Big problems with my HT setup

[solid7]

2 days ago, as I was setting up my HT with the Audyssey Room EQ, an abnormal occurrence took place. Some time after completion of the setup, during the course of normal listening, my receiver flashed briefly, turned itself off, and continued flashing red on the power standby button. When I turned it back on, something didn't sound quite right.

I went through 8 hours of hell, trying to figure out why I couldn't hear voices properly, while the rest of the system sounded great. I came across all sorts of features - some of which, probably shouldn't even be legal. I used every ounce of common sense that I could muster, before finally figuring out to run a manual channel test. (I'm a newbie with a brand new recieiver) Upon doing so, I noticed NO sound from my center channel.

Next, I took the center channel, and hooked it up as an independent channel on another system, just to eliminate the receiver as the problem. Nothing. I returned it to the store from whence it came - just outside of the 30 day return policy, of course.

So, while the center was out for FA service, I thought that I would just run 4 channel stereo mode. No problem, it sounded good enough to get me by until the other speaker came back. However, my wife pointed out something else. A strange noise was masking voices - a rather eerie hum over, similar to what you'd hear (I guess) with a speaker maxing out excursion - but at low volumes. It seems to get worse the longer the system plays, although it's not exremely obnoxious - but it is definitely killing my HT experience. The first thought in my mind was that I have damaged all 5 speakers. I will be testing these later today.

Can anyone suggest what MAY have happened here? Here is the affected portion of my setup:

Denon AVR-2808CI receiver
Mirage Nanosat CC (prestige) mains and surrounds

The output of the receiver is matched to the input of the speakers, and I have no abnormally high settings on ANY channel. (Center channel was +3 dB, Fronts were +2.5 dB, Surrounds +1 dB, and sub was flat)

I thought that perhaps the noise could also be from damaged HDMI cables - however, I have an older satellite receiver that uses S-Video, and I still get the noise through it.

Thanks to all for reading this far, and in advance for any replies.

[tonyvdb]

solid7 wrote:

Upon doing so, I noticed NO sound from my center channel.

Next, I took the center channel, and hooked it up as an independent channel on another system, just to eliminate the receiver as the problem. Nothing. I returned it to the store from whence it came - just outside of the 30 day return policy, of course.

Its sounding like the center channel caused the initial failure. This in turn may have damaged something in your receiver. Have you still got a warrantee on the receiver?

[solid7]

Yes. My next step is to test the remaining speakers on another system. (to verfity not only that is is/is not the receiver, but also to see if they were actually damaged)

[tonyvdb]

solid7 wrote:

I thought that perhaps the noise could also be from damaged HDMI cables - however, I have an older satellite receiver that uses S-Video, and I still get the noise through it.

Thanks to all for reading this far, and in advance for any replies.

Sat receivers are notorious for introducing noise into the system because of the cable connection I take it that the noise was not there before the blown center channel?

[solid7]

tonyvdb wrote:

I take it that the noise was not there before the blown center channel?

Not that I noticed.

Are you suggesting that it would introduce noise even if it were not the current input device?

[tonyvdb]

solid7 wrote:

Not that I noticed.

Are you suggesting that it would introduce noise even if it were not the current input device?

If you dont have any devices connected to the receiver then there should not be any noise. Have you disconnected everything accept the speakers to see if the "noise" goes away?

[solid7]

tonyvdb wrote:

If you dont have any devices connected to the receiver then there should not be any noise. Have you disconnected everything accept the speakers to see if the "noise" goes away?

I can't tell, to be honest. I only hear it when it gets really bad. A different center channel sounds better, but I'm not sure if it's just masking a problem. My wife notices it most of the time.

If she notices it, and I don't, is it really happening? Or does that mean that it's actually a bigger problem than I thought?

Seriously, though - I did disconnect everything else. For some strange reason, it appears to be occuring only when a center channel is not present.

[tonyvdb]

solid7 wrote:

but I'm not sure if it's just masking a problem.

Its very possible, but still seems a bit strange.

Seriously, though - I did disconnect everything else. For some strange reason, it appears to be occurring only when a center channel is not present.

by having the center ch disconnected an your receiver still thinks its there it may cause things to sound like there is a hole in the audio as your missing all the dialog and any other information sent to the center ch. but actually making a noise sounds odd. Could you elaborate as to what the "noise" sounds like?

[salvasol]

solid7 wrote:

... For some strange reason, it appears to be occuring only when a center channel is not present.

Remeber to change the setup on the receiver to "No center channel" ... is not just disconnecting the speaker

[solid7]

The sound, as my wife puts it, is like having a radio station just one click out of tune. You hear everything, but the voices sound as if there is interference.

[tonyvdb]

Still sounds like something may be wrong with the receiver but without comparing it to another receiver or set of speakers I simply dont know.
I know this is a bit of work but do you have a friend or family member that could lone you another receiver to test this out?