very dissapointed in Outlaw's service...Static problem never resolved

Anyone else have horrible static issues during certain parts of DTS movies?
Can anyone help?

About 6-7 weeks ago I shipped my 1050 off to Outlaw to be repaired. I included the following description (at the end of this post) in my orginal email to Outlaw support. I also included a copy of it in the box with the reciever when I shipped it. About 5 weeks passed and I didn't hear anything from Outlaw so I sent them an email. I recieved a timely reply back that they were having trouble reproducing the issue and would like details on how to reproduce the problem at which point I replied back with the full description once again. Another week had passed with no word so I pinged Outlaw again and recieved a timely reply again, this time stating that my "1050 unit has been repaired and is in transit...". I can't tell you how excited I was. Then I got it today and I rushed home to hook up my "repaired", badly missed, 1050. Got everything hooked up, all the speaker levels set and tossed in the dvd to listen to the glorious sound of F1 cars in DTS....
Guess what....NOTHING CHANGED! it is NOT fixed. It's not even better, it's just the same as when I shipped it out.
Now I have wasted my money on shipping the hefty unit all the way across the US and spent the last 2 months without a receiver.
Thanks Outlaw...for wasting my time and money. I have loved this receiver since day one and I brag every moment I get about my 1050. I can not tell you how dissapointed I am now in Outlaw. so, much for the bragging as my friends who I have been braggin to were aware that it was out being repaired and now I get to tell them that Outlaw completely insulted my intelect and wasted my time and money.

Outlaw, please do NOT treat me like a complete idiot and tell me that you fixed something when in fact you probably never even opened the unit up.

You have done an incredible job producing a fabulous sounding unit at an even better price. Please take the time to better your service and I believe you will have something special.

details of my still outstanding issue:

As I explained in my email to Support, this unit is having issues with the DTS format on certain movies. The most recent and most noticeable is during the movie “Super Speedway: The Mach III special edition”. During points of this movie there is loud static coming from the front speakers. It does not last long but is extremely noticeable and causes great concern for my speakers. Here is a short list of some areas of the movie where the static can be heard:
Chapter 2 time = 1:27 – 1:29 (both main speakers)
Chapter 6 time = 11:19 – 11:21 (right main speaker)
Chapter 7 time = 13:09 – 13:12 (both main speakers)
Chapter 11 time = 18:48 – 18:51 (left main speaker)
Chapter 11 time = 19:18 – 19:20 (right main speaker)

I did try various tests to see if it was the speakers, DVD player, connections, or wires and it turned out to be none of these things which leads me to believe that it’s the processor of the DTS failing.
I had my pioneer 45a DVD player hooked up to the 1050 using the coax connection when I first noticed the problem. I tried using a different DVD player that also supports dts connected to the 1050 using an Optical connection and I still noticed the static. Then I tried buying another DVD to make sure it wasn’t the DVD and it was not. I also tried playing both DVDs on a friend’s dts system and there was no static. Also the static does not appear when the movie is played back in Dolby Digital instead of the DTS format.
All of those tests confirmed that it is in fact the 1050 unit failing to process the DTS format correctly.

This sounds like you are pretty frustrated, generally, the Outlaw's are well known for their excellent customer service. Your problem could be somewhere else in your system, I would try hooking up your Pioneer 45a through the 5.1 imputs on the 1050 and bypass the dts decoder in the 1050 and see if the problem persists, if it does, it isn't a problem with the dts decoder in the 1050, and if it doesn't, I'd give the Scott a call and see what exactly was done to your unit, Mark

I am very frustrated.
I can't tell you how happy I am with the 1050 other than this. I don't mean to bash Outlaw, but I am sure you can understand the frustration level.

as for the the suggestion (using the direct 5.1 from the 45a), I did try that, I just forgot to include it in my orginal message. There is NO static when using the DTS decoding in the 45a via the 5.1 direct hookup.
I think the only thing left is the 1050.
maybe someone else has another suggestion?

what do you have your x over switch set to?? try another setting, try different cables??..good luck

[This message has been edited by HI-FI (edited April 19, 2003).]

Hello justListening,

First and foremost, I would like to apologize for the inconvenience you have had to endure during this warranty repair. I would also like to assure you that this issue will be resolved on Monday morning.

