Calibration problem using AVIA

[stjoenewt]

This last week I was calibrating my RSX-1055 and noticed a problem. I was using the AVIA disc in a Panasonic DVD player. The DVD player is connected via both optical into one of the digital inputs, and analog into the multi-channel inputs. I did this due to the fact that the player can play DVD-A recordings and I have to send those signals into the 1055 through the multi-channel inputs.

When I went to the test for the subwoofer and had the digital input selected, the LFE signal seemed to come from the right front main instead of the subwoofer. When I switched to the multi-channel input, it was properly coming from the subwoofer. I don't seem to notice any problems with the LFE signal when watching a DVD, only when using the AVIA disc. Has anyone else encountered this phenomenon?




Mike

[Andrew Pratt]

Do you have your mains set to large or small? Avia's LFE test tones are burried in the front channels so unless you have them set to small it won't redirect it to the sub.

[ejfiii]

Do you have your mains set to large or small? Avia's LFE test tones are burried in the front channels so unless you have them set to small it won't redirect it to the sub.

No s#!$. I have been quietly wondering about that for some time now. So then, are we better off using the internal test tones for all speakers, or just for the sub?

As a side, last night on the new Matrix, I had to turn down my sub a lot. First time that had happened. Might have to do with my inability to get it calibrated correctly.

So what tones are people using to calibrate their subs?

Thanks,

E. J.




My HT

[Mats]

E.J., I have the Avia disc... but I had trouble both times I tried to calibrate my gear, so I use the 1066's test tones.

[Andrew Pratt]

So then, are we better off using the internal test tones for all speakers, or just for the sub?

No for Home Theater all your speakers should be set to small and crossed over to the sub at twice the F3 point of the smallest speaker...at least in theory. For most people this works out ot be about 80 Hz which is right where THX's reseach says it should be anyway. You can lower the crossover point if you like but I would advise against running any speaker as full range for HT use unless it has a built in subwoofer like some Def Tech's do.

[SpOoNmAn]

I hope I don't confuse matters even more but from what I understand about the LFE going to the mains when set to Large is also for speakers that have built in subs, example... Def Tech towers. This comes in handy when you have such speakers




Life is short, Play it LOUD!

[aud19]

OK, I'm going to do my best here to confuse and annoy people...lol

I have Energy C-9's front, C-C3 centre and C-5's rear. They can all play relatively low bass. Even the centre. Their web page claims in the 30's for all of my speakers. (Though in reality I'm sure that's a bit of a stretch.) I plan to set my crossover to 60Hz and set my speakers to large for music and movie listening. The crossover is there to redirect low bass in the MAIN channels to the sub under a user specified amount. There usually isn't a "huge" amount of bass in the main channels and what there is, doesn't tend to dip down much below 30-40hz. Engineers that want you to hear that low of frequencies usually put it in the LFE channel where it belongs. I'm the first to admit there are certainly exceptions to this. So my speakers will play any bass above 60Hz in movies, anything in the main channels that is below that goes to the sub with the LFE info. Then for multi-channel music, which I don't want to use the sub with anyway, my speakers get a full signal and now I don't have to change my speakers from small to large every time I go from movie to music. I do realize this will tax the amplifier a bit more.

J.R.




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[Azeke]

Aud19,

I concur with Andrew.

I find that for movies that setting my speakers to all small provides better details in the mid-range and highs, subwoofer xover @60Hz (Sunfire Mark IV sub doesn't handle freq above 60 Hz very well). I have the RSP-1098 which allows me to set individual xovers for each set of speakers, also set @ 60Hz, even though the specs state that I can go lower.

For stereo:

I am still experimenting with the possible scenarios.

Just my quick thoughts,

Azeke

[stjoenewt]

Thanks Andrew.

I think that was the problem. I was experimenting with different settings, and at the time, I think I had the fronts set to large. I set them back to small later, but that was evidently after calibrating.

I do have the crossover set to 80 hz, which seems to work well for me.

I just verified settings and ran a quick check. With the fronts set to small, the LFE signal does go to the sub using either optical or multi-channel input and the AVIA disc. Reference is 67, which still give me some room if I want to go LOUD.




Mike