Individual speaker volume - Blu-ray Forum

Stu123 · 01-13-2010, 12:26 PM

Do any of you set the volume on your speakers differently or do you have them all the same? and do you think its best to use the equalizer or set it to off.

acritzer · 01-13-2010, 12:58 PM

Most people here will suggest calibrating with an SPL meter...doing this, your individual levels will probably be different, numerically, but equal in terms of decibels. Not sure what you mean by the second question. Is it a dialogue thing? Or a preset program like, "Live, Studio, Classical, Jazz, etc?" Either way, I prefer those to be off.

progers13 · 01-13-2010, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acritzer

Most people here will suggest calibrating with an SPL meter...doing this, your individual levels will probably be different, numerically, but equal in terms of decibels. Not sure what you mean by the second question. Is it a dialogue thing? Or a preset program like, "Live, Studio, Classical, Jazz, etc?" Either way, I prefer those to be off.

+1 on using an SPL meter. It will make the values on the individual speakers different from one another, but they all output the same decibel level.

emoxley · 01-13-2010, 01:04 PM

Ideally, the volume of each speaker should be the same, at the sitting position. Since the front speakers are usually farther away from the seat, than the rear speakers, the volume of the front speakers will be set a little higher, so they'll be the same volume at the seat, as the rear speakers. Understand? That's why you need an SPL meter, if your receiver doesn't have the auto calibration feature, such as Audyssey. It's almost impossible to do by ear. Some people sets the volume of the center speaker up just a little higher, to make sure they can hear the dialog well, from the movies.

Big Daddy · 01-13-2010, 01:28 PM

In a small home theater room, you listen to your room and not the speakers. In an anechoic chamber, you hear the speakers and most probably you will set the levels of the right and left speakers exactly the same. However, in a home theater room, each speaker interacts with the room boundaries and the furniture differently. As a result, you may hear different levels from each speaker at your main listeninng position.

As the other members mentioned earlier, with the help of an SPL meter, you can adjust and set the level of each speaker. Although, the numbers may be different for each speaker, the actual loudness in decibels (dB) will be the same. If you have a receiver that has an auto calibration program and a micropohone, you will not need an SPL meter.

Steve · 01-13-2010, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubiedoo

Do any of you set the volume on your speakers differently or do you have them all the same?

I think this question has been pretty well covered by now.

Quote:

and do you think its best to use the equalizer or set it to off.

If you're referring to the actual equalizer in the receiver, and not listening modes, then IMO it should definitely be turned on. If you run the auto-setup of your receiver, whether it's Audyssey, MCACC, or YPAO (depending on which brand of receiver you have) it should automatically adjust the equalizer settings for the best results in your room.

Fors* · 01-13-2010, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireman325

If you're referring to the actual equalizer in the receiver, and not listening modes, then IMO it should definitely be turned on. If you run the auto-setup of your receiver, whether it's Audyssey, MCACC, or YPAO (depending on which brand of receiver you have) it should automatically adjust the equalizer settings for the best results in your room.

I agree, because one of the most improtant things the calibration set-ups do is set the speaker distances to determine the proper audio delays. I think this feature gets overlooked quite often.

Kryptron · 01-13-2010, 05:07 PM

I had much better results setting each speakers volume individually with an spl meter then with the receivers microphone. I did use the distance set by the receivers mic though.

Also it's a matter of preference but i set my eq manually. It does take time to get it to your liking but the end result is worth the time in most cases. *That is if the receiver allows you to set it manually*.

Fors* · 01-13-2010, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kryptron

I had much better results setting each speakers volume individually with an spl meter then with the receivers microphone. I did use the distance set by the receivers mic though.

Also it's a matter of preference but i set my eq manually. It does take time to get it to your liking but the end result is worth the time in most cases. *That is if the receiver allows you to set it manually*.

I have done so many tweaks with my SC-05, that it is basically been set-up manually now. The Elite's are a tweakers dream....and I am constantly using my SPL meter, just for the fun of it!

emoxley · 01-13-2010, 06:48 PM

I double checked behind Audyssey, with my SPL meter, and Audyssey was so close it wasn't worth the time and effort to make changes in the Audyssey settings.

Hammie · 01-13-2010, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emoxley

I double checked behind Audyssey, with my SPL meter, and Audyssey was so close it wasn't worth the time and effort to make changes in the Audyssey settings.

You got lucky.

Audyssey sets all my speakers to large and I need to go back and change levels, too. It usually sets my surrounds to about 3db hot most times.

emoxley · 01-13-2010, 07:36 PM

Audyssey did set all the speakers to Fullband (Large), and I changed that, since I use a sub. I didn't mention that because we were talking about levels. Everybody has said that Audyssey set their speakers to Fullband. That seems to be the one flaw of Audyssey. No biggie though.

Big Daddy · 01-13-2010, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emoxley

Audyssey did set all the speakers to Fullband (Large), and I changed that, since I use a sub. I didn't mention that because we were talking about levels. Everybody has said that Audyssey set their speakers to Fullband. That seems to be the one flaw of Audyssey. No biggie though.

Audyssey does not set the speakers to Large (Fullband) or SMALL. The receiver does based on the frequency response that Audyssey reports. Audyssey has no control over this. The receiver manufacturers have total control and many of them use arbitrary and stupid rules to set a speaker to fullband. For example, if Audyssey reports a frequency response below 80Hz, the receiver automatically sets the speaker to fullband. This is something that is confirmed by Chris Kyriakakis (Chief Technology Officer) at Audyssey.

