Update on my onkyo s3100

[srikarkav]

Hi Guys,

I want to share my thoughts on the Onkyo i bought a month ago.Well watching 5.1 dvd movies on the system is awesome. Even though its only an entry level HTiB, I recommend this strongly for those with space constraints and just want to have the taste of their first HT experience without putting a hole in ur purse.I hired The Band of Brothers from Tictac to test the system. It was a real experience i would say. The sound staging was fantastic.We were on the battlefield for real!. Out of the box the system worked with simple connections.The only disappointment was that Onkyo people said they will simply come and connect and will not do the speaker wall installations.I asked them not to bother.

I bought a couple tamil cinema song dvds remastered into 5.1 dolby and dts format. The songs really rock. can hear sounds that we never heard in the songs before.
But for those who want to enjoy movies AS WELL AS stereo music, this system is a strict no no, as advised by many experts here.

Coming to DTH, the sound from my Tatasky is not loud enough i feel.Even if i set the AVR to PL II there is not even a semblance of 5.1 effect. My old Marantz stereo amp does a better job with the Tata sky sound. Even in stereo mode the sound is not loud enough.

Guys, I want u to help me with couple of things.If I upgrade the front speakers with a pair of Bookshelves, will it improve my system particularly in the stereo music department? If yes, i want to order a BS from audiocraft,chennai. Their products seem to get good reviews here in the forum. What are the specifications with which i should ask them to assemble it? I want them to be good in HT and stereo music.


Is it worthwhile to upgrade my speaker wires?

What does the term crossover mean and how do i adjust it in my system?
sorry for the long post guys.
Thank u,
cheers,
sridhar c

 

[vishanv]

sridhar, nice and honest comments.

fixing a hometheater by yourself is kind of fun, so don't worry the dealer not helping you. Many dealers are interested only if the purchase is top of the end where they make big margins. I paid even for delivery of my speakers.

Try watching Master and Commander in your set-up with volume cranked a little bit up. songs, you said you already have DTS discs, if you don't have varalaaru (Godfather...ARR) get it right away. let me know your experience after listening to these stuff. my demos to friends usually goes with these discs.

DTH sound being low, can you tell me how you have connected the Tatasky receiver with your AVR. I mean by Analogue outs or digital? Digital output connection can give you better results and Dolby PLII may work too.

Crossover, among other things, diverts low frequency signal to LFE (subwoofer) as the tiny satellites may not be able to handle it. personally i recommend setting this in your AVR. I have not used Onkyo, don't know exactly which menu, but it is sometimes also mentioned in the menu as LPF/HPF (low / high pass filter). 120 hz, I think, should be an ideal crossover for your system. Other experts who have used the Onkyo could give you better suggestion on the exact crossover.

 

[srikarkav]

Hi vish,

Thanks for ur comments.Sure i will try out the discs u have suggested.My Tatasky STB has a composite out i beleive. I will try it and see.
Thanks,
cheers,
sridhar c

 

[venkatcr]

Coming to DTH, the sound from my Tatasky is not loud enough i feel. Even if i set the AVR to PL II there is not even a semblance of 5.1 effect. My old Marantz stereo amp does a better job with the Tata sky sound. Even in stereo mode the sound is not loud enough.

Even if you set the AVR to PLII, unless the incoming signal has multi channel audio, you will not get 5.1 effects from a DTH signal. Instead of dissipating the signal by distributing it to all channels, try focussing it on just the front channels. You may get better results.

Guys, I want u to help me with couple of things.If I upgrade the front speakers with a pair of Bookshelves, will it improve my system particularly in the stereo music department? If yes, i want to order a BS from audiocraft, chennai. Their products seem to get good reviews here in the forum. What are the specifications with which i should ask them to assemble it? I want them to be good in HT and stereo music.

Yes it should, though I will wait for Moser (Moserw) to give his comments. Please send him a PM inviting his attention to this thread. If I remember right all Onkyo output at 6 ohms, and that is what you should specify to Mark. Also mention the wattage of your HTIB so that Mark can configure the speakers properly.

Is it worthwhile to upgrade my speaker wires?

Absolutely

What does the term crossover mean and how do i adjust it in my system?

Cross over has already been explained though I would encourage you to try frequencies from 100-120 Hz to as low as the sub can go.

Again will wait for Moser to explain exactly how to do this.

Cheers

 

[srikarkav]

Hi Venkat,

Thanks a lot for ur reply. Yes i will give a pm to moser.

If i have to upgrade my speaker wires what brand should i go for and where can i get it in Chennai?

