Can't get the sub on B&W MT-30 to work. What am I doing wrong?
Hi, I can't seem to get the sub on my system to work.
I bought the B&W MT-30 speakers and Pioneer VSX-LX53 amp on the recommendation of What Hi-Fi S&V. But for some reason the sub does not seem to be emitting sound. I have used the auto mcacc setup for the amp and speakers, and the sub emitted the set up tones, so I know it works and is receiving from the amp. I can get sound from all 5 speakers, just not the sub, when Sky HD is on.
Does anyone have any ideas on what I have done wrong, (yes the sub is switched on) or system settings on the amp I should have to get it to work?
Please help
Is the sub set to 'On' or 'Auto'?
The sub will only come out of standby when it senses bass frequencies. If you have long periods of dialogue, or if you're listening at very low volume, it may not sense any signal at all.
I've found the PV1 can be a bit tardy coming out of standby, so leave mine on 'On'.
Can you test with any other source?
I have put the PV-1 "on" and also in auto. In auto, it more often stays in standby with the red light showing, so I know it is not working. Even if I put it "on" so the green light is showing, no sound is coming from it. The sky is connected via HDMI into HDMI1 on the receiver, via a splitter.
Have you got a DVD or Blu-Ray player too?
Big Chris:Is the sub set to 'On' or 'Auto'?
The sub will only come out of standby when it senses bass frequencies. If you have long periods of dialogue, or if you're listening at very low volume, it may not sense any signal at all.
I've found the PV1 can be a bit tardy coming out of standby, so leave mine on 'On'.
Can you test with any other source?
I think I will leave it switched to on then, but my normal volume is about -20, which should be loud enough to get some bass. I can get a blu ray connected to it to test it, if you think it is worth it, but my primary concern is to get it to work with sky.
Ger1:
Big Chris:Is the sub set to 'On' or 'Auto'?
The sub will only come out of standby when it senses bass frequencies. If you have long periods of dialogue, or if you're listening at very low volume, it may not sense any signal at all.
I've found the PV1 can be a bit tardy coming out of standby, so leave mine on 'On'.
Can you test with any other source?
I think I will leave it switched to on then, but my normal volume is about -20, which should be loud enough to get some bass. I can get a blu ray connected to it to test it, if you think it is worth it, but my primary concern is to get it to work with sky.
Have you tried turning the sound on the sub up?
If anything, the OP should turn the gain on the sub down, and the level of the sub output from the receiver up, as this will trigger the sub to come out of auto-standby more readily.
But it could be that the channels he/she's watching on Sky don't have a .1 component in the soundtrack, assuming that the Sky box is connected to the receiver with a digital connection as well as HDMI, and is thus receiving surround sound and not just stereo.
What setting has your auto set up selected, do you have it set to allow the subwoofer on even when no .1 signal is received?
Andrew Everard:If anything, the OP should turn the gain on the sub down, and the level of the sub output from the receiver up, as this will trigger the sub to come out of auto-standby more readily.
But it could be that the channels he/she's watching on Sky don't have a .1 component in the soundtrack, assuming that the Sky box is connected to the receiver with a digital connection as well as HDMI, and is thus receiving surround sound and not just stereo.
I think Andrew has probably spotted the problem, if there isn't a digital out connection from the Sky box to the AV receiver (not HDMI, but optical/coaxial) you will not receive 5.1 as the HDMI out from the Sky box is only stereo
Cheers
fayeanddavid:
Andrew Everard:If anything, the OP should turn the gain on the sub down, and the level of the sub output from the receiver up, as this will trigger the sub to come out of auto-standby more readily.
But it could be that the channels he/she's watching on Sky don't have a .1 component in the soundtrack, assuming that the Sky box is connected to the receiver with a digital connection as well as HDMI, and is thus receiving surround sound and not just stereo.
I think Andrew has probably spotted the problem, if there isn't a digital out connection from the Sky box to the AV receiver (not HDMI, but optical/coaxial) you will not receive 5.1 as the HDMI out from the Sky box is only stereo
Cheers
I assumed that the pioneer receiver could put out .1 signal to get the sub to work whatever. (Not surround sound, but sound through all the speakers and the sub when watching MTV for example). I have a sony STR-DA2400es receiver and some Kef KHT2005.3 in my other room and the sub can always put out some sound even, if the source is only transmitted in stereo (music channels etc). I was expecting the same from the Pioneer receiver. Are you saying that the pioneer receiver will only get the amp to work if the output sound transmitted is 5.1, and it will not process or upscale the source sound to the sub to give it a bass if it is only stereo? If that is the case, I am very disappointed, and how can the far cheaper Sony STR-DA240es, manage it. Very confused. I think it seems a receiver issue to me.
It depends on the settings on the Pioneer. If it's set, for example, to process stereo inputs into Pro-Logic II Music, and set-up so this mode uses the sub, then yes it will use all the speakers and the sub.
markjaspi:What setting has your auto set up selected, do you have it set to allow the subwoofer on even when no .1 signal is received?
As you can see from my thread, I don't have much of an idea about the dark arts of Av receivers and speakers, but what you are saying makes sense, and sounds like it might be the problem. (Knowing my luck it wont be the problem). I just need to try and find the page in the manual that tells me how to do that.
Andrew Everard:It depends on the settings on the Pioneer. If it's set, for example, to process stereo inputs into Pro-Logic II Music, and set-up so this mode uses the sub, then yes it will use all the speakers and the sub.
Hi Andrew,
Sorry to be dim, but do you know how I get to pioneer to do this. i.e what do my settings need to be?
With a stereo source playing, press 'Receiver' on the remote, then press the 'Standard' button until the display shows it's using Pro-Logic IIx Music
Page 79 of the manual, change the subwoofer, from "yes" to "plus" this should ensure it comes on regardless of the signal input.
I'll try to help until someone more technical comes along.............is the green light showing on PV-1 and how is your Sky HD connected to the receiver?