Newbie question for Marantz AVRs

[Beta Man]

I feel silly asking, but I tried searching online and reading the manual, and I just can't figure it out (although I did find the reason why my AVRs run hot all the time.... If you leave the "Multi" function on, one amp stays active even when the unit is off )

ANYWAYS.

I got my rear speaker (just one) and I also have an old center speaker I'd like to use to get 6.0 with my bedroom setup....

SO,

I'm trying to get 6.0 with my Marantz SR5001 and 6.1 with my Marantz SR7001

Here's the question.....

How should I connect the center rear speaker to get 6.1 (or 6.0 for the bedroom) for Blu-rays that have 7.1 audio tracks????

I don't want to connect the speaker to just REAR LEFT, or just REAR RIGHT, and only get one of the discrete rear channels, and lose the other.... I want to matrix the two rear channels down to one speaker (if that's the right term for it even....)

Is there a function to set the players (both PS3s) and the AVRs to, to send a combined signal, or should I run two sets of speaker wires from both the Left and Right rear outputs on the AVRs to the top and bottom binding posts on the speaker (in essence bi-amping I guess)

The problem with the bedroom setup though, is the center-rear speaker I'd be using only has one set of posts, so that would only be an option in my media room setup.....

Any Ideas on this?

[callas01]

You could try "bi amping" but I know typically AVRs want you to select the Rear Left and then when it down matrixes, it should include some of the audio to that one speaker... at least that is the theory.... But basically your asking one speaker to do the job of two discrete channels, I don't know how that would work.... Heck you could try it to see what happens, worst case senario you blow out a speaker(but hopefully not the AVR).... I don't know, your smarter at this then me tho...

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by callas01

Heck you could try it to see what happens, worst case senario you blow out a speaker(but hopefully not the AVR).... I don't know, your smarter at this then me tho...

Well.... I don't want to do that..... but I figure the amount of juice pushed to the rear channels can't be that much, and the 5001 can only be connected to the center-rear with one set of speaker wires, and the 7001 which I'd try to "Bi-amp" would be connected to a B&W 686 (that is fresh out of the box and hasn't played a note yet ) and since they're power-hungry as it is.... I don't think the rear channels would push enough juice to blow it out...... but I'd like some more opinions before I give it the ol' college try


I've also emailed Marantz directly.... hopefully they don't get confused by my discombobulated question

[callas01]

Oh I understand.... I wouldn't just try it either.... and my surround back I bought for $47.... I know the 686s are a bit more...

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by callas01

Oh I understand.... I wouldn't just try it either.... and my surround back I bought for $47.... I know the 686s are a bit more...

If anything, I could "try" it first with the speaker that has the damaged tweeter.... I have a new one on standby waiting to be installed..... if anything is going to bust, it'd probably be that....... Even then, I'm not sure I want to try it.

[Beta Man]

Well..... I played with the settings last night (3 hours ago) and was able to set my 7001 to "Single Rear" and set the number of speakers in the setup to "6.1" and instantly the center rear came alive...... I tried before in other configurations, and it was "dead"

Anyways.... once I got it setup, I spent an hour or so watching Pan's Labyrinth, and tweaking the levels on surround output..... I'll need to recalibrate, but it worked out well.

If I move the movie room to a more suitable space, I'll add another surround I guess (along with an amp, new screen, new projector, new sub, new CD player, etc etc etc etc )


Despite having it setup as "single rear" I would think that the AVR is matrixing the two rear channels to one, and sending it out of both the Left and Right rear surrounds, making which one I connect it to meaningless..... but I just have it connected to the "Left" maybe if I had it connected to "Right" it wouldn't have the same results.

[Beta Man]

Marantz also responded, and confirmed that I have it connected properly via the LEFT REAR SURROUND output, and setup option of "Single Rear"


Can't wait to watch some of the newer Blu-rays I have purchased since losing my original 7.1 setup.

[got rice]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I feel silly asking, but I tried searching online and reading the manual, and I just can't figure it out (although I did find the reason why my AVRs run hot all the time.... If you leave the "Multi" function on, one amp stays active even when the unit is off )

Beta do you know if this is true for any other AVRs? The part about your AVR running hot while in multi function mode.

thanks

[SeanMF]

Originally Posted by got rice

Beta do you know if this is true for any other AVRs? The part about your AVR running hot while in multi function mode.

thanks

I have the Marantz sr5003 and I don't think this is an issue for mine. I just hooked a ps3 up to it so I'll find out in a couple days.

[got rice]

Originally Posted by seanfarley2

I have the Marantz sr5003 and I don't think this is an issue for mine. I just hooked a ps3 up to it so I'll find out in a couple days.

Cool thanks for the response. I was actually curious about the SC-07. If the amp stays on while off during multi channel mode.

I guess I'll send Pioneer an email, since no one seems to know.