New DA4ES, I Have Questions! (1 Viewer)

[Bill Mullin]

I set up my new DA4ES, then I studied the manual cover-to-cover, testing everything that wasn't 100% clear to me. Since the manual isn't that good (IMHO), I then did searches in this forum for more information. What follows are questions for which I still haven't been able to find answers:

1. If I want EQ bank 1 for movies and EQ bank 2 for music, I have to manually switch the EQ bank when I change function. Is there a way to memorize which EQ bank I want for each function?

2. This question is very similar to the previous question: If I want Prolog II:Movies for movies and Prolog II:Music for music, I have to manually switch the surround mode when I change function. Is there a way to memorize which Pro Logic surround mode I want for each function?

3. What is the difference between Wide, Mid, and Narrow widths on the EQ Midrange setting for front and center speakers? The manual does a terrible job explaining this and the graph on the OSD doesn't clarify the manual at all!

4. If I switch both my A and B front speakers on, the receiver automatically switches over to 2-channel stereo. This is in accordance to the manual, but why is this necessary?

5. When there is an option of choosing coax or optical sound input for a particular function, the manual always says to choose coax. Why would this be? I'd always heard that optical cable gave the best audio!

6. What is the best EQ setting to maximize dialog clarity in the center channel? I'm trying to end the, "Huh, what did s/he say?" syndrome!

7. Is there a link out there called "Getting the most out of your DA4ES", or "Tips on using your DA4ES", or "Getting the most out of your Sony A/V Receiver", or something of this nature? Such a link would be very useful for me, as well as to others I'm sure.

BTW - thanks for all the great posts relating to receivers. After reading messages for a couple of weeks, including searches way back into the past, the DA4ES was clearly the best choice for my needs! So far, I've been extremely happy with it - and it puts my old DA333ES to shame!

TIA, Bill

 

[Josh Wolfman]

Good post....I am sorry i don't have answers for ya.

TTT

 

[Alex Dydula]

Hello,

Being a purist, I dont muck with equalization....I use some pretty good speakers and never had a use for tone controls or equalizers...even thought they can make or break some listening room situations.

For the clarity of dialog, I have always set up the center front speaker up 1-3 db on the receiver to help if this is a problem...not with the equalizer.

Best of Luck, I really enjoy my 4Es also..great buy.
Alex

 

[Brad Newton]

2. This question is very similar to the previous question: If I want Prolog II:Movies for movies and Prolog II:Music for music, I have to manually switch the surround mode when I change function. Is there a way to memorize which Pro Logic surround mode I want for each function?

Everything I have been able to read, indicates that you will have to manually switch the 4ES. That is one of the things that I did not like. I also did not like the fact that each individual speaker does not have adjustments. The front & rear are supposedly on a "sliding" lever that adds to one while subtracting from the other. These quirks have me leaning towards the Denon 3803 or the Pioneer 45. I will admit that the Sony has a great sound for HT.

 

[NickSP]

Brad:

The front & rear are supposedly on a "sliding" lever that adds to one while subtracting from the other.

That is incorrect, only the fronts have a slider switch, rest all are individual.

Bill's Ansewrs;
1) EQ banks have to be selected manually
2) Same with DPL-II/DTS-Neo, etc.
3) Those settings affect the "EQ Curve", try it out
4) What the rceiver does is assign the amplifier to the back speaker and that's why it switches to 2 channel mode
5) I don't think either optical or coax is better than the other. If anything, coax is much cheaper and flexible.
6) To achieve more dialog clarity, you can reduce the bass and pump up the mids on the EQ, try everything out. The 4ES is made for tweaking
7) Maybe you just started a link on getting the best out of the DA4ES

 

[AaronBatiuk]

3. What is the difference between Wide, Mid, and Narrow widths on the EQ Midrange setting for front and center speakers? The manual does a terrible job explaining this and the graph on the OSD doesn't clarify the manual at all!

