After doing a lot of reading on this forum and the internet, I have found there are many ways to calibrate a HT system. Wanted to see what folks thought...

Personally, I have a 6.1 system driven by a Yammie (HTR-5750) and have a SVS PB10-NSD for my sub. I got a Rat Shack analog meter (and a makeshift tripod, don't ask, it's not pretty :o ). I don't have the AVIA disc but my receiver generates the pink noise signals (75dB I'm assuming). When I use 75dB on the front L speaker to calibrate MV (-4) and then calibrate all other speakers using -4, most of the dB volumes are right around zero. On the other hand, if I calibrate starting with 0 as my MV (reference?) I end up turning down all the individual speakers more and consequently my "reference" volume of 0dB doesn't seem to be as loud as described by others. BTW, for the sub after talking with Ed, I started at -5dB on the receiver and adjusted the gain on the sub to get me close to 75dB, then made fine adjustments until the RS meter set to 80dB bounced around an average of -4 (i.e. 76dB, meaning it's just slightly "hot", correct?-i.e. ~78dB?).

Anyway, it seems like others' reference volume is louder than mine seems to be and wanted to see if my "technique" sounded correct. Thanks for any help/opinions!

The sensitivity of your speakers plays a role in the + or - db they need to reach 75db.

I also use my receviers test tones.

I use MV 0db as my reference level........ I run the test tones and I calibrate all speakers to 75db using the RS SPL meter from my listening position. (This means some speakers need some + db and some need some - db so they all can be at 75db.) My sub is calibrated to 72db which means it is running about 74-75...so flat with all my other speakers.

I think your technique is fine. Don't worry about other people's volumes numbers because again it is all relative to their room size, speaker types, and listening level choices.

In summary. Just set your MV to 0, dial in all your speakers to 75db, and your sub to flat or 1-2-3db hot if you'd like. :D


(ps....by setting your REFERENCE to -4db all that is doing is making you run your speakers a little hotter in db, thus making it so you do not have to turn up your master volume number as high......It all works out the same in the end though if you measured SPL of your system...)

Calibrated to 0db MV would mean a MV of 0db and listening at -8db would be the same as calibrating to -4db MV and MV -4 would be the same as -12db... Thuse the same difference of 8db...

Hope that makes sense...

The sensitivity of your speakers plays a role in the + or - db they need to reach 75db.

I also use my receviers test tones.

I use MV 0db as my reference level........ I run the test tones and I calibrate all speakers to 75db using the RS SPL meter from my listening position. (This means some speakers need some + db and some need some - db so they all can be at 75db.) My sub is calibrated to 72db which means it is running about 74-75...so flat with all my other speakers.

I think your technique is fine. Don't worry about other people's volumes numbers because again it is all relative to their room size, speaker types, and listening level choices.

In summary. Just set your MV to 0, dial in all your speakers to 75db, and your sub to flat or 1-2-3db hot if you'd like. :D


(ps....by setting your REFERENCE to -4db all that is doing is making you run your speakers a little hotter in db, thus making it so you do not have to turn up your master volume number as high......It all works out the same in the end though if you measured SPL of your system...)

Calibrated to 0db MV would mean a MV of 0db and listening at -8db would be the same as calibrating to -4db MV and MV -4 would be the same as -12db... Thuse the same difference of 8db...

Hope that makes sense...

Hey thanks-That mostly makes sense and how I was understanding it so far--so the sub calibrated to -4 on the 80dB setting is in reality 3-4dB hot with respect to speakers calibrated to 75dB...Anyway, I'm in a pretty small room so I was expecting to be "blown away" at reference volume (as others have described) with center and main speakers at 91dB sensitivity (although the surrounds are lower at 87dB). Will a higher master volume tax the receiver with individual speakers dialed down more to achieve the 75dB SPL? I know that + volumes with speakers calibrated 0 or higher in the past used to get it hot (no tasteless jokes please :rolleyes: ...

Well the 75db calibration is all relative to room size as well.

The same 75db calibation in a larger room would require a totally different adjustment for your speakers (a higher db correction to them most likely)


IN all honesty if you have them dialed in to 75db using the test tone at reference volume -4db. -4db should be pretty darn loud.

