onkyo audyssey question (1 Viewer)

[cknookie]

I am currently running a 6.1 Onkyo system through the Onkyo SR505 receiver. Every time i run Audyssey it sets my crossover point for my sub to 200 hz. My manual says the default crossover point for my system sould be 100hz, and 100hz always sounded the best to me in terms of blend between sub/speaker. Once Audyssey ran it's course, i didn't change anything but the sub crossover. I changed it from 200hz to 100hz which yielded better sound. Everything sounded very muddied on anything above 100hz, which is why i don't understand why Audyssey sets it to 200hz every time i run it. I read in other forums that lowering the crossover point of the sub after Audyssey calibration is "not recommended" and could throw off certain things that Audyssey does for you in the EQ. My question is, does it throw off everything Audyssey does to simply lower the sub crossover? and how do i compensate for that so that the next time i run Audyssey it doesn't set the crossover that high. I refuse to leave it on 200hz, for it sounds horrible. Listening to movies/music sounded great still even with the crossover changed, so it doesn't seem to really throw things off, but i just wanna make sure. Everything else that Audyssey adjusted seemed dead on ( distances, levels, etc.)

 

[soundprogress]

Audyssey looks at the behavior of both the front speakers and the sub-woofer. You can see the before and after frequency response of your system. Do you have a severe roll off in the front speakers? If you do it will move the crossover point upwards to fill in the hole between the speakers and the sub.

Is there any chance you have very small speakers and a small sub? If so then then the Audyssey is trying to get you the flattest frequency response for the system as a whole even if it doesn't sound very good from a perception perspective.

The other possibility if you have large speakers is you have the speakers and or seating position in a spot that causes a severe hole in the 100Hz-200Hz range. It's the same problem as before but a different reason.

You can send me the Audyssey file and the list of speakers and I can take a look to figure it out. I'm authorized Audyssey MultiEQ Pro installer.

[email protected]

 

[cknookie]

Hey, thanks for the input Dean. I'm new to this kind of thing, so i don't know how to get you the "audyssey" file. If you could explain further on what you would need with that, i would gladly give it to you. My speakers are as follows http://www4.shopping.com/xPO-Onkyo-SKS-HT520 I am using all the speakers except i replaced the Onkyo sub with this sub http://www.amazon.com/VELODYNE-ACOUSTICS-VRP1200-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/tech-data/B0002MPM9K/ref=de_a_smtd

Any help you could give me would be much appreciated.

 

[David Willow]

Dean,

Jeff has an Onkyo 505 with Audyssey 2EQ. No files or anything to look at....

Jeff,

Define 'Sub Crossover"? Can you list all the crossovers and trims that were set after running Audyssey?

Audyssey is measuring the speakers in your room. The measurements from the manufacturer were not taken in your room so they may (will) vary. Plus, numbers are usually 'fluffed' to make the system seem better.

 

[cknookie]

The only thing i changed after running Audyssey was the Crossover in the Sp config menu. I didn't change anything that has to do with the Audyssey EQ .I can set the crossover in the Sp config menu from 40,60,80,100,120,150,and 200 Hz. Anything set higher than 100hz made the sub to directional and overwelmingly boomy.

 

[soundprogress]

Sorry Jeff, I didn't look up your system before asking for a file. Thanks David.

You've pretty much identified the problem. With a crossover above 100Hz (actually a little lower) you will get sub localization (even voices) but you probably are missing 100H-200Hz. Your speakers are probably the reason for the equalization to try and set the crossover so high.

The challenge is to get your speakers to have more low frequency output. You can do this by doing what computer speakers take advantage of and that's be very near a wall or other boundary. Place the front speakers very near the wall and the mid bass will increase the same way your voice will if you speak with your face very near a wall. Although this normally encourages room modes to increase in severity your speakers don't really don't output much

 

[cknookie]

Ok, thanks Dean. I will try your idea soon and see if it yields a lower crossover. If i wanted to turn Audyssey EQ off and tune everything myself through manual mode what would be the best way of going about that? And, if u had any ideas for what settings to select for each speaker that would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to try to tune anything before i know more about what i'm doing.

 

[soundprogress]

I don't know how much you can adjust manually and I wouldn't have you do that unless you have some way of testing the system. You can use RoomEqWizard, which is free. You really only need a laptop and a Radio Shack SPL meter to get a good idea of how the system behaves.

Going into this kind of testing detail sometimes is frustrating and people just get tired of it. I'd let the Audyssey do it's thing first and adjust it manually only if necessary.

 

[cknookie]

Hey, thanks again for your advice. One more question though. What is the downside of turning Audyssey EQ off, without attempting to adjust it manualy or anything? Because it gives me three options( Audyssey, manual, or Off) I noticed when i turned it off, the subwoofer sounded slightly better, and i got more activity going on with my surrounds as well. Could i use Audyssey to just set my speaker levels, and distances and just turn the EQ off? Thanks.

 

[David Willow]

Better or louder? Uncorrected bass tends to be boomy. If you are used to boomy, then you may not like flat (at least until you get used to it).

Check this post out for some good info on setting up Audyssey.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/264060/audyssey-multeq-questions-and-answers-onkyo-denon-et-al/150#post_3469702

 

[cknookie]

Sorry guys for taking so long to respond, but i think i solved my problem. I ran audyssey again with the two fronts closer to the wall like you suggested, and it still ended up being set to 200 hz again. I walked around the room after this, and discovered the problem. From my listening position, the subwoofer was simply not getting there at all, so i decided to locate my subwoofer better in my room. After about 30 minutes of crawling on my floor like an idiot while playing good bass music i found the perfect spot in my room for the sub. Now, even with the system left at 200 hz, everything sounds awesome.I find now that i also don't have to turn my sub up high at all, because every bass note seems to go straight to my listening spot, so it's better all around now. Thanks for all the advice though guys.