Joined
·
389 Posts
How To Properly Set Your Speakers and sub(s) with Audyssey.
Note: This is NOT a "new way" to run Audyssey, Kbarnes has a great guide for Audyssey which is something you should follow. All you are doing is integrating your subwoofers with your speakers BEFORE you run Audyssey. Please see the FAQ in the second post to help answer questions.
This is the single best way to get your system sounding great in your room. This information was given to me from Audyssey itself, straight from the source! So try this if you want to get the best out of your system and not be disappointed with Audyssey results. I have never liked how Audyssey has set my subwoofer, either too boomy or too low. Now, it comes out sounding good every time and you just tweak a little after.
First off, this requires you to set your speaker and sub locations properly, before you do anything. Use the rule of 3rds, Cardas, or REW to find the best locations for especially your fronts, center, and sub(s). This will give the best results and best measurements from Audyssey itself. My sub ended up facing woofer towards wall, and my mains went in a triangle closer to me. I have a horrible, square, plastered room and it took me a LONG time to find the best placement for everything, last night I finally found it. Do the same if you want the best performance out of your system.
Requirements: Measuring tape, SPL meter (or REW with a proper mic), paper and pencil/pen
*I recommend a full reset of your receiver before doing this* if you need to, write down your settings. Not a must but recommended.*
Audyssey how to:
1. After proper placement of speakers and sub, put your sub on the flattest setting or one recommended by the manufacturer for room correction. Phase at 0, gain start about 9 0'clock, and crossover shut off, run by the receiver itself only. Use these settings if your sub has no recommendations.
2. Measure the distance from your sub, mains, center, and any other speaker...all of them. Record the results on paper. I go from tweeter to MLP. Put a piece of tape or set up audyssey mic in your MLP (main listening position) at ear level, from tweeter on speaker to Tip of Audyssey Mic. *
3. Skip the room correction for now. If you did not reset your receiver, turn Audyssey off in settings. This is also important because having Audyssey on will affect a second Audyssey measurement.
4. Go to manual speaker settings, set your crossovers on speakers to 80 Hz or higher if your speakers cannot go down that low. No lower than 80 and no higher than 120 Hz preferably. You can also set them to preference (how you plan to keep them after) but my recommendations are best. If you are new to this, you have to check the specs in your speaker manuals or go online and look up your speaker's specs. You are safe setting your speakers to either manufacturer recommendations or higher but never lower. I suggest 80 Hz (or higher if your speaker cannot handle 80 Hz, example 100 Hz-20KHz speakers) and all speakers on small, even with larger tower speakers capable of going lower. If you need more help on crossover sertings, a quick search on this forum will help you with that. For example, if your speaker has a rating of 53 Hz-25 Khz, I would suggest running the speaker at 80 Hz. If your speaker is from 93 Hz-20 KHz), I would set the crossover to 100 or 110 even. You can experiment as well.
5. Go to Speaker Distances and set all of your speakers to the distances you wrote down. Double check then save, check they are correct.
6. Bring all speakers and subwoofers too, to 75 db using a SPL meter or REW with mic. Even if this is not your preference for your subs, you can tweak later. Keep the sub level at 0 *important* and adjust gain on the back of sub to when your spl reads 75 db. It may jump around a little. Make sure your are measuring the sound level at you MLP at ear level. Do one sub at a time if multiple subs.
7. Once checking everything, you are ready to run Audyssey. If the receiver says your sub is too loud or reads higher than your SPL ignore it. Do not change sub gain settings. If you do, this will not work correctly...it will be off like usual. *Most Important*
8. Take measurements in all 8 positions (or as many as your version of Audyssey will let you). I prefer three by my MLP, three in front of it, and 2 behind it. Make sure no more than 2 feet away from each other, no closer than 20" from your rear or side walls, and keep them tighter for a better sweet spot. Make sure the mic is ear level and pointed straight up for best results. Check Kbarnes guide if you need more help or details on how to do this process,
9. After running Audyssey, saving your results, check what crossover settings it set your speakers to. Set them properly.
That is it! Now listen to your favorite music and enjoy the fact Audyssey did a good job finally and your system sounds better than ever. You might want to turn your sub up in receiver setting a db or three, just write down where it was before you do that so you can bring it back.
Enjoy! If you do this, following each step, and your find it works great for you....can you please comment and let others know your results? Thank you.
