Integra DHC-80.3 - Page 97

A long delay suggests that something in the video chain is doing a lot of processing that you don't want it to be doing, delaying the image that you see with respect to the audio that you hear. Verify that all video processing is turned off in both the 80.3 and TV. As a test, try setting the video output resolution of the player to 1080p, so that the TV doesn't have to do any upscaling, either.

Hello BD77,

Do I understand correctly: the audio was arriving before the video with which it's supposed to be synchronized? If so, could it be that the A/V being sent from the source device is encoded at a slower 24Hz (film rate) but the display or an intermediate processor is somehow converting the audio portion of the signal to 60Hz (ATSC standard)?

I don't know if my experience is pertinent to your case, but what you seem to be describing happened to me---my audio was annoyingly ahead of the video on some discs until I discovered the mismatch in my system that I mentioned above. As far as I know, many but not all Blu-rays are encoded at 24 Hz

I found that my disc player would always default to 24Hz output when it detected that frame rate on a given disc. I use an outboard video processor and an outboard audio processor after the disc player and prior to actual playback of program material. So, I had to adjust my processor settings in order to avoid a mix-up along the way. After making certain that all the processing equipment in the chain was "on the same page", no audio delay was necessary.

- but can it actually replace a build in CMS ??? (I am also eying the X30/Rs45)

Just got my 80.3 installed into my system. I have a dedicated HT room with acoustical treatment in a 20'x18' room with 2 tiers of 4 wide seats. I'm using McIntosh amps and Klipsh Ref speakers in a 7.2 array. My last AV per/pro was a McIntosh MX135 and I replaced it with the Integra 80.3.

I have a few questions on some things I'm unclear about:

1- I did the full Audyssey 8 position calibration but I can't find the eq graphs for each speaker within Audyssey. I'd like to tweak the final eq slightly on the center channel. I found eq settings in speaker set up but these all showed 0db and I'm not sure if tweaking these disables Audyssey?

2- My subs, especially in any of the dolby modes are too loud and not tight. THX modes are a little better. I found LFE in the menu and turn them down -20db but did not notice anything difference. The volume on my subs is wide open so I guess I could turn them down there...however I'd like to find a way for quick access to sub volume as this needs adjusted in certain movies and concert blu rays.

3- Audyssey set my crossover to 40hz for front and center channel and 45hz for surrounds. I really want my big power sub to handle 80hz down as they provide way more punch than my front speakers. I went into speaker set up and changed the crossover to reflect 80hz crossover. So do I need to re do the Audyssey 8 position set up? Will Audyssey maintain this crossover point I want to use or will it revert back to the 40hz crossover?

Thanks for any help!
Mike

 

There aren't any EQ graphs for Audyssey in the 80.3. The Equaliser settings are for the basic parametric EQ in the unit - setting that disables Audyssey as you guessed.

 

 

I suspect you tweaked the LPF of LFE - that won't affect the loudness of the subs in the way you want it to. Check here:

 

c)5.   What is the LPF of LFE and what should it be set to?

 

After a proper Audyssey calibration your subs will be set to 75dB if you test with the built-in test tones. If your subs are way too loud then you possibly did not do the calibration properly. Check here (point 4 applies):

 

f)3.   How do I set the controls on my subwoofer before running MultEQ?

 

The best place to make adjustments to the sub SPL is in the speaker trim menu in the 80.3 not on the back of the subs. Check here:

f)4.   If I want to run my subs a little 'hot' where should I make the changes?

 

You can also use the Home menu for quick 'on the fly' adjustments, but this should not be necessary in a properly calibrated system.

 

No need to re-run Audyssey if you have raised the crossover. See here for details:

 

c)2.   Why do I often see advice to raise the Crossovers to 80Hz?

 

and here:

c)4.   Is it OK to change the Crossovers from Audyssey's recommendation?

 

 

Hope that helps.

Hey kbarnes, I found your Audyssey FAQ and hour ago...wow... Huge thanks. I'm redoing my XT32 calibration again late tonight.

My sub volume on the sub is all the up. I by passed the 75db setting because I thought that I wanted to have the sub amp volume up and adjust the actual sub volume in my processor.

I'll try it Audyssey's way and see.

I wish I could tweak the eq setting on my center channel after Audssey does it's thing....adjust taste .

Great stuff. As you will have seen in the FAQ it's important to get the sub at roughly the right level before you run Audyssey. If your sub level is turned all the way up, then Audyssey will not be able to set it right in all probability and your trims will be 'maxed out'. By this I mean your trim will be at -15dB (or is -12dB for Onks, I forget?) and that is as far as Audyssey can 'turn it down'. It may have wanted to turn it down to -25dB if it had been able, and that will explain why your subs are way too loud. Just get it roughly at 75dB at the start and then Audyssey should give you a trim somewhere between -3.5dB and +3.5dB, which is what you are aiming for.