However, I feel there are a couple of points worth explanation at this time. Our excellent customer service reputation is far too important to us to simply "not even open the unit up." Quite frankly, that type of policy makes absolutely no sense. While there is certainly no question that you should have been contacted sooner about our inability to reproduce the problem you were experiencing, there was considerable effort made to isolate the issue.

That said, since the issue you were experiencing was intermittent, the repair facility when unable to reproduce this issue would have replaced the processing board for you once a reasonable effort had been made to pinpoint the exact fault. Unfortunately, it has proven an unsuccessful attempt to solve your problem. The above not withstanding we fully intend to right this issue, and hope that you will find our solution acceptable. We will contact you on Monday morning to arrange delivery of a replacement unit.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Scott

That Sirs..............
is what is known as TRUE customer service.
If the problem reoccurs again, even with the new 1050, I do hope that Scott and all of the good people at Outlaw get the apology that they will most certainly deserve.
(somebody had to say it)
Trace

I don't think you'll do much better than that with any company I know of, you should be all set, good luck. Mark

This is the reason why I will continue to suggest to all my friends the OUTLAW Brand,Ladies & Gentlemen this is SUPER Service.

JustListening,
Have you tried playing some other movies that have DTS audio? Perhaps the audio track in that one particular movie is faulty?

I've had no audio problems with my unit so far. Sound reproduction is perfect. I just wish the unit had a little more power hmmmmm maybe it's time to upgrade

I just want to add about the outstanding service in my experience recently. My remote decided it didn't want to operate my TV anymore (the TV remote still operated the TV). I tried reprogramming etc.; going through all the instructions in the manual. It still didn't want to operate the TV. Even though everthing else worked fine with the remote. E-mailed Outlaw. They asked me try somethings that I already had tried. But retried anyways, with no luck. My next e-mail got a response saying a new remote was on its way. When I got the new remote I simply packed the old one in the box and sent it back to Outlaw.
Now that's SERVICE!

Scott, Thank you for your timely response. I look forward to resolving this issue with you.
As for the rest of the 1050 fans, thank you all for your replies.
I will keep you updated and post my experiences over the coming weeks.
I do appologize if my critisms seemed a little harsh to some, but it was a string of dissapointing contact (or lack of) with Outlaw on this topic that came to head in my post (about two minutes after I found that I was still having the same issue with my 1050).

justListening -- Glad to hear that things are getting sorted out. I know how frustrating it can be when things refuse to get fixed. Definitely let us know it turns out!

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

An update for anyone who cares:
Mike from Outlaw contacted me today to get my shipping address for the replacement unit. He also stated that they would be sending a prepaid form to ship the malfunctioning unit back with.
Thank you very much Steve and Mike for addressing a frustrated customer with patience and a quick resolution.

I have to admit that this is the kind of customer service that produces life long customers and an incredible amount of "word of mouth" business. I know where I will be going (and sending friends) in the future for all my audio needs.

I will keep you all posted on the final outcome. When all is resolved, you will probably be stumbling across my "thoughts and experience (positive)" on some of the various audio review boards.

Scott,
Can you send me an email.
I received the new unit yesterday and I am still experiencing the issue....
I am dumbfounded. I have tried everything I can think of to isolate the issue and it all points to the 1050.
-I normally have the 45a dvd player hookup up using the coax. connection.
-I tried a different dvd player with DTS and used the optical connection and the static is still there (eliminate the DVD player and cable from the list of possible causes).
-I tried another copy of the same movie and the static is still there (eliminate the dvd disc from the list of possible causes).
-I tried using the 5.1 analog hookup to use the DTS decoding in the 45a and and bypass the 1050 and the static is NOT there (tells me it is not the speakers or the speaker wires).

All I am left with is the thought that it's the software in the 1050.

Thanks again for the timely response and for baristaman....I do apologize for the "didn't even open the box" comment....This has just been going on for so long now, I can't help but be frustrated.

I just hate to throw up my hands at this point and give up on it. I have been so happy with the unit and I don't want this to leave a bad taste....

