After the installation of my home theater, with pretty good B&W in-wall speakers, I realize that the Surround speakers are way to far back behind my primary seating. THey are directed towards each other making an angle of about 40 degrees to the seat (rather than the recommended 0 - 20 for the 5.1 system). It will be very very difficult to re-install so I am trying to figure out my best options, including moving furniture, remounting the in-wall speakers at an angle (can this be done? is there a tilted mounting bracket?) and finally, playing with the manual speaker EQ setup on my Pioneer 92-TXH Receiver.

MY QUESTION is whether adjusting the EQ to boost up the high frequencies in the surround speakers can make up for the poor placement? THe consequence of the speakers too far back seems to be that I do not hear some of the subtle higher frequency effects such as the car tires in the rain, door slams, etc. I assume this is because of the more forward directed (towards the opposite side wall) distribution of the high frequencies. THUS, would boosting the gain in this frequency range correct (or partially correct) this bad installation? If so, what is the best way to do this....by ear? My system has an Auto MCACC setup.

Thanks for the help.

Larry

Really poor placement can only corrected by moving the speakers.

Equalizing by boosting the treble can blow the tweeters.

Auto MCACC is horrible and should not be used to setup your system.

Really poor placement can only corrected by moving the speakers.

Equalizing by boosting the treble can blow the tweeters.

Auto MCACC is horrible and should not be used to setup your system.


Thanks. But I thought the newer Pioneer Auto MCACC was supposed to be pretty good? What do you recommend I do instead? I understand that I could manually set the Levels with an SPL meter, but how would i set each range of the EQ's for each speaker without using the MCACC?

L

Thanks. But I thought the newer Pioneer Auto MCACC was supposed to be pretty good? What do you recommend I do instead? I understand that I could manually set the Levels with an SPL meter, but how would i set each range of the EQ's for each speaker without using the MCACC?

L

EQ needs to be set using a quality RTA and microphone with accurate test tones to SMPTE 222M. I would not use a low cost SPL meter to set levels. The microphones on those are too directional for the task. You should use accurate external test tones along with your ears to get the levels right. Equipment to do this right is going to cost at least $1000. I have about $8,000 in audio equipment to get the best results possible.

The other option is to use my services.;)

That's really not that bad. If you can point them a little bit more towards the listening area that may help. Just make sure to calibrate the levels properly, and EQ can also assist here.

People put surrounds in wacky places all the time, and it works out well enough.

MCACC isn't that bad. It's not nearly as intrusive as Audyssey, etc -- just an octave band 'tone control' with a few parametric cut-only filters for low frequencies -- and it's a lot easier for a dumb computer to get right than some of the more complex EQ setups. I'd run the auto setup and see how it sounds. If you like it, enjoy it.

I am still trying to correct the situation of my B&W surrounds being placed (in-wall) too far behind my seating area. Part of the solution has been to move my seating further back. Further correction has been accomplished by adjusting the EQ for the surrounds....for some reason the MCACC was attenuating the 16K region by -5db.

However, I have the opportunity to replace the B&W surrounds with Speakercraft MT6 Fours. THese will fit quite nicely in the already cut holes and so will not be a major re-installation hassle. In addition, the tweeter is pivotable by enough of an angle to help correct for the non-ideal placement.

I understand that these speakers may be slightly inferior to my B&W's but is this really an important issue for a Surround in a 5.1 setup?

Advice?

Larry

Auto MCACC is horrible and should not be used to setup your system.


purely a subjective statement. MCACC is not horrible, its fine for mostly everyone...

Equipment to do this right is going to cost at least $1000. I have about $8,000 in audio equipment to get the best results possible.

The other option is to use my services

Lol, a little over the top do you think $1000 to do the right EQing...thats is another subjective BS statement. I have a Calibrated mic, sound card, REW and RTA and NONE of that costs even close to $1000 . I can manually calibrate my system very well thank you and I dont need to waste $1000 on equipment and Im not bragging about having $8k either....LIKE WE CARE HOW MUCH you have to prove your opinion ;)

Although you are peddling your service so I suspect you would believe your BS.

Sorry if that was a little harsh but damn, subjective BS without even considering the audience is at an all time high own here.

I am still trying to correct the situation of my B&W surrounds being placed (in-wall) too far behind my seating area. Part of the solution has been to move my seating further back. Further correction has been accomplished by adjusting the EQ for the surrounds....for some reason the MCACC was attenuating the 16K region by -5db.

Can you add more speakers in the walls at the sides or in the ceiling above or seating? That is one way to fix your speaker issue.

Other than that what is your trim on your sourrounds are your running them at +10 dB already?