Calibration problems (1 Viewer)

[tony^v]

OK I am going to pull my hair out
My setup:
Onkyo 602
Fronts paradigm atoms
Center CC-170
Rears Design acoustics
Sub STF-2

Now I know the fronts and rear don't match but I can't replace them right now besides they look the same and sound very close.

After I do auto setup on my onkyo the sound is pretty good.
After I try using a SPL meter with Sound and vision DVD the sound seems lower and also the bass.
With auto setup my levels are :
Left +4db
center +3db
right +2 db
SR -1
SB -2
SL +1
Sub -1 (the sub volume is about half way)

With SPL and Sound and vision DVD All levels are negative db and my ref level is about 13db (I left the sub level at 0 and adjusted the volume on the sub itself)

After both setups I tested with music and movies (star wars II asteroid seen)
With the auto setup I feel the bass and volume is about 25db.
With SPL the I could not feel the bass ans I had to put the volume about 12db.

What am I doing wrong?
If I just leave the auto setup levels what volume should I put the sub at?

 

[steve nn]

Give this http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...by=&sortorder=
a try and see if it helps. I have read in the past anywhere from -5 to -11db on the S&V subwoofer calibration portion.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

What level did you calibrate to using the S&V disk? The S&V disk tones are supposed to be calibrated to 85dB , just like Avia, in order to achieve reference. If you calibrated to 75dB, which is recommended by most receivers and by VE, you would have approximately the 10dB difference that is showing on your system. I bet this is what occurred.

 

[tony^v]

I think I cal. at 75db if I did it correctly.

From what the disk said I have to put all levels on my receiver to 0 then play tones from the disk then raise the volume on my receiver to 70 db.
If I do that then should I raise the levels for the speakers to 85 db?
And what about the sub?
Where should I start with the sub volume?
What level should I get with the sub cal?

 

[Jeff Gatie]

If using the S&V disk to calibrate, set master volume so the left front speaker produces an 85dB tone, then by using the individual speaker levels adjust all others (including the sub) so they also produce an 85dB tone. The master volume level you have set is now considered "reference level". These settings should more closely resemble the results that the auto setup chose for you, give or take a dB.

The problem arose when you tried to calibrate to 75dB (reference for VE and your receiver tones) using an 85dB tone (reference for Avia and S&V). The results were (as expected) around 10dB off.

Note, I believe the instructions for S&V say to calibrate to 75dB. This is correct, unless calibrating to reference. For some reason, S&V instructs the user to calibrate to 10dB below reference.

 

[tony^v]

So If I adjust the main volume so the left speaker to read 85db,that level will be 0 on my receiver?
Then adjust all other speakers level to the same as the left speaker. correct?

 

[Jeff Gatie]

You've got it. What ever level your master volume is at would now be reference.

 

[tony^v]

Cool!
Thanks Jeff
Just one more question when adjusting the sub what level do I adjust?
The subs volume or the level on my receiver?
If I adjust the level on my receiver then what should the subs volume be at?
Half way , 1/4 way?

Sorry I guess thats more that one question

 

[Jeff Gatie]

I would say that anywhere between 1/4 and 3/4 is OK. You have to make sure that the signal from the receiver is strong enough to trigger any "instant on" circuitry in the sub, so you would like the level on the receiver to be higher and the level on the sub to be lower. But it is usually not that important. I'd start out around 1/4 on the sub and adjust accordingly (i.e. if you can't hit 85dB with sub's receiver level maxed out, bump up the sub's volume and try again).

 

[tony^v]

Thanks

 

[Jim Mcc]

I just used the Sound & Vision disc yesterday. It says to set the Radio Shack meter to 70db. Then calibrate all speakers the same, as long as it's above 70db.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

As I said above, the S&V disks instructions are for calibrating 10dB below reference. If you want to calibrate to true reference, you calibrate to 85dB, since it's tones are attenuated from reference (105dB) by 20dB. Guy Kuo (maker of Avia and S&V) explained it here in detail.

 

[steve nn]

If I adjust the level on my receiver then what should the subs volume be at?
Half way , 1/4 way?
__________________________________________________ ____

Put your SW gain setting on your receiver at about the 1/4 level. Generally around -5. Now ajust your gain/volume on your subwoofer to calibration. In doing so, you will have wiggle room (+-db or so) up or down on your receiver for different material.

 

[douglas-b]

If you are using the Sound and Vision disk to calibrate the sub with SPL meter...it will be wrong. The section on the disk is designed to be used by ear only and not a SPL meter. I got that from the boys that made the disk. I would use internal test tones from the receiver and a SPL meter set at 75.

 

[tony^v]

What if I set the speakers to 85db should I set the sub to 75db?

 

[tony^v]

OK this is what I did:
I took everyones advice and read allot of threads and did the following calibrations.
1)I read my receiver manual and found what I think is the ref level which is 0db
2) I adjusted all my speakers to read 85db with that ref level
3) I used the receivers tone to calibrate the sub at that ref level to read 85db
4) Tested everything with music and Star Wars II asteroid scene
5) Readjusted my sub using my receivers tone at 0db ref to read 88db on the SPL (I like a little more bass and felt it was a little week at 85db)

Please let me know if I done this correct.
All opinions are welcomed.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Congrats, you did it! Even got the ol' easy to remember reference at '0' as a bonus!

 

[tony^v]

Cool