YPAO. And speaker leveling

[JOHN FICKEL]

Hello all, I am starting to believe YPAO for speaker leveling is completely inaccurate. I have for the most part let YPAO do "some" of the calibration. Leveling being one of them, and distance settings. However, leveling seems to be off. I'll just use my main speakers as an example. I have RF-7ii's YPAO sets those to +6.0 for the left and +6.5 for the right. Now I have done this manually. I have a radio shack digital sound pressure level meter. Which was set to C weighted SLOW. I have them turned to small and crossed over at 60 Hz. Just my preferred crossover setting. I took the master volume and turned it to "0" like the user manual recommends. I calibrated them to 82 DB. Now the left main is -4.0 and right to -2.0. ?? That's a Hugh difference. Is it possible that YPAO is off that much ? The speakers are really efficient 101db. So +6.0 and +6.5 did not seem to make sense to me with how efficient the speakers are. Anyone have any thought? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

[everettT]

Have you re-run YPAO? Ive seen when the microphone cable hasnt been seated all the way it will skew the results. Which Yamaha is it

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

RX-Z9. And I have ran it multiple times

 

[everettT]

RX-Z9. And I have ran it multiple times

Hard to say as that was a early implementation of YPAO, the only other thing would be to see if you can get a new microphone on the chance that your's is defective. Since you can manually eq it maybe go the route of picking up a usb microphone and using REW to get a more accurate setting.

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

I'll probably just stick with the RadioShack digital sound pressure level meter

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

That's probably more accurate than YPAO

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

Now does that make sense to you that a speaker 101db sensitive would be set to +6.5 ? Just looking at that reading make me think twice

 

[everettT]

Now does that make sense to you that a speaker for the 101 sensitivity would be set to +6.5 ? Just looking at that reading make me think twice

No it dosent look right. Either the microphone/cable is damaged or the software is corrupt. Thats why i recommended REW so that you could compare other settings not just levels.

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

Ok. Thank you. I don't have this system that you're referring to and probably will not know how to use it right. The SPL meter should be accurate. I don't let YPAO do anything else but "DISTANCE". That's it lol. I believe that YPAO sets my speakers so high because of the Subwoofers Because YPAO has always set my subs to negative settings Like -3.5 or -6.0 while setting all other speakers quite high , so I wonder if it's trying to compensate for the Subwoofers ?

 

[everettT]

Ok. Thank you. I don't have this system that you're referring to and probably will not know how to use it right. The SPL meter should be accurate. I don't let YPAO do anything else but "DISTANCE". That's it lol. I believe that YPAO sets my speakers so high because of the Subwoofers Because YPAO has always set my subs to negative settings Like -3.5 or -6.0 while setting all other speakers quite high , so I wonder if it's trying to compensate for the Subwoofers ?

Try running with subs off to see what you get for grins

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

Ok will do. Thank you

 

[lovinthehd]

What are all the speakers in the system? Does YPAO have you set sub level prior to starting the routine for the system like Audyssey does? How did you determine the gain setting on your subs?

 

[mtrycrafts]

I'll probably just stick with the RadioShack digital sound pressure level meter

Yes, since you have the meter why not try the internal test tone to do this or a set up disc as that would go through the whole chain of components and paths and see what you come up with.

If you do the internal test tone see if the master volume control auto sets itself before the tone is heard.

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

All the speakers are Klipsch RF-7ii for mains. RC-64ii center. And RS-62s for surrounds and the proprietary Yamaha front effects speakers so 4 RS-62's. And two Klipsch R-115sw subs a Mcintosh MC252 powers the mains. Not the Z9

 

[lovinthehd]

All the speakers are Klipsch RF-7ii for mains. RC-64ii center. And RS-62s for surrounds and the proprietary Yamaha front effects speakers so 4 RS-62's. And two Klipsch R-115sw subs a Mcintosh MC252 powers the mains. Not the Z9

How did you set the subs' gain? What are the speaker level settings for the other speakers?

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

I'll have to re run the test I can't remember which speaker it does first. I'm pretty sure it does the subs last tho. But I like The idea of using the meter.

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

For the subwoofer gains I i've basically done it by ear I run bass intense music and adjust to taste. Iv never been happy with YPAO for adjusting sub levels. It turns subs way down, I even have both subs turned down on the back of the subs to 9 o'clock

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

Some say you should adjust internal speaker volume levels too half of there adjustment range in the receiver before running tests. That doesn't sound right to me. According to the Yamaha manual it says the manual test tones override YPAO adjustments all together

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

And no Yamaha does not say to set sub levels first before running YPAO

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

Yes, since you have the meter why not try the internal test tone to do this or a set up disc as that would go through the whole chain of components and paths and see what you come up with.

If you do the internal test tone see if the master volume control auto sets itself before the tone is heard.

If I do the manual set up, and engage the manual test tones The volume control does not auto set itself The manual tells me to set the volume too "0" which in my opinion is pretty loud especially when you have supersensitive efficient speakers your not having to adjust them too much before you reach 83 DB