Calibration of DefTech BP7001's

[Gaigebacca]

So, we were finally able to order the speakers for my father-in-law's home theater.. and here is what we got...

DefTech:
BP7001's
CLR2500
BPX's

Onkyo 806

Epson 7500UB

Carada Brilliant White 110" 16:9 screen

They should all arrive by next Friday, and I am in charge of setting everything up. Will the Audessy auto-calibration in the 806 be good enough to properly calibrate the speakers, and especially the built in subs, to a decent level. If not, what do you recommend as some standard levels to set the speakers at?

My father-in-law doesnt have the greatest hearing, and so it was actually a chore to convince him not to just get some Bose speakers to put into this room... (luckily everyone else told him the same thing to back up my statements about them), so I have to make sure these things are setup so that he can notice and appreciate their quality... so good tight sound and no boomy bass.

Any help or suggestions you could offer would be fantastic!

Thanks

 

[Shock]

What size room are you putting all those neat toys in? I'm assuming it's a dedicated room since you went with a substantial screen.

 

[Midcow2]

Buy an SPL meter

So, we were finally able to order the speakers for my father-in-law's home theater.. and here is what we got...

DefTech:
BP7001's
CLR2500
BPX's

Onkyo 806

Epson 7500UB

Carada Brilliant White 110" 16:9 screen

They should all arrive by next Friday, and I am in charge of setting everything up. Will the Audessy auto-calibration in the 806 be good enough to properly calibrate the speakers, and especially the built in subs, to a decent level. If not, what do you recommend as some standard levels to set the speakers at?

My father-in-law doesnt have the greatest hearing, and so it was actually a chore to convince him not to just get some Bose speakers to put into this room... (luckily everyone else told him the same thing to back up my statements about them), so I have to make sure these things are setup so that he can notice and appreciate their quality... so good tight sound and no boomy bass.

Any help or suggestions you could offer would be fantastic!

Thanks

I would suggest buying an SPL meter, Radio Shack has one for $49.99; I have the digital and like it very well. Some people prefer the anlog version. You set it on C-noise and long response ( instructions tell you to do so for music).

I set every thing to 85 dB from listening point, then I bumped up sub to 95 dB. You sub increasemay vary; they might like it flat same 85 dB level as other.

I don't have the 7001s but do have the 7002s which are close. I tried various scenarios of hooking up sub input to LFE and also sub LFE and also using AVrRcrossoover with speakers small. What i ended up with , that i like best is to set the Fronts to "large" and the bass output to "both" the sub and the built in subs of the 7001 through only the high level front speaker connections; 7001 LFE input is not being used. Most of my sub sound is coming from the subwoofer which is 10 dB hot. The front 7001s are set at 85dB.

Using the SPl meter and setiing the speakers this way sounds much,much better than the marantz audessy auto-setup.


Good Luck!.

MisCow2

 

[GlocksRock]

The sub level for the center is different for all the different sized center channels, my CLR3000 is set to around 10 o'clock, whereas my CLR2300 is set to 1 or 2 o'clock, but use whatever the owners manual says as a starting point.

For the 7001SCs start at 11 o'clock and go up from there, and make sure you set them up right since there is a left and a right speaker... you want the subs facing each other, one easy way to tell is to feel the side of it, and the side with only a passive radiator should face the wall. Those speakers are larger and very heavy, and not fun to move around.

 

[MatthewB.]

I have a pair of 7001sc in my main HT system. Hooked up to an Onkyo 805. At first I had the Onkyo set to Main+Sub (basically mains set as large) and noticed that the Deftech gave more of a boomy bass. The Onkyo was then set to small and the crossover set to 40Hz (lowest the Onkyos will go) Now according to DT they go down to 18Hz which is hogwash, anything below 30Hz and the bass drops off like a lead balloon. So I compromised and had to set the DT's to 40Hz along with my SVS NSD12/2 and when crossed over at 40Hz with the SVS the bass is now tight controlled and more than I will ever need in that room. I have the 7001 subs set to between 11 and 12 o'clock. I would try setting the Onkyo to large and small with a 40Hz crossover (with sub) and choose what sounds best to you, but most find tighter bass set at small.

 

[Gaigebacca]

Thanks for all of your replies... we do not have a dedicated sub right now, so we have to make due with the built-ins of the 7001's. So if I want to get better calibration on the built-in subs, should I use the LFE inputs adn seperate the signals at the receiver?

