What is Your Surround dB Preference?

[DarkDune]

Do you tune your Surrounds to exact dB with the rest of your system? Or do you tune them a little higher, or lower?

Ours are a little higher to make it sound like stuff is REALLY behind us!

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by DarkDune

Do you tune your Surrounds to exact dB with the rest of your system? Or do you tune them a little higher, or lower?

Ours are a little higher to make it sound like stuff is REALLY behind us!

I run Audyessey, and if the db levels look consistent to me, I'll leave them at what my Onkyo set them at. If I ever do adjust them, it is usually to make them a little brighter.

[Steve]

While I haven't measured with an SPL meter, I prefer all mine to be about the same. The only speaker I keep a hair louder is my center. I only do that to benefit dialogue.

[STARKILLER--1138]

It's all balanced out! I do run the subs +5 db's (together) higher. Love my bass!

[Pelican170]

I tend to have them up a little bit. If they are at normal levels i just feel like i dont hear them enough...

[PSB_Paradigm_HSU]

Originally Posted by fireman325

While I haven't measured with an SPL meter, I prefer all mine to be about the same. The only speaker I keep a hair louder is my center. I only do that to benefit dialogue.

+1

But I use an SPL meter to ensure the rest are all the same

[DonRSD]

Originally Posted by fireman325

While I haven't measured with an SPL meter, I prefer all mine to be about the same. The only speaker I keep a hair louder is my center. I only do that to benefit dialogue.

+2

[SRTCraig]

Originally Posted by Lil' Louie

It's all balanced out! I do run the subs +5 db's (together) higher. Love my bass!

+5db

My bass is flat for movies, -15db for music

I have my speakers pretty much at what the spl meter told me. I lowered fr/c by 1 db in order to increase the rear level.

[STARKILLER--1138]

Originally Posted by SRTCraig

+5db

My bass is flat for movies, -15db for movies

I have my speakers pretty much at what the spl meter told me. I lowered fr/c by 1 db in order to increase the rear level.

You need to keep yours flat! With the subs you have, you run the risk of knocking the house of its foundation.

[SRTCraig]

Originally Posted by Lil' Louie

It's all balanced out! I do run the subs +5 db's (together) higher. Love my bass!

One question;

Did you just set it at that level? Or did it creep it up over time?

I've found that bass levels is something you get accustomed to. Over time it slowly creeps up and up...

[STARKILLER--1138]

Originally Posted by SRTCraig

One question;

Did you just set it at that level? Or did it creep it up over time?

I've found that bass levels is something you get accustomed to. Over time it slowly creeps up and up...

Initially, it was balanced like the rest @ 75db; but, when I got the second sub, I recalibrated, and bumped it straight up to 80db. Bass levels are tight and clean still, but pack more punch. Most of the music I listen to is bass heavy; and, it's a perfect balance right now for music and movies.

[tilapiah6]

Originally Posted by PSB_Paradigm_HSU

+1

But I use an SPL meter to ensure the rest are all the same

Same here. Everything is 75db but the center, which is about 78db.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by PSB_Paradigm_HSU

+1

But I use an SPL meter to ensure the rest are all the same

I know I should use an SPL meter for the best results. I'll get one eventually for some fine tuning.

[Rob J in WNY]

Originally Posted by fireman325

While I haven't measured with an SPL meter, I prefer all mine to be about the same. The only speaker I keep a hair louder is my center. I only do that to benefit dialogue.

+3

I agree in that I also like a little more presence and vibrancy in the surround volumes.

The surround speaker volume is a relative thing. Differences in speaker distance, room construction, speaker model, efficiency of the drivers, etc. all combine to affect a final surround volume setting, as does the differential between your surround level and the other speakers' level settings.

On the subject of differential, notice the following examples:

A surround volume of +2, with the front mains at +1dB, is a 1dB differential volume setting

A surround volume of +2, with the front mains at -2dB, is a 4dB differential volume setting.

That said, even after I ran MCACC on my Pioneer Elite SC-05, I still felt that I needed to do some level tweaking after several movies. With a reference setting of my front speakers at 0dB, I like my surrounds at +4dB and my surround-backs at +6.

[SRTCraig]

Originally Posted by Rob J in WNY

+3

I agree in that I also like a little more presence and vibrancy in the surround volumes.

The surround speaker volume is a relative thing. Differences in speaker distance, room construction, speaker model, efficiency of the drivers, etc. all combine to affect a final surround volume setting, as does the differential between your surround level and the other speakers' level settings.

On the subject of differential, notice the following examples:

A surround volume of +2, with the front mains at +1dB, is a 1dB differential volume setting

A surround volume of +2, with the front mains at -2dB, is a 4dB differential volume setting.

That said, even after I ran MCACC on my Pioneer Elite SC-05, I still felt that I needed to do some level tweaking after several movies. With a reference setting of my front speakers at 0dB, I like my surrounds at +4dB and my surround-backs at +6.

+4db and +6db is quite a lot.

We used to run rears like that quite some time ago. The result was cooked rear speakers. Is it volume or presence that many are after? By that i mean that the rears we started out with just weren't keeping up with what was going on....