 

Unfortunately you can’t tweak Audyssey's EQ setting - just the trim (volume level) and crossover. Well, and distance but I’d suggest you *never* do that (for the satellite speakers). What is it about the centre channel that makes you feel the need to tweak it?

 

Any further questions, just ask.... and let me know how you got on...

Apparently a common cause of audio problems with the center channel is not mounting it optimally. It needs not to be recessed in a cabinet, and its drivers need to be pointed toward the ears of someone who is seated in the primary listening position. In other words, tilted up if below the display, and tilted down if the speaker is above the display. Another possibility is not having the main left and right speakers toed in toward the listening position, so that Audyssey has to turn them up to make them sound right, overpowering the center.

I have two Velodyne SC-IF/IC 12" with the SC-1250 amp, plus two Clark TST429 transducers under two of the three rows of seating. I was reading that the transducers need to be turned off when calibrating, if thats done how will they be synced with the two Velodynes in the room.

I did that some time ago and found they are really bad with the Velodynes as thy are both far apart.

My center needs a little boost in the 12-16k area to add a slight crispness to voices. My fronts and center are aligned with a laser...fronts are properly toed in and center is on same plane. Actually all the horns in the Klipsch are on the same plane across the front.

It's my ears and lack of hearing ultra highs that I've lost through my years as a drummer. So I like to get the flat response and tweak,it to my taste....very slight tweak is all I need.

The Audyssey Pro kit allows you to tweak the curve to your taste, but not the regular XT32 unfortunately.

Thanks...sounds like what I need then...my dealer is trying to sell me on doing a Pro calibration but it's $400. I can buy the kit for $550 and have fun with it myself. I'll probably buy the kit. Thanks for all your reply's and help!

I can definitely recommend the Pro kit if you are an enthusiastic tweaker. A major benefit is that it allows you to save as many calibrations as you like to your laptop and reload them at will - handy if you want to experiment but want to be able to go back to a known good cal at any time.  You can also tweak the curve to you heart's desire and even edit it in Excel for amazing control. If you buy the kit, remember that on top of the $550 for the kit you have to buy a licence for each unit you wish to calibrate, which costs a one-off (per unit) $150. IMO it's still better than paying for a professional cal though because you only need to change one thing in your setup and you need a fresh cal - and that would be another 400 bucks every time!

 

There's a dedicated thread for Pro but it is also dicsussed regularly in the Official Audyssey Thread too. Pro thread link is here:

 

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1346723/the-audyssey-pro-installer-kit-thread

 

There's a kit on there for sale at $425 right now too....

 

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1346723/the-audyssey-pro-installer-kit-thread/2910#post_22321020

This might not be the right thread, but since it's very active and my question pertains to an Integra I'll give it a go...

I currently have an Arcam AVR 350 receiver and am interested in an upgrade path to an Integra pre with some sort of multi-channel power amp (parasound, sim, theta, something like that).

My question: is there any way that I can start with the Integra and use the 350's amp section for a while until I buy a separate amp? Maybe use the multi-channel inputs on the AVR, leave the volume control set on the AVR and control everything else via the Integra? Would I be risking damage to the speakers if I did this?

Thanks for the feedback.

Even if the Arcam does not have direct inputs bypassing the volume control, then doing as you suggested should work. I assume the Arcam does not convert the Mch analog inputs to digital. You do not want the Arcam DSP settings to be interfering with the Integra or adding extra channel delays. So, just in case, set all channnel level trims and distances to zero in the Arcam - write them down first, in case you wish to revert. But, if the Arcam DSP is not active for MCH analog, as is likely, then it would not be necessary to change these trims.

Then I would hook up the Integra and take a Radio Shack meter to set the Arcam's master volume to get about 75 DB +/- 10dB from the speakers with test tones generated by the Integra. Start with a low setting of the volume control and increase it to get the proper setting. While you are at it, set your subwoofer volume control also to get about 75 dB on Integra test tones. Your subwoofer can be directly connected to the Integra, bypassing the Arcam. Then, proceed to the Audyssey calibration, using the setup guide at the Official Audyssey thread here at AVS.

As long as you are cautions about setting the Arcam master volume, there should be no danger to your speakers.

This post also might not be in the right area -- but mods can move it if necessary.


I just realized a limitation to my 80.3 that I'd like to address. It has 7 HDMI inputs on the back, all of which are used.

I have a turntable...obviously analog input into the PHONO on the back.

HDMI 1) Oppo BDP-95
HDMI 2) Motorola DCX3501-m DVR
HDMI 3) HTPC
HDMI 4) Microsoft XBOX
HDMI 5) Sony Playstation 3
HDMI 6) Wii (using converter for HDMI -- will upgrade to Wii U when available)
HDMI 7) Sony XA5400ES SACD Player

The only available channel I can assign one of the free HDMI slots to is PHONO. I can't use AUX / TUNER / PORT, the options are greyed out.

