5.1 level setup on A1

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I lowered all channels except the sub -5 db..... I think I bumped my center up a few db after calibration as I always like to give dialog something a little extra.

i calibrated with an SPL meter and avia, had to drop certain speakers a couple marks in the toshiba setup menu, I set sub to 80hz. That's it.

You have to use the test disc for test tones because the test tones on Toshiba are very inaccurate especially for center channel & sub.

Is calibrating the audio necessary if I already did it on my receiver? I use the 5.1 analog outputs into my Yamaha HTR-5470. I'm not sure if the level settings apply to the analog inputs as well.

Crucial.. You should set distances and levels on the A1 absolutely if your using the multi-channel analog output.


Even if the levels settings apply, where with a digital feed in theory the output is supposed to be all standard according to the engineer(s) that did the sound, in the analog world there is no real way to achieve this. That is why all DVD players that offer these analog multi-channel outputs also have calibration setting for distance and levels havign their own decoders on board.

I was wondering, how do you run the AVIA test tones and then go into the setup to change the settings without spending a lot of time going back and forth? For some reason the AVIA disc gave me a disc error and wouldn't play but even if it did, doesn't the set-up menu stop the disc? How can you make changes to levels without being able to do so while the tone is playing?

This was challenging using the Optimizer test tones as well. But well worth the efforts in the end.

I have been trying to optimize my levels by using the thx calibration on starwars disks, but i get almost no sound from the sub, even with the level 10db higher than everything else. In all other setups, i have plenty of sub, i usually have to turn it down, as it is a highly efficient folded horn design. I seem to be able to achieve bass in the soundtrack if i turn things up enough on the levels, but then it almost seems like the crossover is too high. does anyone know if the crossover setting is accurate? In the apollo 13 launch sequence, i seem to be getting a lot of ugly upper bass from my sub. it sounds great over optical. lots of low freq energy without distortion at the same volume, but my sub does not seem to like this scene over analogue. any thoughts?

There are good links in my signature for anyone who would care to read.

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Did you do this in the 5.1 setup in the A1? I'm using the analogs as well. for some reason, when I use optical/coaxial with a HD DVD, the sound gets distorted badly. Not sure if it's the receiver having difficulty or the player itself. The reason I ask is I also want to boost my center speaker. When I watch any HD title, the dialog isn't as high as I would like it to be and the fronts and rears dominate the track. I've lowered the surround levels on my receiver, but I still can't notice much difference. I want dialog to be louder.

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What's your receiver? On my Yamaha I have separate controls for multi chan input (analog). I've upped the center front channel to about 5 db and the sbw to 10 db's. Everything else I've left at 0. You'll notice that th A1 doesn't have positive db ranges. I leave them all at 0 but I'm sure my receiver overrides the A1 numbers. Same if I use optical and coaxial of course.

It's a 6 year old receiver. I'll be upgrading next year. It's a JVC RX7000. The center is at +10 and the surrounds at 0.

yes, I calibrated using the A1 distance settings and levels.

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The only thing I can think which is effecting your center channel using the digital inputs is your applying processing (I'm assuming you have different modes such as theatre, hall, etc.) to the presets. So if you set the center to 10 db but then use one of the sound modes this would automatically overide the center channel level? Once you use the digital route your receiver takes over from the A1 so I can't see the A1 doing the distortion.


I happen to agree with you if I apply various sound modes to the digital (I use optical) that the center channel seems less robust. Because through analog I can adjust the db range that is exactly why I upped the center channel in dbs and it is fantastic now with DD+ and DDTrueHD as it is clear and rarely gets lost in the surrounds.

I don't have any of those modes set. My receiver is set to "dvd multi (channel)" with the analogs hooked up. I tried adjusting the db level in the A1, but the range is 0 to -12. I was looking for something that goes, ya know, above 0. My thinking was raising the db level to + 10 in the A1, but that is not an option.

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Why then use the optical? The boost should be very evident and should clear up the problem on the analogs and of course the DD+ and TrueHD tracks are superior to the converted to DTS signal on optical/coaxial.