"Official" Audyssey thread (FAQ in post #1) - Page 1062

Yes I was hoping it would add general ambience. Your answer clearly indicates that my rear ceiling speakers need be used for rear.

Thanks!



Joel

I finally got around to setup DSX on my 3311 (based on help from batpig's post) and I went with wides (so I have 7.1 but added wide). Here are all the values that I got after MultEQ XT calibration in 8 positions:

Speaker Config Check:

Front - Large
Centre - Small
Subwoofer - Yes
Surround - Small
S.Back - Small (2spkrs)
F.Wide - Small

Distance check:

Front L - 12.5ft
Front R -13.0ft
Center - 11.9ft
Subwoofer - 15.7ft (located outside front right speaker)
F.Wide L - 9.5ft
F.Wide R - 9.2
Surround L - 8.0ft
Surrond R - 7.1ft
S. Back L - 4.3ft
S.Back R - 2.6ft

Channel Level check:

Front L - +2.0dB
Front R - +1.0dB
Centre - -4.5dB
Subwoofer - +2.0dB
F.Wide L - +2.0dB
F.Wide R - +2.5dB
Surround L - -5.0dB
Surround R - -5.5dB
S.Back L - +1.0dB
S.Back R - -2.5dB

Crossover Check:

Front - Full Band
Center - 120Hz
Surround - 150Hz
S. Back - 150Hz
F. Wide - 200Hz


Perhaps some of you experts (Chris or others) can help me out in validating this. I am not sure if these are correct though, as I read that all the speakers should be set SMALL but as you can see from the above values, my Fronts were set by Audyssey to FullBand/LARGE. Is that a problem ? And if so should I correct any of these values on individual speaker basis or would I need to rerun all the measurements again ? I am sorry I am asking silly questions, I am just not sure if these are the right values ??? But then once again , I am not sure what are the right values versus wrong/incorrect - perhaps these are correct ???? When I was doing the measurements, I forgot to close the window and a few cars went by during the process, would that impact anything ? The cars were not extra noisy but I could hear them driving by. Perhaps that skewed the measurements a bit ? Or maybe they are right, I just don't know.

Please help

Thanks in advance.

Nikonowski

Cars or no cars, I would set the fronts to an 80Hz crossover.

Have you listened to your system since setting up Audyssey?

Jeff

This question may already be answered within this thread if so sorry.

I have an Antimode 8033 I use in my existing setup with 3 DIY subs. I just ordered an Integra DHC-80.2 with XT-32.

Is it worth even keeping the Antimode if using Audyssey? I think I may sell my antimode? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

More importantly, perhpas, have you read the Audyssey setup guide in Pepar's signature? All is revealed there.

Ahhh, did you ask that on an Anti-Mode thread, too?

Many have not felt the need for their SMS-1/Antimode/parametric EQ once they moved to a receiver/processor with Audyssey. Some have kept theirs, but I am not convinced that they have a sound, logical reason.

You could try it with and without and see what you think.

Jeff

Yes, there have been those who have taken the minimum measurements clustered around the location of their .. head. I don't recall what degree of success they had, but I also don't recall if they ever posted the results or if I purposely forgot because it seemed such a low bar. I can say that Audyssey has dramatically improved my main listening position even though I ran Pro and measured 13 places scattered around my listening area.

Jeff

Equalizing for only one seat.

Jeff

The 8033 also has the possibility of averaging readings over a number of positions, a feature I routinely use.

I don't think you mean take only 1 measurement, or even all measurements in one spot, which is surely not recommended. But lots of folks, including myself, do a "single seat setup" in a sense. For my living room HT, I optimize for my seat alone, the zero-gravity leather recliner (see below). It may not appear so in the shot, but the recliner is centered on the screen, 9' equidistant from FR/FL/CC and slightly forward of the in-wall surrounds. My wife is typically reclined on the couch off to the side, closer to the right surround. She, like most guests, is not really a critical listener, but certainly can appreciate how much better it sounds with Audyssey.

