Onkyo Receiver Issues and Questions (1 Viewer)

[Mike3800]

I just purchased a new Onkyo TX-NR575 receiver to replace my old Onkyo to use with my existing speakers. With this receiver, I have to have the volume at 60+ for the TV to be at a normal volume. My old receiver usually had the volume at 25 and it was almos too loud. Is it normal for the volume level to be this high? I also can't get the receiver to send sound to zone 2 or my amp. Is there any special set up I need to do with this? I find home A/V receiver to be unnecessarily not user friendly. The speaker and amp worked with my old receiver. Is there a way to test if the receiver is sending any output to zone 2 and the amp?

I'll give as much relevant detail as I can think of. The TV is connected to the receiver via the HDMI ARC port. I believe that is connected correctly since the sound does come out of the speaker, just set at a much higher level than normal. Would I be better off using the optic port and cable for the connection from the tv to receiver? I pressed the zone 2 button on the receiver and it is showing zone 2 is on when I do that. This receiver is similar to my old way in the way it functions, so I think I'm doing it right. The receiver is connected to the amp with RCA cables in the appropriate output ports on the receiver and input on the amp. The amp doesn't have a 12v trigger on it. I just turn the amp on when I want to use it.

I hope thats enough information to help get this working or figure out if there is something wrong with my receiver.

Thanks
Mike

 

[John Dirk]

For the first issue check the receiver wattage rating compared to the previous one. Also, ensure you are comparing apples to apples. Most receivers these days express volume in dB [Decibel] form whereas your previous model may have been expressing it as an absolute value.

For the second issue you'll probably want to spend some quality time with your owners manual or Onkyo tech support.

 

[Mike3800]

Ok. I have an update. It's something with the tv to receiver connection. If I turn on bluetooth on my phone and play music, everything works right, besides the volume being set high. Im not sure if it has to do with using the ARC connection and HDMI cable. I have an optic cable, but if I disconnect the HDMI from the ARC port, I cant see the screen on the TV to adjust the settings on the receiver.

 

[Mike3800]

For the first issue check the receiver wattage rating compared to the previous one. Also, ensure you are comparing apples to apples. Most receivers these days express volume in dB [Decibel] form whereas your previous model may have been expressing it as an absolute value.

For the second issue you'll probably want to spend some quality time with your owners manual or Onkyo tech support.

I read over the owners manual a few times. Its very vague. It tells you which ports to connect cables to, but thats about it.

 

[John Dirk]

I read over the owners manual a few times. Its very vague. It tells you which ports to connect cables to, but thats about it.

Yea, I hear you. I've never used multiple zones myself but I do believe they require amp sections to be dedicated to them in the setup menus.

When you increase/decrease the volume are you seeing dB on the display?

 

[Mike3800]

Yea, I hear you. I've never used multiple zones myself but I do believe they require amp sections to be dedicated to them in the setup menus.

When you increase/decrease the volume are you seeing dB on the display?

No, the display just shows numbers from 0-MAX, I think.

I got the second zone and amp working with bluetooth through the receiver. They just don't work with the TV sound. It has to be a setting on the TV or Receiver. Im just not sure which one. I tried using the HDMI cable and optic. The optic doesn't give any sound, even when I change the settings on the tv and receiver.

 

[xx Brian xx]

Lot of variables here. How many speakers do you have in the main room? Did you go through the setup and set the amp assignments? Did you use the mic that should have come with the receiver to complete the AccuEQ calibration?
Have you used the test tone to verify that all the speakers are working?
Are you using 4, 6 or 8 ohm speakers? There is setting that has to be changed depending on speaker resistance.

Sorry for all the questions but there has to be something not right if you have to go to 60 just to hear it at a normal level.

Brian

 

[Mike3800]

Lot of variables here. How many speakers do you have in the main room? Did you go through the setup and set the amp assignments? Did you use the mic that should have come with the receiver to complete the AccuEQ calibration?
Have you used the test tone to verify that all the speakers are working?
Are you using 4, 6 or 8 ohm speakers? There is setting that has to be changed depending on speaker resistance.

Sorry for all the questions but there has to be something not right if you have to go to 60 just to hear it at a normal level.

Brian

Yes, I did the full initial set up. There are 7 speakers total and every one of them works. It went through all of the different tones. It used the mic with the test tone part. I did the set up multiple times just to make sure I didn't miss something there that would be causing any problems.

They are 6 ohm Onkyo speakers that came with the receiver I just replaced.

I did notice that when I use the bluetooth and listen to music, it is quite a bit louder than the TV is at the same volume setting. Still not a huge difference, though. I might set the music at 50 to be about the same as the TV at 65. On my old receiver, it was opposite. The TV was a little louder. I would watch that at 20-25 and maybe set music at 35-40. Setting either one at 60+ would have been unbearable to listen to.

 

[John Dirk]

Again, that very likely explains why you feel you have to have the new receiver turned up so loud. 60+ sounds like an absolute measurement. I'm betting you previous receiver used the dB scale. Some can be switched to use either.

 

[Mike3800]

OK. It seems like I have everything working how I would like it to for now. Now, I have a different question, but I'm not sure this is even the right forum for this.

I want to try to multicast bluetooth to at least 2 different devices. Maybe even 3, if possible. My receiver is bluetooth, so right now, I connect my phone to it and play pandora stations. I also have bluetooth rock speaks by my pool and my hot tub has bluetooth speakers in it. I want to multicast the same pandora station/son to all of these devices. Is that possible to do? Will it result in a delay between the components? I have 16 speakers connected to my receiver and amp, right now, throughout my house, garage, patio and yard. I would like to be able to up that, but it has to be bluetooth. I can't get the ok from the wife on any more amps and wired speakers and I don't walk to crawl through my attic to run any more wires. Am I possibly asking too much from what is available with bluetooth?

 

[John Dirk]

OK. It seems like I have everything working how I would like it to for now. Now, I have a different question, but I'm not sure this is even the right forum for this.

Happy to hear that. What did the issue turn out to be? A little closure please.

Am I possibly asking too much from what is available with bluetooth?

I'm not an expert but I would say, "yes" that's not going to be a good experience for you, even if you did somehow get it working. I think you're entering the realm where a professional installer might be worth a look.

 

[Todd Erwin]

I was going to suggest pairing the bluetooth speakers with some Chromecast Audio devices, but apparently Google has discontinued the product, which is a shame, since they work so well in my house.

Apparently, you can pair them with Google Home Mini, so that may be a solution.

 

[Mike3800]

Happy to hear that. What did the issue turn out to be? A little closure please.



I'm not an expert but I would say, "yes" that's not going to be a good experience for you, even if you did somehow get it working. I think you're entering the realm where a professional installer might be worth a look.

I didn't get the TV sound to play through the amp and zone 2, just the bluetooth does, so I didn't really find a solution. I don't turn the TV on and listen to it outside or in zone 2, so Im just going to live with the TV not playing through those speakers. Zone 2 and the amplified speakers are for when we have parties and music playing, so playing Pandora over bluetooth to the receiver still does what I need it to do. I know it has to be caused by a setting on the TV or receiver, I just cant find where the setting is.