 

[deedubb]

If you don't have dedicated subs, I would recommend using the LFE input on the 7001s and as already mentioned, pick up a SPL meter and adjust with that.

I've always thought that you absolutely need a dedicated sub but the built-ins are so competent that you really don't. I have one, but I've listened without it and the bass is definitely adequate.

Enjoy your system.

 

[Midcow2]

Recommend not using LFE inpuit into 7001s

If you don't have dedicated subs, I would recommend using the LFE input on the 7001s and as already mentioned, pick up a SPL meter and adjust with that.

I've always thought that you absolutely need a dedicated sub but the built-ins are so competent that you really don't. I have one, but I've listened without it and the bass is definitely adequate.

Enjoy your system.

Deedubb,

I respectfully disagree. I would not connect to the LFE at all. I would set the speakers to "large" and let the 7001s receive the full range. The sub woofer knob should be set at mid-way to start with during SPL measurements and then if OP likes louder bass it can be turned up.

I tried all sorts of ways to connect 7002s with separate LFE input and found the the best sound came from connecting only to front speaker through high level and letting the 7002s ( or in this case 7001s) perfrom the crossover to the subwoofer.

Since OP doesn't have a separate subwoofer, I would set SPL with sub setting at mid point and then latter turn up setting between 3/4 and full depending on the bass bias liking. I did this before without a sub and the bass sound while not overpoweing comes out very,very nice.

Later,

MidCow2

 

[deedubb]

Deedubb,

I respectfully disagree. I would not connect to the LFE at all. I would set the speakers to "large" and let the 7001s receive the full range. The sub woofer knob should be set at mid-way to start with during SPL measurements and then if OP likes louder bass it can be turned up.

I tried all sorts of ways to connect 7002s with separate LFE input and found the the best sound came from connecting only to front speaker through high level and letting the 7002s ( or in this case 7001s) perfrom the crossover to the subwoofer.

Since OP doesn't have a separate subwoofer, I would set SPL with sub setting at mid point and then latter turn up setting between 3/4 and full depending on the bass bias liking. I did this before without a sub and the bass sound while not overpoweing comes out very,very nice.

Later,

MidCow2

My rationale for doing this is because there is no dedicated sub, using your method, any bass going to the front L/R channels will sound fine, but the surrounds will not reproduce full range. To be honest, I don't find the subs in the center channels to be all that robust either. So, using the LFE, bass from the center and surrounds will be directed to the 7001 subs. Without using the LFE, only the bass going to the front L/R channels will go to the 7001s.

 

[MatthewB.]

Something to consider is that there rarely is much bass sent to the rear channels (even when engineered) So although sending all channels to the DT subs would result in some bass, I don't think it would matter too much either way.

OP I would definatly buy an outside sub to get the real deeo bass frequencies that even the built in supercubes can't handle. Maybe an SVS or Hsu sub would fit the bill just nice.

I also agree on just use the speaker wire and do bass management in the reciever.

 

[AVRat]

I agree with deedubb, if you want to get the full LFE output. Processors do not reroute the full LFE signal to the mains when a sub is not used.

 

[Gaigebacca]

I too wish we could get a dedicated sub, but like I mentioned previously, it isnt going to happen with this setup... It really was a CHORE to finally confince him to go with decent speakers, and not just use his old Bose system... (I just nearly threw up a little... if you had seen his new house and this room, and then heard he wanted to put Bose in there... you would throw up too...) So as of right now, no sub, maybe in the future if I can convert him... but we will have to make due with just the 5 speakers...

 

[Midcow2]

I agree with deedubb, if you want to get the full LFE output. Processors do not reroute the full LFE signal to the mains when a sub is not used.

Okay good points!

 

[Midcow2]

Good points deedubb

My rationale for doing this is because there is no dedicated sub, using your method, any bass going to the front L/R channels will sound fine, but the surrounds will not reproduce full range. To be honest, I don't find the subs in the center channels to be all that robust either. So, using the LFE, bass from the center and surrounds will be directed to the 7001 subs. Without using the LFE, only the bass going to the front L/R channels will go to the 7001s.

Okay good points! My thinking was very little bass ever goes to the surrounds. But I will acede, you solution in this case is a little better! Thanks for the dicussion.