I make mic pos #1 as close as I can to right between where my seated ears would be and then I take 5-6 more positions within about a 2 1/2-3' diameter arrayed to the front of #1. I stay within the angle the FR/L speaker tweeters create. Sometimes I take 1 or 2 samples slightly behind and to the side of #1, but I don't want to get too close to the back wall. None of my samples are "in", or even within 2' of, any couch seat. I basically use the typical array pattern for mic positions which you have probably noted in the Audyssey setup guide. BTW, this discussion has lots of additional clarification and helpful hints. As for data, I can only submit my subjective opinion (but based on sound experience, he-he): ni-ice!

As to the first question, there are literally dozens of mentions and explanations on this thread about using the max # sample positions available (6-8 for non-Pro users) so Audyssey can obtain a better sampling of the sonic problems of the room/speakers for optimal filtering. Use "search this thread", advanced with "audyssey" in the name box and something like "mic positions" in the searchbox and you will get many pertinent hits such as this, this, this and this. I referred you as well to the "Ask Audyssey" section in which Chris addresses many of these issues, such as mic placement and high seatbacks. During measurements I simply cover the chair with a blanket and tilt the seat back to normal listening position, placing the mic about 8-10" off the surface. It seems to work quite well. As to your "clutter" comment, each of us finds his own compromises in regards to equipment, room, furniture, etc. There are pluses and minuses to a living room HT (and to a dedicated HT as well, for that matter). I have done what I feel are reasonable trade-offs. I moved the recliner away from the back wall and the entertainment center away from the front wall. I repositioned the CC off a low shelf and moved the FR/L closer to MLP arrayed into an equidistant semi-circle with the CC. With plant camoflage, this was all acceptable to the wife. The drivers in the FR tower fire above the nearby chair/ottoman. As for relacing the zero grav recliner, NO WAY. My back is very thankful and my ears are not complaining; quite the opposite in fact, they are delighted with MultEQXT. Though imperfect, they are really my ultimate "measuring device" as a musician (not an engineer). The goal, after all, is overall comfort and enjoyment of music and film, not a nice looking graph.

Two comments re one mic position...

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Note: I think Kal's question should have been: "Do you have only one ear?" in order for the answer "yes" to make "sense" but I think you all get the idea anyway...

Rickardl: To make it absolutely clear I think that one ear should be on top of your head facing the ceiling!!

After everything is set up, it *is* the ear that is used to "measure" our audio systems. And if it is set up correctly, the measuring ceases and the enjoyment begins. If SoM says his system sounds nice, then I accept that that is the case, and that he is enjoying his theater.

I am not saying that measuring isn't necessary because it is, but the final measurement is our ears.

Jeff

Hi Markus,
Single position EQ will, in most cases, create more problems than it solves. Especially for low frequencies, where a few inches can make the difference between having the mic on the peak or dip of a standing wave. I a few weeks, Tom Holman from Audyssey will be presenting a paper at AES that analyzes measurements from several hundred rooms (from our database of over one thousand). You will see that there are huge variations (10-15 dB) from position to position at low frequencies.

For the 8033 correcting only the lowest frequencies, I can see how a single measurement might be sufficient for a single listening position. Is that what you mean?

Not so for MultEQ, which is attempting to correct the whole impulse response. I think Chris and his team have measured a *lot* of rooms.

I'm not so sure that we are disagreeing, just placing emphasis in different places. You are on a thread of consumers who are more than likely to know what good sound is. We/They certainly have opinions on what that is.

All of the equipment selection, room treatments, optimization, etc., works toward one thing and that is the perception that the sound and picture are good and/or real.

Having said that, do you think that it is possible for two rooms/systems to measure the same and sound different?

Jeff

Some relevant data on number of measurement sampling points here:
http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=14319

The only room I looked at is my own living room.