Is the static still repeatable at the same time/chpt indicators you detailed in your first post?
IF it is……..Cuse me for bizarre free association think tanking. Not having an electronics background I can come up with some probably theoretically impossible interactions.

Real life is stranger than fiction. You could have two bad DTS decoders in a row. But that seems unlikely (although possible). So many 1050’s have been sold that for you to get a repeat performance of a never reported incident makes me want to look wider.

Maybe if SH (music guru) is around, he would understand what I’m trying to state and if it’s even possible.

I played the chapters/times listed in your post (realize I have a 950 and am unfamiliar with the UI on a 1050).
I noticed that you tend to have a distinctive [similar] spooling of the sound of the motor, which is panning into surrounds on each of the sections you detailed. Is it at all possible, that you do have an issue with speaker wire, crossovers, and LFE, which in those particular instances, because the sound is at the particular distinct modulation when decoded at those moments (as the 1050 decodes it). Which shorts/feedbacks only when that frequency is played near that crossover as it is panned into surrounds? Something with the surrounds not handling it sends the static to your mains. The frequency at those moments sounds fairly high but it may be underlain with an LFE kick sent to your sub (or trying to go to a sub if your not running one) at that precise moment from either the surrounds or mains which gives you something like a feedback situation those the speakers when the DTS decoder try’s to split the signal and route that one particular way. DTS particularly has differences noted by listeners in the LFE range (tends to the aggressive over DD). So it occurred to me maybe it hits that ‘level’ in your system which sets off the static when DD does not.

In other words (sound is electricity) that those particular moments doing something (as yet undetermined but similar in each instant) creates a feedback/short through your speaker setup not otherwise severe enough to be apparent in your system, - unless that level of electrons (whatever is sent through your cables/wires at that precise general frequency and intensity near a particular crossover, revels it?

Just to try to ‘eliminate’ and pinpoint. What cables are you using? Could they be prone to that frequency modulation being their only weakness? Although it boggles me you’ve tried coax and optical digital both with a repeat. I notice you appear to indicate you’ve tried the 45 always with the dig coax and the ‘other player’ with the optical. Switch these connections and see if that provides any variation to the occurrence of static.

Take your sub off line. (again not familiar with the 1050) tell it NO/YES in menu. Does it still occur?
One way I’d try this is to literally disconnect your wire to the sub from the 1050 and try the 1050 menu on both YES/NO sub. Leave your sub off-line and try moving crossover points. Just because I AM hearing a pan on those moments you set times for, - into the surrounds, play with suround crossovers extensively. ETC.

Way off base here I’m sure, but sometimes with a [little knowledge] you think of stranger things to try than someone who knows more and feels…no…. there should not be a connection or interaction there.

You have my sympathy, I know Outlaw will continue on till, - beteen the two of you there IS a resolution. Forgive the long ramble and vague contemplation of things which likely have no bearing. But yours is an intriguing mystery!!!

(I would e-mail Outlaw yourself to start. They moderate the forum, but might be otherwise occupied catching up on the forum in fits and starts. An e-mail direct to Cust. Service should be seen today, if sent early enough)


[This message has been edited by Smart Little Lena (edited April 29, 2003).]

Thanks Lina for your input/ideas.
You are correct. The points in the dvd that produce this issues are extremely similar in the audio content. It is something about that sound and the dts/1050.
I doubt I got two "bad" dvds as I have played them on a friends dts system and also have played them on my system using the 5.1 analog inputs (bypassing the 1050s processing) and the sound is perfect with no static.
Which brings me to your question on the speaker cables. Since I can play the track via the "direct" 5.1 inputs with no static, I don't believe it is my cables. But for your info., they are 12 gauge monster.
I believe this has to be internal to the 1050, so I will try your ideas of playing with the crossover in combination with turning the sub on/off and see if that affects anything.
I will also try the 45a with an opt. connection although I can't imagine that is it, but I have seen stranger things.

as for contacting outlaw...Scott was right on top of my response this AM, contacted me, and is doing his own research right now.

I doubt I got two "bad" dvds as I have played them on a friends dts system and also have played them on my system using the 5.1 analog inputs (bypassing the 1050s processing) and the sound is perfect with no static.


