RSX 1056 and home theatre issue

[charles17]

Hi,

I have a two week old RSX 1056 that I am busy running in at the moment. It is a major upgrade from my Denon 1602.

Music - generally awesome; lovely soundstage and pretty darn good clarity. I do sometimes notice a bit of hiss with very high volume, but it is not an issue, and I have only noticed it a bit, a few times.

Home theatre - good, but there are times I do not feel as "involved" in the sound if that makes sense. My denon had a good surround feel to it. I must say that when there is a high energy scene the sound does feel more real with my Rotel and then I do feel very involved.

Do I need to change some settings maybe to get a more involving home theatre experience? Is this just the way the RSX does it?

Thanks a lot

[fordster]

I've found that the Denon 1602 had better surround steering than the Rotel (e.g. panning effects were better) but the Rotel has far more realistic sound.

[aud19]

Have you calibrated your speaker levels with an SPL meter?

[charles17]

Have you calibrated your speaker levels with an SPL meter?

Yes, when the amp was installed they did use a SPL meter - I am not too technically minded and do not own one!!!

[DrJRapp]

When setting up systems I have found that if the center channel is set too hot (which some techs like to do) then you will feel uninvolved because the center is grabbing all your attention. Try backing off the center 1 db at a time and see how your "involvement" ( which I prefer to call immersion) changes.

[Azeke]

I concur with Jerry, even with my trusty SPL calibrated center, I had to back off 1 db on my center channel and add 1db to my center backs to achieve acoustical synergy. Your acoustical mileage may vary.

Peace and blessings,

Azeke

[charles17]

When setting up systems I have found that if the center channel is set too hot (which some techs like to do) then you will feel uninvolved because the center is grabbing all your attention. Try backing off the center 1 db at a time and see how your "involvement" ( which I prefer to call immersion) changes.

Thanks Jerry, I will give this a go on the weekend. I trust it is quite easy to do.

Thanks for the suggestions :T

[Dmantis]

When setting up systems I have found that if the center channel is set too hot (which some techs like to do) then you will feel uninvolved because the center is grabbing all your attention. Try backing off the center 1 db at a time and see how your "involvement" ( which I prefer to call immersion) changes.

There is some truth with this. I find using a SPL meter a great place to start. Sometimes I feel the center actually need to be 1 to 2 db louder then the rest of the system. Sometimes the other way aound. Personally I perfer the system to be balanced. The sub is where I find most people to run up to hot. Even speaker companies run there sub up 3 to 9 db louder then 75db. I think this soun ds like crap. I like the sub to blend in rather then stick out.

mantis

[charles17]

First tweak

I had a look at the settings from the installation and the centre was at 6db, and my surrounds were also incorrectly set.

I have dropped the centre to 3 db's and upped my surrounds.

At this stage I would say it does sound better, but will play more and keep you posted.

Off to test with the second battle scene from "Saving Private Ryan"

[aud19]

I had a look at the settings from the installation and the centre was at 6db, and my surrounds were also incorrectly set.

I have dropped the centre to 3 db's and upped my surrounds.

At this stage I would say it does sound better, but will play more and keep you posted.

Off to test with the second battle scene from "Saving Private Ryan"

Did you use an SPL meter to confirm this...?

[charles17]

Did you use an SPL meter to confirm this...?

Nope, sorry don't have one of those :cry:

In addition, with my technical skills, I would pretty much mess it up.

Saving Private Ryan was great and tonight I watched Sahara - sound was awesome and I really felt much more involved in the movie.

Maybe will try some more tweaks next weekend, but due to my lack of technical know how, I think it might be best to not try too much

[aud19]

Ok, well no offense but you've probably screwed up your setting if you did them by ear :lol: Get an SPL meter (it's really hard to screw this up) and calibrate your channels correctly. All the speakers should play at the same decibel level at a given volume measured from the main listening area. Start with your left speaker as your baseline, then match the remaining speakers to that level. Some may have to be set + some may have to be set -

[aud19]

Ok, well no offense but you've probably screwed up your setting if you did them by ear :lol: Get an SPL meter (it's really hard to screw this up) and calibrate your channels correctly. All the speakers should play at the same decibel level at a given volume measured from the main listening area. Start with your left speaker as your baseline, then match the remaining speakers to that level. Some may have to be set + some may have to be set -

I had a look at the settings from the installation and the centre was at 6db, and my surrounds were also incorrectly set.

You just can't say that without measuring the response! :lol: Those were probably close to if not the correct settings.

[DrJRapp]

Jason

Based on your comments it appears you believe that SPL meter calibrations are the end all. As for me, I believe they are just the starting point. Final tweaking needs to be done by ear.

[charles17]

You just can't say that without measuring the response! :lol: Those were probably close to if not the correct settings.

