ok so i set it up, 5.1 for now until my speaker brackets arrive for 7.1, BUT the thing is that all my levels for each speaker are UNDER 0.0(left = -6.0, center = -5.5, right = -5.5 etc)
thus i have to turn the volume up to -5.0 or so to get good sound.
is there any recommendations for me to raise the volumes up to maybe +3 to +5db so while keeping the "balance" that the audyssey set up?
i hate turning the radio up THAT loud to get decent sound.
The levels you listed are not unusual. If you want Audyssey to increase these to near "0" then first turn down the subwoofer level a little (the level control on the subwoofer) then rerun. Since Audyssey does not have the "final say" on the subwoofer level because it has its own amp, all other levels will be referenced to the level it has to set the subwoofer at. I hope that sentence made sense.....
It will tell you the correct way to setup Audyssey. This guide has been edited many times by many audio experts including Mr. Audyssey (Chris, I cannot remember his last name) the person who reseached and developed Audyssey.
Here's the 1st post from that thread. I think it's what you were looking for.
Quote:
Updated: 21 October 08
Please download the Word document below for easier to follow formatting. I am not able to get the table of compression schemes in the below post to line up correctly, but the Word document is correct.
Disclaimer: The following procedures may not work in all cases, as there are too many variables to account for in this document. If you feel further assistance is required, please visit the AVS Forum Official Audyssey thread, linked above.
I. Room Setup
A. Lower the noise floor of the room (<45dBA) by turning off the HVAC system, projector, etc.
II. Microphone Setup
A. Use the microphone that came with the unit.
1. Use of a different microphone will cause incorrect frequency response measurements because of different internal calibration.
B. If you feel the urge to use another microphone, re-read section A.
C. Mount the microphone on a tripod.
D. Point the microphone at the ceiling.
E. Place the microphone at ear height when seated.
F. If the seat back is higher than your head, ensure the microphone is above the seat back.
1. If the seat back is a few inches behind the microphone, this will cause additional reflections.
G. Place the microphone in the primary listening position for the first measurement.
1. Audyssey uses this measurement to set the speaker distances and levels, so the microphone should be placed in the seating position used the most.
III. Subwoofer Setup
A. Determine the optimal placement of the subwoofer within your room using common accepted practices. (location, location, location)
1. Here are some useful references for subwoofer setup:
a. Audioholics subwoofer placement article: http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/ge...or-bass-part-1
b. Harman multiple subwoofer placement white paper: http://www.harman.com/wp/pdf/multsubs.pdf
B. Disable the Low-Pass Filter (LPF) on the subwoofer, if allowed.
1. Disabling the LPF will result in more accurate subwoofer distance measurements.
2. If the LPF cannot be disabled, set it to the highest frequency allowed.
C. Ensure the subwoofer(s) are at least 3 – 5 inches (7 – 13 cm) from the wall.
1. Reverberating walls may result in inaccurate subwoofer distance measurements.
D. Set the subwoofer polarization (0 or 180 degrees) using common accepted practices.
1. If you have two subwoofers, ensure their polarization settings are the same.
E. If the subwoofer has a phase control (in addition to the polarization control), set it at “0”
1. Phase controls on subwoofers apply "delay" at one frequency rather than the needed group delay that is frequency independent. So, it is best to just leave them at “0”.
F. If the sub has an EQ system, use it to tame large peaks before calibrating with Audyssey.
1. Narrow peaks or dips in the response below 100 Hz that are 1/3 or 1/6 of an octave wide can be improved—but not eliminated—by Audyssey Mult EQ XT.
a. In these situations, the built-in subwoofer EQ systems might be useful.
2. Velodyne’s SMS and JL Audio’s ARO are two examples of EQ systems.
G. Calibrate the subwoofer volume
1. Set the volume control on the subwoofer at the middle of the adjustment range allowed.
a. Please note this “starting point” may not work with all subwoofers.
