# Need help hooking up an amp



## David1139 (Jul 15, 2017)

I have a Yamaha TSR-7790 receiver and am trying to connect a Rockville RPA9 amp to it to run Rockville RSG 12 speakers but I can't figure it out. Please help!


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## AsRock (Jul 15, 2017)

OOps apparently it does have a preout, which would be the phono connections mark out as white on the bottom center of the unit.

Which i believe you would need some thing like this  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003OSXBSI/?tag=tec06d-20

EDIT: PA gear is not my thing how ever looks like you would need one of these from the amp to the speakers, i did notice that those speakers all so have the l1/4 inch option too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E1U4WY/?tag=tec06d-20


Maybe it's time to read some manuals .


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## David1139 (Jul 15, 2017)

AsRock said:


> OOps apparently it does have a preout, which would be the phono connections mark out as white on the bottom center of the unit.
> 
> Which i believe you would need some thing like this  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003OSXBSI/?tag=tec06d-20
> 
> ...



I have the speakers hooked up to the amp.  I'm thinking the connection of the amp to the receiver is the issue.  I have it hooked up to a preamp but still nothing.  I've read the manual and it's pretty vague.


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## FR@NK (Jul 15, 2017)

Connect these:


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## David1139 (Jul 15, 2017)

Yes sir I did that.  No sound.  Is there a special setting on my receiver I need to have it in?


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## AsRock (Jul 15, 2017)

FR@NK said:


> Connect these:




Totally missed that.



David1139 said:


> Yes sir I did that.  No sound.  Is there a special setting on my receiver I need to have it in?



Not sure about the unit you have, i have had a bunch of Yamaha units but none with the pre out's,  how ever i have had a bunch of others and typically there is a option to tell the receiver to us it or been manual.

Read the Yamaha's manual on the pre out option(s).


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## Jetster (Jul 15, 2017)

Is your input Analog or HDMI? Or try a different source


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## David1139 (Jul 15, 2017)

I think I got it figured out.  I'm confused on gain settings.  If set to +24 db almost not sound.  Set to 0 db and they work but I'm thinking not that well.  Is this right or set up wrong?


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## WhiteNoise (Jul 15, 2017)

+24 db should be louder than 0db as you are boosting the signal.


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## David1139 (Jul 15, 2017)

WhiteNoise said:


> +24 db should be louder than 0db as you are boosting the signal.


It's the exact opposite.  How can this be?


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## FR@NK (Jul 16, 2017)

David1139 said:


> I'm confused on gain settings.



They are just to fine tune the input sensitivity to avoid clipping while still getting full power output. Start at +10 and adjust if needed.


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## taz420nj (Jul 16, 2017)

David1139 said:


> It's the exact opposite.  How can this be?



Because they are labeled wrong.  They should go from -24 (min) to 0 (max).  

Why would you connect a decent receiver to a $99 "You can be a DJ" amp (especially considering the manufacturer doesn't understand the difference between + and - dB...)


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## Hood (Jul 16, 2017)

Use the "zone 2 zone out" preouts.  On my Onkyo TX-8050 there's a setting menu to turn zone 2 on, and make it fixed or variable, so my pro audio amp gets either the full signal or it varies with the receiver's volume level.  Normally I set it to "fixed" and adjust volume on the pro audio amp.


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## FR@NK (Jul 16, 2017)

taz420nj said:


> Because they are labeled wrong. They should go from -24 (min) to 0 (max).



Incorrect.

The +dB is added to the input sensitivity range. A larger range will be quieter compared to a smaller range but the small range might clip.



Hood said:


> Use the "zone 2 zone out" preouts.  On my Onkyo TX-8050 there's a setting menu to turn zone 2 on, and make it fixed or variable, so my pro audio amp gets either the full signal or it varies with the receiver's volume level.  Normally I set it to "fixed" and adjust volume on the pro audio amp.



Zone 2 would also work but it would need to be set on variable as there isnt a volume adjustment on the rockville amp.


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## 95Viper (Jul 30, 2017)

taz420nj said:


> Because they are labeled wrong. They should go from -24 (min) to 0 (max).





FR@NK said:


> The +dB is added to the input sensitivity range. A larger range will be quieter compared to a smaller range but the small range might clip.



Actually, you both, could be correct... but the manufactuer chooses which scale to use.
Some, with scale displays, let the user switch this.

Some info from the Denon site:



> The scale comes from mathematical terms representing a Relative volume scale. A newly installed receiver un-calibrated will have a volume range of -80.5 dB to +18 dB. -80.5 dB is almost a full mute, where +18 dB is the maximum possible volume output. Once your system is calibrated, 0 dB should provide you with full output from the amplifiers, meaning all other levels are relative to the loudest possible value (0 dB) and thus are expressed as a negative value. (ie: -20 dB) 0 dB on the receiver scale represents "reference" level and is arbitrary but is a well-known convention. Most new model receivers allow you the option of an Absolute volume scale or a 0 to 99 scale. If your receiver has the option for "Volume Display," it can be changed in the GUI menu under: System (or Manual) Setup - Option Setup - Volume Control - Volume Display.
> 
> Relative: -80.5 dB to +18 dB
> 
> Absolute: 0 to 99



Here is another site (Audiohlics) which, has a good explanation in the post:  Volume Display (absolute vs relative), 0 dB, Reference Level - what does it all mean and how is it all related?


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## Athlonite (Jul 30, 2017)

try the output from the normal speaker outputs for FL/FR turn the volume down on the receiver to nothing and then slowly wind it up until you get a reasonable amount of volume from the amp


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