Crossover/Audyssey question.

[Kryptonic]

Originally when I ran Audyssey it set the crossovers at 120hz for all five speakers, all of which are rated for around 60-65hz. After getting mopads and moving the front speakers further away from the wall, I ran Audyssey again using the same seating positions for the microphone with very different results. My front TSC LCR3-P speakers are rated at 65hz and Audyssey set the crossover between them and my BIC V1020 to 60hz. To be honest, with these crossover settings, I do feel that bass is a little less localized, not that it really was a whole lot beforehand, but it feels a little more natural, but is there a 5hz gap that I'm missing or could this damage the speakers. I don't think so, but I wanted to ask and be sure. Perhaps someone has had some experience with something like this.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

Originally when I ran Audyssey it set the crossovers at 120hz for all five speakers, all of which are rated for around 60-65hz. After getting mopads and moving the front speakers further away from the wall, I ran Audyssey again using the same seating positions for the microphone with very different results. My front TSC LCR3-P speakers are rated at 65hz and Audyssey set the crossover between them and my BIC V1020 to 60hz. To be honest, with these crossover settings, I do feel that bass is a little less localized, not that it really was a whole lot beforehand, but it feels a little more natural, but is there a 5hz gap that I'm missing or could this damage the speakers. I don't think so, but I wanted to ask and be sure. Perhaps someone has had some experience with something like this.

Once the crossover is set around 120Hz, bass may become localized. Generally speaking, look at the +/-3dB low frequency extension of your speakers and set their crossovers about 10Hz to 20Hz higher. In most cases, a crossover of 80Hz works for most speakers. If your receiver offers a separate setting for LFE, set it to 120Hz as LFE may have frequencies up to 120Hz.

Read https://forum.blu-ray.com/subwoofers...anagement.html. Post # 235 of that thread has additional useful information.

[kareface]

The crossover will also change depending on your listening modes. It actually drives me nuts but a lot of receivers will have modes where the crossover value is mode dependent.

[Kryptonic]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Once the crossover is set around 120Hz, bass may become localized. Generally speaking, look at the +/-3dB low frequency extension of your speakers and set their crossovers about 10Hz to 20Hz higher. In most cases, a crossover of 80Hz works for most speakers. If your receiver offers a separate setting for LFE, set it to 120Hz as LFE may have frequencies up to 120Hz.

Read https://forum.blu-ray.com/subwoofers...anagement.html. Post # 235 of that thread has additional useful information.

I'm not sure what you mean by "+/-3dB". The sensitivity of the speakers is 89db. I never kept the 120hz setting. It sounded bad. I've kept the crossover at 80hz ever since. But running Audyssey recently put them at 60hz. I have the LPF in the receiver set to 120hz as well.

[Kryptonic]

Originally Posted by kareface

The crossover will also change depending on your listening modes. It actually drives me nuts but a lot of receivers will have modes where the crossover value is mode dependent.

I turn Audyssey off after getting the crossover and distance settings, so no problem there. I never liked the way Audyssey made things sound. It sounded too processed.

[kareface]

Listening modes don't require Audyssey.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

I'm not sure what you mean by "+/-3dB". The sensitivity of the speakers is 89db. I never kept the 120hz setting. It sounded bad. I've kept the crossover at 80hz ever since. But running Audyssey recently put them at 60hz. I have the LPF in the receiver set to 120hz as well.

If you look at your speakers' manual or the manufacturer's website, they usually publish the frequency response of the speakers. Some just report it like 30Hz to 20,000Hz. This is normally not very useful. Some manufacturers are more honest and publish the frequency response of their speakers like (42Hz to 18,000Hz, +/-3dB) or (42Hz to 18,000Hz, -3dB). Those are more relevant numbers.

Go to the https://forum.blu-ray.com/speakers/1...ubwoofers.html thread. You will find graphs and explanation of +/-dB.

Does your receiver offer only one crossover setting or does it allow you to set the crossovers for all the speakers?

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

I turn Audyssey off after getting the crossover and distance settings, so no problem there. I never liked the way Audyssey made things sound. It sounded too processed.

It is very important to run Audyssey properly. For example, if the Audyssey in your receiver recommends putting the microphone in 2 or 4 or 8 positions, you should definitely do that. Also, make sure, the microphone is at ear level when you are sitting down and it is pointed upward toward the ceiling.

Audyssey does more than crossover settings such as room equalization. You can run it first. It is ok to manually adjust the crossovers a little. Normally, you should only increase the crossovers above what Audyssey set them. If you lower the crossovers below what Audyssey set them, then the equalization filters will not be applied to those lower frequencies.

If your room has bad acoustics and too much reflection, etc., some room treatment may help.

[Kryptonic]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

If you look at your speakers' manual or the manufacturer's website, they usually publish the frequency response of the speakers. Some just report it like 30Hz to 20,000Hz. This is normally not very useful. Some manufacturers are more honest and publish the frequency response of their speakers like (42Hz to 18,000Hz, +/-3dB) or (42Hz to 18,000Hz, -3dB). Those are more relevant numbers.

Go to the https://forum.blu-ray.com/speakers/1...ubwoofers.html thread. You will find graphs and explanation of +/-dB.

Does your receiver offer only one crossover setting or does it allow you to set the crossovers for all the speakers?

I can set the crossover for each speaker individually. Audyssey set them at 60hz for the fronts and 80hz for the surrounds.

Unfortunately, I can't find the information regarding the "+/-3dB", only the 65hz - 20,000 Hz.

It is very important to run Audyssey properly. For example, if the Audyssey in your receiver recommends putting the microphone in 2 or 4 or 8 positions, you should definitely do that. Also, make sure, the microphone is at ear level when you are sitting down and it is pointed upward toward the ceiling.

Audyssey does more than crossover settings such as room equalization. You can run it first. It is ok to manually adjust the crossovers a little. Normally, you should only increase the crossovers above what Audyssey set them. If you lower the crossovers below what Audyssey set them, then the equalization filters will not be applied to those lower frequencies.

If your room has bad acoustics and too much reflection, etc., some room treatment may help.

Well, Audyssey didn't sound right to me. Even turning the Dynamic Eq off didn't help it from sounding unnatural, so I just left it all off and used only the basic distance and crossover settings. I know not to decrease the crossover from what Audyssey set them at. And I did run it properly from 4 positions with the microphone properly placed at ear level in each position. The speakers are on isolation pads, so maybe that helps with the frequency response. When I ran them awhile back and Audyssey set them at 120hz, I didn't have the MOPADS.

[Big Daddy]

To make life simple, set the crossovers of all your speakers to 80Hz and the LPF of LFE to 120Hz. Also, make sure your subwoofer is placed properly in the room for the most optimum bass. In the future, think about adding some room treatment.

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

To make life simple, set the crossovers of all your speakers to 80Hz and the LPF of LFE to 120Hz. Also, make sure your subwoofer is placed properly in the room for the most optimum bass. In the future, think about adding some room treatment.

I was just about going to say that.

* OP, in my signature there is a link adjacent to Audyssey Setup Guide, please click on it and read it very attentively, taking your time.