Speaker settings - Blu-ray Forum

browndk26 · 02-01-2009, 09:56 PM

My AVR does not have auto calibration. Is there a standard db setting to start the speakers at? Say the center at 0, +1, +2, fronts 0, +1, etc. I have all my speakers(fronts and center) set as small and the sub crossover at 80.

brett_day · 02-01-2009, 10:00 PM

a good rule of thumb is to make sure you have your center set +6 Db higher than your fronts. so your fronts set at + 2 would mean your center would be at +8.

your surround should be set at a difference of 3 from the center, so center at 8 would mean surrounds at 5 and so on.

Read that somewhere a long time ago and have always followed this general rule of thumb and have never been disappointed

VinnAY · 02-01-2009, 10:03 PM

YOu should have a test tone available with your receiver, set each speaker accordingly. The test tone cycles through each speaker in sequence and you adjust the volume of each so that they all sound the same when seated at your listening position.

Big Daddy · 02-01-2009, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browndk26

My AVR does not have auto calibration. Is there a standard db setting to start the speakers at? Say the center at 0, +1, +2, fronts 0, +1, etc. I have all my speakers(fronts and center) set as small and the sub crossover at 80.

There are no rules.

Settings depend on your speakers and your room. Your speakers in my room will sound different and the settings will be different.

If your receiver has test tones, buy an SPL meter from Radio Shack and use it to calibrate your audio. Make sure you read Calibrating Your Audio with an SPL Meter.

Radio Shack Digital SPL Meter ($49.99)

Radio Shack Analog SPL Meter ($44.99)

If your receiver has no test tones, you can download free test tones from the following sites. Copy them to a CD/DVD and use them to calibrate your system. The easiest way is to use Pink Noise.

http://www.realtraps.com/test-cd.htm
http://www.cleansofts.com/softdownlo...Generator.html
http://www.tasignal.com/Software/MiniDSGe.html
http://www.nch.com.au/tonegen/index_b.html

browndk26 · 02-02-2009, 02:34 AM

Brett,

Using your rule of thumb what should the sub be set at? I'll use your suggestion for a while. Thanks.

Vinnay and Big Daddy,

I'll try your suggestions in the future. I have used the tones before to see if all my speakers were working. Seems like it will be difficult to use the tones and may take some practice.

Thanks for the suggestions.

aramis109 · 02-02-2009, 03:05 AM

I definitely wouldn't start with your center at +6db over the rest of your system by default. If I didn't have an SPL meter, I'd start with everything at zero, then start adding or subtracting depending on range from me, overall efficiency of the speaker, and overall sound. +6 is a pretty big jump.

Big Daddy · 02-02-2009, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browndk26

I'll try your suggestions in the future. I have used the tones before to see if all my speakers were working. Seems like it will be difficult to use the tones and may take some practice.

All you really need is pink noise. Even if you don't want to buy an SPL meter, play the pink noise and adjust the speakers by your ears. Although human ears are not perfect, doing it this way is much better than any rule of thumb.

JasonR · 02-02-2009, 03:13 AM

Yeah, my auto EQ turned my center down to -2. I bumped it to 0 and am completely happy.

Opips2 · 02-02-2009, 05:09 AM

setting speaker for test only center speaker.

I pick a movie called "Yojimbo" is only mono speaker. I listen to the speaker.

I turned -15db volume because it's low voice. I setting -8db on the speaker. I changed -8db to -3db on the speaker and -20db volume. it clear tighter voice sound.

other way, virtual speaker Reference or Wide for left and right speakers. -22db volume and better sound.

Squozen · 02-02-2009, 05:35 AM

Definitely use an SPL meter and your amp's test tones rather than 'rules of thumb' - rules of thumb make no sense in a situation where your speakers will have radically different sensitivities to those used by others in the forum. Placement and room acoustics also make a massive difference.

Opips2 · 02-02-2009, 05:57 AM

Squozen,

I tested on the center speaker. my SPL meter display show 70db avg.
it's clear tighter sound! I'm completely happy. I setting -3db on center speaker.

NOT do over higher than 3db setting can damage speaker.

Squozen · 02-02-2009, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Opips2

Squozen,

I tested on the center speaker. my SPL meter display show 70db avg.
it's clear tighter sound! I'm completely happy. I setting -3db on center speaker.

NOT do over higher than 3db setting can damage speaker.

Sorry, I don't understand what you're trying to say with that last sentence.

kefrank · 02-02-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browndk26

Seems like it will be difficult to use the tones and may take some practice.

It's really, really easy. You just hold the SPL meter about where your ears would be when you watch a movie, play the test tones, and adjust the individual channel levels until they register approximately the same level on the SPL meter. The previously linked thread has more detailed instructions, but that's the gist of it. It only takes a few minutes and it's very simple to do. Once you have that solid baseline, you can tweak it to what sounds best to your ears.

Yeha-Noha · 02-02-2009, 05:07 PM

I used to have C-100s for surrounds. YPAO set them up pretty well.