Mine are dialed in using 0db MV as reference. I NEVER listen at the volume because its super loud (clear as hell, but just a little painful).

Usually I'm a -8db to -10db for dolby digital tracks and -12db to -10db for DTS tracks since they are recorded a little hotter.

Well the 75db calibration is all relative to room size as well.

The same 75db calibation in a larger room would require a totally different adjustment for your speakers (a higher db correction to them most likely)


IN all honesty if you have them dialed in to 75db using the test tone at reference volume -4db. -4db should be pretty darn loud.

Mine are dialed in using 0db MV as reference. I NEVER listen at the volume because its super loud (clear as hell, but just a little painful).

Usually I'm a -8db to -10db for dolby digital tracks and -12db to -10db for DTS tracks since they are recorded a little hotter.

That's what seems to be different for me--I used MV of 0 to calibrate (on Ed's recommendation) but I need to turn the speakers down quite a bit to get to 75dB so playback at 0 isn't deafening. Case in point, my wife was able to watch a scene from Black Hawk Down and not leave the room, a sure sign it's not too loud :D . Also, the upright bass on a concert I have recorded doesn't seem to come through as well unless I jack up the volume well past 0...I haven't read this, but are the test tones on EVERY receiver meant to be calibrated at 75dB at reference volume?

They all differ to a point I am sure, but the point is if you are using an SPL to dial in 75db that it doesn't really matter since you have the speakers dialed in using a scientific device.

In a small room, dialing in at MV 0db, I would expect that most of your speakers calibrated at 75db would be like -3 or -4db or maybe even more all depending on your room.

All that would happen dialing in at MV-4db would be that your speakers would be running at about 0db.....same difference either way :)

They all differ to a point I am sure, but the point is if you are using an SPL to dial in 75db that it doesn't really matter since you have the speakers dialed in using a scientific device.

In a small room, dialing in at MV 0db, I would expect that most of your speakers calibrated at 75db would be like -3 or -4db or maybe even more all depending on your room.

All that would happen dialing in at MV-4db would be that your speakers would be running at about 0db.....same difference either way :)

I don't have the specific values in front of me (I'll post them later today) but that's generally true...subwoofer is -4 or -3 I think which reads at 76 on the SPL meter on the test tone). Weird, I just thought overall volume would be much louder in a 15X15X9 foot room (it does, however, depend on the source that I'm playing). Do running the receiver higher than 0 and all of the speakers dialed down to the minus range cancel each other out (in other words, no more work than lower MV and speakers dialed up). No harder on the receiver, right?... :)

I don't have the specific values in front of me (I'll post them later today) but that's generally true...subwoofer is -4 or -3 I think which reads at 76 on the SPL meter on the test tone). Weird, I just thought overall volume would be much louder in a 15X15X9 foot room (it does, however, depend on the source that I'm playing). Do running the receiver higher than 0 and all of the speakers dialed down to the minus range cancel each other out (in other words, no more work than lower MV and speakers dialed up). No harder on the receiver, right?... :)

Well this is where it gets interesting.

The closer you are to 0db MV the more your reciever has to work to pump out power.

Still it would all be relative because of the + or - db settings of each individual Level. I see what you are saying...running the MV at +5 and the speakers at -10db... vs MV at 0db and the speakers at -5db......it is really a numbers game at that point.

Me personally, I would stick with the MV setting of 0db for reference since that is the way most recievers are designed. I would never push a reciever volume past that (meaning don't do what I just mentioned because that was just an example).


Safest, most common way is 0db Master Reference........Speakers dialed in to 75db using C-Weighting (slow setting).

Then adjust your movie volume to "taste". Like you said ALL movies sound a little different.....some Dolby Digital movies are -8db for me, some are -10db MV....just depends on the movie. I usually know within the first 5mins of a movie where I'll set the master volume for the remainder of the movie.

Same with DTS usually -12 to -10db MV depending on the movie....

Well this is where it gets interesting.

The closer you are to 0db MV the more your reciever has to work to pump out power.

Still it would all be relative because of the + or - db settings of each individual Level. I see what you are saying...running the MV at +5 and the speakers at -10db... vs MV at 0db and the speakers at -5db......it is really a numbers game at that point.

