Cinema Center problem

[m2bozz]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to know if anyone have had issues with the cinema center channel speaker? I bought one a few days ago and the sound is terrible. It sounds like my old bookshelf speaker. I tried placing it on top of the tv and at the bottom; but the sound doesn't match the tv. This is kind of hard to explain. I use to use a klipsch center and had no problems with it matching the tv. This cinema center, the sound seems to becoming from the speaker and not from the television. That sounds kind of dumb! but I don't even have a clue how to start troubleshooting this. I have been using just my aerius speakers without a center and it sounds better than with the cinema.

My system consists of a denon 4800, carver zr1600, and aerius's with new panels.

By this cinema is used, and there is sound coming from the stator.
Thanks Mike

 

[TomDac]

Hi,

I have a Denon AVR4800 also and am using it with a pair of reQuests and a Cinema center.

I have my cinema below the TV and have it angled upwards just a little bit as you can see in the photos of my system (see link below in my sig). When I first got the cinema, i experimented with different angles which resulted in a drastically different experience, so placement of the cinema, including the angle is very important. Now, you cannot tell where the voices are coming from.. they're just emminating from the center area of the system.

Do you have the Cinema stand also? If not, a couple of the other members on the site have found other ways to tilt up their Cinemas.. Do a search and you'll find their posts.

Have you tried messing with the channel level setup in the Denon? Perhaps the center level is set too high and therefore causing the center channel sounds to be louder than the mains.

When I set up my system, I sat in the sweet spot and went into the on screen setup of the Denon. I configured my system for 5 channels and no sub and then set the levels of the front channels so the white noise that is used to test was all the same volume level.

Not sure if this will help you at all, but it may be a good place to start.

Good Luck!

Tom.

 

[m2bozz]

I have tried the same things you have mentioned. I set the level of center just about 2db higher than the fronts. I tried different angles from pointing it to the ground to the ceiling, I still couldn't find a sweet spot. So today, I took it back to have the repair center check if the stator and tweeter are working correctly. My aerius speakers were easy to setup and sounded good the first time I turned them on. I don't know what is wrong with this speaker. Thank you for the suggestions,
Mike

 

[Zorro]

Try this...

Hi Mike,
When you mentioned that the sound seemed to be coming from the speaker and not from the TV... I may be assuming the wrong thing here... it could be that you may need to readjust the time alignment/speaker distance setting for the centre channel on the Denon AVR-4800.
It could be a case where you hear the dialogue from the centre channel 'faster' than you see the person's mouth moving, hence the tendency to localise the sound from the centre channel. For a start, try setting the centre channel distance to be 1 or 2 feet shorter than your current setting. MartinLogan ESLs, by virtue of the panel, tend to emanate sound faster, hence the need to 'fool' the Denon to think it is nearer to the listener and delay the sound.
Again, I may be assuming the wrong symptom here, but give it a try .

Best regards,

 

[dyazdani]

MartinLogan ESLs, by virtue of the panel, tend to emanate sound faster, hence the need to 'fool' the Denon to think it is nearer to the listener and delay the sound.

Not sure I agree with this, but that's OK - if it works, it works. The delay is there to align each speaker in terms of phase since each "set" (mains, center, surrounds) of speakers are likely to be at different distances.

I would first check to make sure all your connections are right. I am assuming that you changed your setup in the Denon to say that you have a center channel since you do get sound from the Cinema. Then set the level, you said you did this.

Finally I'd make sure all the delays are correct. I would set the speaker furthest away at zero first. Measure the distance from the furthest speaker and compare to the distance to every other speaker (to your listening position). For each foot of difference, dial it in to the Denon, not sure if it displays feet or ms, but should be nearly the same anyway. For example the distance to the center (furthest away) is 12ft. The distance to each of your mains is 11ft. Set the delay for the main L and R channels to 1ms or 1ft.

Hope this helps.

 

[roberto]

Not sure I agree with this, but that's OK - if it works, it works. The delay is there to align each speaker in terms of phase since each "set" (mains, center, surrounds) of speakers are likely to be at different distances.

I would first check to make sure all your connections are right. I am assuming that you changed your setup in the Denon to say that you have a center channel since you do get sound from the Cinema. Then set the level, you said you did this.

Finally I'd make sure all the delays are correct. I would set the speaker furthest away at zero first. Measure the distance from the furthest speaker and compare to the distance to every other speaker (to your listening position). For each foot of difference, dial it in to the Denon, not sure if it displays feet or ms, but should be nearly the same anyway. For example the distance to the center (furthest away) is 12ft. The distance to each of your mains is 11ft. Set the delay for the main L and R channels to 1ms or 1ft.

Hope this helps.

Hola...I also have the Cinema i in my home theater system, but instead of playing it louder, what I did was decreased the center volume level. This way I almost don't hear it, just the right dialogue at the actors of the movies. The Cinema is design for the human voice, to understand the dialogues involved at the movie. If you are hearing it too much, bring the volumen down...as an example, nime is -6dBs less than the fronts...hope this can help!, happy listening,
Roberto.

 

[m2bozz]

I will try both of those recommendations, my little infinity center sounded about as good as the martin logan. Except the infinity doesn't have the timing issue. I bought the martin logan used, so I am getting it checked out by (gramaphone) where I purchased it. I should be getting it back in a week.

Thanks,
Mike