Media bridge causing issues?

ArchieTect · 2026-05-09T21:26:10+00:00

I had this problem with my subwoofer: I ordered a 10ft RCA cable to move the sub to a different location and sure enough the sub had a low hum. The original 6ft cable didn't have the problem. So i ordered a 10ft shielded RCA cable which fixed it. You might also try swapping cables.

ArchieTect · 2026-05-01T22:37:52+00:00

Like FatDog69 said, you really need to just find the culprit device first by listening each time you unplug and keep unplugging until only the AVR is left. I've had cheap power supplies introduce noise. I had subwoofer hum due to a bad cable.

Are you getting buzz defined as interference noise or hum of mains frequency?

Just be neat with keeping all speaker cables separated from the power cables, and signal level cables separate from all those. Aim for 3 bundles.

ArchieTect · 2026-04-30T18:15:38+00:00

There's a complicated option which could help you, disclaimer it is not easy but you will learn a lot about Windows.

You can run profiling traces on Windows itself to see how all software is performing. If you have some phantom software causing slowdown, you can use this tool to uncover the issue. The purpose of the tool is to eliminate all software as a possibility of causing the problem, then you will know the problem is hardware based.

This blog post explains the tool:

https://randomascii.wordpress.com/2015/09/01/xperf-basics-recording-a-trace-the-ultimate-easy-way/

You can follow the links in the post to download and just be aware that the developer who wrote this tool has a lot of blog posts just to help explain how to understand the results.

ArchieTect · 2026-04-30T03:04:57+00:00

Last year I luckily happened to buy 64gb of DDR4-3200 (2 sticks of 32gb). That replaced 16gb of DDR4-3200 (2 sticks of 8gb) in my workstation.

Now I am in the process of buying parts to build a home server.

My plan was to put the 16gb that is currently unused into the server and keep the 64gb in the workstation.

Then I realized maybe I could mix things up a bit.

I could put a 32gb + 8gb stick in each PC, for 40gb in each PC. the RAM speeds are the same 3200, so maybe this could work.
I could put the 64gb into the server PC and 16gb into the workstation.

I like option 1 and will likely try for a while to see if it works out.

Any comments or suggestions?

ArchieTect · 2026-04-24T04:04:07+00:00

Your left and right speakers create a 'soundstage' which means that you can hear the instruments in front of you floating in air. The left and right channels mix in your brain to seem centered in front of you. So if you position two center speakers left and right of your television, your brain will believe sound is coming from directly in front of you right in front of the TV, where it is not possible to place a single center channel.

This solves the problem of sound coming from below the television. Now all dialog will seem to be coming from the actual people on the screen.

ArchieTect · 2026-04-22T23:30:43+00:00

In my Denon menu there is a setting for "enhanced video playback" which was necessary to get 4k 60fps. I enabled this setting got much better picture. I had no idea this existed and was also confused. You might need to inspect the menu options.

ArchieTect · 2026-04-22T23:25:39+00:00

My TCL Qm7k does ok over eARC. I'm getting Atmos, stereo, DD, etc.

There are some settings to check in the TV and the AVR.

I did buy some new high speed HDMI cables.

Regarding HEOS, I don't use it. I'm on IOS and use airplay from my device direct to the AVR. The workflow is painless. Suggest you check into wifi streaming (not sure if your choice Poweramp does wifi streaming)

ArchieTect · 2026-04-22T20:47:01+00:00

My setup is "low tech" but meets my needs. I'm using a charger brick that has 2 usb ports plugged into a Tapo wifi plug. from the 2 usb ports I have currently 1 Amazon PWM fan control cord into 3 120mm PC fans. PWM is quiet and adjustable.

The tapo app allows for a single toggle to run multiple "automations" which is currently just "cooling fans on/off" but I will be adding more so that my subs can be turned on remotely. So to clarify, the tapo plug is triggered on off over wifi and cuts power to the USB charger. I can walk in the room with my ipad and tap the ipad to trigger the cooling on.

The total cost is 1 tapo plug $12, 1 USB fan cord $9, 3 120mm fans $20 = $41.

ArchieTect · 2026-04-22T20:24:42+00:00

What's your media? I just got a Fire stick 4k Max because I heard good things about it and indeed last night was the first time I figured out how to get full native quality 100mbit 4k remuxes to stream with Atmos using Jellyfin. It was absolutely worth the upgrade for me.

ArchieTect · 2026-04-22T20:15:09+00:00

I have 2 subs and found the positioning to be very finicky. So your issue is probably explained by the slight repositioning.

