kde Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Is there a step by step guide to using a SPL meter (other than the instructions that came with the unit)? Looking for home theater usage specifically. I have a radio shack type unit that was ~$40. Don't have a tripod, but can find access to one if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted April 18, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 18, 2011 When you are bored and the wife is not home, turn your system up really loud and watch the needle bounce back and forth. [] Here is how I use my analog meter.... I set the Weighting to C I set the Response to Slow 1. Set your receiver up to play test tones in your menu. It will begin to cycle white noise from each speaker. 2. Turn the dial on your meter to 90db. 3. Turn your volume up until one of your speakers is pegging the needle at 0 (straight up). That represents 90db. 4. As the receiver moves from one speaker to the next, you can see how loud in dB they are. 5. Adjust each channel so they are all the same dB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted April 18, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 18, 2011 The goal is to have all of your speakers the same volume from your primary listening position. This is where you want to put your SPL Meter. The other way I actually use it is just to see how loud I listen to music, movies etc. Start off with the meter setting at 120db. If the needle isn't reaching 0, then move down to 110dB etc until the meter is bouncing between 0 and +6. My meter goes from -10 to +6 with 0 being in the middle. If you have the dial on the meter set to 90 dB and the meter is bouncing to the 2 on the left side of the 0, then you would subtract 2dB from 90 which would give you 89dB 88dB. (my math stinks) Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kde Posted April 18, 2011 Author Share Posted April 18, 2011 Good explanation. Doesn't seem so intimidating now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willland Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 If you have the dial on the meter set to 90 dB and the meter is bouncing to the 2 on the left side of the 0, then you would subtract 2dB from 90 which would give you 89dB. Hope that helps. It would help if your math was correct.[] This is not the first time my friend. Twice in 6 weeks. Please, stop sniffing the glue.[+o(] Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted April 18, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 18, 2011 Bill...I know my math wasn't correct. I was just seeing if you would catch it. If you didn't, then I know your rehab from the glue isn't working. [] It's truly sad when I took Trig and Analytical Geometry in 11th grade. I could have taken Calculus my Sr. Year but asked myself, "What would a youth pastor need with Calculus?". Instead, I took two semesters of weight training my Sr. Year. Maybe I should have taken the remedial math. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted April 18, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 18, 2011 Bill...I know my math wasn't correct. I was just seeing if you would catch it. If you didn't, then I know your rehab from the glue isn't working. It's truly sad when I took Trig and Analytical Geometry in 11th grade. I could have taken Calculus my Sr. Year but asked myself, "What would a youth pastor need with Calculus?". Instead, I took two semesters of weight training my Sr. Year. Maybe I should have taken the remedial math. Youthman was correct the meter is +- 1 db.....ok I made that up. [] The real question is did you really know you were going to me a youth pastor in 11th grade ? DUDE you were living way better than me, I was a youth pastors nightmare in 11 th grade. Congratulations on knowing what you wanted ! [Y] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted April 18, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 18, 2011 Youthman was correct the meter is +- 1 db.....ok I made that up. Man...for a second I got excited. Thought we were grading on a curve. LOL The real question is did you really know you were going to me a youth pastor in 11th grade ? Actually I did. I gave my life to the Lord in 10th grade and felt the call to full time ministry in 11th grade. DUDE you were living way better than me, I was a youth pastors nightmare in 11 th grade. That's too funny. Congratulations on knowing what you wanted ! I've been in ministry since I was 21...now 35 and still loving it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted April 18, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 18, 2011 I've been in ministry since I was 21...now 35 and still loving it. [Y] Congratulations, keep up the good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kde Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 How do I make the receiver play test tones? Is there a way to do this without running the microphone set up? If the answer is "read the manual" then I will do that again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_Guy Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 This is from the UMC-1 manual "• LEVEL CALIBRATION This is where you use the test tones to set the volume levels of your speakers and subwoofer. Emotiva recommends using a high quality SPL (Sound Pressure Level) Meter for this step. (Use this selection for manual set up only. Emo-Q will set the levels for you). First set your sound level meter at your approximate ear level where you normally sit. Follow the instructions that came with your SPL Meter for optimum LEVEL CALIBRATION To do this, manually press the MENU button on the Remote Control. From the MAIN MENU scroll to SETUP, press ENTER. When the SYSTEM SETUP menu appears scroll to SPEAKER SETUP, The LEVEL CALIBRATIION screen appears. You will see a picture of a home theater setup. A test tone will start in the left front speaker. Set you SPL Meter to 75 db. Press ENTER. The test tone will now go to the next speaker. Continue this until all your speakers are set to 75db. This will work with either a 5.1 or 7.1 setup." Since you have an SPL meter I would use it to check and manually set the level calibration after running the auto setup. Personally I have found using an SPL meter to be more accurate than auto calibration settings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kde Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 Thanks Rich Guy! Sorry you had to post "from the manual" but it is most appreciated. I'll try this today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Favog Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 You should be able to get test tones from a CD that most audio magazines