large 5.1 setup help

[dcg28]

I have 4 KLH rave 12 speakers two for the front two for the rear surrounds. 1x 4x 5.25 cerwin Vega center channel speaker, 2 12 inch subwoofers in a single box with a 750 watt Dayton subwoofer plate amplifier. A Sony str-dh receiver in a 13x13 room. Kph speakers are lifted on custom made speaker shelfs that sit 32 inches high off the ground.
The problem I'm having is tuning these large speakers for such a small room. I've had this working alot cleaner in larger rooms. Any advice short of getting smaller speakers?

 

[markw]

That might be like asking how to stop the bleeding but you don't want to hear about band-aids.

 

[dcg28]

So it's just too much for my room? I will accept that as an answer, but it seems possible

 

[rojo]

Good Lord! Sounds like half the room is taken up by speakers. Just crank them up and let them knock down a wall. Then you'll have much more room for placement and tuning.

What's the room like? Carpet or reflective floor? Any bass traps or other treatments?

 

[agarwalro]

Where is your primary seating in this room?

How are you tuning the setup? Start by pulling the front speakers away from the walls, minimum 1 ft.

I've had full range towers in a 10x12 ft. room and it worked.

In a small room the sound energy does not dissipate as quickly as a large space. You may need bass traps, absorption panels at the first reflection points and put down a heavy carpet.

 

[zieglj01]

Good Lord! Sounds like half the room is taken up by speakers. Just crank them up and let them knock down a wall. Then you'll have much more room for placement and tuning.

I agree - knock it down.

Plus hard to get clean sound in a small room, with the Rave speakers - with Dr bounce and Dr Reflection doing the operations.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Welcome

What else can you tell us about that square room? What coverings do you have? Bare walls? Bare floor?
That square room is about the worst you can get.

As mentioned, how are you trying to tune the room? What instrumentation do you have? An auto eq on the receiver?

 

[Reorx]

How far away are you sitting?
Have you tried heavily toe'ing them in?

 

[dcg28]

The room his hard wood floors, 3 doors (not well sealed) speakers are already placed away from wall, I sit on a couch in the middle of the room. Decibel levels from each speaker are all equalized. distances have been programmed. On a side note I've been playing with crossover settings with slight improvement. But it still sounds funny

 

[zhimbo]

With a 13 foot square room, and hardwood floors, you're getting huge problems in the mid-80s Hz, a really important and heavily used bass range, probably near where your subwoofers' crossover is, as well as about 170Hz and probably other multiples of 85-ish. I doubt it's the size of the speakers that's the problem.

Get out of the middle of the room, maybe about 2/3 of the way back from the front. That will probably help, although maybe not a lot.

 

[agarwalro]

The room his hard wood floors, 3 doors (not well sealed) speakers are already placed away from wall, I sit on a couch in the middle of the room. Decibel levels from each speaker are all equalized. distances have been programmed.

The center of a square room is singulary the whorst place you can choose to sit. Try sitting about 5 ft (38% of 13 ft.) from the front or back wall. Needless to say, you will need to reprogram levels and distances accordingly.

On a side note I've been playing with crossover settings with slight improvement.

How are you determining what change to make in crossover? By ear?

You can use the test tone CD from here along with an SPL meter to get a much more accurate understanding of the issues causing imbalance in what you hear.

But it still sounds funny

Are we talking Chris Rock funny or Chris Titus funny? Sorry couldn't help myself .

 

[zieglj01]

The room his hard wood floors, 3 doors (not well sealed) speakers are already placed away from wall, I sit on a couch in the middle of the room. Decibel levels from each speaker are all equalized. distances have been programmed. On a side note I've been playing with crossover settings with slight improvement. But it still sounds funny

With the 3 doors and hardwood floors and you sitting in the middle - that is one of the reasons why Dr Bounce and Dr Reflection are having fun, with their operations.
Also when things are silent - clap your hands and hear how it sounds.

Room acoustics for home audio

 

[dcg28]

Ok so it's been another week of playing with things and this is what I have figured out. Center Channel is not needed at all. (At least not with what I have going on.)
Because of the placement of the doors in my living room I had to 180 my entire room, my front speakers are on the same wall as 2 doors. Went lower than actual on distance settings, and relocated my subwoofer. Also crossovers for my 4 speakers set at 120... Does this seem normal to anyone else, because it sounds a ot better now

 

[dcg28]

Also would giving these speakers more power via a crown amplifier, or a full range plate amplifier be better than just using the receivers power. In this small of a space. A few people that have come over to check on this project have suggested giving them more power, but I can already turn it up be loud and clear...

 

[totalcomfort]

Play with toe in, I have a small room with 2 cornscala's and 2 cornwalls, It took a little while but I got it working.
A few small bass traps will help, even if they are not perfect for your room.

 

[zieglj01]

Ok so it's been another week of playing with things and this is what I have figured out. Center Channel is not needed at all. (At least not with what I have going on.)
Because of the placement of the doors in my living room I had to 180 my entire room, my front speakers are on the same wall as 2 doors. Went lower than actual on distance settings, and relocated my subwoofer. Also crossovers for my 4 speakers set at 120... Does this seem normal to anyone else, because it sounds a ot better now

Also would giving these speakers more power via a crown amplifier, or a full range plate amplifier be better than just using the receivers power. In this small of a space. A few people that have come over to check on this project have suggested giving them more power, but I can already turn it up be loud and clear...

As long as you are happy - and it sounds good to you - then you have met your goal.

If they are loud and clear, and you are enjoying them - then you do not need to add an amp.

Enjoy the adventure