HT Issues - Please Help

[progers13]

Originally Posted by blujacket

Did you turn the amp on the sub down to around 9-10 o'clock?

I ran into this with my setup. Big Daddy's sub calibration threads really help to improve these issues. Having the gain on the sub set at 3/4 power is too high. You will find much better performance by lowering the gain at or just below the 1/2 way point.

It's not unusual for the receiver to compensate for the gain being set too high; it does this by lowering the output level in the receiver itself. When you see -15, think of 0 as normal and it is reducing the volume by 15 db to offset the gain on the sub being set so high. Conversely, if you lower the gain, you should find that increasing the output level in the receiver close(r) to that 0 position and will sound more natural.

I initially had my gain set around 3/4 with the receiver set to -5. I was bottoming out on near everything and it sounded awful. I adjusted the gain on the sub, ran the calibration again, and now it is set to -3 and sounds wonderful.

I highly recommend searching for sub calibration in the forums. Big Daddy's got several threads that really explain how everything works and will really help with your tweaking and troubleshooting.

[StimpsonJCat]

In some setups Audyssey will boost the subsonic frequencies and cause the sub to bottom out at reasonable listening levels during low frequency heavy scenes. Some say it may happen when Audyssey doesn't detect the subs natural roll-off and continues to boost to get a flat response in those lower frequencies.

I've had the same issue. If you ran REW you could probably see this happen in your graphs.

Here is my example:

With Audyssey and no external EQ:


I then ran Audyssey calibration while boosting at the lower frequencies with an eD eQ.2 subwoofer EQ (this is done to fool Audyssey into NOT boosting the lower frequencies):


then I removed the boost and used the 2 frequency bands to further smooth out the response:



The end result is a nice frequency response curve (used a house curve in the end for a more dynamic repsonse down low). And I have my headroom back with no issues of it bottoming out during those "tough" scenes.

Note: So this is how I fixed my issue w/ Audyssey & my sub. You could always just use an external EQ to tame the subsonic frequencies. I just read how somebody else used it to fool Audyssey during calibration and wanted to see if it would work. It did, so now I can use the EQ bands to smooth is out more after calibration.

[StimpsonJCat]

Originally Posted by aramis109

I wondered this too. You're really missing the whole point of HT if you have all the audio sent out in a "all channel" stereo or mono setting.

I agree. If it sounds better in "all channel" there is some kind of problem with your settings. "all channel" stereo should only be used for partys IMHO.

[KingLeonidas300]

Originally Posted by blujacket

Did you turn the amp on the sub down to around 9-10 o'clock?

Yes, I did turn the volume on the sub to around 9-10 o'clock. It is still there but slightly.. Nothing like it was before.

[KingLeonidas300]

Originally Posted by repete66211

How do you send dialog to all speakers except on an "all channel" setting? Are you set to send all audio to all of your speakers rather than discreet multi-channel audio?

I had me receiver set on multi channel and it comes out of all of them. I know it should only be coming out of the center. When I put it on Theater-Dimensional, it only comes out of the center.

[KingLeonidas300]

Originally Posted by aramis109

Dude, you need to turn down the gain on the damn sub and at that point re-run Audyssey or manually calibrate it with an SPL. Having it up at 3/4 is pretty crazy considering that sub. You want it at no more than 50%, honestly.

And yes, with negative #'s, the higher the #, the lower it is. It's just like in math.



I wondered this too. You're really missing the whole point of HT if you have all the audio sent out in a "all channel" stereo or mono setting.

OK, I have the hzs set at about 50% and the volume set between 9-10 o'clock as previously advised. I will re-run Audyssey and see what happens.

[KingLeonidas300]

I am new to the enitre HT setup (this is my first) and I am not sure what things should be set at. With that said, what are the next steps I need to take in order to get the best sound from my system?

[KingLeonidas300]

Here are my current settings:

Sub:
Volume - 11 o'clock
Hrz - about 55
Phase 0

Receiver

Speaker Type - Normal
Speaker Configuration
- Sub: Yes
- Front: 80hz
- Center: 80hz
- Surround: 80hz
- Front High and Surr Back: None
- LPF of LFE - 120hz

Level Calibration
- Left -6.0
- Center -3.0
- Right -6.0
- Surr Right -1.0
- Surr Left -1.0
- Sub -2.0

Blu-ray setting: Theater - Dimensional
Sat/Cbl: PLII Movie

Based on how things are, it doesn't seem like I am getting the best out of my a2-300

[StimpsonJCat]

Originally Posted by KingLeonidas300

Here are my current settings:

Sub:
Volume - 11 o'clock
Hrz - about 55
Phase 0

Receiver

Speaker Type - Normal
Speaker Configuration
- Sub: Yes
- Front: 80hz
- Center: 80hz
- Surround: 80hz
- Front High and Surr Back: None
- LPF of LFE - 120hz

Level Calibration
- Left -6.0
- Center -3.0
- Right -6.0
- Surr Right -1.0
- Surr Left -1.0
- Sub -2.0

Blu-ray setting: Theater - Dimensional
Sat/Cbl: PLII Movie

Based on how things are, it doesn't seem like I am getting the best out of my a2-300

This may be the problem. Is this the cross over dial on the sub?
If so, you should turn it all the way up.

The AVR will handle the speaker cross overs (80hz according to your settings). No need to set the sub cross over. Either disable it (if you have that option) or turn it all the way up.

If you have it set to 55 Hz it will cut anything off above 55 Hz. You don't want this...

[StimpsonJCat]

A couple of other things. Do you still have your surrounds up front? They should really be placed about 2 feet above listening position on either side of the couch (or where you sit). If that isn't possible (I can't do that until I hang mine on the walls) you can place them behind where rear surrounds normally go. But up front will not give you anything near proper surround sound.

I'm not sure about Onkyo AVRs, but what is Dimensional? I would look for a standard or THX 5.1 (7.1 if you have rear surrounds) setting.

If you are not hearing the dialog well with your center in a normail 5.1 setup I would try angling it up to the listening position. It should help.

[KingLeonidas300]

Originally Posted by StimpsonJCat

This may be the problem. Is this the cross over dial on the sub?
If so, you should turn it all the way up.

The AVR will handle the speaker cross overs (80hz according to your settings). No need to set the sub cross over. Either disable it (if you have that option) or turn it all the way up.

If you have it set to 55 Hz it will cut anything off above 55 Hz. You don't want this...

To be honest with you I don't know. I would assume so, it is labeled on the back of the sub as Low Pass Filter. I did turn it all the way up and adjusted the volume a little more. I also changed my fronts, surrounds and center to 90hz. I have been going through the setting for most of the day and didn't see anything were I could disable the sub crossover or turn it all the way up.

I must have read the manual 2-3 times as well.

[StimpsonJCat]

Originally Posted by KingLeonidas300

To be honest with you I don't know. I would assume so, it is labeled on the back of the sub as Low Pass Filter. I did turn it all the way up and adjusted the volume a little more. I also changed my fronts, surrounds and center to 90hz. I have been going through the setting for most of the day and didn't see anything were I could disable the sub crossover or turn it all the way up.

I must have read the manual 2-3 times as well.

So how did it sound with it turned all the way up? You should re-calibrate after doing so.