Mike Lindsey Posted August 7, 2001 Share Posted August 7, 2001 I have just recently hooked up my new HT system in my new home and finally got around to borrowing my girlfriends DVD player, so that I could calibrate my speakers using the Video Essentials DVD. I am a little concerned however with the results. The equipment I am using is as follows: Denon AVR-4800 Sony DVD Klipsch Epic CF-2 mains Klipsch KLF-C7 center Klipsch RS-3 surrounds SVS 20-39CS sub w/Samson S700 amp I put the SPL meter on the couch, using a 2 foot tripod, aiming it above the center channel. I set the Denon and the Samson to 0 db volume, and set the reciever to DD 5.1. I set the meter to 70 w/"C" weighting and set to "Slow". My room is 17' along the front wall, 15' along the back wall, 14' in depth and 10' high. I have no wall on one side as it opens up in to my kitchen and hallway. I have attached some pictures of my setup. Upon playing the Video Essentials DVD, in order to reach the 75 db level on all speakers, I had to adjust the following: Left: -4 Center: -6 Right: -3 LS: -1 RS: -2 Sub: -12 I am wondering if this seems right? Minus 12 on the sub?! Is anybody else out there using an SVS sub? It just seems like a lot of calibrating. Any help would be appreciated... Thanks, Mike This message has been edited by Mike Lindsey on 08-07-2001 at 01:31 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikekid Posted August 7, 2001 Share Posted August 7, 2001 Hi Mike, I did the calibrating pretty much the same way you have done there, including your settings. The only difference is I pointed the meter straight up at the ceiling from ear level at my parking spot. I too had similar adjustments to make. The room does wierd things to sound levels, and you have to consider the efficiency differences among the speakers too, but I trusted the meter to make it as "even" as possible. Sounds fantastic. I put in the Pink Floyd "The Wall" DVD and in it it has a 5.1 speaker level set-up built in. The meter reads extremely close all the way around. As far as the sub goes..I couldn't get it to sound right to me with the meter...so I adjusted it to where it sounded the best. Take care Mike (Nice looking place there!) This message has been edited by Mikekid on 08-07-2001 at 02:35 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake2 Posted August 7, 2001 Share Posted August 7, 2001 Mike L - I also point my SPL meter straight up, per the instructions on the Avia test disk and others on this board. The meter does read pretty wild for the sub - not at all at a constant reading. Not sure why that is. I assume when you say you set the Denon to 0 db, you are referring to the channel level, not the volume knob! I just set the Denon channel levels to 0, then adjusted the volume knob until the left front speaker reads 75 db on the meter, then adjust the rest of the channels to 75db without touching the Denon volume knob. DD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted August 7, 2001 Author Share Posted August 7, 2001 Doug, I am setting the Volume level to 0 db on the Denon. Then, while the pink noise is playing on the VE dvd, I am adjusting each of the channel levels until I get a 75 db reading for each channel. Is this not correct? Mike quote: Originally posted by dougdrake2: Mike L - I also point my SPL meter straight up, per the instructions on the Avia test disk and others on this board. The meter does read pretty wild for the sub - not at all at a constant reading. Not sure why that is. I assume when you say you set the Denon to 0 db, you are referring to the channel level, not the volume knob! I just set the Denon channel levels to 0, then adjusted the volume knob until the left front speaker reads 75 db on the meter, then adjust the rest of the channels to 75db without touching the Denon volume knob. DD ------------------ Family Room ----------- Mitsubishi 31" TV (soon to be replaced) Denon 4800 AVR Panasonic DVD-A7 Dual CS-721 Turntable DBX 3bx Series III Range Expander Klipsch Epic CF-2's (mains) Klipsch KLF-C7 (center) Klipsch RS-3's (surrounds) SVS 20-39CS Sub w/Samson S700 Amp Monster HTS-3500 Line Conditioner Bedroom ------- Yamaha M-4 Amp Yamaha C-4 Preamp Yamaha T-7 Tuner Teac DVD Player Looking for a pair of Heresy's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake2 Posted August 7, 2001 Share Posted August 7, 2001 Mike - I suppose there's lots of ways to do that, but the goal is to balance your levels among your speakers so that all are set to the same relative level. We pick 75db 'cause it's generally a comfortable level to listen to. IMHO, I think you should go into the Denon and set all the channel levels to 0, start the VE pink noise for the left front channel, then adjust the Denon volume knob until you are at 75db. Don't touch the Denon volume knob again until you are done. Then, move the pink noise to the remaining speakers and adjust the Denon channel level for each speaker to 75db. When you are satisfied, exit the Denon set up mode, and before you turn off the VE pink noise, find the volume setting (using the Denon volume knob) which gives you 85 db of pink noise at your listening position. Make a note of that volume setting, and you can use it in the future when you want to listen at theater reference levels BTW, how can you even be in the room with the pink noise running at 0db on the Denon volume knob???? DD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted August 8, 2001 Share Posted August 8, 2001 Point the spl meters' mic straight up? The instructions with mine (pretty old I admit), suggests aiming the mic directly at the sound source. I've tried both ways and it does make a substantial difference in the reading (at