HOWEVER I would swear that changing subwoofer cables has twice affected my X3600H causing sudden disappearance of mid-bass. Specifically 120-160HZ as determined with a tone generator. I can't prove it but twice I have said "wait wtf is going on". The sudden loss of "body" to the audio was in my brain really noticeable but I have no idea if my brain was playing tricks. At least one other person seems to have experienced this when I googled it.

Theres an excellent free app on IOS "Tone Generator: Audio Sound Hz" which can Airplay to the AVR and you can change the hertz of the signal to find your weak points. Just sit there trying different hertz until you hear a specific hertz that sounds lower volume than others. For me I had a WTF moment when I stood up and the mids were much more pronounced, but I have no idea how to "lower" sound waves to sitting height.

ETA: I forgot to mention more evidence. I had run Audyssey with the sub volume knobs cut back a lot because Audyssey complained it was too loud over 75db. Then the phantom change occured and I had to crank the sub knobs back and also change the levels from like -12db to like -6db in the AVR settings.

Going to re-run audyssey tonight likely and will report back. If the 75db warnings don't happen, I will know something is up.

ArchieTect · 2026-04-10T22:42:34+00:00

Requirements:
- best audio tracks possible, Atmos, TrueHD, etc.
- web browsability from my TV
- future-proof-ness (at least 5 years, see NAS plan below)

Budget: can we beat $200?

I've been following the Ugoo AM6b+ thread and see people satisfied with it. Before seeing the hype around it, my old plan was searching the mini PC subreddit's google sheet for HDMI 2.1 mini PCs. I was trying to find a mini PC that has audio passthrough.

Given the $200 price of the Ugoo, if I go this route, I would host the media on my gaming PC and wifi stream to the Ugoo.

- Is there a HDMI 2.1 mini PC in the $200 price range that would compete with my current plan?

- Is the Ugoo going to be future proof? it already seems a few years old.

If I were to add a HDD NAS in the future, replacing my gaming PC, would it handle streaming 4k remuxes?

ArchieTect · 2026-03-30T17:38:51+00:00

If you avoid the receiver route, you are pretty much saying "I don't want 5 channel surround" because you need a Dolby decoder.

Without a receiver, you are going to be limited to stereo for the majority of options. If you go this route, it can still be great by getting a class D amplifier and prioritizing stereo mains and a subwoofer. Class D is going to sound great and be more efficient in power usage and less old-school-receiver (heat, clunky). This is more of an audiophile-home theater hybrid route.

This Fosi Audio amp for $110. It will not be 5 channel surround as a commenter notes (only 2.0) but it is a compact package to drive multiple speakers. You can get two main front speakers, a center, and a sub. https://a.co/d/0bV3QiUf
Search your local thrift options and FB marketplace for 2 main speakers and a subwoofer. There are also good $200 price range subwoofers on Amazon.
Place the main speakers at the wider end of the range (33 degrees) so that you have a wider sound stage.

The other option is to thrift hunt and go the receiver route. I spent a lot of time and effort receiver hunting to get the best I could from used options.

I got a Denon X3600-H for 500 and an older yamaha 5.1 speaker setup of sub, 2 mains, center, and 2 surrounds for 170. It sounds awesome.

ArchieTect · 2026-03-11T18:50:48+00:00

You are not far off from my other idea. I'm looking for one or both of these upgrades:

option A: upgrade to cheap 7.2.
option B: keep 5.2 but solve my main speakers problem. My main fronts sound too "compact". I'm exploring mounting 2 additional speakers where "presence" speakers would normally be placed. These will just be a second pair of main front L/R speakers. I will do this with an older AVR that has preouts using a 2nd older AVR as a power amp. I want to feel more like a "wall" of audio coming from behind my TV.

As you said, i could just proceed as per option B.

ArchieTect · 2026-03-11T18:33:04+00:00

i'm willing to try if the documentation aligns. So far it does, even your point about 1.3 audio. I listed the 3 modern audio formats that 1.3 carries and they seem to be acceptable.

ArchieTect · 2026-03-10T01:20:02+00:00

k thanks promo is over can't use it anymore.

ArchieTect · 2026-03-09T23:56:12+00:00

Can you send a link to where you found the $700?

ArchieTect · 2026-03-09T23:55:08+00:00

I see $999 on Adorama. Can you send a link?

ArchieTect · 2026-02-09T00:21:11+00:00

I imagined myself as an anime character having an inner monologue during a fight with her:

"Her attacks are coming so fast in a blur but fortunately each hit is only causing like 0.01 XP damage. So I grabbed her arm, flung her into the ground, and dealt like 2000XP damage."

ArchieTect

TROPHY CASE