Recently I upgraded to four Energy C-R100 bipole surrounds for 7.1. I let YPAO set the fronts up like I would normally, however not for the surrounds. I used pink noise and set the level by ear even though I have an SPL meter. I found that the surrounds are better balanced that way rather than using the YPAO or the SPL meter settings. Although I did use those levels as a starting point.

02-01-2009, 09:56 PM	#1
browndk26 Senior Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:Louisville, KY Blu-ray collection:10	Speaker settings My AVR does not have auto calibration. Is there a standard db setting to start the speakers at? Say the center at 0, +1, +2, fronts 0, +1, etc. I have all my speakers(fronts and center) set as small and the sub crossover at 80.

02-02-2009, 05:09 AM	#9
Opips2 Special Member Member since:Nov 2008 Location:Edmonton, AB Home Theater Gallery:6 Blu-ray collection:175 Blu-ray reviews:10 Trading Score:1	setting speaker for test only center speaker. I pick a movie called "Yojimbo" is only mono speaker. I listen to the speaker. I turned -15db volume because it's low voice. I setting -8db on the speaker. I changed -8db to -3db on the speaker and -20db volume. it clear tighter voice sound. other way, virtual speaker Reference or Wide for left and right speakers. -22db volume and better sound. Last edited by Opips2; 02-02-2009 at 05:12 AM.

Similar Threads
thread	Forum	Thread Starter	Replies	Last Post
speaker hz settings?	Speakers	x-gh0st-x	28	07-24-2009 01:11 AM
Help! withOnkyo 805 speaker settings	Speakers	sarge1976	17	09-02-2008 01:17 AM
Need help with Sub/speaker settings???	Home Theater General Discussion	bdrex28	1	08-30-2008 03:50 AM
Speaker Specs/Receiver Settings	Speakers	GeneD5	2	08-15-2008 07:58 PM
onkyo speaker settings	Receivers	maxmcleod	4	06-23-2008 05:38 AM

02-01-2009, 10:00 PM	#2
brett_day Blu-ray Guru Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Moore, Oklahoma Home Theater Gallery:18 Blu-ray collection:45 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:1	a good rule of thumb is to make sure you have your center set +6 Db higher than your fronts. so your fronts set at + 2 would mean your center would be at +8. your surround should be set at a difference of 3 from the center, so center at 8 would mean surrounds at 5 and so on. Read that somewhere a long time ago and have always followed this general rule of thumb and have never been disappointed

02-01-2009, 10:03 PM	#3
VinnAY Banned Member since:Sep 2008 Blu-ray reviews:1	YOu should have a test tone available with your receiver, set each speaker accordingly. The test tone cycles through each speaker in sequence and you adjust the volume of each so that they all sound the same when seated at your listening position.

02-02-2009, 02:34 AM	#5
browndk26 Senior Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:Louisville, KY Blu-ray collection:10	Brett, Using your rule of thumb what should the sub be set at? I'll use your suggestion for a while. Thanks. Vinnay and Big Daddy, I'll try your suggestions in the future. I have used the tones before to see if all my speakers were working. Seems like it will be difficult to use the tones and may take some practice. Thanks for the suggestions.

02-02-2009, 03:05 AM	#6
aramis109 Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Milwaukee, WI Home Theater Gallery:10 4K collection:4 Blu-ray collection:360 Trading Score:18	I definitely wouldn't start with your center at +6db over the rest of your system by default. If I didn't have an SPL meter, I'd start with everything at zero, then start adding or subtracting depending on range from me, overall efficiency of the speaker, and overall sound. +6 is a pretty big jump.

02-02-2009, 03:13 AM	#8
JasonR Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Nov 2007 Trading Score:12	Yeah, my auto EQ turned my center down to -2. I bumped it to 0 and am completely happy.

02-02-2009, 05:35 AM	#10
Squozen Senior Member Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Melbourne, Australia Home Theater Gallery:17 Blu-ray collection:80	Definitely use an SPL meter and your amp's test tones rather than 'rules of thumb' - rules of thumb make no sense in a situation where your speakers will have radically different sensitivities to those used by others in the forum. Placement and room acoustics also make a massive difference.

02-02-2009, 05:57 AM	#11
Opips2 Special Member Member since:Nov 2008 Location:Edmonton, AB Home Theater Gallery:6 Blu-ray collection:175 Blu-ray reviews:10 Trading Score:1	Squozen, I tested on the center speaker. my SPL meter display show 70db avg. it's clear tighter sound! I'm completely happy. I setting -3db on center speaker. NOT do over higher than 3db setting can damage speaker.

02-02-2009, 05:07 PM	#14
Yeha-Noha Power Member Member since:Jan 2008 Blu-ray reviews: 43	I used to have C-100s for surrounds. YPAO set them up pretty well. Recently I upgraded to four Energy C-R100 bipole surrounds for 7.1. I let YPAO set the fronts up like I would normally, however not for the surrounds. I used pink noise and set the level by ear even though I have an SPL meter. I found that the surrounds are better balanced that way rather than using the YPAO or the SPL meter settings. Although I did use those levels as a starting point.

Best Blu-ray Movie Deals