# Need pro advice on receivers and a set of speakers!



## crajos (Jun 9, 2012)

First off - sorry if this is in the wrong area. I've never posted on here, but I've lurked for a while.

So I was at Goodwill yesterday just poking around, and found a set of speakers with a receiver for $99.00. I ended up buying it. Details below...

-Integra DTR-9.1 A/V receiver
-Polk RT3000p bookshelf / subwoofer combo
-Polk cs245i center channel
-Bag full of wires and cables and stuff

I've tested everything. The receiver seems to be working perfectly, sounds great. The bookshelf speakers and center sound great. I have one functional subwoofer, and one with a dead amp (I think). Speakers are in great condition, just a little scuffing on the cabinets.

So here's where I need your help. I need to know if it's worth parting with what I have, and keeping this equipment; or to just keep some of it and sell the rest, etc. Below is my current system..

-Samsung HW-D7000 Blu-Ray receiver
-Pioneer BS21 bookshelves
-Pioneer CS21 center channel
-Yamaha YST-SW216 subwoofer

Here's where I am on the whole situation. My current Samsung receiver has plenty of HDMI inputs, a built-in Blu-Ray player (which I rarely use), and all the latest stuff. I've never been happy with the sound from it. I'm getting better sound from the Polk's than I did the Pioneers. I hooked up my Pioneers to the Integra receiver, and got a world of different sound through them. They're being driven harder, and sound much better that what the Samsung can do with them.

I also need to know if it's worth, or even if I can, repair the amp in the one Polk sub. I know if I can fix that sub I will have a NICE set of speakers, although I'm digging the sound from the Pioneer/ Integra combo.

What would you do? I'll be selling the extra stuff.

Thanks


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
Welcome to HTS. Really glad you decided to register and become a Member.
Wow. That is a huge score for $99. The DTR 9.1 is a very solid AVR and was $3200 originally. That being said, it is pre HDMI. However, given what you have, I would hook up the Integra and route the HDMI's through the TV and run Optical or Coaxial Digital Cables to the Integra.

The Speakers are quite solid as well. I would just go with what sounds best to you. I would go ahead and use dual subwoofers regardless of the decision. Given the age of the AVR and Speakers, I am not positive of what it is worth, but I do not know of any sane person who would not buy all that for $99.


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## crajos (Jun 9, 2012)

Thanks for the reply. I'm seriously considering keeping the Integra despite the age. It's a little powerhouse despite it's age. The Polks sound beautiful, but I do have one sub I'm not getting any output from. Gonna re-wire the subs with speaker wire instead of using the LFE and see if I get audio then. I couldn't pass it up either for $99 once I found out what I was getting.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Actually come to that, provided your TV has an Optical/Coaxial Output (most do) you can connect all of your sources via HDMI to the TV and simply run 1 Optical to the AVR. That is if the TV also offers 5.1 Output as well. Again, the majority I have come across do that as well. Then you will have Video Switching and Audio that is so simple that anyone can use it.


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## crajos (Jun 9, 2012)

I'm thinking my TV will only output stereo from the digital outs, but as I've never really had to put it to use...I will find out! I have technology-impaired people in my house, so the easier the better. It took my father-in-law about 3 weeks to figure out my current setup.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Just tell me the model number and I should be able to find out pretty quickly.


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## crajos (Jun 9, 2012)

It's a Philips 42PFL3704D

I've looked through the manual and FAQs before, but can't find a definitive answer on whether or not the output is 5.1 or not. I'm gonna hook it up tomorrow (too late tonight) and see if my receiver sees 5.1.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

crajos said:


> It's a Philips 42PFL3704D
> 
> I've looked through the manual and FAQs before, but can't find a definitive answer on whether or not the output is 5.1 or not. I'm gonna hook it up tomorrow (too late tonight) and see if my receiver sees 5.1.


