Harsh sound

StartWars

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I'm starting to wonder if my speakers have blown as they are sounding harsh at high volume. Can someone check over my settings to see if they are configured properly?

Av receiver is a Pioneer VSX-323. Speakers are Tannoy TFX 5.1.

Crossover is set to 80hz on the receiver.

Subwoofer is switched to AV/LFE on the back. Crossover on the subwoofer is turned up to the max at AV/LFE. Bass level on the subwoofer is set to just under half, although I find it overpowers the sound sometimes.
 
At what level are you experiencing the distortion?

It isn't related and will not resolve the issue, but the crossover you are using in conjunction with the Tannoy TFX speakers is lower than it should be. The sat speakers require a crossover no lower than 140Hz.
 
I have my volume set usually to 50 - 55. So loud, but not deafeningly so.

Do I set the crossover setting on the Av receiver to 140hz, in that case? If so do I leave the crossover setting on the subwoofer as is to maximum and AV/LFE? I went by THX's recommended setting for 80hz, but I guess one size doesn't fit all.
 
The sub itself is configured correctly, it is the crossover setting onboard the receiver that needs reconfiguring and setting to at least 140Hz. Your speakers haven't the ability to reproduce frequencies lower than 140Hz so you need to redirect these frequencies away from them to the sub. The THX advice is correct, but only in relation to speakers with more of an ability to handle low frequencies.

How did you calibrate the receiver and level the speakers and how far away from the speakers is your listening position?
 
The closest I could set it to was 150hz so I've set it to that.

It's in a small room. My av receiver doesn't have an auto calibration, so I've had to input the distances manually - front speakers are approximately 0.5m away from the receiver, rear speakers are approximately 2.5m away when I measured before.
 
You should measure the distances from the speakers to your primary listening positioning rather than from the speakers to where the receiver is located. It is hard to tell whether the ussue you are having has anything to do with the volume level you are using? The only real way of determining this would be to take SPL readings from your primary listening position using an SPL metre. The receiver should be able to attain recognised reference levels in a small room without distortion, but this isn't to say that your apraisal of the volume levels you are using isn't incorrect and these levels may in fact be louder than the receiver really needs to attain? Distortion in relation to volume usually indicates that an amplifier is struggling to keep pace with the demand for power the speakers are making. The question is, are you exceeding your AV receivers capabilities in terms of the volume of audio you want fro it?
 

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