other systems. My buddy runs an Onkyo receiver (875 model - I think) and Polk speakers (5.1). When I watch concerts at his house the surround sound effect seems much better. For instance, on the Eagles Hell Freezes Over DVD you can literally hear "licks" from guitars, etc coming from the rear speakers and that adds a lot to the experience. When listening on my system you do not get that "turn your head" and look at where the guitar lick just came from?? I call that speaker separation but maybe I am using the wrong term.

Anyway, I have thought of a couple of issues that may play a role and would like to hear your thoughts:

1. My Pioneer Elite receiver does not send audio through HDMI. I run a seperate Toslink Optical Cable for audio.

2. My basement is 15 feet wide and 26 feet deep/long. I have all leather furniture and relatively thin carpet. This is where I was thinking acoustical panels may help...

3. I could upgrade receivers but have heard many comments about SS brands not being warm enough. The last thing I want to do is to purchase a high end Yamaha Receiver and it sound even more bright!

4. Since my rears are only Forte I's should I have them manually turned up? I currently have them on +3 and everything else is flat. I am still not getting the sound out of the rears that I know they are capable of when switched to Dolby Digital, DTS, etc......... Now, when I switch to EXTENDED STEREO they really wake up and sound awesome. I just want the "helicopter" effect in my basement (hopefully you know what I mean by that).

As always, thanks in advance for any comments or recommendations!

[chisoxpurdue]

Okay, from what I know, if the is individual sound for the surround speaker, you will not get it over the digital audio connection. You will need to use the 5.1 analog inputs on your receiver. Your dvd player may be better able to decode the digital signal than your receiver. I do not know this for sure. But it may be worth a shot for you.

I have a Marantz DVD player that I use for SACD and DVD Audio. I let it do the decoding and put it through the 7.1 channel inputs on my Integra Preamp.

[Ironsave]

I agree with Chisox.......

Using the 5.1 inputs on your receiver (for the DVD player) may solve your issues.......

Interesting; When I watch movies from my PC's DVD drive (or a ripped copy from Hard Drive); I use a Toslink from my sound card to my receiver....

I have my sound card set to pass through; and I definitely get "The Helicopter Effect" from movies like Terminator Salvation; Matrix Trilogy; or Transformers; etc......

(These movies are already encoded with 5.1 audio; which is why I believe I get this result).

I am not sure; but I am thinking the issue may be in using the PS3 and a toslink cable from it, or it's sound setting..... Does the PS3 include preouts for 5.1 sound? Is there a setting in the PS3 to adjust sound out type? (My flatscreen tv has this).....

Not sure if this helps..... But; there you go......