Audyssey just for speaker distances/delay?

[Hetfield]

Ok after having all Yamaha receivers I saw a great deal on a Denon 3400H and short story is I do not like it. Its non Denon, I just don't like how it sounds versus what I had in Yamaha. I guess the Yamaha was more my style, warmer I think is the way to describe it.
Anyway I have Audyssey off because I HATED it. Like cutting off the system at the knees. I mean HATED it. Question is can I run Audyssey again but not go through the stupid half hour or more to do it and just rerun it for speaker level/distances/delay and all that? Audyssey takes for freaking ever. I want my YPAO back. Is there anyway to make a Denon receiver sound like a Yamaha receiver, make it more warm and lively sounding like Yamaha? Should I just bite the bullet and admit a mistake and get a Yamaha Aventage receiver? Thanks for any help.

 

[PENG]

Ok after having all Yamaha receivers I saw a great deal on a Denon 3400H and short story is I do not like it. Its non Denon, I just don't like how it sounds versus what I had in Yamaha. I guess the Yamaha was more my style, warmer I think is the way to describe it.
Anyway I have Audyssey off because I HATED it. Like cutting off the system at the knees. I mean HATED it. Question is can I run Audyssey again but not go through the stupid half hour or more to do it and just rerun it for speaker level/distances/delay and all that? Audyssey takes for freaking ever. I want my YPAO back. Is there anyway to make a Denon receiver sound like a Yamaha receiver, make it more warm and lively sounding like Yamaha? Should I just bite the bullet and admit a mistake and get a Yamaha Aventage receiver? Thanks for any help.

Iirc you said it sounded good in the beginning. What changed, may be something got messed up? The RX-A series won't, and shouldn't sound different in direct mode. It's the dsp/req that change the sound, if power output is not the issue.

 

[Hetfield]

Iirc you said it sounded good in the beginning. What changed, may be something got messed up? The RX-A series won't, and shouldn't sound different in direct mode. It's the dsp/req that change the sound, if power output is not the issue.

No, I don't think it ever sounded good. The Yamaha I had sounded good. I just don't like the sterile sound of the Denon. Yamaha seems to have a more lively sound of that makes sense. Denon is kind of full maybe you could say. The Denon just isn't jiving with me or my speakers. I have Def Tech SM 65 LCR and SM 55 surrounds if that helps any.

 

[Bucknekked]

You can certainly do a manual setup and get your distances for your speakers entered in. Its in the menus for manual setup.

I would have a real question as to the difference in sound. Unless you had an adjustment really cranked one way or the other, I would be surprised at any actual difference between the Yamaha and the Denon. Like @PENG said, in pure direct mode there should literally be zero difference.

 

[PENG]

No, I don't think it ever sounded good. The Yamaha I had sounded good. I just don't like the sterile sound of the Denon. Yamaha seems to have a more lively sound of that makes sense. Denon is kind of full maybe you could say. The Denon just isn't jiving with me or my speakers. I have Def Tech SM 65 LCR and SM 55 surrounds if that helps any.

It must have been another poster then. Anyway, I compared a x3400h that I had for about 2 weeks with even my separate preamp/power amps as well as an integrated amp, and could not tell a difference. It was driving my KEF R900 and LS50. I would say those AVRs are quite transparent, or neutral. I don't know anything about the SM65, but they are supposed to be easy to drive.

So I guess you would be considering the RX-A1080 right?

 

[PENG]

You can certainly do a manual setup and get your distances for your speakers entered in. Its in the menus for manual setup.

I would have a real question as to the difference in sound. Unless you had an adjustment really cranked one way or the other, I would be surprised at any actual difference between the Yamaha and the Denon. Like @PENG said, in pure direct mode there should literally be zero difference.

I have been recommending the avr-x3400h and x4400h based on price, but also sound quality. Again, even my separates, A21, 4BSST, Marantz, NAD don't sound better. Hard to believe, but true, to me anyway.. So I am really curious about the OP's case.

 

[Hetfield]

It must have been another poster then. Anyway, I compared a x3400h that I had for about 2 weeks with even my separate preamp/power amps as well as an integrated amp, and could not tell a difference. It was driving my KEF R900 and LS50. I would say those AVRs are quite transparent, or neutral. I don't know anything about the SM65, but they are supposed to be easy to drive.

So I guess you would be considering the RX-A1080 right?

I don't know it's just a general unhappiness with movies really. Just like there is no life to the sound like the Yamaha seemed to have. It's just like a sterile neutral sound I guess. I'm listening up 5.1 music right now and it sounds really, really great. Maybe I should run Audyssey again just to see if that clears things up. Maybe I should get a dedicated HT processor from Outlaw or Emotiva although I think Outlaw would be the choice between the two.

 

[Bucknekked]

I have been recommending the avr-x3400h and x4400h based on price, but also sound quality. Again, even my separates, A21, 4BSST, Marantz, NAD don't sound better. Hard to believe, but true, to me anyway.. So I am really curious about the OP's case.

@PENG
I know I bought my Denon on your recommendation and I love it. Nothing but good things to say about the sound and everything that goes with it. It was a great purchase. When you give a recommendation, its pretty solid.

 

[Hetfield]

Ok general Audyssey questions then. When I setup for the first measurement I put in my regular listening position correct? Then to the left and right, then in front and back if the listening position? Correct so far? My couch is right up again the back wall? What do I do there? I only have 1-2 feet to my right on the couch and 4-5 feet on my left? Talk me through how to properly set up Audyssey? I think this is the issue maybe.

 

[PENG]

Ok general Audyssey questions then. When I setup for the first measurement I put in my regular listening position correct? Then to the left and right, then in front and back if the listening position? Correct so far? My couch is right up again the back wall? What do I do there? I only have 1-2 feet to my right on the couch and 4-5 feet on my left? Talk me through how to properly set up Audyssey? I think this is the issue maybe.

