Subwoofer level adjust clarification

jonjames

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Can I just check, once Audyssey has been run, I get a result of -7.0db. Sub dial is about 10pm. You can then alter the level by using the subwoofer level adjust under audio in the avr menu. By default it is off. If I turn this on and have it at 0.0db (default value), has this then added 7.0db I presume? Likewise if I set it at -3.0db I have added 4.0db?

Is this the right way to do it as I have been reading people use the channel level adjust under manual speaker settings, then levels.
 
Can't quite make out what you're saying. But if it sets it to -7db then the sub volume dial is too high, knock it a bit down and rerun auto setup again, and aim closer to 00db. A little bit either way is ok but at 7 I'd rerun it.
 
What difference does it make whether the AVR is set to -7db and the Sub volume is at 10 o/clock versus the AVR being at 00db and the Sub volume being at say 7 o/clock?

Genuinely interested as I'm currently setting up a new Sub and am in same situation, my AVR is at -6db and volume on Sub is about 10 o/clock also
 
Can I just check, once Audyssey has been run, I get a result of -7.0db. Sub dial is about 10pm. You can then alter the level by using the subwoofer level adjust under audio in the avr menu. By default it is off. If I turn this on and have it at 0.0db (default value), has this then added 7.0db I presume? Likewise if I set it at -3.0db I have added 4.0db?

Is this the right way to do it as I have been reading people use the channel level adjust under manual speaker settings, then levels.

As you have found by simply switching it on the subwoofer level adjust it reset the sub level to '0' so now it is no longer correct. I always thought it was a pointless control.

Is this the right way to do it as I have been reading people use the channel level adjust under manual speaker settings, then levels.

Not necessarily the right way but a better way as you are adjusting from where Audyssey set the level. This changes the trim level globally, (all sources).

There is another way - while the film is playing press the option button and choose 'Channel Level Adjust' You will see that all the levels are set to '0' but this does not mean that thay have been reset to '0' but is a reference point so that if you change the level to +4 it is easy to change it back by returning it to '0'. Any changes here only apply to the current source.
 
What difference does it make whether the AVR is set to -7db and the Sub volume is at 10 o/clock versus the AVR being at 00db and the Sub volume being at say 7 o/clock?

Genuinely interested as I'm currently setting up a new Sub and am in same situation, my AVR is at -6db and volume on Sub is about 10 o/clock also

It makes no difference. As Audyssey have said where ever the trim is set the output is 75db. As long as the levels are not at the extremes (-12 +12 for subwoofer), as Audyssey will have run out of adjustment room (i.e. the trim is +12 but Audyssey wants to add 14db).
 
One advantage of turning down the subwoofer gain and rerunning Audyssey so that its adjustment will be closer to 0db is that the AVR will be sending a higher level of signal. This should improve the signal to noise ratio. You could go past 0db into positive but that may not be a good idea, you would not want clipping of the signal. If getting close to 0db means a very low sub gain then I would probably avoid that as well.
 
Ok thanks for the clarification/info. Next time I run it I may try turning the sub gain down a tad and see if I can get a bit closer to zero. Although I don’t notice any noise through my sub as it is.
 
Having a hotter signal from the amp may also help with any auto-on/off mechanisms in the sub.
If the sub is turning auto-off and then needs a strong signal to wake up, re-balancing the AVR level and gain can help.
 
Ok thanks for the clarification/info. Next time I run it I may try turning the sub gain down a tad and see if I can get a bit closer to zero. Although I don’t notice any noise through my sub as it is.
I’d leave it as you’re currently doing it. Getting a -7db from Audyssey is very acceptable, leaving you some room to turn it up a bit (via the AVR Levels settings). I usually get around -9db which I then turn up by 3-4 db. Trying to get 0db from Audyssey by tweaking the sub’s own gain is counter productive (will leave you with zero headroom) and a waste of time imho
 

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