2. Place the microphone at the primary listening position (the center of the listening area) and run through the calibration process for the first measurement—until all speakers have been measured once.
3. After the first measurement process is complete, select "Calculate", then "Save" or "Store", then go to "Check Parameters".
a. Audyssey will calculate the speaker distances and trim levels from this first measurement.
b. Each manufacturer has a slightly different interface, so the terminology may not exactly match.
4. Check the subwoofer trim levels in the receiver / processor menu.
a. If the subwoofers trim level is at the maximum limit of the cut or boost adjustment range allowed, you need to adjust the volume control on the subwoofer and repeat step #2. Specific instructions will follow.
b. For example, Denon receivers have a trim adjustment range from -12dB to +12dB.
c. Trim adjustments are a tool used to achieve the goal of producing a specific SPL from each speaker / subwoofer when the system is played at reference level.
5. If the subwoofer trim level is at the maximum boost, turn up the subwoofer volume a bit and repeat step #2
6. If the subwoofer trim level is at the maximum cut, turn down the subwoofer volume a bit and repeat step #2
7. A suggestion for tweakers is to set the subwoofer trim level in the range of ±3 dB.
a. This is only a suggestion for the tweaker who likes to play around.
b. Audyssey’s position is to perform steps 4 to 6 above.
• Note: This process is for checking the trim levels only. After you have completed the subwoofer setup, be sure to start the measurement process over, following the guidance in section V to use all six or eight measurement positions available.
IV. Dual mono (LFE) Subwoofer Setup
A. Place the subwoofers symmetrically within the room, if at all possible.
B. Place the subwoofers at identical distances from the primary listening position, if at all possible.
1. When two subwoofers are driven as one unit, proper time alignment is critical.
2. The two subwoofers will not be properly time aligned unless they have the same physical distance from the primary listening position.
3. Adjusting the physical distance of the two subs effectively adjusts their time delay.
C. The above advice applies only to sealed rectangular rooms without any openings.
D. As an alternative to locating the subs at equal distances from the main listening position, you may insert an electronic device between the receiver / processor and the nearest subwoofer.
1. This device should introduce a time delay such that its output sound reaches the main listening position at the same time as the farthest subwoofer.
E. Attempt to match the output level of both subwoofers.
1. Play the receiver / processor internal LFE test tone while adjusting the volume control on the subwoofer.
2. Turn on one subwoofer and adjust the output level using an SPL meter to 80 decibels.
a. If you do not have an SPL meter, adjust the level by ear.
3. Turn off the first subwoofer, turn on the second subwoofer, and repeat the procedure.
4. Turn on both subwoofers and calibrate with Audyssey.
F. Follow the steps in subwoofer setup (above) for each subwoofer.
V. Microphone Placement (Measurement Positions)
A. Use the maximum amount of measurement positions allowed by the Audyssey version.
1. If you are using MultEQ or MultEQ XT you should use all six or eight measurement positions available.
B. Avoid taking measurements too far off to the side and/or outside the front Left and Right loudspeakers, even if seats are located there.
1. Frequency response in these locations will exhibit reduced high frequencies.
2. Audyssey would adjust the room correction filters according to this measured response, resulting in unnecessary compensation.
C. Avoid taking measurements too close to the back wall, even if the only seating is located there.
1. Move the microphone at least 1 foot (30 cm) from the back wall before measuring.
D. Audyssey uses the first measurement point to calculate the distances of each speaker and subwoofer. Distance measurements are really time measurements that ensure temporal coherence. It is a critical part of calibration because—without it—you have frequencies arriving at different times: This is called non-constant group delay, and is a form of distortion. The distances are calculated so the sounds from all speakers and subwoofers arrive at the first measurement position at the same time.
