2 Channel vs. 5.1 Surround Sound

[jimlp1]

Hello everyone, nice to be back on here again! I have a slight problem which I'm sure can be fixed, yet I'm unaware of the solution. My Accurian 5.1 am/fm/av/receiver passed away and being on disability, I dont have big bucks to spend on a new one. At the Pawn shop I found an Optimus STA-3750 am/fm Stereo receiver with 100 watts output(50/channel). I have a pair of JBL vintage L56's and a pair of SDAT SB-E70's and a PartsExpress DIY center channel speaker, that I use to use with the 5.1 Surround Sound. The JBL's handle the front L&R channels and the SDAT's handle the rear L&R channels with both the A/B speaker switches on. The Center Channel is not connected because a stereo receiver has no center channel output. Now I just got DishNetwork and its all piped into the system, yet when I watch any movie (DVD or DishNetwork) the movies background Audio/Music is so loud I cant hear what the Actors are saying without cranking up the volume, then when the background Audio/Music kicks in I'm blasted out of the room and have to lower the volume. Through the whole movie, thats all I do is crank up the volume or lower it constantly. Is there any way of curing this sound problem, and possibly connecting the Center Channel to the system?

[Mike P.]

Hi and welcome,
The Optimus STA-3750 is a stereo receiver with 50 watts per channel. It is stereo only and can't be used for 5.1 surround sound. Without knowing how your system is hooked up, I believe the problem you're experiencing is caused by the DishNetwork receiver is trying to feed the STA-3750 a 5.1 surround sound signal. There should be an option in the DishNetworks menus to change the audio output from 5.1 to stereo. Give that a try and see what the results are. The 100 watt per channel receiver in that Optimus line was the STAV-3750. It had provisions for a center channel and subwoofer output, and could decode Dolby Pro-Logic Surround Sound as well as Dolby 3 Channel Logic.

[salvasol]

Mike P. wrote:

... It is stereo only and can't be used for 5.1 surround sound...

I agree with Mike P. ...

I think you'll need to get a receiver that is capable of decoding the 5.1 sound to avoid the problem you're having ....

Hopefully another trip to the pawn and you'll find one ... if not, maybe you can spend a couple of hyndred bucks and get a cheap receiver from the Shack Sore, Best Buy, CC, etc... http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1166840609689

Look online for a good bargain ... a month ago a found a Yamaha system (receiver and 5 speakers + sub) for $150.00 ... I bought one to give it away to a relative..

[jimlp1]

Thanks guy's, yeah that's probably what I'll have to do, get another 5.1 or newer surround sound receiver, I'll start looking right away.

[tonyvdb]

With most two channel rigs you will find that movie soundtracks will be very loud compared to the vocals one way to over come this is if your DVD player/Dish receiver has a setting to change the dynamic range of the audio (some have 2 or 3 settings) this will help and as already mentioned make sure that the "stereo" 2 channel audio output is selected. this will tell the DVD player/Dish receiver to down mix the audio to two channels.

[Mike P.]

""I'll start looking right away.""

That would be your best option. Beware of the older receivers that claimed to be "5.1" They were really 5.1 compatible and they did not have a built in decoder. They needed an external decoder hooked up which was another peice of equipment you had to buy. They did however decode Dolby Pro Logic which is just a simulated version of Dobly 5.1. Whatever receiver you decide to buy, research it first to make sure it's what you need.

[JCD]

Some inexpensive 5.1 receivers..

http://www.accessories4less.com/cgi-...em/ONKTXSR304S
http://www.accessories4less.com/cgi-...em/ONKTXSR504B
http://www.electronics-expo.com/inde...6&id=SHERD6500
http://www.pricegrabber.com/rd.php/p...arch=receiver+
http://www.pricegrabber.com/user_sal...lot_id=7350441


JCD

[Mike P.]

Wow. Those are excellent prices on receivers. If only us Canadians could get pricing like that.

[Sonnie]

I guess I'm going to have to train Jacen better...

We can beat some of those prices in the Shack Electronics Store. Just go to the Receivers tab, click on a brand and sort from low to high. Those that Jacen linked to are refurbished, so to compare apples to apples be sure to look at our refurb prices. It will tell you how many there are in stock new and refurbished.

For example... we have the first one he listed, the TX-SR304 in silver for as low as $106.65 refurbished... or brand new with free shipping for $152.58 and that's straight from Amazon via the Shack.

[tonyvdb]

Do you ship to Canada? As from what I can see most if not all places do not. So the prices may be good but what good is it if they wont ship here.

[JCD]

Sonnie wrote:

I guess I'm going to have to train Jacen better...

I've been a ba-a-a-a-ad boy.

I do admit. I keep forgetting to look there though.

JCD

[Mike P.]

tonyvdb wrote:

Do you ship to Canada? As from what I can see most if not all places do not. So the prices may be good but what good is it if they wont ship here.

There are ways around that. You can have it shipped to a U.S. addresss and then shipped buy U.S.P.S. to you. Never use UPS or FedEx as you get stung with brokerage charges. I've had people help me out like this in the past. With U.S.P.S. all you pay at the border is a 8.00 dollar handling fee from Canada Customs and the G.S.T.

[Sonnie]

tonyvdb wrote:

Do you ship to Canada?

No, the U.S. version of the Shack Electronics Store does not ship to Canada... the Canada Store does, but we don't sell receivers in that store... mostly media.

tonyvdb wrote:

As from what I can see most if not all places do not. So the prices may be good but what good is it if they wont ship here.

Obviously they would only be good for U.S. shoppers. Those prices are quoted for the original poster... if NM is the abbreviation for New Mexico.