"Official" Audyssey thread (FAQ in post #1) - Page 1988

For the 818 it shouldn't matter because the dual sub outs just use an internal y splitter.

To confirm: I have two of the same PL-200 Bic Acoustech subs.
So it doesn't matter if I connect them individually or 'combine' into one SUB OUT using a Y-splitter?
Also, should one be set to 0 phase and the other 180 or both 0 or both 180?
Should the crossover knob be turned all the way up (I forget the levels) or set at 80? There is a difference if I turn it up or down.

 

 

Other way around - you want Auto-on to be OFF for the calibration.

 

 

 

You need to disable the crossover on the sub so turn that knob to its maximum setting. You want the AVR alone to handle the XO not the sub as well.

 

As said before, you can connect each to sub to its own sub outlet on the 818 or connect a Y splitter to one sub outlet and then connect both subs to that. It's the same thing on the 818.

 

WRT to phase - set them both to 0 degrees and then run Audyssey. AFter calibration you can experiment with different phase settings to see if you can improve the bass. This is best done with external measuring equipment such as REW or OmniMic. Absent measuring gear, you can attempt it by ear but it is really a bit like shooting in the dark that way.

What would the sub crossover to?

on this sub it's either 'in' or 'out'

IMO this line of thinking (and phrasing) is really the source of the confusion. AFAIK any sub that has an "auto on" feature does NOT have a separate ON/OFF switch for the feature. Rather, there is a three-position power switch, with the options being ON, AUTO, or OFF.

I think it would more clear to not even reference the word "OFF" and simply say something to the effect of "if your sub has an Auto-on feature, make sure to disable it by setting the sub to be always ON...."

Documentation on the site is a bit ... sparse, but I'd bet when using the "sub in" the crossover is not in the circuit. It is only used when using the speaker terminal inputs and passing the signal through to the ... speakers.

On my SVS PC12-NSD there is a Auto/On switch (UP is for "auto" and DOWN is for "on"). I agree with you that the clearest instruction would be to state, "Make sure to disable it by setting the sub to ON."

Ok, finally had a chance to run audussey Multi EQ XT on my Marantz SR5007 with my 7.1 Definitive technology speakers and Hsu VTF-15H subwoofer. I am new with all this. First of all I excited I got the subwoofer level to -3.0db! The others are; front L--6.0db, front R-6.0db, center-6.0db, surround L-9.5db, surround R-5.0db, front height L-3.5db, and front height R-5.0db. Audyssey did set my front L/R and center to large and the crossovers to full band on those three speakers as well? It set my surrounds at 250hz and my front heights at 100hz. Comments?

It does seem like the bass is lacking in music though. I did move it from -3.0 to +1.0 on the level. But I know different music is recorded differently.
Edited by jlpowell84 - 1/31/13 at 10:58pm

Could use some major help with Audyssey and the woofers of my Def Tech BP7000SC towers, below is a link to my REW graph. Any help would be great!

http://www.avsforum.com/t/625807/definitive-owners-thread/28320#post_22908506

Download REW and get a SPL meter, maybe you have issues like I do above. Try turning your towers built in subs off, I bet you'll like the results, atleast I did with my HGS-18 and BP7000SC woofers off.

Well I have the gain on the towers set at about 10:45. They are crossed over at 80hz. My HSU VTF-15H doesn't lack the ability. I tested out some blu-rays and it sounded super clean, precise, and the bass was tight and strong but not overwhelming. In simple terms I was impressed. But it just seems the music was lacking.

^I did download REW. Gonna get a meter this weekend. Not sure how to use REW yet but I will dissect it...

 

OK - I will use that wording instead. Done it now. Thanks for the input there BP.

Edited by kbarnes701 - 2/1/13 at 2:44am

The sub has a crossover swtich that says "in" or "out": which one should it be set to?

Both subs are equi-distant from the main seating position (one on either side of the projector screen)

Youtube gik room eq. Nice little video to get started.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4uSR3cUUSY

thx

 

The sub doesn't have a 'crossover switch' but it possibly has a switch to disable its internal filters. If so you want to disable them. I assume (your sub manual will clarify) that this means you want to select 'out'. Your crossovers in a properly bass-managed system will be done in the AVR. You don't want the sub's internal hipass/lowpass filters duplicating them.

The speakers, when connected to the speaker posts on the back of the sub rather than to the AVR?

Pedantically, he is correct. The sub is not crossed over TO anything.

Jeff

Same with my 709 (XT only). But that brings up a silly question: when I run Audyssey, the little SimWorld set up screen actually shows my dual subs, and exactly where they're located in the room (just outboard and below the L-R fronts). Surely this is just a coincidence? If I instead had side-or corner-placement, would it show the same? Audyssey isn't "seeing" my actual placement, correct? (Jeez, let the jokes begin...)

And for that matter, with a Y-splitter (whether internal or external), how does Audyssey even know that it's going to two (or more) speakers? If I had four subs, would SimWorld show them?

Of course, this may not even be an Audyssey question if all these graphics are being handled by Onkyo instead.

Audyssey SEES ALL...and KNOWS ALL! (Hey, you did say, "Let the jokes begin." )

Actually, it is indeed their standard layout for a complete speaker system with 11 speakers and 2 subs. That's why when you do the "first position" (with the mic set in the MLP), Audyssey covers every speaker in the layout whether you have speakers there or not (it just doesn't "bleep" where there are no speakers or subs in your actual system). After the first position is done, it will only go to the *actual* speakers in your system for the following positions in the setup.

Audyssey is Big Brother!

I'm referring to the case in which one has an old model Integrated Amp with no sub out and a sub with speaker-level inputs. You use the adjustable xover built into the sub as the actual xover.

Except the crossover in many subs with an internal "crossover"/filter for the main speakers degrades the sound of the main speakers. There are pre-amps with built in bass management but they are pricey. I would just use an AVR for stereo with a sub or just get large speakers that perform well down to 40Hz, probably with an 8" woofer or a pair of 6"-7" woofers per side. Most music has little content below 40Hz.

^Yes, I doubt there is one person posting here who would consider the setup I just described to be desirable at all.

I was simply pointing out that a sub's xover can indeed be xing over freqs to the speakers, and in fact many subs were designed to be able to perform that function in years past.

I have seen such a setup suggested on here more than once.

I noticed that even in the Light setting, Dynamic Volume tends to crank up my overall volume by a lot. To make sure I wasn't simply imagining things, and out of curiosity, I decided to play some test tones with Dynamic volume off and then on Light. I used the tones from the Dysney WOW disc and an SPL meter.

To my surprise, when I set my meter to 80, wether Dynamic Volume was on or off, I'd get the same exact volume reading of 85 dB. However, when I tried to see what my volume reading would be with the meter set to 60, instead of -20 (or near to it) I had to lower my volume all the way to -30 if I had Dynamic Volume on.

Afterwards, I assumed I should use -30 as my "go to" volume since anything over that sounded too loud anyway (despite my usually listening to movies between -15 and -10 without Dynamic Volume). But although some movies I expected to sound low (such as Star Wars: Episode I and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen BIG SCREEN EDITION) sounded pretty good at that volume, others I expected to be loud (Battleship and Serenity, my two loudest BD's, and even Inception) sounded just right at -30. But then movies like District 13: Ultimatum and Transformers: Dark of the Moon sound extremely loud and force me to lower my volume to -40. Which is okay but seems a bit extreme to me.

Am I doing something wrong? Is there no way to "guess" in advance the proper volume setting when using Dynamic Volume? Or must I simply "play" with the volume on a movie to movie basis?