Newbie Question: 3.1 setup

[aaronleong]

Previously had a 5.1 in-wall speaker arrangement, but I've since moved to a new house, and am going to something more basic. I have two new Polk towers and a new Polk center. My question is:

How loud should the center level be with reference to the towers? Center is important, of course, but with FL and FR handling most of the ambient work, I don't want them to be overpowered by the center. I tried biasing/raising the center level by +0.5-1.5, and already found it a bit too much. I don't know if there's a general rule-of-thumb for 3.1 setup, you know?

 

[Pyrrho]

It should be balanced exactly the same way it would be balanced with a 5.1 setup. If your receiver has a microphone and automatic setup, use that, telling the receiver you only have 3.1 speakers hooked up to it.

If you don't have an automatic setup, you need an SPL meter to set it up properly, and you use test tones and set them all at the same volume.

 

[k_lewis]

+1 on the SPL meter suggestion- Get one at RatShack for $50. Use "C" weighting and "Slow" reponse, set the DB range wheel to 85db. Tone the system using the built in test tones on the receiver (level settings menu) and gain to 65db at all speakers, or, if you can gain it enough I would prefer 75db. Be sure you have already set the proper speaker distances as well.

Set your subwoofer gain (if you have a self powered sub) to 3/4 volume. This is a good point to leave it at.
Measure with the DB meter while sitting in your exact listening position with the DB meter held at head height, and mic pointing straight up (not directly at the speaker) as you go through the channel level settings.
That is a good place to start testing from. I almost always set the center channel +5 to +1 db higher than the L/R, and about +1 to +2 db higher for the surrounds. It depends on the preamp, speakers, room etc. This might be a good place to start listening to material now, watch a couple of DVDs and some TV and fine tune the receiver level settings up or down a hair. You'll probably end up adjusting the center up or down a bit in the level settings to where it sounds the best across all listening levels in relation to your L/R's. You'll find yourself doing this slight 'tweaking' over the next week or two. And don't expect every channel to be set at the exact same level, it is common for the left or right to be different by as much as 1.5db.

If you need to tweak the sub later you can bump the sub's volume knob up or down a hair.

I know you only have 3.1, but the rest of it is for ref if you get back to 5.1