[Driver_King]

I learned having a good SPL meter counts. What I thought was Audyssey turning up the surrounds was in fact just a placebo effect. My SPL meter measured in at around 72-73dB for the surrounds. I actually had to turn them up and I had to individually readjust my subs too by turning them up and tuning them individually. Everything seems more movie-like now, which I enjoy. I still have some tweaking to do though!

[Rob J in WNY]

Originally Posted by SRTCraig

+4db and +6db is quite a lot.

We used to run rears like that quite some time ago. The result was cooked rear speakers. Is it volume or presence that many are after? By that i mean that the rears we started out with just weren't keeping up with what was going on....

True, but consider that my Polk R150 surround speakers are not as watt-efficient as my Polk T90e front speakers. That said, I do not feel that my settings have provoked an over-pronounced surround soundfield. Lively, YES, but unharmonious with the front soundstage, certainly not.

My surround settings are not simply arbitrary additional dB. I auditioned pink noise to help me arrive at my preferred settings. They are certainly not for everyone's systems, speakers, and personal taste.

One thing I have considered is that my Pioneer SC-05's surround power can exceed the maximum of my Polk R150 speakers. I do like a good, robust volume, but fortunately, I don't run reference level audio very often.

[SRTCraig]

Originally Posted by Rob J in WNY

True, but consider that my Polk R150 surround speakers are not as watt-efficient as my Polk T90e front speakers. That said, I do not feel that my settings have provoked an over-pronounced surround soundfield. Lively, YES, but unharmonious with the front soundstage, certainly not.

My surround settings are not simply arbitrary additional dB. I auditioned pink noise to help me arrive at my preferred settings. They are certainly not for everyone's systems, speakers, and personal taste.

One thing I have considered is that my Pioneer SC-05's surround power can exceed the maximum of my Polk R150 speakers. I do like a good, robust volume, but fortunately, I don't run reference level audio very often.

I mean nothing by my comments i have just been through this. I ended up using dual centers because of the lack of presence my CS400i had. I was told it's not the right thing to do, told them to come have a listen, you know what they liked it! LOL My rears aint cuttin it either but they can wait....

I've never liked running anything in my settings into the positives. I read somewhere that doing so added distortion and, i guess it's somethings that stuck, right/wrong, i'm not sure, but it has stuck. The joy of it all though, we can all do whatever we like.

[Rob J in WNY]

Originally Posted by SRTCraig

I mean nothing by my comments i have just been through this. I ended up using dual centers because of the lack of presence my CS400i had. I was told it's not the right thing to do, told them to come have a listen, you know what they liked it! LOL My rears aint cuttin it either but they can wait....

I've never liked running anything in my settings into the positives. I read somewhere that doing so added distortion and, i guess it's somethings that stuck, right/wrong, i'm not sure, but it has stuck. The joy of it all though, we can all do whatever we like.

No offense taken in the least. Heh...I know I have to be cautious concerning my Polk R150 surrounds, but I am totally open to upgrading my surround speakers in time...

We all have our differences and preferences, and the vast array of gear adds to the need for total control. I'm a tweaker by nature, and when it comes to this site, I just tend to get a bit geeky in my technical responses!

dB settings for front/center/surrounds are just differentials - an attempt to make the speaker groups equal in volume (or not). Aside from some affection by loudness compensation algorithms in the receivers, there's really no audible difference between a system set with fronts at 0dB, center at +2dB, surrounds at +1db and an identical system with fronts at +2, center at +4 and surrounds at +3, except that the latter settings will sound louder by 2dB.

I've always recommended that once the differentials have been calculated (especially if you are a geek about this stuff, like me), it's nice to set your fronts at a reference point of 0dB, and adjust the center and surround differentials accordingly. It may not be completely possible, as some room-correction systems in some receivers go beyond adjust speaker levels by group (front/center/surround/back-surround) and go as far as adjusting each individual speaker. My SC-05 does this, as well as allow adjustment of 9-band tonal equalization for each individual speaker as well.

Gotta love it!

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Rob J in WNY

+3

I agree in that I also like a little more presence and vibrancy in the surround volumes.

The surround speaker volume is a relative thing. Differences in speaker distance, room construction, speaker model, efficiency of the drivers, etc. all combine to affect a final surround volume setting, as does the differential between your surround level and the other speakers' level settings.

On the subject of differential, notice the following examples:

A surround volume of +2, with the front mains at +1dB, is a 1dB differential volume setting

A surround volume of +2, with the front mains at -2dB, is a 4dB differential volume setting.

That said, even after I ran MCACC on my Pioneer Elite SC-05, I still felt that I needed to do some level tweaking after several movies. With a reference setting of my front speakers at 0dB, I like my surrounds at +4dB and my surround-backs at +6.

I should also probably point out that I have the next bigger size of surrounds than are recommended for the rest of my system. I was able to get a good deal on them on Audiogon, so I figured why not. I'm not sure how significant the difference would be between then ones I have and the next size down, but surely there has to be some difference. They're also rated to handle a good bit more power, so when I ever get around to upgrading my receiver and adding an amp, I'm sure the difference will pay off more.