Marantz SR5000, optical input - surround

[M.Beier]

Hi guys, I just picked up a SR5000 by Marantz today,
I hooked up the beauty, but dear lord how I hate their way of not simply calling apple apple and pears pears...

Its a pop quiz that I really suck at, trying to configure it in an outmost simple way:

I want DIRECT mode...
Stereo when playing music....
Surround when picking "A/52 over S/PDIF"

However, this is freaking impossible, in fact, I cant get surround without some really ty 80-90 style 'modes' such as: Hall, Stadium, Church - I dont want freaking alternated sound, I just want it to play the damn thing!

Any tips???? I guess its the same for all Marantz surround receivers...

I went from Denon btw..

[M.Beier]

I simply just want to be able to put on a blu-ray without having to listen to stereo, is that too much to demand from a surround receiver

[Nanometer]

It should automatically detect the stream at which is being sent to the receiver and change it automatically out of the box, without you having to change anything. Read the manual for more information on that. But being that the receiver is so out dated, there may still be issues with that function happening automatically. Even the cheapest receivers out right now have automatic switching. I suggest getting on the hotline with a rep. for support. I've done it in the past and they are typically very knowledgeable

Honestly though, if it bothers you enough, you may want to consider a new budget receiver. The new one would will have HDMI, room correction, and other great features which can be a big difference in the sound/video experience. If you have an HD TV with a decent set of speakers, I would definitely recommend that route.

[M.Beier]

It seems that I have to select DTS if movie is in DTS...
And Pro logic if sound is in pro logic...

Now DTS works ok, but pro logic is piss poor on the receiver :-/

The manual is useless, its announced as one of the worst ever made, according to audioreview.com
My other receiver, the Denon AVR-1603 I just had to put 'direct' then it would spot which sound format it was, and always sound reasonable....

Also I've noticed the bass being toned down a lot in movies when not using subwoofer, compared to my other receiver.

[M.Beier]

It seems the receiver cannot take AC3??? Can that really be?

Already considering if a NAD T760 might be a decent change...

[[DANGERDAN]]

Quick look at the manual shows quite a lot of limitations in this receiver, it looks to be one of their first receivers for digital.
It does support AC-3 which is what dolby digital is encoded with, supports dts surround but if i understand it correctly it will not support any new formats from blu ray like dts hd or dd hd, these will have to be down coded to the supported formats which most blu rays should be able to do if i remember correctly.

I am pretty sure that this system does not have pcm at all either so you wont be able to direct stream pure data or pure mode i think they call it now days.

Your stuck left right and center it would seem, even like nano said most cheap systems are better integrated with digital support.

http://www.vintageshifi.com/marantzsr5000.pdf

[HWaddict]

I have a SONY STR-DH520 and like all other surround recievers packed with gimmicks.

Never got the surround to work through optical input until I used DTS-interactive mode with the onboard audio.
Then the dropouts start coming and the conection was lost regardles of settings.

HDMI dont work because of the monitors speakers.

Had it, so next week I will install a Crown XLS-1500 to my homebuilt Eminence 15" floorspeakers, DIY PA good for 300Watts!
My media is mostly stereo and it will do, certainly sound better with a 4140SKR PA-amp then a 1495SKR surround amp.
SKR=Swedish Krona.

[M.Beier]

Quite odd, but I made it work, just simply did not get any signal on the inputs at first - for no obvious reasons.... Turned off a couple of times, and back on, and now it works...

I wanted the old Marantz because it also has a lovely sound quality in stereo, and more than 50%, more likely 80% in fact, is music on my front speakers.

But NAD T742 & NAD T760 are options if I want to change.

[alternativesurf]

Hi guys, I just picked up a SR5000 by Marantz today,
I hooked up the beauty, but dear lord how I hate their way of not simply calling apple apple and pears pears...

Its a pop quiz that I really suck at, trying to configure it in an outmost simple way:

I want DIRECT mode...
Stereo when playing music....
Surround when picking "A/52 over S/PDIF"

However, this is freaking impossible, in fact, I cant get surround without some really ty 80-90 style 'modes' such as: Hall, Stadium, Church - I dont want freaking alternated sound, I just want it to play the damn thing!

Any tips???? I guess its the same for all Marantz surround receivers...

I went from Denon btw..

First question back should have been what is your source?

Your audio field selection should be "Auto".
This will allow the received to detect DTS 5.1/Dolby Digitial 5.1/Stereo
When you select Dolby Pro Logic you are actually having the receiver simulate 5.1 which will make actual 5.1 sound terrible, and Stereo sound OK.

But, back to my first question. What is your source?

[M.Beier]

Source is:
Optical out, motherboard: GA-Z77MX-D3H from my mediacenter - which also leads me to why HDMI out for new amp wont do it for me... As its running
Bedroom: Z5500, 3x Analog + HDMI for monitor...
Living room: Receiver through optical SPDIF, and VGA to TV (my TV wont take DVI.... and the image on HDMI is crap IMO...)

I cannot select 'auto', or.... Any hint how I can do that? Actually this is 100% what would be best for me!

[alternativesurf]

I spoke too soon.
I have the 5300 and thought it would have similar options.
The SR5000 does not have an Auto selection.

So if I understand the issue correctly:
You have your PC hooked up to this receiver and the PC is playing back movies which are encoded for 5.1 surround sound.
The receiver is not outputting 5.1 when set to Dolby Digital (AC-3)

If this is the case, have you confirmed your PC is set to output 5.1 channels?
Even when outputting via optical, Windows will still default to 2.0.
I would also confirm your Media player supports, and is configured to output 5.1

[NKrader]

i think if you got one of these it would fix everything,


and your reciver would turn into a hoverboard and you could ride it to work :P



im sorry for random useless posts.. i couldnt help myself..

[Nanometer]

that gave me a pretty good lol

[cheez]

i think if you got one of these it would fix everything,


and your reciver would turn into a hoverboard and you could ride it to work :P



im sorry for random useless posts.. i couldnt help myself..

I had tried that cable in the past. The upper and mid range frequencies were silky with more treble, over the stock power cord. But it sounded like fake treble. And was a little blurry, hiding some of the details. This would be good with poor / distort recording like you guys have mostly.


cheez

[NKrader]

I had tried that cable in the past. The upper and mid range frequencies were silky with more treble, over the stock power cord. But it sounded like fake treble. And was a little blurry, hiding some of the details. This would be good with poor / distort recording like you guys have mostly.


cheez

Ohhhhhhh my God, I love you

And my whole post was sarcasm, everyone here knows about the fact that you have used these magical cables and how they make unicorns fly out of your speakers

[cheez]

Ohhhhhhh my God, I love you

And my whole post was sarcasm, everyone here knows about the fact that you have used these magical cables and how they make unicorns fly out of your speakers

I love you too. That cable really made sound smoother because it was covering up details. Treble sounded good but it lost bass. I liked it in a way, for certain songs, but in other songs it sounded ghey. Stock power cord has more open sound though and has more rough edges.

I take back what I said about the "silky" for the Venom 3, it was more like "creamy" not silky. It doesn't deserve the word silky for it. Not a bad cable though for the price.


cheez

[STEvil]

not gonna put up with the bs...