sell. I bought one from Nordost a couple years ago and it has served me well. Just be carefull not to play them too loud. Quite a few of them have test tones that are NOT compressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kde Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 This is from the UMC-1 manual " LEVEL CALIBRATION This is where you use the test tones to set the volume levels of your speakers and subwoofer. Emotiva recommends using a high quality SPL (Sound Pressure Level) Meter for this step. (Use this selection for manual set up only. Emo-Q will set the levels for you). First set your sound level meter at your approximate ear level where you normally sit. Follow the instructions that came with your SPL Meter for optimum LEVEL CALIBRATION To do this, manually press the MENU button on the Remote Control. From the MAIN MENU scroll to SETUP, press ENTER. When the SYSTEM SETUP menu appears scroll to SPEAKER SETUP, The LEVEL CALIBRATIION screen appears. You will see a picture of a home theater setup. A test tone will start in the left front speaker. Set you SPL Meter to 75 db. Press ENTER. The test tone will now go to the next speaker. Continue this until all your speakers are set to 75db. This will work with either a 5.1 or 7.1 setup." Since you have an SPL meter I would use it to check and manually set the level calibration after running the auto setup. Personally I have found using an SPL meter to be more accurate than auto calibration settings I could only set my SPL to 80 (by 10s so 70, 80, 90, etc), but then I pointed the SPL at each speaker and adjusted until it read 75db. A poster prior said to start at 90db. How do I know if I should do 75, 80 or 90? If I listen to lower volumes, should I do a lower number? What about subs? I could only adjust to a certain level to get them to read 72 or 73 (could not get to 75). EDIT -- Just lowered my subs since they were too much, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted April 20, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 20, 2011 Really doesn't matter if you set it to 70db, 80db or 90db. All you are trying to do is get all of your speakers to be the same volume. If you calibrate them all at 70db, when you turn your reciever up to 90db, all speakers should be set at 90db. The goal is to blend them all together. You don't want your center louder than your mains or your surrounds loud enough that you can tell they are there. This will provide you with the best mix. With that said, using the SPL is a starting point, just as if you were using Audessey. If to your ears, you think you need more bass, increase it a tad, less bass, reduce it a tad. To my ears, I bumped my center up 2 or 3 notches. Sounds much better that way to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kde Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 Really doesn't matter if you set it to 70db, 80db or 90db. All you are trying to do is get all of your speakers to be the same volume. If you calibrate them all at 70db, when you turn your reciever up to 90db, all speakers should be set at 90db. The goal is to blend them all together. You don't want your center louder than your mains or your surrounds loud enough that you can tell they are there. This will provide you with the best mix. With that said, using the SPL is a starting point, just as if you were using Audessey. If to your ears, you think you need more bass, increase it a tad, less bass, reduce it a tad. To my ears, I bumped my center up 2 or 3 notches. Sounds much better that way to me. Ok - I understand. This really wasn't that complicated. What about the sub? Can I use the SPL on the sub, or is that better set by ear (and vibrations)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted April 20, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 20, 2011 This really wasn't that complicated. Nope...sometimes it just helps when someone explains it. What about the sub? Can I use the SPL on the sub, or is that better set by ear (and vibrations)? Problem with using your ears are that they are deceiving. I would use the SPL Meter on them as well. Again, once you get them set, if something sounds a little off, adjust the levels for that channel to your liking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_Guy Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 What about the sub? Yes you can use the SPL meter. Systems and personal tastes vary but I have found I usually prefer my sub set a couple db's hotter (higher) for HT and set to match the rest of my speakers for music. Also yes you can use whatever db level that you like to calibrate your speaker levels, usually somewhere around 80db but whatever level works best for you. Personally I have always liked to zero my center channel and then match all of my other speakers to the center, but this is just a personal preference. When it comes to dialing in the settings there is no one absolutely perfect way, it's always good to learn what others prefer but also experiment to see what you personally prefer on your system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kde Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 Regarding the SPL for the sub... what db do I set it at? The same as the speakers? For some reason I could get my speakers to 75, but I could only get my subs to 72 or 73 and then maxed out for the adjustment I could give. Does this mean that I need to give more power to the sub from the amp to make it louder? When I had the sub at 73 dbs it was too much bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_Guy Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Regarding the SPL for the sub... what db do I set it at? The same as the speakers? For some reason I could get my speakers to 75, but I could only get my subs to 72 or 73 and then maxed out for the adjustment I could give. Does this mean that I need to give more power to the sub from the amp to make it louder? When I had the sub at 73 dbs it was too much bass. How are you setting the sub, you may need to set it higher at the amp or the sub itself so as not to max out the adjustment on the processor. When I set my sub I set it a couple db's higher than the rest of my speakers, I think I used 80db for all my speakers and 82 db for the sub. Since I can control my sub with my remote control I can lower the subs volume to match my speakers for music and leave it the 2 db higher for HT using my remote. (it's actually done automatically with my remote macro settings) But systems vary and it sounds like matching your other speakers is giving you more bass than you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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