Basic settings for a Denon AVR-2105. I have an OLD dvd player that has optical audio out. Should I be using it? Hooked up to my Denon I have a pair of Polk tower speakers, RTi8's and I just got a center channel last night off Passwird ($70 shipped) a CS1. Basically I'm looking for a crash course on audio. What settings should I be using to best utilize these three speakers? The tv is only used for DVD, PS2 and a line output from my mp3 players.
If you have an optical cable, use it, other wise just use what ever cable you have already. You probably wont notice much of a difference. My opinion is that I've never heard a center channel speaker that sounded good.
Cnet has a lot of good info for the DIY'er. When new technology pops up that I'm interested, I usually go there and they already have a write up for the lay-person.
Use the optical. Ditch the CS1 and get a CS2. The CS1 can't keep up with the towers that you have.
Can't keep up in what way?
chknhwk wrote: Can't keep up in what way?
Too small, not capable of enough output. In order to get the levels calibrated to get a nice smooth transition across all your channels, you're going to have to either boost the hell out of the CS1, or ramp back the RTi8s pretty far. Either way, you're going to be working the CS1 way harder than the RTi8s, and if you get up to decent volumes, the CS1 is going to sound blatty, and quite possibly blow trying to keep up.
The CS2 is a gigantic step up for not a ton more money. That said, the CS1/CS2 aren't timbre matched to the RTi8s, anyways.
I would look for a used/refurb CSi5. Should be able to get one for less than $150, and it'll make a HUGE difference. It'll be able to keep up, and it'll sound the same as the RTi8s, something the CS1/CS2 won't do.
The only reason to not use an optical cable is if your DVD player is a super high-end class with better DACs than your amp/receiver.
Otherwise, if its provided, its the best choice.
I live in a condo and I can hear my neighbors sneeze so I doubt I'll be hitting any appreciable sound levels with it. Would it still make a difference? I picked it up because it was a Polk and it was on clearance for $70 shipped, I'd really rather not get rid of it and buy something else...
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