least from the midrange up). As for which is more accurate, I couldn't say. I've never really tried to correlate the meter reading with the subjective loudness. Might be good to check out. ------------------ JDMcCall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted August 8, 2001 Author Share Posted August 8, 2001 Doug, While playing the pink noise from the VE dvd, it is always played back at 75 db, which is well below my threshold for pain. I was thinking true reference sound was around 105 db. Therefore, if I set the SPL meter to "70" and dial everything in at 75 db (the pink noise is 75 db regardless of where you have your Denon volume set), then I would know that true reference at 105 db - is with the volume at 0 db on the Denon. I read that somewhere on the HomeTheaterForum. I can see where both ways would work however. What I'm surprised about is the amount of adjustments I had to make in order to dial each speaker in at 75 db. Also the fact that I had to turn each of them down as well. But the Sub...minus 12 db? Sheesh... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin S Posted August 8, 2001 Share Posted August 8, 2001 The volume setting on your powered sub and the channel level control on your receiver intereact with each other. For example, the higher the volume setting on your sub, the lower you will need to set your receiver for a given volume level. The lower the volume setting on your sub, the higher you will need to set the receiver for a given volume level. A combination of the two which results in neither the sub or the receiver being set anywhere near their highest, and most likely to clip levels, is probably best. But if you just can't stand your sub being set at -12, lower your sub volume control and jack up the receiver's channel level! I hope this helps. ------------------ L/C/R: Klipsch Heresy II Surround: Klipsch RS-3 Subwoofers: 2 HSU-VTF-2 Pre/Pro/Tuner: McIntosh MX-132 AMP: McIntosh MC-7205 DVD: McIntosh MVP-831 CD Transport: Pioneer PD-F908 100 Disc Changer Turntable: Denon DP-72L Cassette: Nakamichi BX-1 T.V. : Mitsubishi 55905 SAT/HDTV: RCA DTC-100 Surge Protector: Monster Power HTS-5000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake2 Posted August 8, 2001 Share Posted August 8, 2001 JD - The instructions with my Radio Shack SPL (about 1 year old) say to point it straight up, along with the Avia disk and BobG suggesting that. But, I think that whatever method you use will work for setting relative volume levels, as long as you are consistent. Mike - I'm afraid I haven't had enough coffee yet to follow what you are doing. The 85db reference level for theaters is from the Avia disk, but they could be wrong I'm sure. On my Denon 3300, changing the volume knob changes the pink noise level volume during channel set up. I guess yours is different. DD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted August 8, 2001 Author Share Posted August 8, 2001 Doug, This is where I got my info - from this post on the Home Theater Forum. Vince Maskeeper's 1st reply is the one... http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/Forum14/HTML/039226.html Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake2 Posted August 8, 2001 Share Posted August 8, 2001 Ahhhh, now I see. We are all saying essentially the same thing. The reason I couldn't relate to him setting his volume knob at 00 is because at 00 I couldn't stand to listen to the pink noise -- it would be incredibly loud! It appears that our friend Vince must not have Klipsch speakers, and setting his Denon to 00 results in a tolerable level in his room. So, in summary, we are all in agreement that we just need to get all the speakers at the same volume at the listening position by setting the volume knob on the receiver to some acceptable (and "rememberable") level (on my Denon it is around -8 for 85db), then setting all the channels to be 75db (or 85db using the Avia disk). Then, during playback, if we set our volume knob at the same point we had it at when we calibrated our speakers to, we will have reference level (which may still be too loud for comfortable listening). I have to laugh, though, at his comment that if you start out at -20 on your receiver that you probably can't boost the channel levels enough to get them to 75/85 db! Again, apparent evidence that he does not enjoy the pleasures of high-efficiency speakers!! DD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted August 9, 2001 Share Posted August 9, 2001 dd2, My spl meter is the analog style; probably have had it it 8-10 years. Is yours the digital or the analog? I wonder who could calibrate those things anyway? I suppose the RS service center could -- for a nominal fee. I agree; for balancing a system, consistency is more important than which way the thing is pointed, but I wonder which is actually more accurate, as far as correlating with how us humanoids hear? ------------------ JDMcCall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake2 Posted August 9, 2001 Share Posted August 9, 2001 JD - Mine is also the analog style. <Opinion> I think the upright orientation of the meter is supposed to simulate how your ear would be oriented to the speaker. When you sit facing your speakers, the sound passes across the surface of your ear, rather than directly into your ear. That effect happens to the meter when it is pointed to the ceiling, rather than directly at the speaker. If you point it at the speaker, it would measure sound the same way your head would if you were facing 90 degrees to the left/right of your speakers. </Opinion> DD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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