Jason, when I said that some of the settings were wrong it was based on logic. My rear right - which I sit far away from (due to space constraints I do not sit in the centre, but to one side - closer to the rear left) was set at +5db, whilst the rear left was at +6db. To me that could not be right.

Disclaimer - As I have said before I am not technically qualified, so it is possible I am missing something

When the system was installed a SPL metre was used.

[charles17]

Jason

Based on your comments it appears you believe that SPL meter calibrations are the end all. As for me, I believe they are just the starting point. Final tweaking needs to be done by ear.

Jerry,

Certainly after my tweaking based on what I hear, I would certainly agree with you, and thank you for pointing me in the right track in the first place. I do agree that SPL readings are important, but at the end of the day, the sound must be the final judge.

[shadow]

Jason

Based on your comments it appears you believe that SPL meter calibrations are the end all. As for me, I believe they are just the starting point. Final tweaking needs to be done by ear.

Wish you would elaborate on this Jerry. I found that with my Martin Logan front three speakers with the Cinema center, the sound seems more seamless with the center down two db compared to the L-R. The Cinema is a different design from the Aerius i mains, which may account for this anomaly. I am happy with this setup. Now looking at the rear levels in a 5.1 system, again with different speakers from the Aerius (B&W VM-1s).

[aud19]

Jason

Based on your comments it appears you believe that SPL meter calibrations are the end all. As for me, I believe they are just the starting point. Final tweaking needs to be done by ear.

Well if your ears are more accurate than an SPL meter more power to you Jerry

Jason, when I said that some of the settings were wrong it was based on logic. My rear right - which I sit far away from (due to space constraints I do not sit in the centre, but to one side - closer to the rear left) was set at +5db, whilst the rear left was at +6db. To me that could not be right.

Disclaimer - As I have said before I am not technically qualified, so it is possible I am missing something

When the system was installed a SPL metre was used.

Charles, that's why I said:

"All the speakers should play at the same decibel level at a given volume measured from the main listening area."

[RebelMan]

I concur with Jerry. SPL for baseline and ears for fine tuning. In some cases repeatedly to correct and balance different soundtracks (discs).

[aud19]

OK I agree that if you've calibrated everything to perfectly match and for example you find the centre channel too quite or too loud that you should adjust it up or down ~1 notch as required. However, blindly "calibrating" your systems levels by ear up or down by multiple decibels is a bad idea IMO.

[shadow]

OK I agree that if you've calibrated everything to perfectly match and for example you find the centre channel too quite or too loud that you should adjust it up or down ~1 notch as required. However, blindly "calibrating" your systems levels by ear up or down by multiple decibels is a bad idea IMO.

Well, technically you are right, but the point of this activity is to have fun and get greater enjoyment out of our movies and music. The fact is in a lot of systems, correct calibration does not sound "right". Now you could just say well, I have to listen at the correct calibration level even if it sounds worse than a tweaked level, but that makes no sense unless you prize form over substance. The reality is that just a one or two step change in the center or surround settings can make a significant difference is a lot of systems. In addition, in my experience, the difference in settings does not reveal itself in sound that is louder or softer from one speaker, but rather in better integration with the main speakers and the center.

[aud19]

Well as I mentioned I'm not opposed to slight 1 or 2 decibel changes from "standard" if it means better integration. I do have a problem with blindly adjusting settings with no reference though. Especially considering how easily the brain can trick us to like what is familiar rather than accurate and considering how innacurate our ears are.

Kind of reminds me of people who move up to mid or high end seperates/speakers from entry level receiver/spreakers. They wonder where all their bloated midbass etc went to and why it sounds so "bad" compared to theit old cheap gear

[Azeke]

I agree, calibrate first for a baseline reference point, then fine tune with your ears. I try to have someone else with me to provide just to have another sonic tuning opinion (who has a good ear of course). Just my humble opinion.

Peace and blessings,

Azeke

[aud19]

Thanks Azeke! :T I was starting to worry I was lone on this one :unsure: :lol:

[Booster]

I find that it is difficult to know how the recording or sound track should sound. Using the spl meter gets you close to what the recording engineer was intending then fine tuning by ear for your particular system is the best way to optimize. If you just randomly adjust to make a particular sound track sound "good", you may wind up doing that for every sound track.

[soundhound]

Well put Booster, and is that not the premice of THX in the first place, to be a point of "reference"? Otherwise why spend the $$$$ to fly by the seat of your'e pants?

[shadow]

Well put Booster, and is that not the premice of THX in the first place, to be a point of "reference"? Otherwise why spend the $$$$ to fly by the seat of your'e pants?

Well, my reference is music and no music vendor uses THX as a standard. Most any old setup can sound adequate with movies. Music is something else.

[Azeke]

Thanks Azeke! :T I was starting to worry I was lone on this one :unsure: :lol:

You're never alone, Jason .

Peace and blessings,

Azeke