vsx-49tx ref level question? (1 Viewer)

[DanielSmi]

Thanks for your help you guys were right, I've gotten almost all vibration to stop. Yea Gladiator is really loud at ref level. That brings up another question does the vsx-49tx adjust the loudness level so that reference level would be at the same level on every system even though you have different speakers and different room acoustics and equipment, so even if you have very efficient klipsch speakers they would be just as loud when you the knob to zero as would somewhat inefficient elctromagnetic speakers? Because if it didn't wouldn't reference level be different for everybody and that would defeat the purpose of it being a "reference" level? Does anyone know the answer?

Daniel Smith

 

[John H]

That brings up another question does the vsx-49tx adjust the loudness level so that reference level would be at the same level on every system even though you have different speakers and different room acoustics and equipment.

Yes

 

[Jonathan Smith]

Setting the reference level is what you do when you calibrate your system with an SPL meter. You set each speaker individually (usually between -12 dB and +12 dB) so that the receiver is indeed outputting a signal that will yield the reference level at the appropriate setting.

 

[DanielSmi]

An spl meter will make sure that no one speaker is louder than another at the listening position. But it won't make reference level (i think it's 105db) the same for every system in every room. Since no room is the same and are built with different materials it will be harder for a receiver to achieve reference level in a room with sound absorbing carpeted floor , walls, and ceiling than a room with reflective tile floors and drywall ceilings and walls. So my question is if within the set of features with the mcacc function of the 49tx does it overcome these obstacles and can tell whether it will need more power to achieve reference level in a carpeted room than a tile room or vise versa, this can't be done with an spl unfortunately.

Daniel Smith

 

[Jonathan Smith]

Maybe I am misunderstanding your question, but it sure sounds like an SPL calibration takes care of what you're talking about.

If the room is carpeted, it will be harder to achieve reference level than it will be in a tile room. So, in your calibration, you would have to set the level higher than you would in a tile room to achieve the same volume. A receiver doesn't really know about the room, it just knows (because of calibration) how much juice it needs to send to each speaker to achieve a reference level at the listening position.

You are correct that it won't be the same for every system in every room -- that is why you have to calibrate your system in your room.

 

[PaulKH]

Jonathan - you don't need a SPL meter because the MCACC auto-calibration feature of the receiver will do everything automatically, setting reference level accurately for EACH SPEAKER, along with EQ and delay. It's an awesome feature.

 

[Dave E H]

MCACC rocks - it by far the best feature I've seen in a long time. I think it's really evened out my soundfield (previously calibrated with an SPL meter). Highly recommended!

 

[PaulKH]

Agreed Dave - I was ready to get new speakers before I heard how they could sound after MCACC! So the receiver SAVED me money... hehe - well I can tell the wife that!