new home theater

[bugsbunny007]

im looking for suggestions for new home theater. what i want is one with very good low volume sound. what i have now you need to crank it up to hear quite conversations then turn it down when the movie gets loud. i have dish network thats suppose to have sound leveling i thought that would help but it didnt. but i think my problem is more my speakers than anything.

i have a yamaha htr-5440 now. i know its old and not an expensive system.
im willing to spend upto $5-600.
i dont care about extra stuff like ipod dock or netflix i just want a good sounding system

any suggestions

thanks

 

[Fallen Kell]

Some of the sound issues should be fixable from the newer lines of receiver/pre-processors which have dynamic adjustable audio sound levelling. But a lot of that can also be resolved by doing a proper eq'ing on your speakers, again, something that a lot of the newer receivers/pre-processors can do. So, I would look for a receiver/pre-processor which at least has Audyssey Mutli-EQ/Dynamic-EQ/Dynamic-Volume. Those are the features which will help the most with the problem you are discussing.

Unfortunately I can't really recommend any offhand as my budget was in another league ($1500-2500 for just the A/V Pre-processor (more for the separate amplifiers needed)).

 

[jlee]

I have a Denon 1611 (~$398 at Electronics Expo, last I checked) and it has MultEQ and dynamic volume.

 

[Seleni]

I picked this up for $262.48, a little higher right now.
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-V665...8905184&sr=8-1
I was looking for ones around 500-600 as well, but I am very happy with this. Use the extra money you save for some new speakers.

 

[s44]

Audyssey Dynamic EQ helps a lot with the low volume thing. The Denon (you can get the near-identical 591 at Best Buy for under $350) is a good bet, or last year's 590/1610.

Also get some bookshelf speakers for fronts -- small sats give crappy midrange no matter how you tweak it.

 

[bugsbunny007]

thanks for suggestions i may go with denon since i think 5.1 is good enough for me. if i go with a 7.1 can i just use 5.1?

any suggestions on speakers i may try the ones i have first.

 

[velillen]

Yes a 7.1 can do 5.1 just fine (or 2.0,2.1, 3.0, you get the gist) Max is just 7.1. I use mine in a 3.0 right now, but soon to be 3.1. Some receivers that are 7.1 allow you to bi-wire the fromt L/R which then reduces it to 5.1 due to the extra two rear speakers then become addition front speaker wiring slots. But you wont find bi-amping speakers for cheap and the gains seem debatable!


id just try your speakers first and see how you like it. Then you can research replacement speakers. Thats what id do at least.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Are you sure you can't do what you want with your 5440?

I've got the 5660 and it can handle 3 modes of normalization, one mode that doesn't normalize anything (sounds just like movie theater), a second mode where peaks are trimmed a bit, and dialogue frequencies are boosted ever so slightly, and then a third mode, where everything is pretty much normalized to almost the same volume...

Also, it has "night" mode, which turns down bass and turns up speech....

Also, assuming you're running 5.1, since most speech comes from the center channel, you can go into the menus of the reciever, and decrease the volume of all the other channels by 1-2 decibels, and leave the center channel alone...

I would think that your 5440 could handle at least 1 or 2 of these options, if not all 3... unless you need HDMI switching, or want to support 7.1, or HDMI audio, probably no need to replace your 5440 IMO.... my 5660 is taking names and kicking ass

PS, if you lost the manual and don't know HOW to do any of the menu stuff with your 5440, yamaha should have the full manual available as pdf on their website....

 

[JSt0rm]

guys focus on 5.1 for now. No need for 7.1 as of yet. We arent even mixing most movies in 7.1.

 

[BurnItDwn]

guys focus on 5.1 for now. No need for 7.1 as of yet. We arent even mixing most movies in 7.1.

7.1 worth considering depending on room size and shape .... but, yea ... usually not something worth getting (I'm running 5.1, but for my 10x27 room, 7.1 actually makes a lot of sense as the back of the room is 24 feet back from the screen....

 

[simonizor]

I used to have the same problem with my surround system. I cranked up the volume on my center speaker, and I no longer have any issues. If adjusting the volume doesn't work, maybe you just need a more powerful center speaker.

 

[bugsbunny007]

thanks for responding. mabey i will try adjusting settings again before buying a new one.it has been years since i messed with the settings