My receiver test tones don't match reality (rxv3000) (1 Viewer)

[Sheldon C]

It had always bothered me that my rear center seemed to be quieter than my left and right surrounds, but I figured it had to be my imagination since I had calibrated all my speakers using the radio shack meter with my receiver's (yamaha rxv3000) test tones.

Tonight I finally tried something different. I put on some music and set the dsp to 8 channel stereo. Then I turned off the sub, mains, center, front effects and turned the right surround speaker all the way down (-10). Then I played music with the center rear off so that basically the only sound was coming out of the left rear. I then checked the db level on the meter. Next, I turned the left surround speaker all the way down so that the only sound was coming from the rear center. My ears had been right all along! Using the exact same part of the cd I had to turn up the center rear to + 7.5 to match the same db level that the left surround was at a level of 0. Before, I had always had both my left and right surrounds AND my rear center set on 0!

Now I can really tell that the rear center is putting out sound where before it was tough to tell. It makes me wonder if my other speakers are not really equal to my mains (the volume on my mains is constant, all the other speakers are adjustable) since I used the receivers test tones for that too. I am going to test them out using the same 8 channel stereo technique as before and I'll post my findings.

 

[Sheldon C]

Ok, now I'm all messed up. I did the same thing with my other speakers trying to match them with my mains and here is what I found. My left and right surrounds needed to be turned up just a bit, from 0 to +2. Ok, no big deal - but - next I tested my center channel and it had to be turned up all the way to +10 to match my mains! This just can't be can it? With my receiver test tones I had the center set at +1.5 and it sounds right to my ears too. Next I had to also turn up my front effects speakers all the way too, but they still didn't quite match my mains.

Does 8 channel stereo stereo not send equal power to my speakers? It would seem like it sends a lot less to my front center channel and rear center. Is this how it is supposed to be or are my receiver's test tones way off?

AAARRRRRGGG. I guess I'll have to break down and buy VE or Avia so I can be sure, huh.

 

[Sheldon C]

Wait, I brain farted. I went back and matched my front center channel to just ONE of my mains instead of both mains at the same time. Now it is set on +5 and sounds much better.

Could this be right using 8 channel stereo to calibrate everything?

 

[Martin Rendall]

I don't think you can use the 8 channel to calibrate. I do know that the 5 channel stereo on my RXV-1000 has some (one?) DSP settings associated. That suggests to me that the levels won't be comparable.

I think you're best bet is to use one of the calibration discs, or at least the calibration sounds on a music dvd.

I've calibrated with a few different dvds, and they are all a lot closer to each other than to the test tones.

Martin.