Will do when I get home.

 

[PENG]

@PENG
I know I bought my Denon on your recommendation and I love it. Nothing but good things to say about the sound and everything that goes with it. It was a great purchase. When you give a recommendation, its pretty solid.

Glad you like it..

 

[lovinthehd]

Ok general Audyssey questions then. When I setup for the first measurement I put in my regular listening position correct? Then to the left and right, then in front and back if the listening position? Correct so far? My couch is right up again the back wall? What do I do there? I only have 1-2 feet to my right on the couch and 4-5 feet on my left? Talk me through how to properly set up Audyssey? I think this is the issue maybe.

If you want to just set levels/delays you can just use the first mic position at your listening position, where those are determined. I've had my best luck after the first mic position using a small circle around that, about 1.5 - 2 ft radius from first position. Having a seat right up against the wall isn't ideal, no way to pull it off the wall some?

 

[Hetfield]

Ok I just ran Audyssey again and I only moved the mic to the left and right about 5-10 inches. I left it in MLP for in front and I put the mic on the back of the couch to the left and right. It sounds fantastic! I'm like beyond surprised here. I must have really screwed the whole thing up when I ran it the first time. I have it on reference and I'm loving it.
My friend told me you can leave the mic in the same position for so 8 tests? True? I'm gonna get a tripod and try that.

 

[lovinthehd]

Ok I just ran Audyssey again and I only moved the mic to the left and right about 5-10 inches. I left it in MLP for in front and I put the mic on the back of the couch to the left and right. It sounds fantastic! I'm like beyond surprised here. I must have really screwed the whole thing up when I ran it the first time. I have it on reference and I'm loving it.
My friend told me you can leave the mic in the same position for so 8 tests? True? I'm gonna get a tripod and try that.

I'd vary the mic positions, more information is a good thing. I would use all the mic positions, tho. Glad to hear its working better now.

 

[Hetfield]

I'd vary the mic positions, more information is a good thing. I would use all the mic positions, tho. Glad to hear its working better now.

Are you not supposed to use Audyssey with 5.1 music? I'm listening to 5.1 music now and it sounds fantastic. Wow I'm blown away and intrigued here.
I guess the moral of the story is you can mess up Audyssey easy if you're not careful and it will make your system sound like poop.

 

[lovinthehd]

Are you not supposed to use Audyssey with 5.1 music? I'm listening to 5.1 music now and it sounds fantastic. Wow I'm blown away and intrigued here.
I guess the moral of the story is you can mess up Audyssey easy if you're not careful and it will make your system sound like poop.

I've generally had success with Audyssey. I leave it on much of the time for music and movies, and use DynamicEQ regularly as well (you might want to vary the Reference Level Offset between movies and music, tho.....here's Audyssey's take on it https://audyssey.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/212347383-Dynamic-EQ-and-Reference-Level). You mentioned using the reference setting, which is intended for movies and has a slight downturn of the highest frequencies; some prefer the flat/music mode instead. It's all a matter of preference.

 

[Hetfield]

I've generally had success with Audyssey. I leave it on much of the time for music and movies, and use DynamicEQ regularly as well (you might want to vary the Reference Level Offset between movies and music, tho.....here's Audyssey's take on it https://audyssey.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/212347383-Dynamic-EQ-and-Reference-Level). You mentioned using the reference setting, which is intended for movies and has a slight downturn of the highest frequencies; some prefer the flat/music mode instead. It's all a matter of preference.

Excellent, thank you. Really don't want to have to go and change things around for different types of listening material but I'll try it. Thanks for the link. I'm happy again with my HT!

 

[Trell]

Ok I just ran Audyssey again and I only moved the mic to the left and right about 5-10 inches. I left it in MLP for in front and I put the mic on the back of the couch to the left and right. It sounds fantastic! I'm like beyond surprised here. I must have really screwed the whole thing up when I ran it the first time. I have it on reference and I'm loving it.
My friend told me you can leave the mic in the same position for so 8 tests? True? I'm gonna get a tripod and try that.

Mic positioning is a bit trial and error prone to get a result one likes

What you can do is to save your setup, that also includes the calibration, so you can experiment with various mic layouts but still have at least one you like.

You can leave the mic in the same positions for the 8 tests but then you could just as well stop after the minimum of 3 as you would get the same result.

 

[Trell]

Are you not supposed to use Audyssey with 5.1 music? I'm listening to 5.1 music now and it sounds fantastic. Wow I'm blown away and intrigued here.
I guess the moral of the story is you can mess up Audyssey easy if you're not careful and it will make your system sound like poop.

Audyssey works just fine with 2.0 or 2.1 as well.

 

[ParisB]

Ok I just ran Audyssey again and I only moved the mic to the left and right about 5-10 inches. I left it in MLP for in front and I put the mic on the back of the couch to the left and right. It sounds fantastic! I'm like beyond surprised here. I must have really screwed the whole thing up when I ran it the first time. I have it on reference and I'm loving it.
My friend told me you can leave the mic in the same position for so 8 tests? True? I'm gonna get a tripod and try that.

I was going to say, anytime someone uses extreme adjectives for either AVR comparisons or Audyssey results, my first instinct is that they messed up a setting somewhere.

I'm convinced every AVR in th same quality tier is almost indistinguishable in a blind test. Also, Audyssey (XT32) works really well with bass management and does very little with the upper range and doesn't alter the sound signature. The app is nice, I like to turn off midrange compensation. I play with limiting correction but ultimately it sounds better full range.

Always use all 8 mic positions. Just move them around no more than 1 to 2 feet.