It doesn't? Does a graphic EQ (multiple sliders next to each other that you adjust up and down) seem more intuitive to you? The OSD is basically showing you the effective 'slider' positions a graphic EQ would have for the EQ curve that you have created using the parametric EQ. You can't adjust each 'slider' independantly, but you can see the resulting curve. On the left are the lowest frequencies, rising gradually up to the the highest frequencies on the right. You can see the boost/cut for different frequency ranges, by the veritical position of the dots (what I referred to as 'sliders'). For the mid, the frequency setting is the center of the peak or notch that is created, the width controls how much of the lower and higher frequencies are affected. The level is the amount of boost or cut at the tip of the peak or notch. The bass and treble are 'shelving' types, rather than peaking types, but you can see this on the OSD too. They basically affect frequencies above (for treble) or below (for bass) the frequency chosen.

 

[Bill Mullin]

The bass and treble are 'shelving' types, rather than peaking types, but you can see this on the OSD too. They basically affect frequencies above (for treble) or below (for bass) the frequency chosen

That's the kind of information I need - now the OSD starts to make more sense, at least IRT bass and treble.

Thanks, Bill

 

[Chris*Liberti]

5. When there is an option of choosing coax or optical sound input for a particular function, the manual always says to choose coax. Why would this be? I'd always heard that optical cable gave the best audio!

The reason for this is that Optical has what is called jitter which can cause the sound to be harsh or brittle. You will not notice much difference for me the same component with good cables using either type of connection sound similar. On the other hand with optical cables either you get a signal or you don't where with coax depending on the cable you get varying quality of signal.

 

[Thomas Smailus]

From a theoretical point - there should be no difference between the optical or coaxial connecting to get the digital data from one component to the other. Both send the same data.

What affects the signals is the practical implimentation, that is the components used. The coax connectors and cable, including proper impedance matching on that coax cable - audio patch cables don't work. The optical transmitter and reciever as well as the optical cable construction and the clean-ness of its edge (interface to the optical transmitter & receiver) play a roll in the optical realm. In both cases, the clock must be extracted from the signal at the receiving end and how the digital pulses are modified affects the accuracy of that clock extraction (and the judder or jitter heard).

I find it funny that the 4ES manual says use a coax cable if possible, but has 5 optical and only 2 coax inputs on the back.
Is this Sony's way of saying, we use low quality optical interconnect parts in our 4ES, or are they saying, given all the variables, most folks like the coax path better than the optical?


The fact that the 4ES cannot remember which 2.0 mode it was in, based on the input source, is purely a software limitation. As its a digital processor, such things are all in software - why Sony doens't fix this, is beyond me - especially given that you have Dolby ProLogic II (btw Prolog is a programming language) Movie and Music modes. Another Sony Bony.


For why it switches to only 2 channel mode, I'm guessing that s because the A+B is thus driving the 2nd set of Left/Right speakers with the same signal -it makes no sense for a 5.1 or whatever multichannels source, or does it? For video sources, is that to listen to stereo soundtrack while in the john as the movie continues to play - as your need? I'm guessing Sony is thinking, you would use this A+B mode to listen to stereo material (cd, tuner, tape, md, etc) - by turning off the other channel amps, the A+B mode (in parallel apparently) thus have more power available to them and properly balanced. If you had, say 5.1 on, in THEORY, the extra back amps could drive the B speakers, but appareantly Sony didn't design it that way. However, in 7.1 mode, it would then have to turn OFF 2 channels to drive the B speakers (it cannot just hang the B speakers off of the A speaker amps as that would muck up the relationship between the A's and the surrounds).

 

[Shiu]

When running A+B, the two pairs of speakers are connected in parallel (confirmed by Aaron). The effective impedance will therefore be lowered by 50%, resulting in much higher demand on the power supply.

 

[Tiggs75]

I am also having some issues with my DA4ES and could use some help. I recently upgraded to an HDTV and have a new HD satellite receiver, but am still using my original DVD player. Instead of hooking up the audio with the old RCA cables, I am using optical digital cables for the audio. I have the front speakers, the surround speakers, and the subwoofer hooked up to the receiver. The problem is that when set for "Normal Surround" I am getting all but the dialogue coming through the speakers and I can't determine why. Is it because I have not hooked up the center speaker yet and that's where the dialogue is supposed to come from? I've messed around with every audio setting and the only time all the audio comes through 100% is when it's set on 2-Channel Stereo, which I don't want.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[John Garcia]

You have to turn the center channel off in the speaker setup menu, then the center sound will be sent to the R&L mains, aka Phantom Center.