Dase · 01-13-2010, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emoxley

I double checked behind Audyssey, with my SPL meter, and Audyssey was so close it wasn't worth the time and effort to make changes in the Audyssey settings.

This is how mine were as well when I checked them with my SPL meter, using the new AVR and Audyssey multieqXT.

JBL4645 · 01-16-2010, 04:37 PM

I use SPL db and RTA Real Time Analyzer and my ear to get the tonal sound to match the around as close as possible. Too high in the surrounds on the low end may not match when starship U.S.S. Enterprise in The Wrath of Khan as it pans from right surround to right front the tone needs to be fairly spot on, and the same with the mid and highs.

Seems like this Audyssey has some neat functions with fairly trained ear?

I don’t get grief or any stick with my RTA I set the wideband pink noise and just EQ the tones that are slightly peaky and out of place of the other speaker. It might take a few hours rather than a few minutes of the push (auto EQ).

01-13-2010, 12:26 PM	#1
Stu123 Power Member Top contributor Member since:Mar 2009 Location:Hadley's Hope on LV-426 4K collection:260 Blu-ray collection:559 DVD collection:392 Trading Score:9	Individual speaker volume Do any of you set the volume on your speakers differently or do you have them all the same? and do you think its best to use the equalizer or set it to off.

01-13-2010, 05:07 PM	#8
Kryptron Expert Member Member since:Sep 2007 Location:Tampa Bay, FL Home Theater Gallery:21 4K collection:83 Blu-ray collection:450 Trading Score:4	I had much better results setting each speakers volume individually with an spl meter then with the receivers microphone. I did use the distance set by the receivers mic though. Also it's a matter of preference but i set my eq manually. It does take time to get it to your liking but the end result is worth the time in most cases. That is if the receiver allows you to set it manually. Last edited by Kryptron; 01-13-2010 at 05:11 PM.

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01-13-2010, 12:58 PM	#2
acritzer Expert Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:Cincinnati, OH Home Theater Gallery:15 Blu-ray collection:32 Trading Score:1	Most people here will suggest calibrating with an SPL meter...doing this, your individual levels will probably be different, numerically, but equal in terms of decibels. Not sure what you mean by the second question. Is it a dialogue thing? Or a preset program like, "Live, Studio, Classical, Jazz, etc?" Either way, I prefer those to be off.

01-13-2010, 01:04 PM	#4
emoxley Active Member Member since:Nov 2009 Location:Eastern NC Home Theater Gallery:18 Blu-ray collection:62 Trading Score:1	Ideally, the volume of each speaker should be the same, at the sitting position. Since the front speakers are usually farther away from the seat, than the rear speakers, the volume of the front speakers will be set a little higher, so they'll be the same volume at the seat, as the rear speakers. Understand? That's why you need an SPL meter, if your receiver doesn't have the auto calibration feature, such as Audyssey. It's almost impossible to do by ear. Some people sets the volume of the center speaker up just a little higher, to make sure they can hear the dialog well, from the movies.

01-13-2010, 01:28 PM	#5
Big Daddy Blu-ray Champion Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Southern California Home Theater Gallery:79 Blu-ray collection:122 Trading Score:1	In a small home theater room, you listen to your room and not the speakers. In an anechoic chamber, you hear the speakers and most probably you will set the levels of the right and left speakers exactly the same. However, in a home theater room, each speaker interacts with the room boundaries and the furniture differently. As a result, you may hear different levels from each speaker at your main listeninng position. As the other members mentioned earlier, with the help of an SPL meter, you can adjust and set the level of each speaker. Although, the numbers may be different for each speaker, the actual loudness in decibels (dB) will be the same. If you have a receiver that has an auto calibration program and a micropohone, you will not need an SPL meter.

01-13-2010, 06:48 PM	#10
emoxley Active Member Member since:Nov 2009 Location:Eastern NC Home Theater Gallery:18 Blu-ray collection:62 Trading Score:1	I double checked behind Audyssey, with my SPL meter, and Audyssey was so close it wasn't worth the time and effort to make changes in the Audyssey settings.

01-13-2010, 07:36 PM	#12
emoxley Active Member Member since:Nov 2009 Location:Eastern NC Home Theater Gallery:18 Blu-ray collection:62 Trading Score:1	Audyssey did set all the speakers to Fullband (Large), and I changed that, since I use a sub. I didn't mention that because we were talking about levels. Everybody has said that Audyssey set their speakers to Fullband. That seems to be the one flaw of Audyssey. No biggie though.

01-16-2010, 04:37 PM	#15
JBL4645 Banned Member since:Sep 2009 Location:Bournemouth, Dorset, UK Blu-ray reviews:1	I use SPL db and RTA Real Time Analyzer and my ear to get the tonal sound to match the around as close as possible. Too high in the surrounds on the low end may not match when starship U.S.S. Enterprise in The Wrath of Khan as it pans from right surround to right front the tone needs to be fairly spot on, and the same with the mid and highs. Seems like this Audyssey has some neat functions with fairly trained ear? I don’t get grief or any stick with my RTA I set the wideband pink noise and just EQ the tones that are slightly peaky and out of place of the other speaker. It might take a few hours rather than a few minutes of the push (auto EQ).

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