Need suggestions for setting up 5.1 system by expanding old one

sand64

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Hi all..

I am a novice is technical aspects of audia world. However I will request suggestions for setting up 5.1 system by expanding existing old music system from fellow boarders.

Tell me, if it will be possible to connect existing DVD player(samsung), stereo amp with two floorstander for front, two booksheves (without amp.) for L & R rear and a TV/screen. I wish to add a sub and a centre(with amp) to make it complete 5.1. My existing pieces are not branded one, but sound reasonably good. Is such concept feasible?

Another problem is that i am not able to connect DVD player with my stereo amp. When i connect 'audio out' from DVD player (front L & R from 5.1 audio out group) to 'aux in' of my stereo amp. through a jack, only humming sound is audiable. How to fix it...

Also can i connect and use powered inbuilt TV speakers as an substitue to front speaker of 5.1 system?

Can someone throw light....

Thanx for taking pains of explaining me.

sand64
 
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sand64 said:
I am a novice is technical aspects of audia world. However I will request suggestions for setting up 5.1 system by expanding existing old music system from fellow boarders.

Tell me, if it will be possible to connect existing DVD player(samsung), stereo amp with two floorstander for front, two booksheves (without amp.) for L & R rear and a TV/screen. I wish to add a sub and a centre(with amp) to make it complete 5.1. My existing pieces are not branded one, but sound reasonably good. Is such concept feasible?

Logically you can do this. But it is so complicated that it is not worth it. Let me explain.

The sound of a movie has 6 or 8 independent but coordinated channels of sound. There are various formats such as Dolby, DTS etc. In the DVD, all these channels are stored in digital form. In digital form, the sound has just one signal path. In other words, all the 6 or 8 channels can be carried in a single digital cable.

As Step 2 in the process, the digital signal is separated into 6 or 8 independent signals by a processor. This separation can be done either by the DVD Player or by a external processor. As Step 3, each of these signals are converted to analogue by a DAC. Now you have 6 or 8 independent analogue signals, each of which has to be amplified. You can use any amplification method for this. For example you can use 6 or 8 mono amplifiers, or 3 or 4 stereo amplifiers. If you are using a active sub, the LFE channel will be amplified by the sub itself.

Thus if you can capture 6 or 8 independent analogue signals from the DVD Player, you can use any method to amplify them and play them on any speakers. You will have 6 or 8 RCA cables coming out of the DVD Player connected to 3, 4, 6 or 8 amplifiers each of which is connected to their respective speakers. The most important requirement is that the DVD Player must have the capacity to deliver 6 or 8 analogue channels. I don't think the Samsung does this.

The other alternative is to take the signal out of the DVD Player in digital form, and connect it to a multi channel pre-amplifier. This pre-amplifier will give you 6 or 8 analogue outputs that can be amplified by your existing amps and new amps that you buy.

To avoid all these complications and connection hassles, you have the AVR that receives the digital signal, processes the digital signal into independent 6 or 8 analogue signals, and amplifies each signal.

sand64 said:
Another problem is that i am not able to connect DVD player with my stereo amp. When i connect 'audio out' from DVD player (front L & R from 5.1 audio out group) to 'aux in' of my stereo amp. through a jack, only humming sound is audiable. How to fix it...

This could be because of a signal mismatch between the 'out' of the DVD Player, and the 'In' of the stereo amp. It could also be a cable shorting that is creating the hum. Use a good quality RCA interconnects, and connect to 'CD In' on your amp if you have one. If not try the 'Aux In' with good quality cables.

sand64 said:
Also can i connect and use powered inbuilt TV speakers as an substitue to front speaker of 5.1 system?

You can if you have a 'Audio In' on your TV.

Cheers
 
Thanks a lot dear venkatcr for elaborate explaination....

So what do you suggest...

My DVD player has 5.1 analogue out, which i should be able to connect through my stereo amp.? Or it is not worth?

As my budget is limited for now, I wish to use my existing equipments for some more time. I want good sound, and for this reason, I plan to spend in phases.

regards.
 
My DVD player has 5.1 analogue out, which i should be able to connect through my stereo amp.? Or it is not worth?

As my budget is limited for now, I wish to use my existing equipments for some more time. I want good sound, and for this reason, I plan to spend in phases.

