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ARCHIVED FORUM -- April 2007 to March 2012
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This is the first Archived Forum which was active between 17th April 2007 and 1st March February 2012

 

Latest post 02-11-2012 11:27 AM by ari. 12 replies.
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  • 01-21-2012 7:43 AM

    • ari
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    New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

    Hi guys

    Firstly great forum you have here, have been reading it for a while before I finally decided to sign up and post up some questions of my own.

    I have just purchased a set of Beolab 5's and Beolab 3's, no center speaker yet as I have read on numerous threads here about the awesome "phantom center" of the BL5's! I have also purchased the beautiful Beosound 5!

    Anyways let me cut to the point:

    - I want to connect the BL5's and BL3's to a non B&O receiver which I have not yet purchased.

    - I will be connecting a media center PC to this receiver and playing HD content (blu-rays etc) through this, as well as a Beosound 5.

    - I am battling to understand how I would connect the speakers up to the receiver as I am still familiarising myself with B&O speaker technology. e.g. "Active speakers" and how the receiver needs to support the correct voltage etc., and also what wires I will need as they cannot be powerlink <--> powerlink due to the receiver being non b&o.

    Can anyone please advise me on the above, and also recommend a good receiver which has:

    - HDMI inputs

    - supports all surround formats (including the uncompressed DTS-HD, True HD etc)

    - supports "active speaker" technology on the Beolab 5's and 3's which turn them on and off automatically? Onkyo seems to be the name thrown around the forum,will this model fit the bill? (PR-SC5509 http://www.uk.onkyo.com/en/products/pr-sc5509-58251.html supposedly their flagship model )

    Please excuse my lack of knowledge on the matter!

    Looking forward to your advice and spending more time here on the forum!:)

    Thanks

     

    P.S. Here is the Onkyo PR-SC5509 back panel image as mentioned above:

     

  • 01-21-2012 8:31 AM In reply to

    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

    I have a very similar setup currently.  I have this: http://www.anthemav.com/products/anthem-statement/processor/d-2v  as my A/V processor connected to Beolab 5 fronts and 3s in the rear.  That Onkyo looks very similar

    The speakers connect to the preouts on the processor.  I do not think you can use the balanced outs because of the voltage.  The lab 5s are connected simply using regular RCA cable to the line in on the lab 5s.  For the 3s, you would need an RCA to powerlink cable which are readily availiable.  I got mine from Sounds Heavenly off this website. 

    The lab 3s will power on automatically once they get a line in signal from the processor.  The 5s are a little more complex.  You will need to turn them on using a B&O remote, then they will simply play once they get a signal.  You also have to change option settings on the lab 5s which is easy enough to do. 

    You will need to set the proper volume on the Beolab 5s as well.  You would use the test tone feature on the processor and make sure all of the tones are the same volume. 

    It's all easy to do but it took some research on my part to get it done.  It's an awesome setup, movies sound better than the theater!  Music using a good surround mode is enveloping.  There is some good info buried in the forums here as well on doing this.

    Hope this helps

    Beolab 5, beolab 3, beolab 4000, beosound 9000

  • 01-21-2012 8:38 AM In reply to

    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

    Oh, and furthermore,

    When setting up the speaker configurations on the processor, you would set the lab 5s to "large" and the lab 3s to "small".  You would select "none" for center and subwoofer.  The phantom center channel using the lab 5s is very good although I am contemplating getting a center channel.  The subwoofers in the lab 5s are simply awesome. 

    If the processor has some kind of bass management setup, skip it.  Use the calibration feature on the Beolab 5s instead.

     

    Beolab 5, beolab 3, beolab 4000, beosound 9000

  • 01-21-2012 8:54 AM In reply to

    • ari
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    • Joined on 01-21-2012
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    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

    Hi beoinbuff

    Thanks for the quick reponse and for sharing your knowledge with me - very much appreciated!

    Regarding the RCA --> Line Cables, can I not connect it via Digital Out to the AV receiver instead of LINE?

    Also will I need to "syncr" cable at all? Or is that only necessary if I use the digital out instead of LINE? Suppose I would also have to purchase this seperately.

