I set up the 950/770 combo with NHT VT2 fronts, SV Sub and Mirage center-surround-rear surrounds about one month ago. I used a RS SPL to calibrate with my main volume set to -10dB and speakers at targeted at 75 dB. Life was good. Really good.

Three weeks pass and I suddenly notice there's not much sound coming form the rear surrounds. There is some sound but it is very low. The funny thing is what sound there is not distorted, just very low power. I'm sure I've changed something configuration setting but have tried for the last week to figure and can't...I'm stumped. I've tried 7 channel stereo and calibrating again but can't get the volume up significantly.

Any ideas?

Thanks much, Carey

How easy is it to get to the back of your pre-amp and amp? If you can do it, try switching your mains for your surrounds at the pre-amp and see if the problem is now reversed. Now try the same thing with your speaker wires at the amp, is the problem reversed? What you are trying to do is to narrow down if this is a pre-amp, amp, or cable problem. Doubt very much it is a speaker issue, but if after all this switching the surrounds are still the problem, then it could very well be the speakers. Keep us posted.

Just thought of something else. Are you driving your surround speakers through some other device, like a speaker selector? I have my back speakers set up this way so that I can switch them on and off so as to use the 770's 6th and 7th channels to drive a pair of outside speakers. The volume is very diminished if I forget to set the selector to drive just one pair vs two.

I would like to use my 6 and 7 channel for downstair speakers also. What type of speaker selector are you using. It sounds like a good solution for me also. I did not realize I could use the 6/7 channels in multiple ways.

Raider, I hope this doesn't come out sounding too complicated because it really is quite simple. If you are using a 5.1 set up, then simply use your 950's zone 2 stereo outputs and connect them to the amp's 6th and 7th inputs, then run speaker wires from your amp's outputs to your remote speakers, you're done! However, if you are using a 7.1 set up it's a little more involved. You have to purchase an input source selector, (bought mine at Radio Shack for around $15), then connect the 950's back channel outputs to the #1 source selector's inputs. Now connect the 950's zone 2 outputs to the selector's #2 inputs, (you won't be using the #3 input for anything). The source selector has a pair of stereo outputs, connect these to the 6th and 7th channel inputs on your amp. By selecting either #1 or #2 on the source selector you will be sending that signal to the amp. From the amp's outputs, run speaker wire to a speaker selector, (bought mine from Radio Shack for around $30). Connect your back surround speaker wires to the "A" output of the speaker selector, your zone 2 speakers to the "B" output, and forget about the "C" output. You are now done. When you want to listen to 7.1 surround, select #1 and "A". If you want to use your zone two, select #2 and "B", (you can still use the 950's 5.1 in this set up in the main room while listening to a different source in the remote room). Does this make sense? I did not use expensive selectors in my set up because the back surround speakers and my outside speakers do not require the highest quality components. Hope this helps.

Alejate, many thanks. You have solved my dilemma.

Did you ever find your fix on this? It could be an amp component failure that damaged your speakers. That happened to me recently (not an Outlaw amp). Try switching the front amp outputs to the rear speakers - if you still get the low sound then the speakers are probably damaged. So the question is then what damaged them, and most likely it was the amp, which is probably also damaged in those channels. So also try switching the amp rear outputs to your front speakers, which you know work - if no sound then the amp is also bad in those channels.

Dsmith

My 1st guess would be melted rears.