E. When calibrating only a primary listening position, use the following placement methodology:
1. The first microphone position (#1) must always be in the center of the listening area.
2. For measurement #2, move the microphone two feet (60cm) to the left of position #1.
3. For measurement #3, move the microphone two feet (60cm) to the right of position #1
4. For measurement #4, move the microphone two feet (60cm) forward of position #1.
5. For measurement #5, move the microphone two feet (60cm) forward of position #2.
6. For measurement #6, move the microphone two feet (60cm) forward of position #3.
7. For measurement #7, move the microphone one foot (30cm) to the left of position #1, and one foot (30cm) forward of the line formed by measurements #1, #2, and #3.
8. For measurement #8, move the microphone one foot (30cm) to the right of position #1, and one foot (30cm) forward of the line formed by measurements #1, #2, and #3.
F. Here is a visualization of eight measurements surrounding the primary listening position.
1. The first microphone position (#1) is where the silhouette of the head is located.
2. After the first measurement, the order in which you make the measurements does not matter. The order in the steps above only serves to ensure each location is measured.
3. The below diagram shows the optimum microphone placement for a typical living room. In general, Audyssey does not recommend putting the microphone in "every seat", except in a dedicated theater with seat rows.
4. In typical living rooms, placing the microphone in every seat will not give you the best results because the seats can be off axis or close to the wall. Audyssey recommends following a pattern close to what is in the diagram even if you only have one listening position. The most common problem with EQ systems is that they base their data collection on a single point in the room and that usually results in very poor performance.
VI. During Calibration
A. Do not make any sudden noises during the “chirp” measurements.
a. Audyssey measures for a few milliseconds (ms) after each “chirp” is finished, but then has to wait for the DSP to calculate, so the microphone is not active until a few ms before the next set of chirps.
B. Do not stand in between the speaker and the microphone or anywhere that the sound is either reflected off of you or absorbed by you.
1. The natural room acoustics must not be substantially affected.
C. Be prepared for the “chirp” measurements, as they are quite loud, and can startle you.
D. If a phase warning is shown, check the speaker wiring, and press “Skip” to continue with the calibration.
VII. After Calibration
A. Raise the speaker crossover settings, if desired.
1. Raising the crossover frequency from the calibrated setting does not affect the channel correction implemented by Audyssey.
2. Lowering the crossover frequency from the calibrated setting is not recommended.
a. Audyssey will not provide correction to the satellite speakers lower than the frequency it measures as the -3 dB point.
3. Setting the speakers to “Small” with a 60 Hz – 80 Hz crossover is a good starting point, assuming the calibrated crossover setting is 60 Hz or lower.
4. For additional details about the speaker setting process, see “Note 1” below.
B. Raise the low-pass filter setting (usually incorrectly identified as a crossover) of the LFE subwoofer in the receiver / processor to 120Hz, if allowed.
C. If the satellite speaker distance settings (excluding the subwoofer) were not measured accurately, and are markedly different from what you get with a tape measure, start all over.
1. Incorrect distance measurements for the satellite speakers indicate a procedural error, and the associated EQ results are likely to be poor.
D. Do not change the distance setting of the subwoofer.
1. Inaccurate subwoofer distance settings are the result of measured delays between the time when the receiver outputs the test tone and it is received at the microphone.
a. Any filters and/or active circuitry in subwoofers can delay this signal.
b. Audyssey simply measures the time delay and compensates for differences in the arrival time of sound from the various speakers and the subwoofer. It is best to compensate for these differences regardless of why they occur.
2. The subwoofer / satellite speaker time alignment blend is based on this measurement.
3. Inaccurate subwoofer distance measurements usually occur when the subwoofer’s Low-Pass Filter (LPF) is not disabled.
a. The LPF, by nature of its design, introduces additional delay to the signal; Audyssey detects and corrects for this delay.
E. Disable any Night Modes, DRC (Dynamic Range Compression), and D. Comp (Dynamic Compression) in the receiver / processor as well as the DVD / BD player.
1. If these features are not disabled, they could possibly cause adverse interaction with Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume.
2. You may need to temporarily turn off MultEQ to access these parameters in your receiver / processor.
3. You may also need to select a specific soundtrack type before a given parameter will appear in the menu for adjustment; check the manual to be certain.
