Help! New re-wiring may have uncovered the need for an amp or upgraded receiver (1 Viewer)

[RottieRunner13]

OK...so the basic scenario is that I just replaced my rear projection tv with a Sony XBR-85X950H. I figured this was a good time to upgrade the wiring on my surround sound as well so i replaced the basic, crap wiring with 10g Gear IT wire. I haven't changed anything else in the system or set-up. I have a Pioneer VSX-520 that is controlling everything and the speakers are Bose dual cubes mounted L/C/R in the front; 2 Bose ceiling mount surround speakers in the rear and a subwoofer that the 3 front speakers pass through after leaving the receiver.........now that all of that is out, once I installed the new wiring the Pioneer will shut off just past the midway point on the volume (which isn't a lot with the home theater). Do I need to add an amplifier to this set-up to help reduce the load on the receiver or just upgrade the receiver to one with more output? Pretty sure both are viable options but I need someone who knows more than me about this to confirm and maybe guide me in the best course of action......or tell me I'm completely wrong and that's not it at all.

 

[JohnRice]

This could be difficult to troubleshoot. There's probably a flaw in the speaker wiring somewhere that's causing the receiver to go into protection.

I'm trying to come up with a likely thing that's wrong, but nothing is coming to me, other than just just check every connection to all the speakers to see if there's any stray wire anywhere touching anything it shouldn't.

Just a side comment, that isn't a subwoofer the Bose uses. Its a bass module, which just extends the low frequencies below what the very small modules can reproduce, but is in no way a subwoofer. You can still add a real subwoofer to the system.

 

[RottieRunner13]

This could be difficult to troubleshoot. There's probably a flaw in the speaker wiring somewhere that's causing the receiver to go into protection.

I'm trying to come up with a likely thing that's wrong, but nothing is coming to me, other than just just check every connection to all the speakers to see if there's any stray wire anywhere touching anything it shouldn't.

Just a side comment, that isn't a subwoofer the Bose uses. Its a bass module, which just extends the low frequencies below what the very small modules can reproduce, but is in no way a subwoofer. You can still add a real subwoofer to the system.

Thanks for the info on the bass unit...had it for years and didn't know that. I have re-checked all of the wiring (several times actually) and I can run it with the volume at 46 for an entire movie...hell for more than one (again, not very loud for the home theater....blasting if using the tuner....anyway) but as soon as it hits 47 it cuts off

 

[JohnRice]

OK.

The next thing to do is disconnect all the speakers and see if it still shuts off when you play a movie and turn the volume to 47. Then reconnect each speaker, one at a time, and see if it starts again. If it starts after connecting a specific speaker, that has to be where the problem is coming from.

 

[RottieRunner13]

OK.

The next thing to do is disconnect all the speakers and see if it still shuts off when you play a movie and turn the volume to 47. Then reconnect each speaker, one at a time, and see if it starts again. If it starts after connecting a specific speaker, that has to be where the problem is coming from.

Cool...disconnect them at the receiver or at the speaker

 

[JohnRice]

Cool...disconnect them at the receiver or at the speaker

Definitely at the receiver. You want to try and track down (if or) where the wiring problem is. This type of thing usually a wiring problem, but it can always be something else. Best to test the most likely cause first.

So, if you find that connecting a specific speaker leads to the shutdown, you know the problem is somewhere in the wiring to that speaker.

 

[RottieRunner13]

That's what i figured but didn't want to assume. Thanks again! I have clients for the next three hours but I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[RottieRunner13]

Definitely at the receiver. You want to try and track down (if or) where the wiring problem is. This type of thing usually a wiring problem, but it can always be something else. Best to test the most likely cause first.

So, if you find that connecting a specific speaker leads to the shutdown, you know the problem is somewhere in the wiring to that speaker.

OK...finally figured out the problem causing the cut-out. It was the new tips (which were specifically matched to the new 10g wire that I put in) but it seems that the metal casing was somehow causing them to cut out at that point. Many hours of spark chasing and realizing that it didn't always matter which wires were plugged or unplugged, i tried removing all of the new tips and that did the trick. Now I just have to figure out why it will work in ALC or Stereo mode but not give a TRUE surround sound....it will play the SAME sound through all five channels but isn't dividing it out properly now GRRRRRRR