*FAQ and other information below to help answer questions.*
Note: This is NOT a "new way" to run Audyssey, Kbarnes has a great guide for Audyssey which is something you should follow. All you are doing is integrating your subwoofers with your speakers BEFORE you run Audyssey. Please see the FAQ in the second post to help answer questions.
This is the single best way to get your system sounding great in your room. This information was given to me from Audyssey itself, straight from the source! So try this if you want to get the best out of your system and not be disappointed with Audyssey results. I have never liked how Audyssey has set my subwoofer, either too boomy or too low. Now, it comes out sounding good every time and you just tweak a little after.
First off, this requires you to set your speaker and sub locations properly, before you do anything. Use the rule of 3rds, Cardas, or REW to find the best locations for especially your fronts, center, and sub(s). This will give the best results and best measurements from Audyssey itself. My sub ended up facing woofer towards wall, and my mains went in a triangle closer to me. I have a horrible, square, plastered room and it took me a LONG time to find the best placement for everything, last night I finally found it. Do the same if you want the best performance out of your system.
Requirements: Measuring tape, SPL meter (or REW with a proper mic), paper and pencil/pen
*I recommend a full reset of your receiver before doing this* if you need to, write down your settings. Not a must but recommended.*
Audyssey how to:
1. After proper placement of speakers and sub, put your sub on the flattest setting or one recommended by the manufacturer for room correction. Phase at 0, gain start about 9 0'clock, and crossover shut off, run by the receiver itself only. Use these settings if your sub has no recommendations.
2. Measure the distance from your sub, mains, center, and any other speaker...all of them. Record the results on paper. I go from tweeter to MLP. Put a piece of tape or set up audyssey mic in your MLP (main listening position) at ear level, from tweeter on speaker to Tip of Audyssey Mic. *
3. Skip the room correction for now. If you did not reset your receiver, turn Audyssey off in settings. This is also important because having Audyssey on will affect a second Audyssey measurement.
4. Go to manual speaker settings, set your crossovers on speakers to 80 Hz or higher if your speakers cannot go down that low. No lower than 80 and no higher than 120 Hz preferably. You can also set them to preference (how you plan to keep them after) but my recommendations are best. If you are new to this, you have to check the specs in your speaker manuals or go online and look up your speaker's specs. You are safe setting your speakers to either manufacturer recommendations or higher but never lower. I suggest 80 Hz (or higher if your speaker cannot handle 80 Hz, example 100 Hz-20KHz speakers) and all speakers on small, even with larger tower speakers capable of going lower. If you need more help on crossover sertings, a quick search on this forum will help you with that. For example, if your speaker has a rating of 53 Hz-25 Khz, I would suggest running the speaker at 80 Hz. If your speaker is from 93 Hz-20 KHz), I would set the crossover to 100 or 110 even. You can experiment as well.
5. Go to Speaker Distances and set all of your speakers to the distances you wrote down. Double check then save, check they are correct.
6. Bring all speakers and subwoofers too, to 75 db using a SPL meter or REW with mic. Even if this is not your preference for your subs, you can tweak later. Keep the sub level at 0 *important* and adjust gain on the back of sub to when your spl reads 75 db. It may jump around a little. Make sure your are measuring the sound level at you MLP at ear level. Do one sub at a time if multiple subs.
7. Once checking everything, you are ready to run Audyssey. If the receiver says your sub is too loud or reads higher than your SPL ignore it. Do not change sub gain settings. If you do, this will not work correctly...it will be off like usual. *Most Important*
8. Take measurements in all 8 positions (or as many as your version of Audyssey will let you). I prefer three by my MLP, three in front of it, and 2 behind it. Make sure no more than 2 feet away from each other, no closer than 20" from your rear or side walls, and keep them tighter for a better sweet spot. Make sure the mic is ear level and pointed straight up for best results. Check Kbarnes guide if you need more help or details on how to do this process,
9. After running Audyssey, saving your results, check what crossover settings it set your speakers to. Set them properly.
That is it! Now listen to your favorite music and enjoy the fact Audyssey did a good job finally and your system sounds better than ever. You might want to turn your sub up in receiver setting a db or three, just write down where it was before you do that so you can bring it back.
Enjoy! If you do this, following each step, and your find it works great for you....can you please comment and let others know your results? Thank you.
*FAQ and other information below to help answer questions.*