Hello,
I just finished reading the entire Owners Manual for your TV. Given it is 1080p and fairly new, I am thinking it will offer 5.1. When my Onkyo AVR was in the shop and I used a Marantz SR-19EX in its place, I did this very thing a few Summers ago. My now 4 year old KDS-55A3000 I did the exact thing I recommended to you with and it offered a 5.1 Output. If I were a betting man, I would wager it does offer this. When you find a Blu-ray Player with Multichannel Analog Outputs at Goodwill for $10, then you could even use the Lossless Codecs from BD's. (True-HD. DTS-HD, Lossless PCM)
Cheers,
JJ


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

Jungle Jack said:


> Actually come to that, provided your TV has an Optical/Coaxial Output (most do) you can connect all of your sources via HDMI to the TV and simply run 1 Optical to the AVR. That is if the TV also offers 5.1 Output as well. Again, the majority I have come across do that as well. Then you will have Video Switching and Audio that is so simple that anyone can use it.


Don't do that run coax or optical from each of your sources to the AVR. Most TVs down mix surround to stereo PCM when connecting through hdmi. They will pass Dolby 5.1 from OTA broadcasts only. ARC avoids this issue but the AVR you have is pre-hdmi and even if it wasn't you would have to deal with CEC.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
I did give the proviso of if the TV output 5.1. I did the identical thing when my Onkyo TX-NR3007 was in the shop using a Marantz SR-19EX. While at first I ran individual OPT/Coax for each source, I went ahead and tried what I described and my Sony A3000 did provide a 5.1 Output via the Optical Output. It is certainly worth trying as it greatly simplifies things. If the Philips only provides 2.0 via the S/PDIF Output then of course each source needs to be connected to the Integra.
Cheers,
JJ


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## crajos (Jun 9, 2012)

So I've run into an issue. With the Polk speakers, I was getting a nasty ground loop hum into the subs which I traced to the coax line running into my HDTV cable box. I had the subs hooked up to the LFE outs on my Samsung receiver. I don't have a ground isolator at the moment, so I re-wired the speakers/sub using speaker wire (receiver > sub > speaker) to help eliminate the hum. Now that did work, it's barely noticeable now unless you're ear is right on the sub.

Now...since I've done that, my Samsung receiver is going into protection mode when the HDMI from the cable is plugged in. Works fine otherwise. I'm pretty positive it's the same ground loop issue. I'm thinking it was feeding into the subs via the LFE, and now that I've removed that, it's just dead-ending at the AVR, causing it to fault. Cable HDMI > TV works fine. I never had any issue with my other speakers (see first post for details). Clean signal, no problems.

With the bag of goodies I got, there is a power conditioner which I have yet to hook up. I've never used one before...anybody know what I should be running through it? I doubt plugging the cable box into it will help because the issue is coming through in the coax line, and not the box itself. 

Any help is appreciated, thanks!


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

crajos said:


> So I've run into an issue. With the Polk speakers, I was getting a nasty ground loop hum into the subs which I traced to the coax line running into my HDTV cable box. I had the subs hooked up to the LFE outs on my Samsung receiver. I don't have a ground isolator at the moment, so I re-wired the speakers/sub using speaker wire (receiver > sub > speaker) to help eliminate the hum. Now that did work, it's barely noticeable now unless you're ear is right on the sub.
> 
> Now...since I've done that, my Samsung receiver is going into protection mode when the HDMI from the cable is plugged in. Works fine otherwise. I'm pretty positive it's the same ground loop issue. I'm thinking it was feeding into the subs via the LFE, and now that I've removed that, it's just dead-ending at the AVR, causing it to fault. Cable HDMI > TV works fine. I never had any issue with my other speakers (see first post for details). Clean signal, no problems.
> 
> ...


Hello,
I would connect everything with the exception of the AVR to the power conditioner. The reason why I would not connect the AVR is that often it reduces the available power to the AVR when connecting multiple plugs into a power conditioner. It is the same reason why every Owners Manual to my Amplifiers recommends plugging them directly into the outlet.

Ground Loops coming from the Coaxial Cable is probably the most common cause of it. You might want to temporarily connect a Cheater Plug to lift the ground to see if it fixes it.
Cheers,
J


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## crajos (Jun 9, 2012)

Awesome, I'll hook up the power cleaner and see if that doesn't fix my issue. Just had the cable box and AVR hooked up via 2 different HDMI's to the TV, and the AVR still went into protect mode. It kind of worries me that the Samsung is going into protect mode and the Integra is not.Then again, the Samsung may just be having an issue, and the Integra may see the ground loop and just handle it better than the Samsung. Engineering on the Samsung isn't the best...it never got good reviews. But I got that one on a great deal too.  Did I mention I got the TV for free as well? I probably have about $400 in my entire A/V system.


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