Setup Help PLEASE

[lovinthehd]

I have a Denon AVR-S940H. If I set the volume on the receiver less than 75 the SPL meter would not achieve 80d.

Do you have extremely low sensitivity speakers? Why don't you run Audyssey ? If anything I'd run it and see if it does better than your manual setup....

 

[HTfreak2004]

Holy old thread revival! 12 year old thread....

It depends. What receiver do you have? Why would you set it to 75 then calibrate to 80? I'd not want my trim levels so high, particularly not needing the maximum....

I had my glass eye and pirate patch on didn’t even notice the OP date

 

[GuitarPicker]

Check your crossover level on the sub amp. Your manual states 40 hz - 120 hz with frequency response +/- 3 db from 23 hz - 120 hz

Turn the crossover on the sub amp to maximum to defeat the crossover.

From there set the LFE inside your receiver to 120 hz and with all speakers set to small set the group crossover to 80 hz.

Ensure you have the phase control of your sub at 0 degrees to start. If your sub amp does not have a phase knob and the receiver does then do it inside the Receiver sub settings.

Be sure to set the correct distance to your listening seat for each speaker and calibrate the speaker levels using the factory test tone(pink noise). It’s best to use a tripod with the spl meter set at c weighted slow. (At eat height seated)

Usually with a sub you may need to use RTA as low frequencies are more difficult to level match but the spl does a reasonable job so don’t stress!

If bass seems weak adjuste phase control until it sounds solid. If bass still seems weak check to see if your receiver had a bass peak limiter and adjust it. If it doesn’t perhaps the sub is not in an ideal position causing you to be seated in a bass weak position(known as a bass null).

Try placing sub in desired listening position and crawl around your room like a dog to hear where bass sounds solid not booming. Place sub there and reset the sub distance to listening position as well as level to match the other speakers and your basically finished.

I had performed all the steps above except for the crossover on the sub.I still have the same results. Volume on receiver set at 75 and each speaker level is at 10+ to achieve 80db. The sound is great. I may try to run audyssey again and se e which one sounds better.

 

[GuitarPicker]

Do you have extremely low sensitivity speakers? Why don't you run Audyssey ? If anything I'd run it and see if it does better than your manual setup....

Sensitivity is 88.5db.

 

[HTfreak2004]

I had performed all the steps above except for the crossover on the sub.I still have the same results. Volume on receiver set at 75 and each speaker level is at 10+ to achieve 80db. The sound is great. I may try to run audyssey again and se e which one sounds better.

It sounds like you haven’t setup your max volume level or it is set to low causing you to increase the gain for each speaker.

Or did you simply sit in your main seat and use the SPL meter to level match each speaker to 80 db? Which required you to turn them up +10 db each?

 

[GuitarPicker]

Is there a suggested volume level on the receiver that you need to set it to before doing a manual set up? You have to crank the pink noise up or you would never hit the 80db threshold. The higher the volume level should require less channel level.

 

[GuitarPicker]

It sounds like you haven’t setup your max volume level or it is set to low causing you to increase the gain for each speaker.

Or did you simply sit in your main seat and use the SPL meter to level match each speaker to 80 db? Which required you to turn them up +10 db each?

Not sure if I understand max volume? Volume level is 0-98. I had it turned up to 75 before manual set up. Should the volume be turned all the way up and each channel set to zero before using the spl?

 

[HTfreak2004]

Is there a suggested volume level on the receiver that you need to set it to before doing a manual set up? You have to crank the pink noise up or you would never hit the 80db threshold. The higher the volume level should require less channel level.

Usually without any source material playback go into settings for max volume. Set that to “0” unless your receiver uses absolute scale. 1-99

The receiver should have a factory pink noise set somewhere between 75-80 db. 40” from speaker at tweeter height.

When you sit in your main seat your determining the db loss for each channel. Add or subtract gain for each channel to level match. I use 85 but usually it’s recommended to use 75.

Many run their sub around 5 db hot mine is level with mains instead. Others choose to increase their centre 2-3 db hot for dialogue intelligibility.

All bass and treble gains should be flat and all on the fly channel gains should be flat as well when calibrating each channel!

 

[HTfreak2004]

Not sure if I understand max volume? Volume level is 0-98. I had it turned up to 75 before manual set up. Should the volume be turned all the way up and each channel set to zero before using the spl?

Max say 98 db on absolute scale is just that.

The pink noise is factory set and you have to use the spl meter at 1 meter from your tweeter or 40” to determine what was set at the factory. Sit in you main seat afterwards to determine how much volume is lost in DB per channel and add gain to restore to 75 up to 85 but don’t go any more than 85.

This usually applies to the reference “0” scale with the 1-98 scale I’m not familiar so you may need to google that or hopefully another member knows that scale!

