I have a Marantz 7400 receiver with Acoustic Energy speakers, with a Hughes DirecTv box. Since I got it, the rear speakers have a very noticable distortion of the sound (sounding like there are mosquitos or aliens) in all modes except stereo. THe sound is only there with the satelite input, not with CD or DVD nor radio. THe front side speakers get the sound to a much lesser degree. I don't hear the sound on the center speaker. In the multroom output the sound is noticable in all the different rooms (each room has a different brand and type of speakers). This problem happened with the original marantz 7300 receiver, and continued when I exchanged it for the 7400. I've tried changing to a different Hughes DirectTV box, though the same model.
Sounds like you have interference problems. Try using better constructed/shielded interconnects and better speaker wire. But first, try separating your audio wires and power cables.
THe reason it isn't likely interference is that it isn't present with non-satelite inputs (ie, dvd or cd). Also, I do have very good quality cables. What next?
Check the connections between your satellite receiver, and that the power cables are not running along the audio cables, seems like a source issue. Looks like you have ruled out all the other equipment and cables.
I had that problem with a satellite receiver and I found out that the cable running from the LNB to the box was too thin and the problem went away after I changed it to a thicker cable and grounded it to the box. Still the sound is not as good as a DVD source but the interference was minimized.
Majab
Unregistered guest
Posted on
I have the same problem with a Dish Network satellite connected to about a 10yr. old Sony receiver (via a new Samsung TV). I've done the same test that Jason has with the same results. Berny, if the distortion is not present in stereo mode, then I don't understand how it could be interference. Could the type of signal from the satellite be something that the receiver can't properly convert from stereo to surround?
Maybe the problem comes from the TV Box's ground is not well connected.
Could you connect boxes between TV and your 7400?
irritatedwithdish
Unregistered guest
Posted on
I have the same problem with my dish reciever as well. I have the dish network 522 and I get similar sounds on the rear speakers, almost like a chipmunk audio track with vocals in the rear speakers...very irritating. I also dont hear it in the center channel and only slightly in the front speakers.
There seems to be a lot of us with this same problem. I am curious if Jason, Majab, and irritat... have 6.1 of 7.1 systems?
Can you reply with models of HT Receiever and Dish Recvr. There are some others in another thread who are experiencing the same issues and it doesn't seem to be isolated to a single manufacturer or dish recvr.
Lets get our stories together and go after answers.
daven999
Unregistered guest
Posted on
i have a pioneer 1014 and I have the dish network dvr 522....if anyone can figure this out I will send them a trophy declaring them the winner of the nobel audiophile prize.
Well, I don't have an answer however I have the same problem with a Panasonic 1000 W Home Theater and Dish Network PVR 508. I thought the Panasonic Unit was defective so I just boxed it up to return it to Best Buy. Wish I read this about 2 hours ago. No doubt the Panasonic replacement will have the same problems. I called Panasonic and Dish Network however they had no suggestions that were even close to helpful. I was told that they never heard of such a problem before. Should I hear of a solution I will post it. If anyone comes up with anything could you please e-mail me. Thanks.
daven999
Unregistered guest
Posted on
hey guys,
Here is an update. I called Dish and talked to a tech support person. She was clueless and kept saying that they were not suppose to answer questions regarding surround sound systems because it was not their problem. I asked for a tech manager and got one...he claimed that it was my A/V recievers fault and that Dish had never recieved such a complaint before...I told him to look online cause obviously there are a few of us!
anyways so no help from them....I guess I'll have to call pioneer and see if they have a solution...hope someone finds some answers!!! thanks.
I too emailed Dish and still have not received anything. I presume the Holidays had something to do with the delays. We are also experiencing a different problem with the 811, so I'm guessing resources are scrambling to get that fixed.
Once again I tried listening, and it appears that all surround modes, using composite or toslink, prove to be troublesome.
Setting your dish reciever to DOLBY ONLY as dish suggested, eliminates any audio not being broadcast in DD, that don't work.
Sooo, right now I am listening to my Video 2 (Dish receiver) with the TV LOGIC dsp.
Still looking for the golden solution.
Majab
Unregistered guest
Posted on
PhilMan, in reply to your request for equipment model numbers: Dish Network 522 to Sony STR-D990 or my new Onkyo SR-602. I've connected via coax from the Dish receiver to the TV then stereo RCA cables out of the TV to the stereo receiver. Also I've tried RCA stereo cables directly from the Dish receiver to the stereo receiver. I always get disturbance unless I set the receiver to stereo mode (no DSP). I find it interesting that it seems to be mainly a disturbance in the vocal frequencies as I don't hear it with insturmental music.
avatar230
Unregistered guest
Posted on
I've experienced the same problem trying listen to sound off of Adelphia cable through an Onkyo HT-S570 HTIB system when the listening mode is set to Pro Logic II (TV Logic eliminates the problem, but doesn't actually use the rear channels for surround effects so much as a quieter mirror of the front channels).
I've seen people posting about this problem in a number of forums on this site and elsewhere (garbled noise, alien noise, chimpmunk noise, underwater noise, chirping noise) ALWAYS in the rear speakers and always when the receiver is set to a surround mode with either cable television or satellite as the source.