I wouldn't think the DVD’s are 'bad' nor culprits at all. ONLY in the sense that in DTS mode, you could have an entirely different frequency intensity etc of the soundfield vs an alternative decoder (DD) at the same audio moments on the Soundtrack, pushing the soundtrack (and thereby your speakers or wires, or a short) to a level of intensity the DD version just does not (and the decoder in your player) reach, which sets off a weak link elsewhere in your system. Could be the filters/resistors in your players DTS decoder don’t’ ‘allow’ the DTS track to reach the level of intensity the 1050 will?.

I’m still wondering about a sub/crossover or surround interaction, but a very (loosely similar) situation I had, was repeatable with one disc on one song track consistently. Donnie Darko, “Mad World”. DD, (no DTS on this disc). And infrequently I could hear a hint of it beginning at similar sound bit moments on other discs but Donnie Darko would do it absolutely consistently as it was recorded at a pressure/ close to distortion level on that chapter, - my system just could not handle.

At the time I was running Def Tech Cinema Pro 100 speakers drop hung from the ceiling for my FL/FR.
Every time I hit that track at specific moments above a particular dB level. I got the most raucous, speaker blown – type distortion wackiness out of both fronts with the FR being the worst of the two. With the attic like a giant soundbox at its worse buzzing around the base of the speaker mount. I finally traced it to the audio track hitting that particular group of frequencies while at my fairly high (preferred) dB setting for viewing that film, which set up a vibration through the attic combined with pushing these two speakers harder than they could handle. (the speakers were not blown)

I could rid it by simply lowering dB, -way below preference, and it would not occur with countless other high-dB action adv type DVD's.
(so there’s another free assoc. thought …does your static occur on DTS while at ANY dB level or is it volume dependent???)
Even though this situation was easily resolved by reducing volume on “Donnie Darko” (the single constant offending DVD)it irritated the heck out of me that my speaker setup could be challenged by this song on this one DVD, -above a certain SPL, so I went to more capable mains (Vienna Acoustics). The FR Def Tech speaker, (the largest offender), became currently re-cabled as the SR surround with out its positioning being changed, in future staying out of my attic as far as a resonant vibration - and behaves itself beautifully, even when pushed to the same levels, (yet only handling Surround channel information)

Again just rattling on. I’m sure Outlaw will come up with some elimination/testing procedures for you.

12-g Monster on your wire? Is it Monster interconnects also?? When I get frustrated sometimes I open my wallet out of aggravation to check out certain things which occur to me. You might try the highest end Radio Shack interconnect (even a single for cheapness sake) and switch it between your two mains. The sub,surround cable wiring/interconnect/binding posts, I’d also take a long hard look at. Although Monster products have preformed flawlessly for countless consumers, …they just have not, for me.

Will be watching with great curiosity to see what is sorted out! Good Luck, and best!


[This message has been edited by Smart Little Lena (edited April 29, 2003).]

wow. Lina...I am not sure which part I am more impressed with, but I am impressed. You are in deep...
vienna acoustic...nice. I am jealous.
It seems very db level independent (in fact, when ever I play it now, I turn it down as I worry about my speakers with that static). I will verify that it is present at all levels (even lower) tonight.
I don't think my speakers are being over powered. Now I will open myself up to all sorts of ridicule from people not liking this or that, but let me rattle off all the components involved so you know where I am.
Pioneer 45a (dvd, dvd-audio, sacd)
1050
CSW T500s for my mains
CSW MC500 for my center
CSW S300 for my rears
12 g monster to the mains and center
12 g in-wall (from HD) to the rears
interconnects are all Radio Shack's "highest end"



[This message has been edited by justListening (edited April 29, 2003).]

Tried, tried, and tried.
played with the cross over and the sub-woofer and every combination with no diff.
also tried switching some interconnects around...nothing
and I did verify that the static occurs at all db levels. From very low (barely audible) to high db levels. The static level varies with the volume.

are you sure you have the speaker connections/wire correct? + to red and - to black??

your joking right?

No not really. We are trying to help you. Just like Outlaw did. I would check all my connections again. But if you dont need any help, then good luck..

HIFI
that was someone else replying, not the person looking for help (me).
Thank you for your help and yes, the speaker connections are correct.

