New setup: Audyssey xt32 questions

chamelious

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I'm still learning but as i understand it, the idea is the calibration process will calibrate for playback of movies at 0db.

What is my best course of action if this is too loud for my room? I find that the centre channel is too quiet when the volume is backed off.

Thanks
 
Listening at 0db will almost always be too loud....although a couple of guys on here will disagree ;)

Most people will listen around -10 to -15db.

Are you saying the centre channel is too quiet at these volumes?

Always a good idea to get an SPL meter and a test time disc (spiers and munsil is a good one) and calibrate all channels so they are level at your listening volume. I steer away from the test tones my receiver kicks out as they are totally different to the test disc.

If then you’re still having an issue, it could be a number of things, is your centre channel obstructed, lower than your listening position, incorrectly angled, etc.

You could always test by ear and increase your centre channel volume until you’re happy.
 
I'm still learning but as i understand it, the idea is the calibration process will calibrate for playback of movies at 0db.

What is my best course of action if this is too loud for my room? I find that the centre channel is too quiet when the volume is backed off.

Thanks

Audyssey is more about correcting issues with your room's EQ than it is about attaining reference. The speakers are levelled so that they all attain the same SPL as measured at you main listening position. The receiver would configure the levels so that a master volume level of 0db would equate to what levels were used during the mixing of the soundtrack and this in turn would indeed be the same reference (or thereabouts) used to portray the soundtrack in a cinema. As you suggest, most households find this level too high to use without it disturbing neighbours and or other family members.

The issue with playing audio at lower volumes than they were mixed in accordance with is that you don;t then get the same dynamic range as you would if playing the audio at reference. This can in turn mean that quieter aspects of the audio become less discernible at lower volume levels due to the fact that you aren't portraying the audio with the same dynamic range as it had during the mixing oof the soundtrack.

Audyssey include what they call Dynamic Volume which can be used to counter the loss of quieter aspects of a soundtrack at lower volume levels and make quieter aspects more audible at lower listening levels. The higher the master volume and the closer to 0db you get then the less this processing is in eeffect. You can turn Dynamic Volume on or off within the Audyssey settings. It does however require that Audyssey itself be engaged in order for you to be able to use it.
 
Audyssey is more about correcting issues with your room's EQ than it is about attaining reference. The speakers are levelled so that they all attain the same SPL as measured at you main listening position. The receiver would configure the levels so that a master volume level of 0db would equate to what levels were used during the mixing of the soundtrack and this in turn would indeed be the same reference (or thereabouts) used to portray the soundtrack in a cinema. As you suggest, most households find this level too high to use without it disturbing neighbours and or other family members.

The issue with playing audio at lower volumes than they were mixed in accordance with is that you don;t then get the same dynamic range as you would if playing the audio at reference. This can in turn mean that quieter aspects of the audio become less discernible at lower volume levels due to the fact that you aren't portraying the audio with the same dynamic range as it had during the mixing oof the soundtrack.

Audyssey include what they call Dynamic Volume which can be used to counter the loss of quieter aspects of a soundtrack at lower volume levels and make quieter aspects more audible at lower listening levels. The higher the master volume and the closer to 0db you get then the less this processing is in eeffect. You can turn Dynamic Volume on or off within the Audyssey settings. It does however require that Audyssey itself be engaged in order for you to be able to use it.

Thanks, yeah it was settings like this one i was curious about. I'll maybe stick it on light and see how i get on.
 
Apologies for the minor thread resurrection!

I have recently aquired a x3400 and am currently learning the various settings.

One observation is that Dynmaic EQ does indeed up my surrounds, with a (perceived if nothing else) reduction in the centre volume. I have to say though I do feel enveloped in the sound field and therefore will probably stay with this.

I have upped the Centre by 5db to try and counteract this, which it does to a degree.
I have EQ set to Reference.

Are there any other settings/tips that anyone could recommend? I will continue to search on this but thought it worth setting out the exact issue that I have in case others have something similar.

One final question, I am running 5.1. Am I right in thinking that there is no value in selecting anything other than "Auto" or "Dolby Digital" in the sound fields?
 
Apologies for the minor thread resurrection!

I have recently aquired a x3400 and am currently learning the various settings.

One observation is that Dynmaic EQ does indeed up my surrounds, with a (perceived if nothing else) reduction in the centre volume. I have to say though I do feel enveloped in the sound field and therefore will probably stay with this.

I have upped the Centre by 5db to try and counteract this, which it does to a degree.
I have EQ set to Reference.

Are there any other settings/tips that anyone could recommend? I will continue to search on this but thought it worth setting out the exact issue that I have in case others have something similar.

One final question, I am running 5.1. Am I right in thinking that there is no value in selecting anything other than "Auto" or "Dolby Digital" in the sound fields?
The main thing to remember with Audyssey is to make the correct adjustments after running the programme. Take the maximum amount of readings. It is important that you set all your speakers to small. LPF for LFE to 120hz, this also has to be confirmed by turning the crossover on the sub up to max. Do not set the crossovers on any of the speakers to lower than that detected by Audyssey. If it is at all possible set the front three to a crossover of 80hz.

DEQ is a personal thing as to whether it is set to on or not. You can certainly raise the level of the centre speaker to suit.

Leave the sound selection to auto. With a 5.1 set up you will get Dolby Digital, DTS and PCM. If you have a blu ray player then the output will be the HD version. PCM will also be upmixed from 2.0 to 5.1 via Dolby Surround or DTS Neural X (if installed).
 
Yes, basically that's it. The sub's crossover is always set to it's maximum as the receiver takes over. The EQ of the sub is still undertaken by Audyssey although the crossovers from the speakers can be set to personal preferences but certainly no lower than those detected by Audyssey. You should not alter anything after running Audyssey on the sub though on some models of Denon receivers such as my 6200 the actual volume of the sub can be adjusted under the options button on the remote.
 

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