One very simple thing you can do to stop your CC speaker from "dominating" the others is to go into the speaker set-up menu and lower its level by a couple dB or so.
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Looking for help with my setup
Hey all,
I am currently running a 3.2 setup in a small space but moving to a bigger house so thinking of changes. Currently, I feel with my setup that the center channel really "dominates" the L/R front speakers. The sound is clear and in movies I do get nice clear voices but I get that feeling that all the sound comes from that 1 speaker. When I listen to the front L/R the sound is very faint or minimal. The Denon receiver is usually set to Main Vol 56 (98 is full-max)
I have my Fronts and Center set to small and the crossover at 80hz. The front left/right is set to 0db and the center is set to +1db. I measured distance from each speaker to my main seat and it is 9ft and 8.5ft so those are set up as well.
This leads me to the moving to a bigger house with bigger room. I was debating adding Floor standing Atmos speakers and then moving my existing L/R Bookshelf to the rear for a true surround setup. I am curious how this would improve or help balance the sound profile right now. Below is my current equipment, hopefully you guys an give me some advice what to look out for or how I can start equalizing the sound, maybe a reference track to use to help but I feel I could be doing "better with my current setup. Also is it worth it to add floor standing atmos speakers? Would they be doing "more" than my current speakers? I am sure with more speakers the sound should be better but I just hate the feeling right now that all the sound comes from 1 speaker. Thanks!
Receiver Denon X2300W 7.1 Power Output (8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.08% 2ch Drive) 95 W
Front L/R Definitive Technology Pro Monitor 100 (47hz - 30,000hz, 91db 8ohms)
Center Definitive Technology CS-8040HD (40hz - 30,000hz, 92db, 8ohms)
Main Sub Emotiva BasX S12 300w 25 Hz to 200 Hz
2nd Sub is a Yamaha 250W 10inch sub
I am currently running a 3.2 setup in a small space but moving to a bigger house so thinking of changes. Currently, I feel with my setup that the center channel really "dominates" the L/R front speakers. The sound is clear and in movies I do get nice clear voices but I get that feeling that all the sound comes from that 1 speaker. When I listen to the front L/R the sound is very faint or minimal. The Denon receiver is usually set to Main Vol 56 (98 is full-max)
I have my Fronts and Center set to small and the crossover at 80hz. The front left/right is set to 0db and the center is set to +1db. I measured distance from each speaker to my main seat and it is 9ft and 8.5ft so those are set up as well.
This leads me to the moving to a bigger house with bigger room. I was debating adding Floor standing Atmos speakers and then moving my existing L/R Bookshelf to the rear for a true surround setup. I am curious how this would improve or help balance the sound profile right now. Below is my current equipment, hopefully you guys an give me some advice what to look out for or how I can start equalizing the sound, maybe a reference track to use to help but I feel I could be doing "better with my current setup. Also is it worth it to add floor standing atmos speakers? Would they be doing "more" than my current speakers? I am sure with more speakers the sound should be better but I just hate the feeling right now that all the sound comes from 1 speaker. Thanks!
Receiver Denon X2300W 7.1 Power Output (8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.08% 2ch Drive) 95 W
Front L/R Definitive Technology Pro Monitor 100 (47hz - 30,000hz, 91db 8ohms)
Center Definitive Technology CS-8040HD (40hz - 30,000hz, 92db, 8ohms)
Main Sub Emotiva BasX S12 300w 25 Hz to 200 Hz
2nd Sub is a Yamaha 250W 10inch sub
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
The obvious (and free) solution would be to lower the trim level on your center...have you tried it at -3db, for example? There is zero reason to stick to your current trim levels just because Denon's room correction tool set it that way---they are notoriously 50/50 at best.Hey all,
I am currently running a 3.2 setup in a small space but moving to a bigger house so thinking of changes. Currently, I feel with my setup that the center channel really "dominates" the L/R front speakers. The sound is clear and in movies I do get nice clear voices but I get that feeling that all the sound comes from that 1 speaker. When I listen to the front L/R the sound is very faint or minimal. The Denon receiver is usually set to Main Vol 56 (98 is full-max)
I have my Fronts and Center set to small and the crossover at 80hz. The front left/right is set to 0db and the center is set to +1db. I measured distance from each speaker to my main seat and it is 9ft and 8.5ft so those are set up as well.
This.The obvious (and free) solution would be to lower the trim level on your center...have you tried it at -3db, for example? There is zero reason to stick to your current trim levels just because Denon's room correction tool set it that way---they are notoriously 50/50 at best.
My denon always sets the levels wrong
When I had my Cornwall’s and the Yamaha 2 way pro horn speaker. I would have to set the Left / rights at 10 and the center at a -1.
Buy a cheap level meter or download one on you phone and go through the test tones and reset the levels. Do this from you chair that you watch your movies.Denon seams to always set the center speaker to high.