Have you tried new cables?? and is the OHM switch set correctly on the back of receiver?? Also try disconnecting cables one at a time and see if noise goes away.

All are good ideas, HI-FI. From what justListening has posted so far, it sounds like he's been pretty thorough in his testing, but it can't hurt to do a bit of brainstorming.

Along those same lines, do any other 1050 owners out there have access to this disc? It would be useful to know of anybody else with an otherwise well-behaved 1050 could reproduce this. Smart Little Lena gave it a try on a 950 and had no problems, which at least matches justListening's experience with using his player's DTS decoder, but I'd be curious to see if other 1050's are doing it outside of justListening's system...

------------------
gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Gonk raised a good point here. What's up with this disc? Well, here's a quote from the dvdfile.com review of the audio portion of this release:



If this problem is directly related to this disc, well, this may be an answer. These DTS soundtracks may just be overpowering your speakers.

I will try when I get home. I use mine for a pre-amp but that shouldn't matter.

------------------
m-mmeyer
GO TWINS
My DVD's
"Pain heals, Chicks dig scars and glory is forever"

Thank you Gonk. I had planned on asking that. I guess I assumed that others would try it for me and chime in with their experiences, but I never did ask.

m-mmeyer - Thanks! I can't wait to hear what you come up with.

HIFI - the switch is correct (8) and I have tried different cables. Nothing seems to shake this sound...or even change it.

Jason J - I don't think it is overpowering the speakers, but my understanding could be way off. The static is the same at volume 10 as it is as 40, just gets louder and softer with the volume, but still there and always sounds the same. Here is the stats on the mains...
300 watt Class D subwoofer amplifier built-in
10-inch molded-composite subwoofer and 12-inch passive radiator built-in
6.5-inch molded-composite midbass driver
4-inch molded-composite midrange
1-inch reinforced silk dome tweeters with Neodymium magnets
Speaker level, SUB and L/R link connections
Compatible with any amplifier or receiver rated between 10 and 300 watts

L/R link connections? Moving into to territory I have NOT mucked with but pulling up stats on your 500’s I see these are bi/wire bi/amp capable. (never looked into this and don’t understand it only mucked with single post myself as yet). IS IT POSSIBLE, depending on how your running your powered subs connections on these speakers that something is going on which is not effected by using analogue 5.1 bypass (as I understand this can somewhat effect how LFE is routed…handled).
I am really in territory I don’t understand, but saw something about these speakers highly recommended for bi-wire although in that recommended config you have a ‘contour control’ not a sub gain control Also (a review from a guy who may/ not have known his stuff) about if leaving the terminals jumpered using the interconnect between mains for sub line level sub input in the speaker gets (2) signals? Tending to distort/bloat bass with these models??? Could that heavy base tendency in certain config be exacerbated by DTS LFE heavy handedness in a few choice spots on SS?? Although your descriptive term used (static) implies an ‘electronic’ (dts board) or ‘bad or reversed or shorted’ type situation

Totally lost in the biwire/amp area have not had cause to pay attention to the subject yet.
Any hoooo’s, any possibility if it is NOT the 1050 DTS decoder, (and it may well be) that this area could be creating a problem depending on your current config for powered sub setup on the hotter recorded DTS version of this disc??? Although commonsense tells me if you had a major issue in this area, you’d hear the static more often……and conversely (oh dear it NEVER ends) commonsense tells me if you ONLY have the static on one disc (SS) at certain frequency band (similar sounding audio moments) on the one disc, this could also indicate it IS possible its NOT the decoder or it WOULD exhibit at other times?! Do you have other DTS discs you’ve demoed with no occasions of static??? Don’t recall if you have detailed that fact. If not I’d buy/borrow another couple DTS soundtracks and run them through.

I believe that the fact your static is volume dependent (intensity) yet not volume removable (static still present although quieter at very low dB). Should help Outlaw figure out your issue. I’m a firm believer in the remove everything method (HI-FI suggestion) adding it back one at a time for troubleshooting! I seen long term AV’s post a surprise result using this method when it discloses a cuplprit they had not suspected causing an interaction. For me, this methodology of troubleshooting…..is a flat necessity….as I often don’t have the sense nor seasoning to know WHICH area’s could BE the prime suspects.