 

[lovinthehd]

Why are you dialing in a volume setting of 75dB (absolute scale) then calibrating that as if it were 80db, tho? Why aren't you setting based on 75dB? I checked your 940's manual, it does not indicate instructions on what the test tone is particularly or if it even varies with master volume control (some are fixed level and you'd calibrate to 75dB). I assume your test tones do vary with volume control since you're asking about that, or am I misunderstanding?

ps You might just confirm your manual setup routine. The low pass filter on your sub should be maxed out, and if plugged into the LFE input it may even do that automatically.

 

[Pogre]

Check your crossover level on the sub amp. Your manual states 40 hz - 120 hz with frequency response +/- 3 db from 23 hz - 120 hz

Turn the crossover on the sub amp to maximum to defeat the crossover.

From there set the LFE inside your receiver to 120 hz and with all speakers set to small set the group crossover to 80 hz.

Ensure you have the phase control of your sub at 0 degrees to start. If your sub amp does not have a phase knob and the receiver does then do it inside the Receiver sub settings.

Be sure to set the correct distance to your listening seat for each speaker and calibrate the speaker levels using the factory test tone(pink noise). It’s best to use a tripod with the spl meter set at c weighted slow. (At eat height seated)

Usually with a sub you may need to use RTA as low frequencies are more difficult to level match but the spl does a reasonable job so don’t stress!

If bass seems weak adjuste phase control until it sounds solid. If bass still seems weak check to see if your receiver had a bass peak limiter and adjust it. If it doesn’t perhaps the sub is not in an ideal position causing you to be seated in a bass weak position(known as a bass null).

Try placing sub in desired listening position and crawl around your room like a dog to hear where bass sounds solid not booming. Place sub there and reset the sub distance to listening position as well as level to match the other speakers and your basically finished.

You realize you're replying to a 12 year old post, right..? lol

 

[lovinthehd]

You realize you're replying to a 12 year old post, right..? lol

We noted that before but the guy he's responding to was the one that revived it....

 

[HTfreak2004]

You realize you're replying to a 12 year old post, right..? lol

Yes but this guy started it I’m just on the wagon

 

[Pogre]

Not sure if I understand max volume? Volume level is 0-98. I had it turned up to 75 before manual set up. Should the volume be turned all the way up and each channel set to zero before using the spl?

You should run the setup routine and go from there. Audyssey will set your trim levels and distances for you. You can use a SPL meter to check its accuracy but the only trim I usually bump is for the subwoofers. You shouldn't have to be going in and raising everything. I'm a little confused as to where you got the idea and what, exactly you're doing, lol.

 

[GuitarPicker]

Usually without any source material playback go into settings for max volume. Set that to “0” unless your receiver uses absolute scale. 1-99

The receiver should have a factory pink noise set somewhere between 75-80 db. 40” from speaker at tweeter height.

When you sit in your main seat your determining the db loss for each channel. Add or subtract gain for each channel to level match. I use 85 but usually it’s recommended to use 75.

Many run their sub around 5 db hot mine is level with mains instead. Others choose to increase their centre 2-3 db hot for dialogue intelligibility.

All bass and treble gains should be flat and all on the fly channel gains should be flat as well when calibrating each channel!

Thanks for the help HTfreak2004! I recalibrated everything and it brought each channel level down @ 5db. Put in the CREED on my Sony 4K player and it definitely sounds better than the Audyssey set up. May need to tweak the sub a little. Thanks again!

 

[Pogre]

We noted that before but the guy he's responding to was the one that revived it....

I realized that after I saw him respond to you responding to the op responding to a 12 year old post after I already responded...

 

[HTfreak2004]

You should run the setup routine and go from there. Audyssey will set your trim levels and distances for you. You can use a SPL meter to check it's accuracy but the only trim I usually bump is for the subwoofers. You shouldn't have to be going in and raising everything. I'm a little confused as to where you got the idea and what, exactly you're doing, lol.

Welcome to the wagon on confusion Just as old as my relationship with my wife

 

[GuitarPicker]

You should run the setup routine and go from there. Audyssey will set your trim levels and distances for you. You can use a SPL meter to check its accuracy but the only trim I usually bump is for the subwoofers. You shouldn't have to be going in and raising everything. I'm a little confused as to where you got the idea and what, exactly you're doing, lol.

Got the idea from reading up on Audyssey and the Youthman video on youtube. I agree with Youthman that my system seemed to open up when I did the manual setup or maybe it's just my imagination? lol...

 

[HTfreak2004]

Thanks for the help HTfreak2004! I recalibrated everything and it brought each channel level down @ 5db. Put in the CREED on my Sony 4K player and it definitely sounds better than the Audyssey set up. May need to tweak the sub a little. Thanks again!

With sub start by matching your main speakers since you normally use them for 2 channel source material! For movies just adjust the sub on the fly gain 2-5 db if you need it otherwise leave everything as is and play around with sub location for more solid bass not boomy bass!

 

[HTfreak2004]

Got the idea from reading up on Audyssey and the Youthman video on youtube. I agree with Youthman that my system seemed to open up when I did the manual setup or maybe it's just my imagination? lol...

No it’s more personal using manual setup! Audyssey is in its glory for Atmos or multi subs but with 5.1 manual is more than good enough!