Onkyo 607 & Monitor Audio R90HD Setting advice?

[IrishChris]

Hey guys,
I got the Onkyo 607 there a few weeks ago. I setup using the Audysee mic but I've heard that the settings this usually gives aren't the best. Just wondering if anyone has any advice on good calibration, settings etc. Even methods to do this. I've seen that there is an iPod app for sound measurement. I'm pretty new to audio setup but I know a quite a bit on technology so not afraid of messing with it! Any advice would be much appreciated guys.

Cheers.

Oh and the speaker setup I got was :
Monitor Audio :
- 4 x R90's
- 1 x R225 Center
- 1 x R370 Sub.

 

[Uridium]

Audessey has always worked well for me. Only thing i have ever had to tweak slightly is the Speaker sizes (Change fronts from full range to small) and a couple of the volume levels as Audessey does tend to set front a little too low for dialogue to be clear.

 

[IrishChris]

Yeah the low dialogue was something I noticed. I changed the level on the center speaker and its not too bad now.

 

[Gerry]

I noticed when using Audessey to set up 3 spks, 2 fronts and a cntr the end result was minus values, -8dB for the fronts and -7dB for the cntr which is slightly forward. Whats the story with the minus values, I don't get it why not just leave the 2 fronts at 0 and the cntr at +1.

BTW Chris I am looking at the exact same spk setup myself(RS in Belfast I presume). What do you think of it. My only reservation was having the same fronts and rears and so was thinking of the R45's as rears. What do you think.

 

[OnkyoUK]

Hi Guys
The Audyssey setup is always a long debate, but i will try to un-muddy the waters a bit .
The first thing you have to realise is it is always related to the reference level at which the test tones are sent out , so room size,speaker distance,impedence, distance to seat position and senitivity all have to be taken into consideration.

The minus numbers are quite common with efficient speakers ( its a good thing, less output to drive them) mine at home run between -5 to -8 across the board.

Difference between the reference level and the real world !.
If we all played our systems at reference level then i can be sure that no one with a AV system would say that they had to tweek the centre for lack of dialogue ! but this is the real world with wifes/kids/dogs and next door, so we have to turn things down a bit.
And thats where the problems creep in .........and guess what ,dialogue is the first thing that is impacted on as well as bass and surround envelopment. So how do we combat this ?? well audssey has helped out with this and given us Dynamic EQ which adjusts the eq curve to compensate for the lowering in the volume, to keep the vocals,bass & surounds at a balanced level. So all you need to do is turn on the Dynamic EQ in the eq settings on the amp .

hope this helps

 

[IL Cattivo]

So all you need to do is turn on the Dynamic EQ in the eq settings on the amp .

And this is what did it for me too guys... Makes the world of difference to the all round sound ability of this amp when this feature is turned on...

Setting Db levels to + Values (although tempting for some) will most likely distort the sound sources in smaller and non-standard shaped rooms.

 

[Uridium]

And this is what did it for me too guys... Makes the world of difference to the all round sound ability of this amp when this feature is turned on...

Setting Db levels to + Values (although tempting for some) will most likely distort the sound sources in smaller and non-standard shaped rooms.

Same here. As well as upping the Centre by about 5 notches I enabled Dynamic EQ and Dialogue was hugely improved. If you haven't already turned this on and your struggling with dialogue at lower volumes turn it on now

 

[rsfrsf]

I am having issues with "low" dialogue as well, and will try the above. However, I don't have the problem all the time. Some channels sound great (typically, when I see "5.1" on my channel guide), but others sound quiet, specifically the dialogue only. I presume its occuring when the program is not 5.1?

I simply have an HMDI going from my crappy Time Warner Motorola HD DVR to the Onkyo 607. My blue Ray sounds perfect.

Any Ideas???

 

[Dave M]

Hi Guys
The Audyssey setup is always a long debate, but i will try to un-muddy the waters a bit .
The first thing you have to realise is it is always related to the reference level at which the test tones are sent out , so room size,speaker distance,impedence, distance to seat position and senitivity all have to be taken into consideration.

The minus numbers are quite common with efficient speakers ( its a good thing, less output to drive them) mine at home run between -5 to -8 across the board.

Difference between the reference level and the real world !.
If we all played our systems at reference level then i can be sure that no one with a AV system would say that they had to tweek the centre for lack of dialogue ! but this is the real world with wifes/kids/dogs and next door, so we have to turn things down a bit.
And thats where the problems creep in .........and guess what ,dialogue is the first thing that is impacted on as well as bass and surround envelopment. So how do we combat this ?? well audssey has helped out with this and given us Dynamic EQ which adjusts the eq curve to compensate for the lowering in the volume, to keep the vocals,bass & surounds at a balanced level. So all you need to do is turn on the Dynamic EQ in the eq settings on the amp .

hope this helps

Hi, can you post where to find the bit that turns the dynamic eq on? Also, is this used once you have adjusted speaker settings?

 

[vaxxi]

I am having issues with "low" dialogue as well, and will try the above. However, I don't have the problem all the time. Some channels sound great (typically, when I see "5.1" on my channel guide), but others sound quiet, specifically the dialogue only. I presume its occuring when the program is not 5.1?

When you see 5.1, it means the source signal is sent as a 5.1 stream, mastered specifically for this speaker setup. When you don't see it, it means you get a standard stereo signal, which needs to be "expanded" to your 5.1 speakers by the AVR. These algorithms are different and not perfect, of course, so that's why you have to play with the listening modes and see which one you like more.

Basically, when you think it's "too quiet", play with the sound modes until you see PLII or Neo:6 on-screen (standing for Dolby Pro Logic II or DTS Neo:6, which are two of the best algorithms for expanding 2.0 to 5.1 speakers).

 

[vaxxi]

Hi, can you post where to find the bit that turns the dynamic eq on? Also, is this used once you have adjusted speaker settings?

If you have performed the Audyssey setup correctly, it's already turned on. From the manual:

When the room correction and speaker setup is complete, the Equalizer Settings (page 70) will be set to “Audyssey” and the “Dynamic EQ” (page 72) will be set to “On”.

Otherwise, it's in menu 3 (Audio Adjust) -> 4 (Audyssey) -> Dynamic EQ.

 

[Dave M]

Thanks for the reply. I did at first set up using audyssey but I think I pushed up the volume on my right surround. Will this of turned off these settings or have I just altered part of them? Do you think I should set up again or what?

 

[vaxxi]

If you only altered the settings through the Audio menu, they'll be back to the original values after powering off the AVR. If you changed them through the Setup menu, then you changed them for good. Tweak them to your own ears, not numbers.

 

[Dave M]

Thanks for your help. Done that. What about dynamic volume?