F. If your receiver / processor has the THX Loudness Plus feature, turn it off if you plan to use Dynamic Volume.
G. Select one of the target curves created by Audyssey.
1. In a THX system, the “Flat” curve should be used when THX post-processing is on, and the “Reference” curve should be used when THX post-processing is off.
2. In other systems, the “Audyssey” curve should be used for listening to movies, and the “Flat” curve should be used for listening to music.
H. If desired, trim adjustments can be made in the receiver / processor, so that all speakers measure at 75 dB with an SPL meter (set at “C” and “Slow”) using the internal test tones. See “Note 2” below.
1. Audyssey will monitor these changes.
2. The changes are monitored so that Audyssey and its features (Room correction curves, Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume, etc.) work as designed.
3. If you were to make changes to the settings on a subwoofer, Audyssey would have no knowledge of this, and those features would not operate as designed.
Note 1: Audyssey does not set the crossovers; it simply measures the -3dB frequency point of each speaker. This information is passed to the receiver / processor for calculation of the speaker settings and crossover points, if applicable. Unfortunately, Audyssey does not report the -3dB frequency point measured for each speaker. The only information available to you is whether or not the speaker was designated “Large” or “Small”, and any crossover point selected for “Small” speakers.
Receiver / processor manufacturers use a specific Frequency Decision Point (FDP) to classify speakers as “Large” (full-range) or “Small” (less than full-range). The selection of the FDP varies among manufacturers, and may be 40 Hz, 80 Hz, or another frequency. If the -3 dB frequency measured by Audyssey is below the FDP, the speaker is classified as “Large’. If the -3 dB frequency measured by Audyssey is above the FDP, the speaker is classified as “Small”, and a crossover frequency is selected.
Each receiver / processor has various crossover points from which to choose. Typically, the first crossover setting above the -3 dB point measured by Audyssey is chosen. For example: If your receiver has crossover settings of 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 Hz, and the speaker is set to “Small” with an 80 Hz crossover, that is an indication the - 3dB point is somewhere between 60 and 80 Hz.
Note 2: Before adjusting the trim settings, please understand that producing a calibrated setting other than 75 dB SPL results in reference level being achieved with the master volume set to something other than “0”. Further, Audyssey microphones are specified with a ± 2 dB maximum sensitivity tolerance. So, in the worst case scenario, the Audyssey microphone would be 2 dB “off”, which is more accurate than most popular consumer-level SPL meters. Consumer-level SPL meters are usually very inaccurate when measuring subwoofers; you have been warned.
ok so i set it up, 5.1 for now until my speaker brackets arrive for 7.1, BUT the thing is that all my levels for each speaker are UNDER 0.0(left = -6.0, center = -5.5, right = -5.5 etc)
thus i have to turn the volume up to -5.0 or so to get good sound.
is there any recommendations for me to raise the volumes up to maybe +3 to +5db so while keeping the "balance" that the audyssey set up?
i hate turning the radio up THAT loud to get decent sound.
any help would be appreciated
-Don
First of all whatever settings you get, thats just audyssey adjusting based on your room. now the sub has nothing to do with what levels your speakers will get, audyssey sets each channels levels. if you want your speakers to be louder you have to put the mic further away from your speakers. the first position run of audyssey is what sets the levels and xovers. so by putting the mic further away, audyssey will have to adjust the speaker levels to how far you sit. if you want your sub level to be higher just turn the volume nob on your sub down.
First of all whatever settings you get, thats just audyssey adjusting based on your room. now the sub has nothing to do with what levels your speakers will get, audyssey sets each channels levels. if you want your speakers to be louder you have to put the mic further away from your speakers. the first position run of audyssey is what sets the levels and xovers. so by putting the mic further away, audyssey will have to adjust the speaker levels to how far you sit. if you want your sub level to be higher just turn the volume nob on your sub down.
