Side/Rear Lvel Calibration on a 7.1 System??? (1 Viewer)

[Eric A]

I posted this elsewhere but I'll try here also.

Hopefully I can convey what I need info on here. I have an Onkyo 898 that emits test tones to all 7 speakers for calibrations. When I calibrate my system correctly this way and check it on a 5.1 surround track that plays all 4 rear/sides together the calibration is way too high. Example, I calibrated using the internal test tones to 75db for all 7 speakers perfectly. Then I put in Avia to calibrate at 85bd and check everything. It checks out perfectly until I get to the rear/sides. When calibrating the rear channels it plays both the sides and rears simultaneously and I get about 89db on the meter. Should I go with the Avia or the Onkyo?

 

[Chris Rock]

Eric,

Perhaps you can get the Sound & Vision HT Tune-up disc.

It has discreet test tones for 6.1 systems.

I have the disc, and I will be using it Monday when my 898 shows up.

 

[JohnDG]

Interesting.

If you set the receiver not to use the back channels, I imagine that sides have the correct volume? If this is the case, then the "matrixed" white noise when you set the receiver to use the back channels for 5.1 encoded material is not being adjusted for additive db's? How about ProLogic?

Anyone used the 6.1 S&V DVD and found that they need two rear speaker surround levels: one for 6.1 encoded material and one for 5.1 where the receiver is directed to matrix the sound?

jdg

 

[Eric A]

John,

I set up the receiver to play 5.1 sources as 5.1 sources all the time unless it is flagged as an EX or ES 6.1 source. I think it sounds better this way. I believe that if a movie is mixed to heard as a 5.1 it will sound better that way. Also I use direct radiating speakers and I get more of a sense of envelopment from 5.1 sources as I am hearing the same thing from the sides and the rears. I had not really ever considered this as a problem. I had always calibrated using the Onkyo's test tones and verified that they were correct on Avia and skipped the back channels as I could not verifiy that they were set correctly. When Avia plays the pink noise for the rears it comes out of both R side and rear and then L side and rear. I just recently upgraded speakers and when I was recalibrating I noticed this problem again and though I would ask what everyone on the forum has experienced. I am now trying the Avia settings. I had to back the rear/sides down 2dbs to achieve 85db on Avia. I watched Atlantis last night and everything sounded wonderful. I can honestly say the my rear had been slighty overbearing. I will stick with this for now until I can get the new S&V HT Tune Up.

 

[StephenL]

I have an Onkyo TX-DS898 with all 7 speakers calibrated to 75 dB using the noise generated by the receiver. When I test with Avia the surround left and surround right speakers maintain the same level with each surround speaker selection made in the receiver's setup menu (3. Audio Adjust > 2. Surround Speakers > Surround L/R or Surround Back or Sur L/R+Back). When I select Sur L/R+Back (to use all 4 surround speakers with a 5.1 channel source) the TX-DS898 automatically reduces each surround channel by 3 dB to maintain the same level. I don't know why your results are different. Try testing with Avia and the surround back speakers disconnected to see if there is any difference in levels as you select between Surround L/R and Sur L/R+Back in the setup menu.

 

[JohnDG]

I'm not familiar with the Onkyo, but with the Denon there are two choices for using the SB speakers with 5.1 source: "matrix:" where the center back sound is calculated, and "non-matrix," where the surround sounds are "repeated."

Does the Onkyo have this kind of option? And would one mode adjust the db's where the other does not? I've not added a SB speaker as of yet, so I have not tested this.

jdg