Ask S&V

Sort By:  Post Date TitlePublish Date
Ask S&V
2 Ways to Connect an External Amp to an AV Receiver
John Sciacca  |  Sep 13, 2023
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q Essentially this is a two-for-one, as both Ed Mendelson and Sam V had very similar questions about connecting an external amplifier to a Marantz AV receiver. Ed wants to add a 3-channel amp to his Marantz SR7012 to power his L/C/R speakers. Sam wants to use his Marantz SR5013 for the audio processing but use a Yamaha RX-A3020 for the amplification. How do we do this?

Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
Got Tech Questions? Ask S&V!
SV Staff  |  Aug 25, 2023
Got tech questions? Looking for advice on how to get the most out of your A/V gear? The experts at Sound & Vision have answers! Email your questions to AskSandV@gmail.com.
Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
How Do You Properly Integrate a Subwoofer In a Stereo Setup?
John Sciacca  |  Aug 07, 2023
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a follow-up to a previous question from one of your readers about connecting a subwoofer. Once the sub is correctly connected, how do you make sure it is set up to be fully integrated in a stereo system? —Benoit Blond

Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
How Do I Assess a Potential Home Theater Space?
John Sciacca  |  Jul 24, 2023
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q After several decades of renting and townhome ownership, I’m finally at a point where I’m looking to buy a single-family home. When I look at houses, I’m trying to find an area that will eventually become a dedicated home theater. What factors should I be looking at? What sizes and shapes of rooms are best? Should I be considering what materials the walls (and maybe the floor?) are made from? Are there modifications that are best done before we move in for sound isolation purposes or to improve the acoustics of a room? —Michael Brown

Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
Should I Connect My Apple TV to the TV or Receiver?
John Sciacca  |  Jun 21, 2023
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q What is the best way to set up my new Apple TV 4K (third generation)? I have a Denon AVR-S750H surround receiver and an LG OLED77CX 4K TV. I am assuming the best way is to connect my ATV directly to an available HDMI port on the receiver, but older S&V discussions, along with some other sites, recommend connecting the Apple TV directly to the TV. Please help! —Barry Neulen

Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
Will Using an eARC HDMI Connection from the TV to My AVR Improve the Sound?
John Sciacca  |  May 23, 2023
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q Can I get better audio by connecting the TV’s eARC HDMI to my Pioneer AV receiver? I don’t believe the AVR supports eARC technology, but I’d like to get the best audio possible. —Chris Murphy

Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
Should I Use the Outboard Amp in My 7.2.4 Setup for Front L/R or Atmos Speakers?
John Sciacca  |  Apr 10, 2023
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a 7.2.4 home theater with a Marantz SR7015 AV receiver powering 7.2.2 of the 7.2.4 speaker setup and a Marantz MM7025 stereo amp powering two of the overhead Atmos speakers. Would it make more sense to use the outboard amp to power the two front speakers rather than the Atmos speakers or does it not matter? —Mike Antoniello

Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
Got a Tech Question? Ask S&V!
SV Staff  |  Mar 22, 2023
Got tech questions? Looking for advice on how to get the most out of your A/V gear? The experts at Sound & Vision have answers! Email your questions to AskSandV@gmail.com.
Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
What’s the Best Way to Get Hi-Res Audio from My iPhone to My Amplifier
John Sciacca  |  Mar 21, 2023
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a Yamaha WXA-50 amplifier, and I would like to play hi-res audio from Apple Music and get the full benefit through the amp. In my mind, I would buy a DAC capable of connecting through USB to my iPhone, then to my amplifier’s digital audio-in. Most DACs seem to only have RCA outputs, but it seems to me that the purest experience is to “stay digital” until the amplifier converts to analog. Is there something I’m not thinking about correctly? —Jeremiah Rogers

Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
Searching for a Sealed Sub to Go with My Maggies
John Sciacca  |  Feb 16, 2023
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I want to add a subwoofer to my Magnepan MG12 speakers in a two-channel-only setup. I am looking at sealed subs to keep up with the pace of the Magnepans. I can budget up to $1,000 but would prefer to spend less. The room is 380 square feet, with the listening area directly in the center. I’ve considered the RSL Speedwoofer Mk II, a Rythmik L12, and the SVS 3000 Micro. Your professional insight would be appreciated. —Craig A.

Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
Upgrading a 5.1.2 Setup that Has Bi-amped Front L/R Speakers
John Sciacca  |  Jan 30, 2023
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a 5.1.2 setup based around an Onkyo TX-RZ840 receiver and a Monitor Audio Bronze speaker package using the Bronze 2 stand mounts. My left and right front speakers are bi-amped and I’m looking to upgrade to 5.1.4. I wish to add external amplifiers plus an AV receiver in preamp mode or a preamp processor. Would I get a worthwhile upgrade in audio quality choosing the preamp processor? —Dan Pinnock, via email

Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
What’s the Best Way to Connect a Subwoofer to My Stereo Receiver?
John Sciacca  |  Dec 22, 2022
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a Yamaha stereo receiver and would like to connect a Polk active sub to the “B” speaker jacks while powering a pair of Polk speakers from the “A” speaker jacks. Will this work, or must I instead connect the speakers to the line out on the sub? Which connection will give me the best result without causing damage to the amp? — Alex Parkes, via email

Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
Why Do I Get a “Not 4K” Warning When I Stream on My 4K Roku Setup?
John Sciacca  |  Nov 29, 2022
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q When I’m streaming 4K through my Roku Ultra, I occasionally get an onscreen warning that says “not 4K-compatible.” I also have a Panasonic DP-UB9000 Ultra HD Blu-ray player but there’s no issue with it. Every check I make shows that I am set up properly for 4K streaming and my Wi-Fi signal to the Roku is great. Any ideas? It’s making me crazy. —Michael Henn, via email

Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
Don’t Be Shy. . . Ask S&V!
SV Staff  |  Nov 10, 2022
Got tech questions? Looking for advice on how to get the most out of your A/V gear? The experts at Sound & Vision have answers! Email your questions to AskSandV@gmail.com.
Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
How Can I Get Sonos to Randomize My 700-CD Collection?
John Sciacca  |  Oct 31, 2022
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a Sonos system for playing music throughout the house. I've recorded my 700-CD collection and like to listen to the songs randomly but Sonos does not access the whole collection — only about 4,000 of the 6,000 available songs. Can you recommend a solution, or do you know of an app that can safely randomize files? —Clive Fox, Richmond, VA

Continue Reading »

Pages

X