The sub has very much to do with what levels Audyssey will set the other speakers to. The sub has it's own amp.. so Audyssesy has to match the other speakers to the sub.
The ONLY place that you want to put your Audyssey mic during calibration is in the correct listening positions as prompted by Audyssey. One of the things that Audyssey is adjusting for... is room acoustics. The acoustics 2 feet behind your listening position may be very different from the acoustics in your actual listening position. The mic should be pointed up towards the ceiling... preferably by using a tripod adjusted to ear height in the listening seat. Just laying the mic on the back of the sofa in the listening are is a poor second... as the sofa back can affect how the mic hears the surrounding acoustical field.
First of all whatever settings you get, thats just audyssey adjusting based on your room. now the sub has nothing to do with what levels your speakers will get, audyssey sets each channels levels. if you want your speakers to be louder you have to put the mic further away from your speakers. the first position run of audyssey is what sets the levels and xovers. so by putting the mic further away, audyssey will have to adjust the speaker levels to how far you sit. if you want your sub level to be higher just turn the volume nob on your sub down.
...yeah, don't do this. If you're going to do this, either don't use Audyssey at all or use it only for the speaker distances and then set your own levels. Put the mic at your listening positions for the reasons noted by Robin. That article is actually a really good guide that will help you get great sound. My system is by no means high end but I'm continually pleased by the results thanks to Audyssey and my own setup.
The sub DOES have to do with the levels your speakers end up with. Audyssey tries to balance everything out. Did you look at the article linked?
it seems like i DO need to lower my sub level(its about 60% up) to nothing so then my speaker volumes can be risen by audyssey and not by me manually after audyssey has done the work
it seems like i DO need to lower my sub level(its about 60% up) to nothing so then my speaker volumes can be risen by audyssey and not by me manually after audyssey has done the work
You can't turn it all the way down... because Audyssey set up will fail if it does not detect the sub. The best way to go is to keep turning the sub up/down until Audyssey sets your front speaker levels at or near zero. When Audyssey is done... you can then adjust the gain on your sub so that it is at levels you enjoy.
First of all whatever settings you get, thats just audyssey adjusting based on your room. now the sub has nothing to do with what levels your speakers will get, audyssey sets each channels levels.
Thanks Saprano for correcting me. I need to wake-up before posting... I now remember rerunning Audyssey a few times to get the subwoofer level up to near 0dB instead of -10dB or something like that on the first Audyssey runs. The main channels never changed levels while I was attempting to get to near 0dB for the subwoofer.
OP, sorry for the misinformation, but at least I got you to the right place for the Audyssey Settings 101 School.
Audyssey with Dynamic EQ send a 85DB test tone at Level 0 (0DB on you're receiver) and adjust level with that. That mean that at Level 0 , you're getting 85DB and -6 just mean that before the calibration you were getting 91db from that Speaker and now it's at 85. The 706 have Dynamic EQ
If you're reicever lack Dyn EQ, than it calibrate at 74db...
Thanks Saprano for correcting me. I need to wake-up before posting... I now remember rerunning Audyssey a few times to get the subwoofer level up to near 0dB instead of -10dB or something like that on the first Audyssey runs. The main channels never changed levels while I was attempting to get to near 0dB for the subwoofer.
OP, sorry for the misinformation, but at least I got you to the right place for the Audyssey Settings 101 School.
Audyssey with Dynamic EQ send a 85DB test tone at Level 0 (0DB on you're receiver) and adjust level with that. That mean that at Level 0 , you're getting 85DB and -6 just mean that before the calibration you were getting 91db from that Speaker and now it's at 85. The 706 have Dynamic EQ
If you're reicever lack Dyn EQ, than it calibrate at 74db...
