Sub-Par Audio Quality with HD Programming/Blu-Ray

[JosephBAdams]

Hey guys, I have what I suspect is a somewhat murky question for you. The reason it's murky is that I have almost no technical knowledge of high definition audio setups.

Here's the problem.

On the one hand, my system produces absolutely brilliant, beautiful audio quality when I listen to CDs or watch a regular DVD. The sub thumps, the roof rocks, and all is well. On the other hand, when listening to HD programming (coming through a DirecTV receiver) or watching a Blu-Ray disc, my sound comes across as "thin" (everything sounds very muted, as if the sound is being suppressed--it's not distorted per se, but I have no high sounds and absolutely no bass whatsoever).

Here's my hardware.

I have a Sharp Aquos 42", a Technics SA-EX410, and Bose Acoustimass 5 speakers (the criticisms of these speakers are warranted, but the highly critical reviews that some users give must be due to terrible hardware setups!).

Here's my setup.

An HDMI cable connects my DirecTV HD receiver to my TV. From there, RCA cables connect my TV to the receiver. I only listen to sound through the Bose speakers attached to my receiver.

My hunch is that I'm losing audio quality when the TV brings in sound on the HDMI cable and sends it to my receiver on RCA cables. Both my TV and my receiver have IR ports (I assume the DirecTV receiver also has one), but I know nothing about how it works or whether I could get better sound by using IR to communicate between the TV and the audio receiver.

Please let me know what I can do! Anything, and I mean anything, that would result in better highs and lows on my HD programming would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Cheeseplug]

It is the RCA cable connection from the tv to the amplifier that is causing this. What receiver are you using, and does it have a video switch as well as audio? Or is it just a stereo receiver?

 

[KLin]

The directv HD receiver has an optical output. You should connect that directly to your audio receiver using a toslink. An even better approach would be to use a receiver that has HDMI switching since toslink cannot decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD(both audio sources are used on blurays).

 

[KLin]

http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/SAEX510.PDF

It's a stereo receiver. You need to upgrade to a surround sound receiver.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1...ml?search=DH700&tp=179

I have the DG720, and it works like a champ.

 

[newnameman]

It would be easier to help if you explained how all your components are hooked up, i.e. your CD/DVD/Blu-ray player(s).

 

[KLin]

Originally posted by: newnameman
It would be easier to help if you explained how all your components are hooked up, i.e. your CD/DVD/Blu-ray player(s).

The OP pretty much did that in the OP.

 

[newnameman]

Originally posted by: KLin

Originally posted by: newnameman
It would be easier to help if you explained how all your components are hooked up, i.e. your CD/DVD/Blu-ray player(s).

The OP pretty much did that in the OP.

I only see how the DirecTV box is hooked up, not anything else.

 

[KLin]

Originally posted by: newnameman

Originally posted by: KLin

Originally posted by: newnameman
It would be easier to help if you explained how all your components are hooked up, i.e. your CD/DVD/Blu-ray player(s).

The OP pretty much did that in the OP.

I only see how the DirecTV box is hooked up, not anything else.

Considering he has a stereo receiver, it's safe to say that his cd player, dvd player are hooked up via rca stereo cables as well.

 

[JosephBAdams]

KLin,

Are you sure it's not a surround receiver? You linked to a model EX-510 and said it's not surround. However, my receiver is an EX-410 that actually has a Dolby Surround logo on the front

Also, if I get a TOSLINK, should I just run that straight from my DirecTV receiver to the audio receiver? And completely remove the RCA cables running from the TV to the audio receiver?

Does anyone have suggestions on a good optical cable? Distance will not be an issue; the audio receiver is two feet away from the DirecTV receiver.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: JosephBAdams
KLin,

Are you sure it's not a surround receiver? You linked to a model EX-510 and said it's not surround. However, my receiver is an EX-410 that actually has a Dolby Surround logo on the front

Also, if I get a TOSLINK, should I just run that straight from my DirecTV receiver to the audio receiver? And completely remove the RCA cables running from the TV to the audio receiver?

Does anyone have suggestions on a good optical cable? Distance will not be an issue; the audio receiver is two feet away from the DirecTV receiver.

The manual is a combo for the 310, 410, and 510. The 410 and 510 are almost identical.

Although the 410 has 5.1 output, it is only 1 step above a stereo receiver since it cannot accept a true surround sound source.

The Dolby Surround it's able to do is basically faking surround sound from a stereo source. It's not getting true discrete channel information for each of the speakers. At best, it could accept signals using Prologic and give you a reasonable approximation of surround sound.

If you're serious about making your system sound better, I would suggest replacing the receiver and speakers with something more capable if you have the budget for it. Even a fairly entry level unit should be a very significant improvement over the current situation.

As for the optical cable, does the receiver even have an optical input on it?

The manual is a little vague about what inputs it has unless I missed it. From the pictures it certainly doesn't look like it has anything other than stereo analog inputs.

 

[s44]

Step 1: Buy a cheap surround AVR, either ~$100 (no HDMI) or ~$250 (HDMI audio + video).

Step 2: Sell the Bose.

Step 3: Buy real speakers, even a super-cheap set.

 

[JosephBAdams]

Any suggestions on a good AVR? A brief investigation has revealed that I can't use a TOSLINK because my EX-410 doesn't support infrared.

Also, is there a forum somewhere that I could get someone to estimate the value of my current receiver?

 

[s44]

Originally posted by: JosephBAdams
Any suggestions on a good AVR?

I listed two in the post above. I'd get the Onkyo. If your Blu-Ray player doesn't decode everything, you may want to spend a bit more for a receiver that decodes (Onkyo 507 or 606 will do the trick).

Also, is there a forum somewhere that I could get someone to estimate the value of my current receiver?

Audiogon maybe? The answer is: not very much.

 

[JosephBAdams]

Thanks. Notwithstanding the apparent hatred around here of all things Bose, I will still notice a huge difference by going to an HDMI-capable receiver and keeping my current speakers, right?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: JosephBAdams
Thanks. Notwithstanding the apparent hatred around here of all things Bose, I will still notice a huge difference by going to an HDMI-capable receiver and keeping my current speakers, right?

Yes. Even a Dolby Digital / DTS receiver will be a big improvement over Prologic.

 

[JosephBAdams]

Here's a follow-up. Is the Harmon Kardon HK AVR 247 any good? Also, are the "knobs" on the lower half of this receiver (image here) actually posts that I can wrap my Bose speaker wires around?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Those are 5-way binding posts. You unscrew the ends and there will be a hole in the metal screw portion where you can thread in the speaker wire.

HK makes good stuff. Whether or not it's better than other options is going to depend on what kind of price you'd be able to get it for.

 

[JosephBAdams]

If I could get a 247 for $130 or a 347 for $160, I assume both are good deals?

 

[unfalliblekrutch]

That sounds decent. You should still think about replacing the speakers, also. Additionally, you keep mentioning IR, but that is not a method for transmitting audio.

 

[s44]

What's your Blu-Ray player? Recent HK models have had HDMI issues with the PS3, so be wary if that's what you have.