Even stereo out from Tata sky is not loud enough. My Marantz amp and Aiwa vcd system did a better job for Tatasky sound:sad: Tatasky plus seem to have component out.Will an upgarde to it improve the sound?

Here are the specs for my HTiB.
ONKYO SIGHT & SOUND - INDIA

Thanks,
cheers,
sridhar c

 

[venkatcr]

Thanks a lot for ur reply. Yes i will give a pm to moser.

If i have to upgrade my speaker wires what brand should i go for and where can i get it in Chennai?

Even stereo out from Tata sky is not loud enough. My Marantz amp and Aiwa vcd system did a better job for Tatasky sound:sad: Tatasky plus seem to have component out.Will an upgarde to it improve the sound?

(1) Your HTIB has component inputs and your Tata Sky has component output. That will be the best way to connect. Get a decent component cable and use it for connecting.

(2) You can use any of the following brands for speaker cables:

DAC
Bandridge
Eagle

Looking for 14 or 16 AWG. You can get DAC from Pro Musicals, and Bandridge and Eagle from Decibel. These will cost you between 70 to 150 Rupees a meter plus taxes.

I would also suggest you get a decent sub woofer cable. This will cost you some 2000 Rupees. You can buy any of the same brands or also look for Atlona sub woofer cable from Decibel.

(3)
Your sub can go down to 30Hz and your fronts to 80Hz. So you should try for sub crossover from 100 Hz down to 30Hz. use the same scene again till you find a frequency that you like. First you should set all speakers at the same sound pressure level. 75dB is a safe bet.

At the back of the sub, there will be a switch for setting the frequency response of the sub. Use this to set it to the frequency you desire. In addition the Onkyo 340 will have speaker setting for each individual speaker. Use this to set the sound level as well as the frequency for the speakers and the sub.

For the sub, as I said before, you have to try various frequency settings till you get what you like. Do not be afraid to experiment.

Please use an original DVD with good low bass sounds such as U571, Battle of Britain, Saving Private Ryan, etc.

Cheers

 

[moserw]

Hi Guys,

I want to share my thoughts on the Onkyo i bought a month ago.Well watching 5.1 dvd movies on the system is awesome. Even though its only an entry level HTiB, I recommend this strongly for those with space constraints and just want to have the taste of their first HT experience without putting a hole in ur purse.I hired The Band of Brothers from Tictac to test the system. It was a real experience i would say. The sound staging was fantastic.We were on the battlefield for real!. Out of the box the system worked with simple connections.The only disappointment was that Onkyo people said they will simply come and connect and will not do the speaker wall installations.I asked them not to bother.

Its a good entry level system and you will really enjoy the kick for DTS and Dolby Digital content. Use a digital connection from the source DVDP to the AVR i.e. optical or coaxial. From personal experience I've found coaxial better than optical.

I bought a couple tamil cinema song dvds remastered into 5.1 dolby and dts format. The songs really rock. can hear sounds that we never heard in the songs before.
But for those who want to enjoy movies AS WELL AS stereo music, this system is a strict no no, as advised by many experts here.

You are right, this is not a good system for music and even music in 5.1 will initially excite you and sound good, but the novelty will wear off pretty soon.

Coming to DTH, the sound from my Tatasky is not loud enough i feel.Even if i set the AVR to PL II there is not even a semblance of 5.1 effect. My old Marantz stereo amp does a better job with the Tata sky sound. Even in stereo mode the sound is not loud enough.

Check the wiring, try using better quality of wires (don't buy, borrow and check first). The volume should be better via the Onkyo AVR. DTS Neo is the best setting for outputting 2 channel to 5.1 at least in this model of Onkyo. I've personally checked with friends and others and it does a very good job with Divx rips in stereo when played in DTS Neo mode and it gives pretty good 5.1 FX though not the actual DTS or Dolby Digital, still pretty decent for 2 channel stereo.

Guys, I want u to help me with couple of things.If I upgrade the front speakers with a pair of Bookshelves, will it improve my system particularly in the stereo music department? If yes, i want to order a BS from audiocraft,chennai. Their products seem to get good reviews here in the forum. What are the specifications with which i should ask them to assemble it? I want them to be good in HT and stereo music.

Your mileage will vary. Frankly the model you have is not good for music. The AVR itself is pretty limited (probably in terms of the chip used) for stereo music. I would say look to setting up another unit for music. Since you already have a Marantz stereo amplifier get BS or FS matching that instead of the Onkyo. My advice is don't bother making the Onkyo 3100 sound good for music. You will never be satisfied with the SQ and end up feeling its money wasted down the drain. Like you've noticed its a pretty decent system for movies so enjoy lots of movies on it. A home theater is not meant for listening to music so expecting it to do well in that department is asking for too much. It's just not built/made for that.

