Still Not Totally Happy!!!!!! HT-S894

[bobh33]

I'm still not happy with the audio on my HT-S894 Onkyo system. Maybe I have champagne taste on a beer budget??? I am reading now that multi-channel is better than optical for TV to AVR? Or is this just for Blueray??? Please throw me some possible "tweaking" ideas for audio enhancement. I have posted before that I am just not getting the precise/crispness sounds via breaking glass, something dropped on the floor, etc. that I thought I would get. I thought 1000 watts would give me this especially at mid-volume without having to crank the volume all the way. The bass is fantastic. Thanks in advance for your help & suggestions!!!

[tonyvdb]

Multi-channel is for HD DVD or BluRay over HDMI if your receiver doesnt process the TruHD/DTSMaster audio its self as the DVD player will have to do it internally in your case I do believe that the Onkyo dose not handle the newest HD audio formats.
You cant expect a system with speakers that size to preform as well as a system with larger more expensive speakers. For the price you've got a good system. The nice thing about it is you have the option to upgrade the speakers at any time and still use the receiver.

[Mike P.]

Since you mention that the bass is good but the problem is with the higher frequencies, is there a chance this may be a room acoustics issue?

[bobh33]

Thanks guys! Do you think a good pair of speakers would make that much difference?? Any suggestion for my "beer budget"???

[OvalNut]

As Mike pointed out, you would likely benefit greatly from treating the room first, then go from there, rather than throwing money at equipment/speakers.


Tim

[nova]

You don't really think a $500 HTiB receiver is going to produce 1000 watts, do you? In any case, those wattage numbers really don't mean anything.

No doubt in my mind that you would see an improvement with better speakers,....but, as others have suggested, room treatments will also make a large improvement. They will also improve on any speakers purchased later on. Really a win, win as far as home theater goes.

As for tweaking, I'd recommend Avia and a Radio Shack SPL meter at a minimum to start setting up your system. Have you tried adjusting the treble and bass settings at all?

[salvasol]

bobh33 wrote:

... I am just not getting the precise/crispness sounds via breaking glass, something dropped on the floor, etc. that I thought I would get...

As other have mentioned, Did you calibrated the system??? (I'm not sure if your receiver has the autocalibration option) ... if you haven't you can start there

Do this happens with all movies??? ... there are some that the sound is not great, try a good movie with a lot of special effects and see if you like the sound ... maybe you were watching one of does movies. If you have Start Trek I ??? ... the one with the pod race, it has a sound withthat chapter ...

[bobh33]

Thank you everyone! Sounds like I better head to Radio Shack!!!

[DRB]

Sounds like I better head to Radio Shack!!!

Yes and no. Buy an SPL meter from them. Buy batteries from them. Do not take advice from them.

Sorry.

[bobh33]

Thanks everyone! Here are the initial settings for the matching DVD player DV-SP404:

1) Digital Out: On
2) Dolby Digital Out: Dolby Digital
3) DTS Out: DTS
4) 96 kHz PCM Out: 96kHZ > 48 kHz (It won't let me change to "96kHZ")???
5) MPEG Out: MPEG > PCM (It won't let me change to "MPEG")???
6) HDMI Out: Auto

Are those better options that #4 & #5 won't let me do???

Or how about running optical from DVD to AVR for audio & HDMI from DVD to TV for video?? What I am thinking is that if the AVR is a pass thru HDMI as in DVD to TV, than doesn't the audio also pass thru to the TV and then come back via optical which would "dilute" the audio quality??