I could use some help

[waterbourn]

So i just ordered an Onkyo 805 and the Polk RM6880 speaker set. Now I would love to know the best way to hook these things up. I have not gotten them yet, but wanted to make sure i have everything I need when they come in.

So these do not come with speaker wire right? Just any speaker wire is fine.. from say Lowes? And you can just strip the ends of the wire to hook them into the receiver and the speakers? Any thing else i need?

Also, the rear speakers... if I mount these to the wall.. what is the best height. Just take them to the top of the ceiling? Not looking forward to running this under the house and through the walls.

It makes no difference if the distance between the two front speakers if different that the distance of the rear speakers does it? the two front will just be right beside the TV, so only a few few apart.. while the rear will be on the wall at each end of the room, which is many feet apart.

And i was reading something about these polk subwoofers not having a tradition hookup. how exactly do these hook up?

And optical cables... if everything is running HMDI, I do not need this? but if i go component.. say Xbox360 to the AV and then component to the TV.. I need to just plug in optical from the 360 to the AV and then another one from the receiver to the TV? and what is the difference in this optical cable and the coaxial digital cable?

Thanks for your help.

[daboyz]

Click on the support button in the upper right and you'll find a lot of useful info there to help answer your questions.

[apphd]

waterbourn, Welcome to Club Polk, daboyz gave you the best info, as you will probably find yourself with more questions as you get going and there is a wealth of good accurate info to be had at your leisure from the link. But maybe for some quick answers:

I don't know but I would doubt any speaker wire will be included, and yes, any speaker wire will do...... But if you stick around here, or any other audio forum there is a long and continuous debate on what makes for acceptable - good - better -best speaker wire with many on both sides of the debate. I will leave it up to you to read up on and make your own decisions.

General rule of thumb on speaker placement is: main/front speakers tweeters around ear level when you are seated in the prime viewing seat. Surround speakers tweeters around ear level or a little higher than your ears when you are standing. It is ok and probably preferred to have them at a wider spacing than the fronts, depends on where your fronts end up. Front speaker placement can be much more critical. Distance between speakers, and maybe most important distance to the rear and side walls from your main speakers. This is where you need to experiment for what sounds best to you. That is the only correct place for your speakers.

Not familiar with the Polk subs, but I'm sure they will have a manual that will make it easy.


If everything is running HDMI then I believe you are set, not sure if the 805 is 1.3 which I think you would need for TrueHD and DTS Master audio.


If you run component (video only) then you need something to carry the sound so you would need optical, coaxial digital, or standard R-L RCA. You would only be able to get matrixed surround from the stereo RCA. Optical and the coaxial can carry the 5+ surround tracks found on most newer movies. Optical being optical/glass and coaxial copper.