Do t be afraid to play with the setup.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
When I had my Cornwall’s and the Yamaha 2 way pro horn speaker. I would have to set the Left / rights at 10 and the center at a -1.
Buy a cheap level meter or download one on you phone and go through the test tones and reset the levels. Do this from you chair that you watch your movies.Denon seams to always set the center speaker to high.
Do t be afraid to play with the setup.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The other side of this equation though is the center channel is supposed to be doing most of the sound during a movie. Turning it down will reduce the dialogue volume. But give it a shot.
The more I am reading the more I keep seeing this, and I def knew that dialogue was controlled by the center channel, I just thought more sounds or effect would come from the front L/R. I keep wondering if hey even doing anything to improve the sound field. like if just killed the L/R would it still sound the same with just the center and a sub 9now i'm essentially in Sound Bar territory essentially).The other side of this equation though is the center channel is supposed to be doing most of the sound during a movie. Turning it down will reduce the dialogue volume. But give it a shot.
This is why I think I want to get more of a true setup in my new place and move to Atmos since my AVR supports it and just move the current fronts to the rear and buy Floor Standing Atmos speakers, the flip side to this is I hardly ever watch Blu-ray and I don't own the newer 4k Blu-ray players, 90% of the movies I watch are Streamed (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney+ etc) So I probably won't ever really benefit from Atmos unless I and watching something that is broadcasting it and I don't think any streaming service is offering it. Would I see any benefit at all from the setup in that case?
Actually many streaming services offer ATMOS if you have hardware capable of receiving it.(Netflix, Prime, Disney+, AppleTV+, HBO MAX) I also would not recommend ATMOS enabled speakers. If you own the home then by all means invest in on ceiling or in ceiling speakers. Four ATMOS speakers are a lot better then two. Your current receiver of course only supports 5.x.2 but wire for four assuming future upgrades.The more I am reading the more I keep seeing this, and I def knew that dialogue was controlled by the center channel, I just thought more sounds or effect would come from the front L/R. I keep wondering if hey even doing anything to improve the sound field. like if just killed the L/R would it still sound the same with just the center and a sub 9now i'm essentially in Sound Bar territory essentially).
This is why I think I want to get more of a true setup in my new place and move to Atmos since my AVR supports it and just move the current fronts to the rear and buy Floor Standing Atmos speakers, the flip side to this is I hardly ever watch Blu-ray and I don't own the newer 4k Blu-ray players, 90% of the movies I watch are Streamed (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney+ etc) So I probably won't ever really benefit from Atmos unless I and watching something that is broadcasting it and I don't think any streaming service is offering it. Would I see any benefit at all from the setup in that case?
I only do the Audyssey setup, but I understand from the above that this is often wrong?
How far apart are your left and right speakers? Maybe bump them up a couple dbs instead of lowering the center. Skip the up firing speakers. I have just 2 speakers mounted on the walls near the ceiling to the left and right of the listening position and it works pretty good. Not as good as a full Atmos setup but it makes a pretty big difference in many movies.The more I am reading the more I keep seeing this, and I def knew that dialogue was controlled by the center channel, I just thought more sounds or effect would come from the front L/R. I keep wondering if hey even doing anything to improve the sound field. like if just killed the L/R would it still sound the same with just the center and a sub 9now i'm essentially in Sound Bar territory essentially).
This is why I think I want to get more of a true setup in my new place and move to Atmos since my AVR supports it and just move the current fronts to the rear and buy Floor Standing Atmos speakers, the flip side to this is I hardly ever watch Blu-ray and I don't own the newer 4k Blu-ray players, 90% of the movies I watch are Streamed (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney+ etc) So I probably won't ever really benefit from Atmos unless I and watching something that is broadcasting it and I don't think any streaming service is offering it. Would I see any benefit at all from the setup in that case?
Yes, Audyssey settings are anything but infallible. Always use them as a STARTING POINT only, and manually tweak to YOUR tastes.I only do the Audyssey setup, but I understand from the above that this is often wrong?
The Left and Right speakers are currently roughly 7.5ft apart.How far apart are your left and right speakers? Maybe bump them up a couple dbs instead of lowering the center. Skip the up firing speakers. I have just 2 speakers mounted on the walls near the ceiling to the left and right of the listening position and it works pretty good. Not as good as a full Atmos setup but it makes a pretty big difference in many movies.
For simplicity the up-firing would be easier for me to do since the wires and everything would be right there, ceiling speakers would require a lot more effort to run wires through the wall down from the attic, etc.
Does having them mounted higher sound better then the up-firing ones bouncing off the ceiling? I ultimately don't want to go through all the effort in the new place if the sound will end up similarly sounding.
Yes, "height" speakers are considered the next best thing if you can't do in- or on-ceiling.Does having them mounted higher sound better then the up-firing ones bouncing off the ceiling? I ultimately don't want to go through all the effort in the new place if the sound will end up similarly sounding.
"Bounce" upward firing speakers is the absolute last resort, by all accounts.
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
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