I got my SR 8400 about one month ago (with a pair of Ascends CBM-170, CMT-340c and Hsu STF-2 sub), to upgrade my HT system (Yamaha RXV-520 and Polk RM 6000 5.1 set). While I do not install the new set up in the definitive place, I have been reading manuals and testing the Marantz and the Ascends to get used to them. I was kind of frustrated cause I expected so much from this new combination, but found it to be "just fine" and not sounding "that better" from my old entry system. I didn't know what was wrong...
After exchanging speakers between both receivers I found something strange: the 75wpc Yammie drives the sub much better than the 110wpc Marantz (using x-over at 80Hz, spkrs set to small). The Hsu was sounding boomy and "fainting" with the Marantz while with the Yammie it sounded tight and strong. Even the bass from CMT-340 (using it as front right) was much more energetic and clear than from the sub. To eliminate the problem with the Hsu, I exchanged it with my 50w Polk SW and it also sounded like dying with the Marantz. Both subs sound great with the Yammie too.
I am missing something in the set up or my 8400 went with a defect in the LFE?
Jorge I'm have a very similar setup to yours, except for the speakers and I'm sorry you are not getting the result you wanted. Have you tried to lower the volume or play with the cross-over?
Marantz will certainly behave differently from Yamaha. It probably pumps out more bass, but adjusting it to your liking should work.
I've had no problems with the 8400 sub output. As a matter of fact, I had to enter the setup menu to lower the output. Bass was a pumpin' too much. Paul would be proud.
It depends. It sends LFE to both my fronts and the sub. I am not home right now but know there is a setting that allows you to choose how that bass distribution is done on the OSD. Pat
Real question is that I found out in other forum that other people did have the same problem with the Marantz 8400: awful LFE, if any.
mattburk
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Must be just a few with a bad batch. You did not get yours from ubid did you? I have had mine since the first week they came out, with out a problem. Just take it back and get a different one. If you cant do that then send it in to service.
Anonymous
Posted on
I have a SR-8400 that I bought last year and no way its LFE channel is low. It is going to put out whatever is being fed to it.
You need to do at least a basic calibration using SPL meter before trying to figure out why its not putting out a proper LFE. I recently changed from my dvd player and my channels levels were totally out of whack. A re-calibration made the new player sound much better. Without setting up the levels properly your claims cannot be taken seriously.
I also read the first few pages of your post (gave up at the 2nd page) over at the Ascend forum and your views are questionable at best, even with so many people trying to help you set it up.
Yes, I got it from ubid in May, but only received it in August, cause I live outside the US. I'm still getting on with my new Marantz. I noticed the problem while playing two channel. Yesterday, I tested it in 5.1 and the LFE seems OK. So, it's either calibration or the unit is not designed to play stereo CD on 2.1 format.
> I noticed the problem while playing two channel. Yesterday, I tested it in 5.1 and the LFE seems OK. So, it's either calibration or the unit is not designed to play stereo CD on 2.1 format.
Jorge, if not getting 2.1 is the problem then DEFINITELY use the High Level Inputs for Stereo mode, and the LFE connection for 5.1 ----just means buying an extra set of speaker cables to go from the receiver's L/R speaker terminals to the sub, and take your current speaker cables for the front mains and plug them into the High Level Outputs of the sub.
When listening to 2.1 music, just unplug the LFE cable from the sub and set the crossover to "IN" at about 70-80Hz setting for your Ascend 170s.
For 5.1 movies, plug in the LFE cable and set the crossover to "OUT."
I know this plugging and unplugging and switching is kind of complicated but you'll soon be able to do it in your sleep, and it's a lot easier than shipping the darn receiver back to the US.
That's the last thing I was going to try (over this weekend), but I guess it is now the only option.
Apart from that, I'm tempted to sell away the Marantz and buy HTM's surrounds and a better DVD player.
The old Yamaha sounds great with both the 170's and the STF-2, in 2.1 (strong and tight bass). Of course, the 8400 has more features and power, but actually the Yammie is easier to set up and has some interesting DSP pre-sets (Enhanced, Rock Concert, Jazz Club, Adventure etc).
You know I'm newbie in this HT thing, and sometimes a little radical, but the truth is that, in my typical use, I didn't note much improvment in sound from the RXV-520 to the 8400). Maybe I don't need a Ferrari to drive on a small town...just my Corolla with good Ascend tyres.
if you're sure the RXV-520 is equal or better than the 8400 then go ahead. Your ears are the final judge, forums like this are just useful for getting some ideas.
I'm sure the SR 8400 is better than the RX V-520 (although, so far, I just can't tell how much, given my typical use). However, it sometimes drives me crazy. I'm passed with the SW issue, I won't worry anymore (fortuntely the unit is not defective). It's OK. The bass output just varies from source to source, depending on the CD or DVD recording. I didn't even try the connection through the high level input of the STF-2 (after positioning the new system, my spare cables weren't long enough).
Now some good news: yesterday, I finally set everything up in the small HT room. Worked from 10 am to 6 pm, with a cousin helping. Dismounted the bookcase, cut out 2 parts of its plywood back (so that the 8400 would fit in and the 340C wouldn't stay "boxed"), fixed it on again, mounted the nice speaker stands which had just arrived, prepared the cables (cutting lengths and welding wire tips, connected everything (including surge protectors), moving positions of shelves, VCR, DVDP, RCVR, SPKRS, SW etc, dragged the bookcase with the system back closer to the wall, gathered all the tools, disposed of cardboard and plastic packs and then cleaned the house (to avoid WAF troubles).
