Denon AVR 1609 - How To Adjust Treble/Bass?

Re: Denon AVR 1609 - How To Adjust Treble/Bass?

Did you run the Audyssey auto-setup program properly? It has to be done by the book or it may not sound right. Also, when Dynamic EQ is turned on the bass/treble controls are turned off. I'm guessing this receiver should sound at least as good as you're old one and probably a lot better. Keep fiddling with it.

Re: Denon AVR 1609 - How To Adjust Treble/Bass?

I'll admit right up front I've never used Audyssey, MCACC, YPAO etc but if these automatic EQ systems configure themselves using a louder-than-normal volume setting*, I'll pretty much guarantee at normal volume settings any system will end up sounding as John described i.e. skimpy bass and dull high frequencies.

That's because of the way the human hearing system operates: the short version is that at low volume levels the average human ear is not as sensitive to low bass and upper treble, so unless these frequency extremes are boosted, movies but especially music will sound quite "blah". This is why for decades receivers included loudness buttons, which did just that but (the better ones) reduced their effect as the volume was increased, eventually completely deactivating themselves at a predetermined volume setting. For some reason starting in the early 90s most receivers deleted this important feature, but the past couple of years I've seen more and more receivers including them again.

So if it's possible, after using Audyssey to set the EQ and levels for all the various channels, locate the bass & treble controls - they are probably somewhere in one of the receiver's numerous sub-menus - and turn them up until your system sounds right to your ears.

For more info on this issue, do a google search for "Fletcher-Munson curve".

BTW a lot of audiophiles will poo-poo the idea of using tone controls, saying a "good" system doesn't need them. But IMO what they're forgetting is that everyone's hearing is different but especially, everyone's listening room is different and soaks up or reflects various frequencies among other effects, and some EQ is always needed to "fit" the system to the room (and ears!).



* IIRC some systems use "reference level" as their configuration volume setting - for a lot of people that is way too loud for typical listening scenarios i.e. listening to your Three Feet And Rising CD with fans of Doris Day in the next room , background music when company is over for dinner; etc etc.

Re: Denon AVR 1609 - How To Adjust Treble/Bass?

I have a AVR 1909 and have had a similar problem. Turn the Dynamic EQ off. Then go back to the main menu screen. Select "Parameters". Select "Tone". Then you can adjust the bass and trebles.

That being said i think the Denon's in this range at least are much better at home theater than music.