Me personally, I would stick with the MV setting of 0db for reference since that is the way most recievers are designed. I would never push a reciever volume past that (meaning don't do what I just mentioned because that was just an example).


Safest, most common way is 0db Master Reference........Speakers dialed in to 75db using C-Weighting (slow setting).

Then adjust your movie volume to "taste". Like you said ALL movies sound a little different.....some Dolby Digital movies are -8db for me, some are -10db MV....just depends on the movie. I usually know within the first 5mins of a movie where I'll set the master volume for the remainder of the movie.

Same with DTS usually -12 to -10db MV depending on the movie....

Yeah, I do have it calibrated to 0 MV, 75hZ on the speakers. I was expecting the volumes to be at -8, -10, volumes like you describe. However, Black Hawk Down wasn't loud enough (even at 0 really) and I had to go into the + dB region to get satisfying volume (and bass). What is the sensitivity of your speakers if I might ask?...

WOW........hmmmm I'm thinking there might be a setting in your reciever that is off now.

To be dialed in at 0db Reference Master Volume using 75db is the right thing to do.

BUT

To have to get Blackhawk down to sound loud enough you shouldn't have to go NEAR MV 0db.....to go into the +db range to get it "loud enough" is not right at all. ESPECIALLY in a small room....

Do you have it in Midnight mode by accident? Do you have your EQ settings off maybe.....where is your LFE ATT set? I'm really thinking there is another seting that might be causing it to play lower during playback....

For reference.......I have blackhawk down superbit........in DTS i was listening at either -12 or -11db and it was LOUD AS HELL (How I like it :D)

I think my neighbors in the house next door thought we were under attack from the machine guns and the choppers taking off and shaking the hell out of my house....LOL

For reference.......I have blackhawk down superbit........in DTS i was listening at either -12 or -11db and it was LOUD AS HELL (How I like it :D)

I think my neighbors in the house next door thought we were under attack from the machine guns and the choppers taking off and shaking the hell out of my house....LOL

true, that's what I'm looking for :) Mine is DD (no DTS but it was given to me for free, so hey... :p )

Night mode off, LFE level (-20-0 range) set at 0.

I keep thinking there is something that's not right but I can't put my finger on it...My owner's manual is online...there's umteen adjustments you can make but I can't think of one that would affect this issue that I haven't tinkered with...maybe I'm missing something :confused: . When I calibrated to -4 of course, Zero volume was pretty much unlistenable...

http://www.4electronicwarehouse.com/content/yamaha/htr5740_50.pdf

I'm reading your manual and thinking of a few things, but really I don't know that these are the issue, but I'll throw them out there....

How about speaker distance....have you set that properly??

Are you speakers set to large or small? (That depends on if you they are large or small...LOL)

LFE should be set to 0db.

Dynamic Range Standard


Does your receiver automatically detect the proper soundfield or do you manually choose what you want...
meaning...DTS, DD, DTSES, DD enhanced...ect??

Other than that it sounds like you are doing everything right....

I'm reading your manual and thinking of a few things, but really I don't know that these are the issue, but I'll throw them out there....

How about speaker distance....have you set that properly??

Are you speakers set to large or small? (That depends on if you they are large or small...LOL)

LFE should be set to 0db.

Dynamic Range Standard


Does your receiver automatically detect the proper soundfield or do you manually choose what you want...
meaning...DTS, DD, DTSES, DD enhanced...ect??

Other than that it sounds like you are doing everything right....

Hey, thanks for helping out so much...I thought this would be a topic of general interest but...apparently not :rolleyes: anyway, I measured out speaker distance and set, on Ed's recommendation set the phase to 0 on the subwoofer and set the sub distance + a couple of feet--he said that usually gets the phase right without using the variable phase control with one sub...maybe I need to set the correct distance and see...He thought dynamic range should be set to MIN but that the wording was confusing...setting to std would limit some of the range, no?
I set the receiver generally to surround enhanced (DTS or DD 5.1) and set the EX/ES on...hmmm, it's a mystery. I have Infinity Betas which have a lot of dynamic range so it seems like they should be rockin'...