While it is possible that I can have both the turntable AND an HDMI shared on the same input, I don't want it this way and the Crestron programmer is coming out within the next month or so (they're apparently very busy).

Is there a way that I can override the assignment to use AUX? Is there a service menu on this model? I can't find anything on the web. Even reassigning it to TUNER would be fine since I'm using a UP-HT1 HD tuner on PORT.


Thank you so much in advance!


Phil

I also wish that there were more avail inputs. I am even using the "Port" input fot HD Radio. When I wish to use my HD-XA2 I have to swap cables with my BDP-93.

The entertainment center is packed to the limit and weighs 300 pounds assembled with about 250 pounds of equipment in it...the Furman Reference i20 power center weighs 81 pounds by itself. Even with furniture sliders underneath it it's next to impossible to move without risk of cracking the pieces apart...it's about 9 feet wide by almost 7 feet tall.

I should have purchased the Anthem Statement D2V. . .

As a temporary fix, I ran two right angle RCA cables from the front AUX input for the turntable. Fortunately my turntable has a line output. My dealer feels that they can reassign the AUX input to use one of the HDMI inputs on the back -- but I'm waiting to hear back from them as well. If nothing comes of this and it isn't possible, then I'll just leave it the way it is using the front AUX input. I thought I could get by using just the left and right multi channel inputs on the back -- but it's exactly that...left and right channel only...and what record player (currently on the market) has multi channel output -- lol.

My need is not so much for HDMI as it is a need for assignable input ports. Some of my Laser disks are so old as they don't even have a digital track. (Assigned to
the "Game" port) I found that if I disconnect the fiber cable I can then get the analog audio. (Digital appears to be the default)
I am using the front "AUX's" fiber port for my Elite CD player & the "Tape's" analog port for my Elite cassette player. Fiber from my TV's tuner to the "TV/CD" port.
HDMI is used for my following: DVHS to "PC" & TIVO to "CBL/SAT". The before mentioned HD DVD's go to "BD/DVD"
I will use "VCR/DVR" & composite for my Beta when I find the time to replace the needed rubber parts & get it back in service.

 

And yes, I am not a "spring chicken" any longer.

Why would you bother to convert your Wii output to HDMI? It does not accomplish anything. Plug it in to component.

Everything else is HDMI with the exception of the turntable...the Wii U is coming out soon and it's wired already for that product when it comes on the market. My teenaged son has all the game consoles anyway...so I gotta keep him happy as he is the primary user of this home theater. We use it when he's not playing games...which is almost never.


I heard from my local dealer, and this is something they can manipulate on the DHC-80.3, but it has to be done with their software... In the meantime, I have to sit down with them and design the Crestron control layout.

Ide rationalise by considering if the sony sacd player was that much better than the oppo 95 and if thats the perception sell the sony and have the oppo modified by an after market co . Some in the oppo thread prefer the oppo anyway .. Alternatively any room in the cabinet for a simple hdmi switch box ?
Good luck with whatever you decide

Separate components. I don't like using the same player that does video for audio. Wears them out faster.

No room left in the cabinet.

Left cabinet) Mac Mini / Motorola DCX3501-m / Integra DTA-70.1 / Integra DHC-80.3
Right cabinet) Oppo BDP-95 / Sony XA5400ES / Crestron MC3 / Furman Reference i20.

In the middle sits the game consoles.

I should have stuck with my original plan and purchased the Anthem Statement D2v, P2 and P5 in a rack...but the wife was already stressing as I was pushing $30k for everything as it is.

quick question for all of you users here. What would be a fair estimate of how long it takes to set this thing up ? I am talking about basic settings, so really the time it takes to be able to watch the first movie once I install it in the rack. Currently I have a Denon 3810, not the most intuitive interface, but it was pretty simple to get it to work ....

Should be no more than 30 minutes. Very easy GUI, IMO, however I previously owned a DTC 9.8 and was familiar with Integra.

Thx Ron, that sounds good.

What is a way to check what the approx. right price is these days, new ?

Call your nearest dealer or search on Google "Integra DHC 80.3 price" (without quotes) to get rough estimates.

Living in the NYC area, you should have lots of options. Just call around. I got mine from Sound Advice, which is a FL chain. They do have a web site and sell through that. Start a chat with them and deal with Ross. Ask for a price and see how that compares against others you might get in your area.

Good luck.

got it, thx guys.

i just don't trust these guys at the shops around here (manhattan) for obvious reasons ...

I don't blame you. You'd probably get a unit for the same price, then have to purchase the manual, power cord, remote and Audessy mic extra.

I'm not sure if Integra allows dealers to sell out of state without the customer coming in the store, at least once during the purchasing process. I know Paradigm doesn't like when dealers do that.

You can check for authorized dealers in your area here;

http://www.integrahometheater.com/locator.cfm