# Center Channel Setup - muffled sound



## Lettuce (Jan 5, 2013)

Hello!

I've been lurking this forum as well as a few others and found this to be the most helpful and personable.

I've been using a hand-me-down JVC receiver and a pair of Bose 301 III bookshelves over the past several years. (before you jump on me about BOSE, understand I got these in high school based strictly on the brand and a few instore demos).

My fiance and I are currently renting but planning to buy/build a house at the end of 2013. I'm hoping to DIY my own home theater and complete my setup once we get our own house, but I'm trying to keep on a tight budget with limited space of our rental.

After doing a ton of reading and research, I've settled on the Pioneer Andrew Jones set up. I order the center channel over the holidays and plan to get the FS to replace the BOSE L/R and move the Bose to the rear. Eventually upgrade the receiver, add a sub, projector, screen, etc.....

Probably more info than you guys need to hear but wanted to get the whole story out there.

Now to my issue. The center channel arrived and I connected the speaker to the center channel on the receiver. When planning audio from the Comcast receiver or Bluray player (DVD or Bluray) I get really muffled sound - sounds sort of like the adults in charlie brown. Clear enough to understand the words but certainly not great sound.

Thinking i might have received a bad speaker, i connected it to the right channel and the audio sound perfect through the center channel. With the Bose connected to the center output produced the same muffled sound. I double checked the connection of the center speaker to the receiver and everythign was snug.

I think i've narrowed it down to my receiver set up. Unfortunatly it's so old it doesnt' have HDMI, so I'm running my Comcast cable box and Bluray player into the TV, then using an optical audio cable from the TV to receiver. The receiver shows an outline box for the three channels but only the L/R are lit up with L and R. 

Any ideas for what else I should try? What audio settings should I have the Bluray, TV, Receiver, and Cable box set on? 

Sorry for the most long winded first post ever.....:yikes:


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## nova (Apr 30, 2006)

Welcome to the Shack Mike.
What receiver do you have? First guess sounds like you need to get into the settings and tell it you have a center channel hooked up.
Second question, what TV do you have? On some sets, if the source is a digital component such as a DVD player, or your Comcast box, and you have connected the source and the TV using HDMI, and then connected the TV to your receiver using the Toslink/optical audio cable, you will hear only two channel sound. Your TV may not be able to transmit 5.1 channel audio from an HDMI digital source through the Optical connection.


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## Odougbo (Oct 16, 2011)

I always go from the "box" to the processor/receiver.
(One-to-One connection)

Yes check all your settings there are more than most people think. 

Yes again, move speakers around. 

btw, check HDS kits at Madiosound - they will be crystal clear! Price is very nice at $132 each.


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## Odougbo (Oct 16, 2011)

btw....for fun I take the signal right from the STB and go right into a amp (for stereo).

It sounds great!!

The set top box would need variable out - 

(in this case - set STB output to PCM)


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Depending on the age of the receiver the newer ones (over the last 5 years) will usually have some sort of auto room EQ calibration setup with a mic you hook up to the receiver. If it has this you will need to run this process again in order to correct the sound to the centre speaker.


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## Lettuce (Jan 5, 2013)

Thanks for all the quick responses.

I've added all my equipment to my signature. Unfortunatly the reciever didn't come with a mic for EQ. I've set the reciever to Large L/R and Center. No for sub and rears.

I've reconfigured the wiring. Now I have a Digital Coax running from the Bluray to the Reciever and a Tos running from the Cable box to the reciever.

Last night while watching LOTR Two Towers, I had "good" (non-muffled) sound coming from the center channel and the reciever indicated sound and connection for the C. But after a few minutes, the center went silent and the reciever display went back to Sterero (L/R).

Any ideas what else could be causing this? In the audio setup screen on the Bluray there are a number of options (Bit encoding, compressions), what's the best set up? How about the Comcast Box?

Thanks again!


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Your signature wont show up till you have 5 posts. Is your receiver non HDMI?


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## Lettuce (Jan 5, 2013)

Gotcha. And no my current receiver doesn't have HDMI.

JVC RX 7010v 
Samsung 3D 
Bose 301 
Pioneer Andrew Jones Center Channel
Vizio m3d550kd


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Ok, then make sure your BluRay player is set to PCM and see if that helps. Leave all compression turned off


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