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SPL meter readings...

post #1 of 13
4/6/12 at 12:00pm
Thread Starter 
I was wondering why (when I've measured the speakers to be equidistant from the main listening position), when I set the FL and SL to 75DB, do the FR and SR read louder when I set them to the same volume the FL and SL are set at?
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post #2 of 13
4/6/12 at 12:01pm
Thread Starter 
BTW, I am sitting in the middle when I am using the SPL meter.
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post #3 of 13
4/6/12 at 6:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by VG1385 View Post

I was wondering why (when I've measured the speakers to be equidistant from the main listening position), when I set the FL and SL to 75DB, do the FR and SR read louder when I set them to the same volume the FL and SL are set at?

How is the SLM supported and aimed?
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post #4 of 13
4/7/12 at 8:01am
Without more information, I can only make a guess. That would be different speakers in the surround positions than in the mains, and the surrounds are more sensitive, so play louder at any given setting on the volume dial. That part of the reason most AVR's allow setting attentuation seperately for each channel.

Mike
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post #5 of 13
4/7/12 at 9:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by McSpike View Post

That would be different speakers in the surround positions than in the mains, and the surrounds are more sensitive, so play louder at any given setting on the volume dial.

Except he said:
Quote:
Originally Posted by VG1385 View Post

...........when I set the FL and SL to 75DB, do the FR and SR read louder when I set them to the same volume the FL and SL are set at?

If the front speakers are different from the surround speakers, that could be one reason for a difference between the front and surround speakers' respective volumes, but there is another explanation for why the FR would be louder than the identical FL and the SR would be louder than the identical SL. Most likely it is the effects of your room, VG1385.
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post #6 of 13
4/7/12 at 9:29am
How much louder are they reading? If one side of the room is louder than the other, it could be room acoustics as one other member mentioned.
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post #7 of 13
4/8/12 at 12:22am
Thread Starter 
They are all the same brand of speaker (energy connoisseur line). It was only reading a decibel higher, but I still couldn't understand why, but I thought maybe (like the guy above stated) it had to do with my room. So I just matched the center with one front and one surround, and made the other speakers match in level. I could understand if one was father away from the other, but they were all equal distance from me. Any whom, everything sounds good .
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post #8 of 13
4/8/12 at 5:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by VG1385 View Post

I could understand if one was father away from the other, but they were all equal distance from me.

Just a quick comment...
They may be equidistant from you, but another critical factor is whether they are each equidistant from all other boundaries, as those signals sum to create the total soundfield the SPL meter sees.

At this point, if you want more detail you must leave the flatland of simple amplitude (or frequency measurements) and look at the ETC (envelope time curve - available in measurement tools such as RoomEQWizard) response sufficient to examine the more complex nature of the various direct and indirect energy arrivals that sum to create the result that you observe. I suspect you will be a bit surprised at what you learn.

Best of luck.
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post #9 of 13
4/8/12 at 6:40am
Im sorry for the noobish question, but what does FL, SL, FR, and SR mean? Trying to get a handle on all this room measurement stuff.

Also, I recently used a rat shack digital meter to set my speakers at 75db and I did notice a difference of -1 to -1.5 when I held the meter straight up, so I am curious as to how the OP held his.
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post #10 of 13
4/8/12 at 6:46am
^^^

fl = front left...
sl = surround left...
fr = front right...
sr = surround right...
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post #11 of 13
4/8/12 at 6:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ccotenj View Post

^^^

fl = front left...
sl = surround left...
fr = front right...
sr = surround right...

im such an idiot. duh...
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post #12 of 13
4/8/12 at 10:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ratm View Post

Im sorry for the noobish question, but what does FL, SL, FR, and SR mean? Trying to get a handle on all this room measurement stuff.

Also, I recently used a rat shack digital meter to set my speakers at 75db and I did notice a difference of -1 to -1.5 when I held the meter straight up, so I am curious as to how the OP held his.

I held it straight up as well.
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post #13 of 13
4/8/12 at 11:36pm
As long as the meter was held in the same orientation for all measurements, and all we are looking for is relative comparative levels, it DOESN'T MATTER! As long as the conditions are the same for all measurements, it could be in your pocket!

This is all about relative measurements, not absolute measurements (which is further obviated by the fact that a consumer SPL meter is being used!!!)

Chasing down the angle at which the the meter is held is a snipe hunt folks.
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