Dead channels on new SurroundBar?

[tragicallyhip]

Hi,

Just took delivery of a SurroundBar and PSW505. I'm connecting it to an HK AVR330, which I previously used with four LSi7s and another PSW505. The sound from the previous set-up was pristine on all channels. I ran the test tone feature, and I'm not getting any sound from the center or left channels. The others appear to work properly. I've checked the connections, and they're all good. I've also checked the inputs on the AVR by switching the speaker wires, and I get tone then. Is it possible that I have a couple of dead channels on the SurroundBar?

Thanks

[okiepolkie]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds(pun intended :)) like you have been a Polkie for a while now.

While it is possible the surroundbar is at fault, it sounds more like a setting issue with your receiver. I'm too tired to think of many solutions, but the receiver seems to be the source of the problem at this point.

[tragicallyhip]

I suppose its possible that this is settings on my AVR, but if it is, I'm at a loss. Here's a bit more about my setup.

I'm using the speaker cable harness that shipped with the SurroundBar as is. The posts on the back of my AVR are color coded exactly as the same as the SurroundBar, and I've made the connections without further stripping the wires, using banana plugs or any other such mods. The sub is connected to the FL and FR channels on the AVR (as recommended on the SurroundBar's Quick Start Guide) using banana plugs. I'm getting fantastic bass levels, btw. :)

For *hits and giggles, I connected the SurroundBar to the AVR on FL, SL and SR, but not the C or FR. Then I connected two LSi7s to the AVR on C and FR. With 5-channel source input, I ran the test tone and got sound in all 5 channels, with C and FR coming from the LSi7s. Then I disconnected the LSi7s and connected C and FR channels from the SurroundBar, leaving all other settings the same. Still no sound from C and FR on the SurroundBar. Finally, I ran the speaker cables from the SurroundBar to the AVR on the C and FR channels. Voila! I got sound from both of these problem channels.

So, I've successfully eliminated the AVR or SurroundBar as the problem. Thanks to Polk, BTW, for continuing to ship posts that accept multiple forms of connections; without, I could have spent hours, and possibly would have considered the SurroundBar bad.

Now I just have to determine whether those two channels on the cable harness are bad, or whether its the connections. Since the FR channel is one of the trouble areas but I know the inputs on the AVR and SB work, I ran the FR wire from the cable harness to the FL inputs, and the FL channel got a test tone. So I re-connected the FR wire to the FR inputs very, very carefully, making sure I had really good connections. Now I'm getting tone through this channel! :D

I'm really surprised that I made bad connections on 2 of 5 channels after connecting them in the exact same manner in the same sitting. I suppose the moral to the story is to take your time, really ensure that your connections are good, and use trial-and-error and the process of elimination to solve your problem. And actually, writing about it in this forum as I worked through the issues helped me think through how to eliminate possible causes and get to the root of the problem.

Club Polk as Dr. Phil. A little self-help goes a long way. :o Hope this little episode helps others.

Tragicallyhip (real name withheld to protect the dumb-a**!)

[cfrizz]

LOL! I'm glad you got it all figured out. Welcome to Club Polk!

[okiepolkie]

Enjoy that thing and let us know how it compares to your 7's.