Then it all worked. We put on a film (DVD) without much effects, but the 340 standed out in the dialogues. After that, an Eric Clapton DVD. Not the best sound I've ever heard, but surely very nice. End of the good news.
Today, I tried puting the 29" SONY TV sound through the receiver but the signal was so weak that it's no use switching from the built in TV speakers (which BTW has excellent virtual surround effect for a stereo TV). Then, I played the FM tuner, loud and clear, and then.......I cannot return the DVD player into digital mode anymore. No matter how many times I set the remote or the unit(selecting the keys and settings acc to the manual), I cannot make the DVD output through the digi coax. The OSD shows 'digital', the input says 'DVD= DIG.1' or 'DVD AUT1', but it then shows "no signal" (that small box shows no speaker working). I checked the coax cable (brand new) in the Yammie and it works normally...). I read again the 8400 manual and followed the input selection instructions countless times..but nothing... So, I had to put the CD analog RCA connector to have sound from the DVD. Of course, I'm doing something wrong. It has happened a couple of times before while I was testing a few days ago, but, then, I may have clicked something right and it functioned again. Now, it doesn't (or I didn't). My conclusion: the 8400 is too inteligent for me. I surrender. I'm too stupid for electronics (or its navigation is too complicated...).
When I calm down, I'll give it a few more tries and maybe I'll read the manual once more. But certainly my Yamaha will have a chance to play in the all set HT, with the Ascends (it never had the opportunity to drive the 340C or to work with them in 5.1 mode....).
Perhaps, I could make some profit selling the 8400 to someone more intelligent than me. And, peace of mind may be a fair trade off with receiver sophistication....
don't feel bad, I also had some setup problems when I went from an Onkyo 601 to my Marantz 5400. The Marantz had much better SQ for music but the Onkyo won the user-friendliness and ease of use department by a mile.
What you're describing with the DVD player sounds like what was happening to me: I kept forgetting to first UNLOCK the Input Settings. If you don't unlock it first, it will not keep any changes. What you do is UNLOCK the Input Settings, make your changes, and then LOCK it again. Onkyo didn't have this stupid little feature, you could easily go straight to it and change the settings without first having to lock or unlock anything.
The other thing that drove me nuts about the Marantz is the remote control...you have to push the "Amp" button EVERY time you want to do something with the amp's settings.
I never tried running my TV through the Marantz because it's too cheap and crappy to have an audio output, but if I were you what I would do is just use the tuner of your VCR (if you have a VCR) to get stereo or simulated surround sound when watching TV.
What I would do with the subwoofer level is just put it on maximum on the Marantz, and then increase or lower it on the Hsu's volume knob.
Don't give up, just take a deep breath and count to 20 every time you get frustrated and keep trying. You'll get the hang of that *#@! Marantz sooner or later! : )
Jorge I'm not sure it make sense to try to get your TV sound to come through the 8400 because the sound at that point is processed for the TV speakers. You want to change the source of your TV sound to come through the 8400, in this case may be cable or satelite box etc.
Now it was very frustrating for me since the 8400 has input for DSS, but not for cable. So I kind of had to rig the DSS input for the cable input and then change my remote control function. Not good.
Stof, I think if you connect the cable to the VCR anthena in and the signal out RCA to the receiver (like Edster said), you will be better. I didn't try that, but the normal TV sound is good enough that I probably won't take the trouble.
Ed, I did not lock the input setting, but after re-reading the manual and clicking in the remote, it read the signal from the coax again.
Exploring my DVDs, I now start to find things I hadn't noticed in the old system, which I couldn't expect:
1- on the Bee Gees "One Night Only", all the voice go to the mains and the 340C works like a surround (with distant effects and dim sound). Also, the rears don't show vocals, just audience cheers etc.
2- On the Eric Clapton "One More Car, One More Rider", also the voice goes to the mains and the surround is poor.
3- on the Eagles HFO, the surrounds carry a lot of vocals, percussion etc and the voice dominates the center channel (with a lot of bass too). This looks the same way of the old system.
I was using the AUTO surround mode with 5.1 channels and DVD audio selected to DTS. I guess this is either the receiver processing (different decodification for each DVD) or the recording itself (which can be very different from disk to disk).
It sounds about right. The recording has a lot to do with it.
If you want every speaker to have the same output, try the "Multi-channel" setting.
Persoanlly I find that music still sounds best with simple old-fashioned 2-channel with the sub filling in the bottom end, that's part of the reason I'm reluctant to fork out $$$ for DVD-As/SACDs plus a universal player plus good quality surrounds.
There are a couple of us here who prefer our SACD's in 2 channel. My goodness do they sound good. Those "Living Stereo" and Living Presence" discs are outstanding. Sorry to interrupt.
> I didn't try that, but the normal TV sound is good enough that I probably won't take the trouble.
You should try it sometime, you will get your money's worth from the Ascend 340 center---that is one amazing center speaker, voices come out as if the actors were right there in front of you. Even my wife, who doesn't care about audio, now won't watch TV without it.
For TV watching, I'd use either the Neo6:Movies setting or the Multichannel setting. Having the sound come out of all your speakers just means you don't have to turn the volume up as much to hear everything.