    It's a shame the Beolab 5's have to be turned on by their own remote, just introduces more remotes :( I was hoping there was a way to get the BL5's to turn on automatically like the BL3's.

    Have read a lot of good words about Sounds Heavenly here on the forum! If I ever needed any more cables in the future I will be sure to give him a shout, however the B&O dealer offered to provide me with the cables I need for now when they ship the speakers.

    P.S. Getting a bit OT, what center speaker will you be looking at? BeoLab 7-1/7-2/7-6? Do they work with non B&O receiver/tv? Big Smile

  • 01-21-2012 9:58 AM In reply to

    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

    I have an Onkyo, connected to BL 8000 front, BL 4000 center, and 2 non coms passive as surround, works like a charm, I used the automatic calibration on the Onkyo, but as you use BL 5s you can set it yourself. BLs are connected to the preouts and the passives to the amped.

    Beosound 3000, BL 4000, BL 8000, BG 2404,BG 5000, BG CD50, Beocord 5000, BM 901, BM 2400, BM 4000, BV S45, BV 3702. There is nothing we cannot do, but a lot of things we don't want to do!!

  • 01-21-2012 10:06 AM In reply to

    • ari
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    • Joined on 01-21-2012
    • South Africa
    • Posts 30
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    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

    Thanks for confirming :) Looking forward to setting this up once I find out the right cables I need and if there is any way to power the BL5's on with the AV Receiver :)

  • 01-21-2012 11:12 AM In reply to

    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

    There is one point that I dont like with my Onkyo.

    The preouts are, 270 mV/470 Ohms, this means that I cant drive my BLs to full volume, its good enough for my dayly use but I cant get the volume up to where the windows starts vibrating, Wtih my Beosound 3000 they go way higher to the limit where the protection circuit in the BL 8000 kick in (lowers the bass level), so if you did not buy your Onkyo yet, think about it.

    Once in a while I play some Rock to get my brain blowed out, I do that on my BM 4000 with S45 and Bvox 3000 panels. I cant do that with the 8000/Onkyo

    Beosound 3000, BL 4000, BL 8000, BG 2404,BG 5000, BG CD50, Beocord 5000, BM 901, BM 2400, BM 4000, BV S45, BV 3702. There is nothing we cannot do, but a lot of things we don't want to do!!

  • 01-21-2012 12:09 PM In reply to

    • ari
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    • Joined on 01-21-2012
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    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

    Hmm thanks for bringing that up! It just made me reconsider my decision. Was quite set on the Onkyo PR-SC5509.

    However, I see the following specs on the data sheet for that particular receiver:

    Maximum RCA Output Level and Impedance
    5.5 V/470 Ω (Pre out)

    Does the 5.5V mean I will be able to drive them to full volume? Which figure am I looking at for my BL5's to drive them hard enough (full?) ?

    Thanks once again!

  • 01-21-2012 12:47 PM In reply to

    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

    As the 5509 has 1 to 5.5 V  on the preouts, there should be no problem, the 708 has only 270 mV to 4.5 V  . So I think it should be OK.

    Audiophiles looks for at least 1 V in the preouts, I dont know to much about it and why, but thats what I've found reading, also several users with amps with preouts with 1 V has no problems driving big Klimsch and simular aktive speakers.

    So dont dont kill me if it doesn't work Laughing

    Beosound 3000, BL 4000, BL 8000, BG 2404,BG 5000, BG CD50, Beocord 5000, BM 901, BM 2400, BM 4000, BV S45, BV 3702. There is nothing we cannot do, but a lot of things we don't want to do!!

  • 01-21-2012 12:57 PM In reply to

    • ari
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    • Joined on 01-21-2012
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    • Posts 30
    • Bronze Member

    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

     Haha don't worry! No one to blame but myself Stick out tongue

    I just thought/expected for the price of that particular receiver that it would be able to drive the BL5's to full capacity! Hopefully what you say is right :)

    Maybe some of the more knowledgable members will be able to enlighten us!

