I have a few questions on speaker setup. I have the Avia setup dvd.

My 5yr old Yamaha receiver doesn't allow me to adjust the volume level of the main speakers during speaker setup. It only allows for the rears, centre, and sub. So using my Radio Shack SPL meter I just cranked up the volume of the mains until the pink noise read 75db on the meter. I left the volume knob there then I did the pink noise tests on the surrounds and centre and adjusted those individually through the setup until each on read 75db as well. I hope I did that correctly?

As to the sub I'm not sure how to get that right. The tests tones for the sub seem to match the sub with the left, right, and rear speakers. So for ex the sub pink noise test plays the left main at the same time. Also the sub pink noise test isn't one solid sound. It seems to be going up and down a scale. Should the peak on the spl meter read abouit 78db? That's what I was looking for but somehow the sub doesn't seem to have enough bass at that level. I haven't tried any movies yet but will in the next few days.

I know I definitely need a new receiver but my cash reserves are pretty much now all depleted.

Sounds like you did good so far.

The sub issues sound wierd. Just to get the most obvious possibility out of the way, you're using a digital connection between player and receiver, not stereo audio right ? Sorry to even ask this but the first thing that popped into my mind was "he's running stereo and the receiver is doing a pretty fair job of regenerating the channels"

Using my htpc I am going via optical out on the pc to my reciever. Also I noticed that my Yamaha HTR 5450 has a switch in the back for 6ohm or 8ohm. Since my vp150 is a 6ohm speaker should I set the switch to 6ohm or leave it at 8? My other speakers are M60's and QS4's.

Leave it at 8.

8

Dan, the presence of a switch or menu setting for less than 8 ohms in no way results in optimizing the output for speakers having a lower impedance. That setting simply reduces the maximum voltage that's available from the power supply section of the receiver, and because of Ohm's Law, when the maximum voltage is reduced so is the maximum current and power which the voltage controls. Typically, the maximum power available might be cut in half. So, although this is a precaution against overheating, it can significantly reduce maximum performance; 8.

Okay 8 it is. Thank God! I was not looking forward to getting to the back of my receiver.