I adjusted my channel levels using an SPL Meter (RS dial model) and had everything set perfectly. Just for kicks, I threw in the Avia disk to see what it could add to the overall sound quality. I have a 5.1 setup through my Pioneer receiver.

The first thing is that the sub was not coming out at all, although it is definitely sounding when using the receiver test tones and watching movies.

The second thing is that when it got to the section to check the phase, based on the sounds I was hearing, it identified the wires as crossed. I knoew they were not. I double checked everything and they are all connected +/+ ans -/-.

Does anyone have any idea what I am experiencing here and what, if anything, needs or should be done?

Thanks, Joe

If I recall, AVIA has its test tones encoded all in the main channels, i.e., there is nothing in the LFE or .1 channel. So, if your speakers are set to large (we usually recommend that they be set to small), then you will not hear any output from your subwoofer. The reason for this is that AVIA was designed with testing the crossover frequency in mind--and if you have your speakers set to large, there's no crossover frequency, therefore no sub output.

Phase is notoriously difficult to read accurate. I personally have a tough time with AVIA's phase test. If your speakers are wired correctly, another possibility is that the speaker distances are off, but if you are sure your distances are right and your wiring is right, I wouldn't worry too much about it. In a less than optimal setup (which is what most of us have), there are probably going to be some phase issues at some frequencies regardless--we just have to live with it. If it's noticeable to you in general practice (i.e. not just when using AVIA), then you might consider moving your speakers a little bit. But I don't think it's anything to worry too much about. That's my 2 cents though.

Thanks for the response. I do have front and center set to large. Fronts are Polk Monitor 70s and center is Polk CS2. I read in my receiver manual that anything with woofers over 5" should be set to large. The receiver allows me to set the crossover as well as the sub that is in it's way here (Bic H100), so I did not think that was an issue.

I need to go back to the manual and see what is says about setting the receiver to a higher crossover and setting the center to small. Then try the fronts as small as well.

I need to get some time to sit and listen to a couple of movies to see the difference as well.

Thanks again. Joe

Look carefully through the Avia menus. There is 1 single track that is LFE encoded pink.

The second thing is that when it got to the section to check the phase, based on the sounds I was hearing, it identified the wires as crossed. I knoew they were not. I double checked everything and they are all connected +/+ ans -/-.

Does anyone have any idea what I am experiencing here and what, if anything, needs or should be done?

Thanks, Joe



When you use large main speakers (not talking about settings on receiver), a lot of times the passive crossovers are connected in such a way that the small speakers (center and surround) may indeed be out of phase with your main speakers even though you wired red to red and black to black.

I have large R & L main speakers, and I ended up having to wire the center speaker red to black (AKA reverse polarity) to get the mains and center to be in phase. I also had to touch up the center distance control a bit.

I ended up using stereo test tones (R & L tones) from the 20 to 120 Hz area (in 10 Hz increments), set the receiver to PL-2, and adjusted the center speaker distance to clean up a null in that range (80 Hz as I recall).

Depending on which set of surround speakers I use, some surrounds match my mains phase wise and others (same design as center) need to be wired in reverse polarity. Unless you use identical speakers all the way around, there is a potential phase mismatch problem.

I ran my speakers red to red for years. This never really caused a problem with my system until I went DD / DTS. With the old pro logic decoding, it did not matter much. With DD and DTS, it does matter. I had to refoam my speakers a few years, so while I was at it I documented the crossovers. After doing so, I found out that the midrange and tweeter of the three way main speakers were indeed wired in reverse polarity internal to the speaker on the large mains. The subwoofer section was wired in standard polarity. My center (2 way) is an exact duplicate of the R & L except it has no subwoofer section, and its midrange and tweeter was wired in standard polarity.

I recommend that you experiment a bit.