Is it worthwhile to upgrade my speaker wires?

Certainly yes, but watch out. Lot's of snake oil kind of solutions/deals exist. Spend moderately and within reason. The costs should be between 5-10% the cost of the unit i.e. 2K max. Spending anything more on a system that costs 19K is going to be a waste.

What does the term crossover mean and how do i adjust it in my system?

LFE Crossover - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and Audio crossover - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is particularly useful "only frequencies below 80 Hz may be in the LFE channel, which is typical for some cinema sound systems, like THX and DTS, but the actually used satellite speakers may, for example, only be able to emit sound from 140 Hz and up, which is typical for small home sound systems."

I've found for the Onkyo 3100 the best setting is 120 Hz i.e. the default setting. At 80 Hz you will hardly hear any of the explosions. Try experimenting and finding the optimum for yourself. 150 Hz is good too, but I've found 120 Hz to be the best. Also in settings go with all speakers as small and not large.

Hope this helps...

 

[moserw]

Hi Venkat,

Thanks a lot for ur reply. Yes i will give a pm to moser.

If i have to upgrade my speaker wires what brand should i go for and where can i get it in Chennai?

Even stereo out from Tata sky is not loud enough. My Marantz amp and Aiwa vcd system did a better job for Tatasky sound:sad: Tatasky plus seem to have component out.Will an upgarde to it improve the sound?

Here are the specs for my HTiB.
ONKYO SIGHT & SOUND - INDIA

Thanks,
cheers,
sridhar c

Component is for video and not audio. It will improve PQ a lot, but not SQ.

 

[manidgl74]

Hi Sridhar,

I have got the Onkyo with me. Where do got the tamil songs dvd which has dts on it.

Can you please tell me.

Thanks
Mani

 

[vishanv]

Hi Sridhar,

I have got the Onkyo with me. Where do got the tamil songs dvd which has dts on it.

Can you please tell me.

Thanks
Mani

In Landmark (spencers plaza) I got DTS encoded audio cds (not DVDs) of Godfather (Varalaaru), Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu & Sillinnu oru Kaadhal. may be you already know, they dont play on normal CD players. you have to use your DVD player (with DTS compatibility)

 

[vishanv]

Hi Venkat,

Thanks a lot for ur reply. Yes i will give a pm to moser.

If i have to upgrade my speaker wires what brand should i go for and where can i get it in Chennai?

Even stereo out from Tata sky is not loud enough. My Marantz amp and Aiwa vcd system did a better job for Tatasky sound:sad: Tatasky plus seem to have component out.Will an upgarde to it improve the sound?

Here are the specs for my HTiB.
ONKYO SIGHT & SOUND - INDIA

Thanks,
cheers,
sridhar c

Sri, by digital out I meant, at the back of your Tatasky STB if you see a coaxial or S/PDIF output you can connect using that. That's what I use here (showtime) and I get surround effect. Not sure if your Tatasky STB has those outputs. if you use digital connection and as long as your signal has stereo sound, DPLII should work (I hope so...)

 

[moserw]

Sri, by digital out I meant, at the back of your Tatasky STB if you see a coaxial or S/PDIF output you can connect using that. That's what I use here (showtime) and I get surround effect. Not sure if your Tatasky STB has those outputs. if you use digital connection and as long as your signal has stereo sound, DPLII should work (I hope so...)

Not sure about Tata Sky Plus, but other STBs have only analog outputs and no digital outputs. Also, all channels broadcast in 2 channel stereo, no 5.1/7.1 for us yet.

 

[srikarkav]

Hi moser,

That was a great help. This forum is a great place because of guys like you and venkat.I will be prudent while buying the speaker cables for sure. I think i will postpone the speaker upgrade for sometime and look to get an Oppo 980H for my setup.






Hi Mani,

U can get 5.1 tamil video songs from Music world at Spencer plaza, phase1 Most of them have both dts and dolby.

Hi Vish,

Unfortunately my Tata sky has only analogue connections.
cheers,
sridhar c

 

[sushanthace]

Hi ,

I have a similar setup as yours except that i have upgraded the front speakers to FS ( wharfedale 8.3). The sound is more boomy and heavier now... Did you make any other changes to your setup and the cables..I am also looking at improving the performance of this setup. Also please do let me know from where you source your equipment in chennai...


Thanks
Sushanth

 

[banmukh]

Hi,
can anybody tell me where to get branded (like panasonic) component video cable in Chennai (preferably not too far from adyar)?. I could only find some Chinese made ones in local stores.
Thanks in advance,

 

[spirovious]

Croma has options from Philips to Bandbrige.