stereo equipment question - recently bought a component system and not happy with results

[KG]

Denon AVR-S510BT 5.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD AV Receiver with Bluetooth

Polk Audio PSW10 10-Inch Powered Subwoofer

JBL Studio 230 6.5-Inch 2-Way Bookshelf Loudspeaker

Mediabridge 16AWG 2-Conductor Speaker Wire (100 Feet, Clear) - Spooled Design with Sequential Foot Markings

i have a laptop hooked up to it with a HDMI cable.


my complaint is about volume, seems i gotta turn up to '50' before i can hear much of anything, '80' to get get it near loud enough to suit me, any higher the reciever gets hot enough shut down.

something i'm doing wrong? wrong equipment? what?

[think4yourself]

1. Sounds like a great system!

I'd check your output level from the computer. Maybe try the FM or plug a CD/DVD player in and see if they play at a higher level. Also recheck the speaker wiring and make sure that's correct. Maybe that HDMI cable is defective? I'm hoping someone with more technical knowledge can help you because it sounds like you put together a great system!
We'll figure this out!

[KG]

4. the volume curve is the same w/ the radio, or w/ the laptop connected by a RCA cable

[brewens]

2. Make sure your speakers are wired perfectly. Same length of wire one each one regardless of

how they are placed. Usually if you have the wires attached sloppily so they touch each other and short out, it sounds normal but will cause your receiver to go into protect mode and shut down.

[KG]

5. was carefull about that.

[earthshine]

3. My first guess is that the volume level on the computer is too low.

You have several software-based volume controls on the computer, including the control for your video player window and the master operating system volume control.

They all have to be sufficiently loud to provide enough signal to the amp, so that it can effectively process it.

Volume on the computer is a place to start.

[KG]

6. the volume curve is the same w/ the radio, or w/ the laptop connected by a RCA cable

I've spent alot of time tweaking this system

[jberryhill]

7. Have you had your hearing checked?

[mn9driver]

8. Specs show 75W output to 8 ohm load for that receiver

With 100 feet of 16 AWG that drops max power to a little less than 62W, less than half the rated power of the speaker. It should be loud, but not ear bleeding loud. And you are working the amp pretty hard there. Solutions:

1. Shorter cables, or 10 AWG.
2. Smaller speakers
3. Bigger amp

[KG]

9. well, there's only 5 ft wire to ea speaker. I'm thinking I need a bigger amp.

[jmowreader]

10. Do you have a plain oil' CD player around?

I'm inclined to believe the receiver is defective, but try playing a CD from a device that produces line-level output.

On edit: how big is the room? And how many people are in it? You have a Normal Size Room and Normal Size Crowd stereo. If you're trying to make it do the work of a PA system...it won't.

[KG]

11. no got. I'm think I'm just gonna order one of these

Pioneer VSX-831 5.2-Channel AV Receiver with Built-In Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

[jmowreader]

12. Unless your receiver is bad, the Pioneer won't help

Denon's website says the amp you have will produce 75 watts into 8 ohms - the impedance of your speakers.

Pioneer's website says the one you're looking at will produce 80 watts into the same load.

Audio power is logarithmic. To get enough of an increase that you'll notice it (aka 3 decibels) you need twice the power. To make it seem twice as loud (aka 10 decibels) you need 10x the power.

There's something wrong in here...either your amp is defective, your speakers are, you're listening to Deep Purple albums and want concert volume, or your room is the size of Madison Square Garden.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

13. I like jmowreader's questions and comments.

Can you take pictures of the front and rear of the receiver? The pictures should show the connections and the settings on the controls.

Are there any level controls on the backs of the speakers?

Thanks.

[KG]

14. got all components from Amazon, you can copy and paste the wording should take ya right to them

[mahatmakanejeeves]

15. I don't need to see the specs of the receiver.

What I'd like to see is how it is been connected to an input and to the speakers, as well as the setting of the controls. Just to make sure things are as they should be.

Thanks.