Quote:
Originally Posted by DKaps
MCACC almost always incorrectly sets your speakers to large when they should be set to small. I assume that's what happening here. Try running it again and then manually change your center (and other speakers as appropriate) to small when it finishes.
Dan |
Sorry, but my experience says this is not so. I've owned the 49TXi and currently a 59TXi, and MCACC has correctly set my speakers every time. I have an all-Magnepan speaker setup with full range dipolar planars for fronts, and the center and surrounds are rolled off at 80. The nature of these speakers with reflected and direct sound has not interfered with the use of the auto-calibration at all.
To state that it "almost always" fails to correctly set the speakers, is a gross overstatement. Not that it cannot be tripped up by some speaker types, but I haven't experienced this. IF the OP does find that the speakers are not correctly set, then certainly he can set them manually as you suggest.
I have not experienced a deterioration in sound quality as a result of using MCACC. Maggies are not efficient speakers, so the levels are boosted quite a bit by MCACC. My center is max'd out at 10 dB, while the fronts are boosted about 7 dB. With some movies, I wish I could boost the center more, but with multichannel music, I do not sense the center is weak. A very seamless soundstage.
With my setup, MCACC tends to widen the soundstage and bring vocals more forward. With some music recordings, where I'm listening in pure direct 2 channel mode, I like to turn the EQ off to enhance the illusion of depth. With multi-channel, I like it more turned on. For movies, I leave it on and that provides the most satisfying balance of width and depth. With the Maggie center, there is palpable depth on movies, so I find the MCACC works well.
I agree with James Elvick, that if anything, using MCACC tends to boost, not weaken the sound levels. At least that what it does in my system, with my speakers, and room. If the center is being cut that much and is not significantly different in sensitivity from the fronts, then certainly it's possible your receiver is defective. Also, how do you position the microphone? Are you trying to hold it while MCACC is running? If so, your presence in the room may be effecting the mike's freq response in the mids and highs. I put the mike on a tripod, sit it in my listening position at my ear height, make sure it's level and get out of the room.
Those that blanket condemn the use of any auto-calibration or auto-EQ system are might be making gross generalizations, or least it's a matter of personal taste. If Pioneer's implementation was bad, why would they have "pioneered" it in the 1st place (sorry), and continued to sink money in its development?
I'm hoping at some point, an impartial, "objective" comparison can be made by someone comparing MCACC and Denon's Audissey EQ with the same source, speakers, amps, and room. Someone who has no ego to boost, buying decision to justify, or agenda to unduly influence their comparison on how each effects that person's listening experience. Any applicants? I was hoping someone like Dreamcatcher would at some point.
ss9001