If you are referring to my post I think we are talking about two different things. I was not referring to levels at the listening position or any place else in the room. I was just attempting to get the level for the subwoofer out of the AVR to be around 0dB (or about the same as all the other channels). The first few runs the subwoofer volume was set to high so the AVR (Audyssey) was dropping the SW level to -10dB or more, which the SW amp then increased to the proper level. Nothing wrong with this, but IMO it is a bad practice to have the first amp of a series turned down followed by a second amp that has to be turned up to compensate. For one, can cause signal to noise issues.
Audyssey with Dynamic EQ send a 85DB test tone at Level 0 (0DB on you're receiver) and adjust level with that. That mean that at Level 0 , you're getting 85DB and -6 just mean that before the calibration you were getting 91db from that Speaker and now it's at 85. The 706 have Dynamic EQ
If you're reicever lack Dyn EQ, than it calibrate at 74db...
is there any way to correct this to my levels can STILL be balanced yet around 0 to +2 levels?
what if i just raise every level from the audyssey to +5 all across the board. will every thing still be "audyssey tuned" except at higher levels?
is there any way to correct this to my levels can STILL be balanced yet around 0 to +2 levels?
what if i just raise every level from the audyssey to +5 all across the board. will every thing still be "audyssey tuned" except at higher levels?
You could certainly try it, but I'm guessing that it'll throw off things, especially on the subwoofer end. For example, I moved the sub +1db and thought it sounded great for movies (which is to say a little too loud ). Then I put it on cable and it was way overpronounced, completely overbearing the rest of the sound. I ended up setting it back. I'm betting it will be more than a minor jump in the sub.
Give it a try, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Another solution would be to set Intellivolume a bit louder to compensate, or just get used to the higher volume #'s (it's all the same in the end).
Unless your ears are three feet deep..... how are you going to move the mic further away from the speakers and still keep the mic inside the prompted listening area? Audyssey prompts for SPECIFIC mic positions. My Audyssey uses three positions.... center listening.... right end listening... and left end listening. If you put the mic in any position other than these... Audyssey will interpret your room acoustics incorrectly... and you will not get the best results... which kind of defeats the purpose of using Audyssey to begin with.
If the OP finds that running Audyssey leaves his speaker levels quiter than he personally prefers them... then he should adjust the output of each speaker individually after Audyssey is done, to get the sound levels he wants without altering the speaker delay that Audyssey is measuring for.
Oh man rob, as i said before, just because i said futher that does not mean i ment outside the listening position. why would i tell him to do that? i was telling him to move the mic back from his listening position a bit. thats exactly what i do when i run it. i always have the mic on a tripod in the center of the room. my levels always turned out about -6 for my fronts, and -8 for my center. so i moved the tripod futher back from the listening position, about 2 or 3 feet. then my levels turned out to -4 for the fronts, and -5 for the center.
Thats what i was trying to tell the OP, by moving the mic back a little your db levels will be higher. but instead you just jump on me and send me PM's talking about how i dont know anything, that i should stay in the ps3 section
Maby its because you dont like me, and thats fine, this is the internet i dont really care.
And thanks to whoever got me in trouble. (people have the nerve to call somebody childish)
I still don't think you quite understand what the "listening position" is. It's not in the center of the room. It's not two feet behind your sofa. It is that very small box where your ears actually sit while you are listening. One of the most important things that Audyssey does is measuring speaker distances from your listening positions so that it knows how much delay to impart to each speaker. This is what allows the effect of hearing that jet plane fly smoothly and with continuity from the left rear corner of your room to the front right corner. If Audyssey is not given the correct listening positions... then the delays will not be precise... and the surround sound effect won't be as precise as intended.
You still just dont get, i know what the listening position is, im not moving the mic out of it in any way. i already know about all that what are you are saying rob. and why do you keep bringing up a sofa?
Anyway my point is theres nothing wrong adjusting the distance of the mic.
All countries
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
India
Latvia
Lithuania
Malaysia
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Onkyo 706 Audyssey
). Then I put it on cable and it was way overpronounced, completely overbearing the rest of the sound. I ended up setting it back. I'm betting it will be more than a minor jump in the sub. 
Linear Mode