My theory is that although Dolby claims that Pro Logic II can be used to turn any analogue stereo source into a matrixed 3/2.1 signal, there are limits to what the matrixing can CLEANLY accomplish with a muddy dish/cable source. When I've listened very closely to the rear speakers, it's clear to me that the chirping/garbling bleeding through on my system is always snippets of dialogue -- a track that Pro Logic II is designed to put in the center, L & R channels but eliminate from the surround channels.
I believe that the problem lies in the Pro Logic II matrix attempting to only send music and effects to the rear channels but not being able to successfully make a clean cut "around" the dialogue (remember that coming off of a stereo pair from cable or dish, the dialogue, music, effects, etc. all originally start as one mixed down channel).
Does anyone else have any information that might prove if I'm on the right track here? It would certainly explain why folks aren't experiencing the problem on DVDs and CDs -- sources that were more cleanly mastered, and in the case of DVDs already carrying a native Dolby format as part of the encoding.
I have just sent this email to Denon UK as I have the same problem:
Speakers:
B&W 602 fronts x 2
B&W 601 Rears x 2
B&W CC6 Center x 1
Rel Sub x 1
System:
Panasonic Plasma with RGB Scart to XGA converter
Panasonic Skybox -- scart out
Panasonic VCR Composite out Panasonic DVD player/Burner Scart out
Thompson TIVO Scart out and RCA out
Pioneer RGB DVD player RGB out
Sony Playstation Optical and scart out
Technics CD player RCA out
Technics tape deck RCA out
PC linked to system with RCA and SVideo
The AV3802 is fed from a Panasonic skybox and/or a TIVO digital video using (quality) RCA's and Scarts. A high pitch interference noise occurs in the tweeters of the surround (F&R) speakers but not the center speaker, this always sounds fine. It sounds like the presenter on TV has a bad lisp, only on the high notes and when a word contains T and S. I have had the AV3802 for a few years with no problem but I add new kit to the system now and then and didn't really notice when the noise started. It does seem worse at certain times and only just noticeable at others.
I have run through the av settings and noted the following:
Set sub to main
Set speakers to small
Reset Amp
Neo 6 Cinema bad
Neo 6 Music OK
Prologic Cinema off bad
Prologic Cinema on bad
Prologic Music on bad
Widescreen bad
Mono movie bad
5 Ch Stereo OK
Matrix OK
Direct OK
Stereo OK
If I use the playstation with RCA and/or optical it sounds fine on prologic while sky will always show the problem.
I have tried inputting the sky through vcr instead of tv on the amp and the noise is still there.
I don't know if it is the sky box or the Denon, if I watch tv using the TIVO digital video or sky then the problem arises, but bear in mind that TIVO gets all of its feeds from sky anyway. It seems strange that music modes sounds great but prologic is problematic.
I have just swapped the Sky unit with my neighbours and the problem is still there.
I dont think its poor cables or power. If i play video from the TIVO hard disk it is still there so its not just on live video.
I f I get a decent answer I will post on here for you all.
Just a note to promote this thread to the Top again. I have been in contact with Dish Tech support. No answers but I am assured they are looking into the issue from their end. I am leaning toward a similar explanation that AVATAR230 has in the Matrix separation of the rear surround channels. I have emailed Dolby Labs (with NO response) to see what their take on it is. So we're still looking for that qualified explanation of why we hear these artifacts in our systems.
Please chime in if you are experiencing this as I have directed these manufacturers back to this thread for further information. Thanks.
Orion
Unregistered guest
Posted on
I have a Bose Lifestyle 25 system and DirecTV. I have the same distortion problem from my rear surround speakers when listening to the satellite. No problem with CD/DVD/Radio. I concur with AVATAR230, it seems to loosely track the dialogue. Very annoying!
Help! I have popping noises coming from all 6 surround sound speakers, but ONLY when I am watching tv via my cable box and ONLY sometimes. When the cable box is off and I watch a DVD, play X-Box, or listen to the radio there is NO popping noise. I called my cable company, but the same answer as some of the other postings, they won't help because it's the speakers. I think there is something wrong with the cable box. I am going in the right direction? Or should I invest in some better cables/wires? Thanks to anyone if they can help or have heard of this problem!!!
Forrest
Unregistered guest
Posted on
I used to install Dish systems and installed my own 522. I have the same problem with the surround sound. Here is what I've found. The local channels are all broadcast on the 105 satellite which is a lower orbit and lower power sat. A very strong signal on Transponder 13 for the 105 is maybe low 60's. Anything over 50 is considered acceptible for installation specs. I have a 62/63. The other two satellites (119 and 110) are peaked out.
I have consistant surround problems on a couple of local channels and a handful of national broadcast channels. I too called Dish and got the run around. I pressed on to talk to a tech specialist/engineer and got the same "We've never heard of this before" answer. He tried to walk me through troubleshooting the cables and hookup which I reassured him that being an installation technician for BlueSky, I don't have any problems here.
If you are having problems with the surround sound only on certain channels and others are fine, it is obvious that your system past the Dish receiver IS NOT the problem. I am going to experiement with better and different grounding sources with the switch and lnb. I found in the past with other installs that the grounding can be critical on certain transponders signal strengths. Hope this helps line some of this out and maybe I'll come back next week with success of a grounding solution!