Sounds like you have covered quite a few bases in your elimination process already and there might not be that many left to check. It’s incredible how much work some of these track-down affairs become!
Sorry for my inept input but as Gonk states: but it can't hurt to do a bit of brainstorming. At least it’s a time killer to fill the frustrating hours.
PS: thanks! I do like the VA’s rather a lot for the present. Not bad for a retail lined setup.

I see what you mean know! I don't know if what I hear I would call static but it is a odd noise. I tried to get my dvd and 1050 to do direct but it was being a pain in the a** so I skipped it. I do think I hear what you hear though.
Had you never mentioned it though I don't know that I would have paid it any attention so perhaps your is a little worse sounding than mine. Any other experiments for me?


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m-mmeyer
GO TWINS
My DVD's
"Pain heals, Chicks dig scars and glory is forever"

I think instead of "overpowering your speakers", I meant to say it was overloading the processing somehow. I don't even know if that's possible but since you say it changes in level with the volume, then that says to me it's an internal processor issue. However, I've listened to plenty of DTS soundtracks with my 1050 and I've never heard a case of static from my speakers. This whole issue says to me it's a problem with the way that disc was encoded. That view seems to be supported by the posts of m-mmeyer and SLL.

Just for my curiosity, what other DTS discs, as mentioned in your original post, have you had this issue with? As with SLL, you really have me pondering.

It is almost like it was overpowering the mic that was recording it, Thats what it sounds like. All the track markers he has in his original post are very intense scenes ie: high reving engines, f1 cars screaming past a grandstand and the like so it is a high freq kind of deal. Like I said I would'nt have called it static but I beleive I am hearing what he has an issue with albeit I think at a lower level.

------------------
m-mmeyer
GO TWINS
My DVD's
"Pain heals, Chicks dig scars and glory is forever"

I am not insane!!! Thank you m-mmeyer! I have a couple of questions for you. How would you describe the sound? Crackle? And what is your setup (speakers/cables/dvd player, so on)? I wonder if my current setup some how magnifies it, because it is quite loud on my system.

Lina...thank you for pointing out the double feed into the sub with the jumpers...I never caught that and will pull that tonight. The bass on them, while not bad, has been overwhelming at points (not the problem points, just other movies). Maybe that will help rein them in.

Jason J...I have only noticed it on this DTS disc. Sorry if the original post was misleading. When I spoke of another disc, I meant another copy of the same disc. I have listened to probably 3-4 other DTS movies without noticing the problem. Just wonder how many others there are with that will cause this bug in the 1050.

All- Scott just sent me an email. He is still researching this himself. He had problems getting the disc and had to order it.

Thank you all, again.

I run my 1050 as a pre amp with 3 NAD amps 1 218thx for front and 2 216thx for the centers and surrounds, 950 watts total. I run all paradigm studio series 60s, cc and 20s. The DVD is a Toshiba 4700 and the cables are a mix of AR and other misc.
Hope that was all the info you wanted.

edit: took out question you had already answered.
------------------
m-mmeyer
GO TWINS
My DVD's
"Pain heals, Chicks dig scars and glory is forever"

[This message has been edited by m-mmeyer (edited April 30, 2003).]

Ek!! don’t just pull the jumpers (unless your biwired) on these speakers for if I understand correctly then you just wiped out your highs or lows. However, - when I scanned reviews on them, I did see quite a bit of mention of ‘insane bass’ and taming the bass using these mains. I have the opposite problem on the VA’s (some base lovers would consider them light duty) in the bass, but how they handle LF suits me at the moment as long as I’m running the sub during HT duty with them.