    Need to make my decision by Monday as the BL's are getting shipped on Tuesday, so I'm hoping to inlcude them in the same shipment.

    Thanks!!

    P.S. Seriously considering getting the dealer to add a BL7-2 in the shipment for center speaker to complete the setup!

  • 02-09-2012 2:33 AM In reply to

    • ari
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    • Joined on 01-21-2012
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    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

    Ok so I have added the BeoLab 7-2 to the mix as a center speaker, and hopefully I should receive shipment over the weekend.

    I have received my PR-SC5509 Onkyo AV Receiver now too :)

    A couple of questions I wanted to clear up:

    1) Will the Onkyo be able to turn all the speakers on and off automatically? I read about voltages but don't quite understand them. Specs are above.

    I have a Lintronic box on it's way so it shouldn't be an issue, but it was more for interests sake. Guess I will find out soon enough.

    2)  Do I use the Audyssey ("auto calibration") feature at all on the Onkyo AVR? http://www.audyssey.com/audio-technology/avr-audio

    Or will the BL5's and BL3's auto calibrate themselves with the ALT? And I just have to set the levels on the Center??

    Any other tips are welcome :)

    Thanks again!

     

  • 02-10-2012 8:29 PM In reply to

    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

    ari:

    Ok so I have added the BeoLab 7-2 to the mix as a center speaker, and hopefully I should receive shipment over the weekend.

    I have received my PR-SC5509 Onkyo AV Receiver now too :)

    A couple of questions I wanted to clear up:

    1) Will the Onkyo be able to turn all the speakers on and off automatically? I read about voltages but don't quite understand them. Specs are above.

    I have a Lintronic box on it's way so it shouldn't be an issue, but it was more for interests sake. Guess I will find out soon enough.

    2)  Do I use the Audyssey ("auto calibration") feature at all on the Onkyo AVR? http://www.audyssey.com/audio-technology/avr-audio

    Or will the BL5's and BL3's auto calibrate themselves with the ALT? And I just have to set the levels on the Center??

    Any other tips are welcome :)

    Thanks again!

     

    Hi

     

    I embrked on a similar path a few months ago. TH eresults have been excellent... Look at this thread http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/t/40653.aspx

    The Beolabs  when connected through Line input turn on upon receiveing power then they turn off until they sense music, they remain on for a few seconds ( I forgot but did measure it and you shoudl find it in the pother thread ) if there is no music/signal they turn off and turn on again when the music resume .. At first this doesn't seems annoying but it will become so with the speakers clicking On and Off with the material (especially movies). There exist RCA to powerlink adapters and you may have to make your own box The thread I started will help you. The Onkyo likely have a trigger out put but the voltage may be high you need to bring it down to below 5 volts, very easy with a Zener Diode and a Resisitor. The same thread will show you how. So the answer is Out of the box NO but you can make it work to turn the speakers on and turn off when the receiver is Off.

    Concering question 2 leave it to audyssey. It will coerce great results from the Beolb5. The thing is you need to balance the results with all the speakers. The Beolab 5 works to optimize the Beolab 5 only ... Make sure you use the Beolab 5 on LARGE. Often despite Audyssey you may need to adjust levels by ear so ...

    Take your time and feel free to ask any question. My set-up is extremely good, much better and less expensive than anything B&O currently offers. I am using the IRTrans Translator to control the AVR with the Beo 4 remote with EXCELLENT results. Learning curve is a little steep but it is worth every Euro I paid for it .. I guess you can do the same with the Lintronic. You are putting together a killer-system ... Question Why not Integra? I  know they are the same company but the Audyssey implementation on Integra is a tad better than that on any of the Onkyo-badged receivers... If you're going with the mighty Beolab 5 , you might as well go with the Stupefying Integra DHC 80.3

     

     

  • 02-11-2012 11:27 AM In reply to

    • ari
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    • Joined on 01-21-2012
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    • Bronze Member

    Re: New Member - Beolab 5 and BL3 to non B&O Receiver (Onkyo?) - Advice please

     

    Thx for the awesome response above! ^

    Got the speakers guys! Also the amp above.

     

    Now to wire my custom trigger

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