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BDP-S550 multi channel, no sub - LFE to fronts?

#1
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12/14/08 at 1:48am
  • Joined: May 2000
  • Location: San Francisco, CA
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I got a new Sony BDP-S550 player and I have it connected to my HK AVR635 via the multi channel analog (since the 635 has no HDMI inputs). I also have no subwoofer - my fronts have integrated subwoofers in the bases. But I can't seem to get the bass management set to send the LFE to the fronts.

It seems that the correct setting would be fronts large, no subwoofer. But I'm certain (from watching the Toy Story 2 THX trailer) that the LFE signal is not being sent to the fronts, regardless of whether I tell the player I do or I don't have a sub.

Confusingly, even if I set it to send Dolby Digital over the optical out and set the receiver to that input, I _still_ don't get LFE in the fronts. I did with the DVD player - the input is explicitly set to send the LFE to L/R+LFE.

Any advice (aside from "buy a receiver with HDMI")? Thanks!
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#2
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12/14/08 at 8:58am
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Re: BDP-S550 multi channel, no sub - LFE to fronts?

Most receivers don't support bass management, for the 5.1/7.1 analog inputs.
Since, when using the analog outputs of the player, the player is doing the processing, you need to set distances and levels in the player's setup menus. You can set the level of the sub up higher (in the levels setup), and see if that helps any. But it may not help enough to make you happy, if it helps any at all.
Good luck!
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#3
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12/14/08 at 12:49pm
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Re: BDP-S550 multi channel, no sub - LFE to fronts?

Thanks, Ed. It doesn't seem to be a matter of levels - I can crank up the subwoofer level on the player (actually, crank the others down since they can't go above 0db) and it makes no difference - I'm sure the receiver is passing that LFE signal straight through to a pair of jacks connected to nothing.

Sorry if I was unclear - when I wrote about settings above (fronts large, no subwoofer) I meant the settings in the player.

I need to know how to tell the player to send the LFE info to the front channels (rather than or in addition to the actual .1 channel on the analog out).
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#4
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12/14/08 at 2:06pm
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Re: BDP-S550 multi channel, no sub - LFE to fronts?

Dan,

Under the audio settings for the player, did you select "none" for subwoofer? You need to do that along with (or instead of) setting your front speakers to "large".
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#5
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12/14/08 at 3:10pm
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Re: BDP-S550 multi channel, no sub - LFE to fronts?

Hi, Scott. Yes, the in-player settings I tried first (and expected to work) were front large, no subwoofer. This doesn't send the LFE to the fronts. (I think it should - this seems like a problem Sony should fix - but maybe I just misunderstand.)

I've also tried lots of other settings - like fronts small, subwoofer present and fronts large, subwoofer present. No LFE. I'm beginning to believe what I want is not possible - hoping there's something I'm overlooking.
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#6
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12/15/08 at 4:37am
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Re: BDP-S550 multi channel, no sub - LFE to fronts?

Dan,

What seems odd is that you mentioned that you also do not get redirected LFE when using the digital optical output of the player, either. In this case, the bass management would be performed by your receiver, not the player. Have you double checked your receiver's setup?
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#7
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12/16/08 at 8:25pm
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Re: BDP-S550 multi channel, no sub - LFE to fronts?

Hi, Scott. I just figured out how to fix the problem with the optical connection - turns out with the 635 you have to not only tell it there's no subwoofer but change the subwoofer mode to SUB NONE (vs. SUB LFE or SUB L/R + LFE). Which is arguably wrong but at least fixable.

I think the bass management in the Sony player (for multi out) just doesn't handle the missing sub properly. I spent quite a while chatting online with Sony tech support and they were absolutely useless.
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#8
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12/17/08 at 1:15pm
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Re: BDP-S550 multi channel, no sub - LFE to fronts?

I'm not getting any answers in the other 550 forum, so I hope you don't mind me thread-jacking this one. It is an audio problem, but not this one. I am having out-of-sync issues with the audio when selecting uncompressed PCM 5.1 on the new Lost season 4 Blu-ray. I had this problem once before with the Rush concert BD, but it went away on its own. I can't get this to stop, and the sync adjust feature the player offers goes the wrong direction (since the audio is coming too late, relative to the picture, instead of too early . . . why would Sony only include a means to correct the latter and not the former problem?)

Anyone else having this problem?
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