M last two sets of speakers did not give me this option to contemplate. I can’t recommend that the following excerpts from CSW 500 owners IS the proper (or safe way) to manage your bass with these mains. We have bass guru’s around here, so if your interested in bi-wiring (if yours are not already) to see what affect it might produce in your listening space. Ask some questions regarding and they can help with their experiences. Since part of the theory for biwiring (I’ve read) regards reducing the tendency for strong bass signals to overwhelm the rest…and since user comments suggest that many 500 owners feel their bass is [very] adequate tiptoeing into overwhelming in some smaller listening spaces, - might be an interesting way to comparison tweak your setup options for these.
Regarding some speakers I’ve seen consensus that bi-wiring doesn’t appear to affect them that much, even when an option. But what I saw in a quick read looked as if the percent who have tried it preferred the 500’s biwired.
I didn’t grasp everything behind it all but appeared as if due to line-levels, inclusion of contour control Vs gain etc, and the strong bass response of these speakers, - I think I’d read up on the best methods, variations of wiring these and give it a go to see, if there is a performance advantage. After (if it was me) I figured out what it all meant.

“I found that there is no gain control for the sub for the recommended bi-wire connection, just a contour control that adjusts a filter for the lower end of the bass. The sub level gain only works for the sub-in input, not the low range speaker wire input, which connects just to the sub amp. I connected a sub cable to both sub-in RCA type jacks from the receiver's sub-out using a Y connector. The speakers cross at 100 HZ and so does my receiver. I set the front speakers to FULL on the receiver so the speakers' high range inputs would see the same signal as with a biwire connection. Now I can adjust the sub gain at both the receiver and the sub-level controls on the speakers”

One guy mentioned in a post and I wondered if this is a variation which is proper. He removed his jumpers and appears wired his receiver L/R inputs into the speakers biwired. then using a Y-connector on the single sub out from his receiver into the sub inputs on the speakers. (not a true bi-wire from what I grasp about it, but he seemed to like the results). I would have to talk to some of the guys around here to see if that would loose/double any part of the signal, be a bad idea, etc.

Hope you know what they are talking about (I don’t without some base beefing up on biwire, which I have not done yet) but sounds like fun (if you like tweaking) to play towards getting the best base response setup on your mains for your listening space. Those that had tried it commented on improved mids/highs additionaly.


[This message has been edited by Smart Little Lena (edited May 01, 2003).]

To: Justlistening

After hearing about your problem regarding DTS playback during Super Speedway I decided to get a copy to see if I have the same problem with my 1050. Plus the DVD is great Demo material And I see what you mean. I hear horrible crackle noises during certain parts of the movie. It seems to happen when there is an extremely loud passages in the movie. It plays fine in Dolby Digital but during DTS there is definately some distortion coming out of the speakers.

Jonathan,
Thank you for taking the time and effort to verify this for me. That is good news and bad news. Good news for me, that it is not my system (I spent so much time testing everything), but bad news that the 1050 seems to have a bug.
It is fantastic demo material! It is one disc where there is quite a difference between DD and DTS. Too bad the 1050 can't handle the DTS. I guess we will just have to wait and see what Outlaw comes up with for a solution. I haven't heard from them since the beginning of last week when they told me they were ordering the disc themselves to test it out......
I will keep you all posted on any news I hear from Outlaw.

Hello All,

The issue with the Super Speedway DTS soundtrack is an overly hot surround signal. While it is well known that several DTS tracks are recorded 3-4 dB hot in the surround channels, this coupled with the already aggressive nature of this specific soundtrack is causing an overload of the Zoran processor. Unfortunately, there is no work around for this issue as the surround signal is "out of spec". However, the Dolby Digital track does not exhibit this problem and could be used in substitution.

well...Thank you Scott for your effort and time trying to troubleshoot this issue. While I wish the effort was taken originally to find this information out (it would have been cheaper for everyone), the follow up effort and attention has made up for the original lack in effort. While I am still an Outlaw fan, I can't lie and say I am not slightly disappointed. Although I am very happy to hear that Lina did not see any trace of this issue with the 950, so to me that means that things are moving forward and let's face it...while the 1050 is still a great receiver for the money, it is getting old while the movie audio formats are not.
Overall I am quite pleased with Scott's effort but, I am disappointed that my friend with a HT in a box does not experience any issues with this movie while his audiophile friend (that's me, at least to him I am) has problems with his $$$ system. Oh, well. One thing I do know is that this personal service (the second half of this journey) would not have happened had I bought one of the "big" names (and I would have paid twice as much for the name).
So, even though I am disappointed...Outlaw will continue to be very high on the list when I am shopping for HT equipment.
Thank you everyone for your help!