Help, running Paradigm Monitors from Onkyo SR601 (1 Viewer)

[Brandon A]

Ok, now I wish I had gotten a better receiver, but I thought this would have been fine for me.

I just got my CC-350 to go with two Monitor 7s up front. I don't have anything running as surrounds yet, hopefully this won't make the problem worse?

I have been running the 7s off of a Pioneer VSX-D509S with a B&W Center, the highest good listening level was reached at about -21dB on the Pioneer.

Hooking up the new center and the 7s on the Onkyo, the same levels were reached at about -11dB. I'm assuming that 0dB is the max output of the receiver. Should I be concerned? Do I need to be cautious of damaging anything if I play it at this level or higher?

-Brandon

 

[John Garcia]

The volume scales of each brand has nothing to do with one another.

If 0 is full tilt (it will likely turn up more than that), then running your receiver at 90% leaves you with practically no headroom at all for dynamic peaks and will be asking for trouble.

 

[Rob Kramer]

Most receivers do go higher than 0dB.

A 0dB reading on a THX receiver is considered to be the reference level not the max level.

However, you dont have a THX receiver, so the volume scale is based on some other standard, and you cant compare receivers from different manufacturers [since they do not conform to the same standards]. You cant even be sure that the scale is in dBs. It might just be divided up into even increments.

With my Onkyo 800 (a THX receiver), I can select a either a THX scale (where 0 is the standard reference level) or Onkyo's scale (where 0 is just some arbitrary number set by Onkyo).

With all that said, I used to have the Onkyo 600. And yes, I couldnt figure out what exactly the reading was based on (your 601 may be different). However, it is a nice receiver. The Onkyo "sound" is VERY good.