If your DVD Player has 5.1 analogue out, you can certainly use your existing amp to power the Front L&R. Attach a sub to the 'Sub Out' or 'LFE Out' of your DVD player and you will have a decent 2.1 system in place.

To go to 3.1 (Fronts, centre and sub) or 5.1 (Fronts, centre, surrounds, sub) you need more amps to amplify the centre and the surrounds. To a certain extent you can solve this if your TV has Audio In. In that case use the TV as fronts and use one channel of the the stereo amp to amplify the centre. You will have one additional channel in your stereo amp left doing nothing.

If you need to go for 5.1, you will need three more channels of amplification in addition to your stereo amp.

Cheers
 
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Can I have exact model no of ur DVD player.. I think there is setting issue .You need to set the output as stereo to power just 2 speakers.

Also I think there is either Stero - 2 Channel or 5.1 mode - 2.1 may not be possible
 
Thanx a lot friends..

I have samsung DVD player of model DVD-P172.

I today again tried to connect front L&R of 5.1 analog out of DVD player to 'audio in' of my stereo amp. I was able to listen the music but it seems that input signals were very high and i had to reduce the volume control of amp to almost zero level and also the sound was bit muddy. Also when i switched to rear L&R, only humming was audiable.
What may be the problem....

regards..
 
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I today again tried to connect front L&R of 5.1 analog out of DVD player to 'audio in' of my stereo amp. I was able to listen the music but it seems that input signals were very high and i had to reduce the volume control of amp to almost zero level and also the sound was bit muddy. Also when i switched to rear L&R, only humming was audiable.

Some of the DVDs players have a small pre-amplifier. Using your remote see if you can reduce the volume on the DVD Player. The sound is muddy (it will also be distorted) as the input of the stereo amplifier is being stressed beyond it's rated input capacity. You can correct this by reducing the volume in the DVD Player.

I am surprised with the humming you get from the Rear L&R. Are you playing a DVD or a CD? If you are playing a CD, there will be no data going to the Rear Channels and that could be causing the hum. If you are playing a DVD, ensure that you have set it to out Dolby Digital, DTS - one of the 5.1 audio modes.

Cheers
 
you are correct pal... I was playing a CD and hence no rear signals... sure cause..

I shall check up if i am able to reduce volume through DVD remote, though i dont find any volume control switch in my remote...

Also should i discard my stereo system and buy a new AVR..??

pl. suggest...

thanx
 
Check your manual ..page 25-26 gives audio settings and speaker size settings.
I think the key lies here - you need to have Dolby Digital 5.1 DVD and play around wth settings

1) For 2 channel out seprate stereo out is provided
2) There is audio setting when output through 6 channels are given
3)No volume control on DVD
4) You need to check your existing speaker size and enter in DVD menu.

Just check ,test and tell the results:cool::cool:
 
Thanks dear Venkat, hemant and fellow boarders for your valuable suggestions..........

I am reviving this thread coz i am now able to move ahead in my quest of upgrading my stereo system to 5.1..

Through this forum I came know that entry level AVR are no better than stereo amp when it comes to music. This reinforced my idea to retain my old system. But i was not able to hook up my samsung DVD player with existing amp through its phono sockets. I thought that the output of my DVD player is not matching with amp so decided to try another DVD player. My brother wanted one, so i gave my old samsung to him and bought LGs DVD 388H. Again the same problem.... when connected through phono jack the same distorted sound.........:mad: Perhaps my phono sockets is not ok...

Then by chance, I connected these jack from anologue out (L&R) of DVD to 'video in' of my amp and here it is.....:)

SQ is good, at least 95% good compaired to my existing system when same tracks played by its dedicated CD transport (my system comes with two seperate section, amp & twin cassette deck as one section & a tuner with CD transport as another section) both sections connected by dedicated cable and two four way floorstanders with 2x8" drivers. And it sounds reasonably ok, though I have never auditioned any audiophil grade equipments.

here I need help & sugessions from you & fellow boarders as how i should move ahead with my limited resources.

I found that I can also connect 'centre' with my TV's 'audio in' through a jeck. Though SQ from tv amp is not good, this way I only need an additional stereo amp to amplify rear L&R. This amp can be hooked for the time being, with my old pair of bookshelves (part of old system with turn table, purchased way back by my father and presently lying in junk yard). I will be needing an active sub. ... huh long to go..:D

Which amp should i buy? Do suppliment me with yr nice advices.....

thanks & regards..
 
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