new avr and new klipsch owner has a few questions?

[draynes]

When watching a movie any movie, any sound format the sound is quieter than when I play music through the exact same setup. Why? Am I missing something? I had to put the Channel setup to all pretty much 10db instead of 0 db to any kind of real volume out of it. If I left it at 0 db I had to turn it up the volume a lot higher than what I think it should be. Is this normal?

[Youthman]

I'm assuming you are using a DVD player to play CD's through. When you have a DVD in, the receiver will be using Dolby Digital or DTS. When you play an audio CD, are you listening to it in Stereo or keeping it in Dolby Digital/DTS? If you are listening to your CD's in Stereo, that would make sense because a DVD is mastered differently than a CD and likely the levels on a 5.1 are higher than the levels on a stereo track.

My new Onkyo has the ability to adjust the levels between audio sources (DVD, TV, Video1 etc) so that when you switch between sources, they are closer together in volume. Your situation is that your same source is experiencing different volume levels so that wouldn't help you out.

If I left it at 0 db I had to turn it up the volume a lot higher than what I think it should be. Is this normal?

As I stated earlier, my HK went from 0 to 90 on the volume. I usually had it at 45 (comfortable volume). 55 was pretty loud and 65 was crankin! With only your receiver on, turn the volume all the way down, then all the way up. What is the range? How high are you having to turn it to where you feel it is "higher than it should be"? It really doesn't matter how high you have to turn the volume knob up as long as you aren't hearing distortion and the sound does not start to break up. I would turn your channels down some and turn your volume up. No need to have them all that high.

[draynes]

Cd in the DVD is correct. It does not matter if I use stereo or Dolby or DTS it i still louder on music. DVDs are quieter than Cd's at same volume.

In Dolby scale from 80 to 0dB. On movies I from 20db to 40db depends. But If I listen to a cd at 20db I just about can't sit there and listen to it either in stereo or Dolby or DTS. Its is louder than any one would want to enjoy music at in my opinion. I guess all this is not that big of a deal. All I have to do is turn up the volume. I have not heard any distortion at any volume even into 20db is this normal? I guess this how hk build receivers? Is it normal to run hk at 0db and it not break?. All of my receivers in the past at 3/4 volume would start distorting badly and this is not the case with the hk. by the way i picked it up for 185 Pretty good price I think

[Youthman]

In Dolby scale from 80 to 0dB. On movies I from 20db to 40db depends. But If I listen to a cd at 20db I just about can't sit there and listen to it either in stereo or Dolby or DTS.

Just to clarify, Is it 80dB or -80dB? I'm assuming your numbers are in the negative. My Onkyo goes from -81dB to +18dB. I have yet to go above -25 so I haven't even been in the positive.

Is it normal to run hk at 0db and it not break?.

If the amp couldn't handle 0dB, I do not believe HK would have allowed it to go that high.

All of my receivers in the past at 3/4 volume would start distorting badly and this is not the case with the hk.

My first Onkyo had a regular old school knob, no dB. It was like that. If I turned it up between 1/2 to 3/4 way, it would begin to distort. Again, as long as your speakers are not distorting, you should be fine on volume.

i picked it up for 185 Pretty good price I think

Absolutely.

[draynes]

it is -80db then up to 0db. 0 db is the highest. This is my first recieveir of this class so I have some more to learn. What do u think of the updated photo?

[UFObuster]

Since I have the RF-7, RC-7 in front and I use a pair of the RF-5 for surround and a single RC35 for a rear channel (6.1), I thought I'd give you this feedback.

I had an Onkyo receiver (85 watts per in 5.1) when I first bought Klipsch (the RF-5 for fronts at that time). When I added the RF-7, RC-7 combo later (moving the 5's to the surround position), it really strained this system. It was LOUD for sure but not as good sound quality as I expected. Did a lot of chat here...dismissed some good advice and upgraded the Onkyo to a more powerful Yamaha (an RXV model around 120 wpc). Better.

I had a little buyer's remorse over that Yamaha and went back to the shop with a Klipsch Forum idea: I took out a Rotel RB-1080 2 channel (200wpc) and used it for the RF-7 with the Yammi as a pre-amp. The Yammi continued to power the center, surround, and back. The difference was the most significant change in my history with this stuff. Apparently (citing this forum), the RF-7 has a very wide impedance range going very low in some demanding passages and thus requires more power than you might think. It also helps to have the single dedicated amp and power source for these fine speakers.

So, my advice would be: find a very good (but not necessarily high powered) AVR with all the new 'goodies' saving some $$ by shaving watts. Get a dedicated amp (a good quality new/used at least 200 watts for your front RF-7...taking the big load away from the AVR, it will handle the rest with much better outcome). You can probably do this for not a lot more money than going very high-end AVR alone. Your system will be more flexible, the RF7s will be much happier, and you'll have a nice 2-channel rig in the middle of your HT system and left over channels for one or two back speakers.

This is the advice I would give to anyone really hooked on all the great options available in newer AVRs paired with some Klipsh speakers(RF-7 in particular). Separating the front pair just gives the whole system a jolt.....and worked very well for me until I finally upgraded again and use a separate RMB-1075 (120wpc) for the center,surround, and back. But this last step only gave me a subtle improvement. The BIG daddy move was powering those fronts the right way.

Good luck and have fun.

Roger