AccuEQ reviewed by Amir at AudioScienceReview!

[KEW]

FYI!
I don't know the AccuEQ hierarchy, but this is one of Onkyo's best pre-pros

Onkyo AccuEQ Room EQ Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Onkyo AccuEQ room/speaker equalization. I tested it as part of the Onkyo PR-RZ5100 AV Processor which I recently reviewed. The capability may be different in different models. The setup is too messy to show the picture of it. Indeed my...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Is he giving any subjective opinions about the sound quality of any EQ systems (Dirac, Audyssey, etc.)?

We know EQs can flatten the curves, but is he giving his opinions on actual sound and not just graphs?

 

[PENG]

Is he giving any subjective opinions about the sound quality of any EQ systems (Dirac, Audyssey, etc.)?

We know EQs can flatten the curves, but is he giving his opinions on actual sound and not just graphs?

He did, without subwoofer, just his Salon2.

Very brief though.

He said:

AccuEQ Room EQ Listening Tests

I performed all of my listening tests post calibration but prior to making or seeing the measurements. The standing wave effect was subtle but positive. The measurements show why: reduction of that high peak at 105 Hz even by just 1 dB has a good effect in reducing boominess a bit and allowing more details in the higher end spectrum to be heard.

Turning both modes on was mostly positive. Again, measurements show that the room modes were reduced further which helps fair bit. Sucking out the mid-range is not good of course so this is a bit of a mixed bag. "

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

He did, without subwoofer, just his Salon2.

Very brief though.

He said:

So he actually liked the sound ("subtle") of the AcuEQ?

 

[KEW]

Is he giving any subjective opinions about the sound quality of any EQ systems (Dirac, Audyssey, etc.)?

We know EQs can flatten the curves, but is he giving his opinions on actual sound and not just graphs?

My take-aways were:
1) I thought it was neat that this system allowed you to select if you want to address room modes, general EQ, or both!
2) It was not nearly as aggressive as it should have been with a room mode that Amir had!
3) However, even the -1dB (it looks like about 15dB would have been more ideal) was worthwhile because of the way bass gets out of control (I interpret this to reflect the non-linear behavior of resonance)
4) AccuEQ only measures 1 position (unlike most others which measure a region)

 

[KEW]

So he actually liked the sound ("subtle") of the AcuEQ?

Yes, but coached it as ... if this is the only way you have to address room modes, it is better than nothing.
The net result was an improvement, but not enough to properly address room modes!
As I read it, he did not really discuss the general room EQ so much as the room mode EQ!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yes, but coached it as ... if this is the only way you have to address room modes, it is better than nothing.
The net result was an improvement, but not enough to properly address room modes!
As I read it, he did not really discuss the general room EQ so much as the room mode EQ!

So he thinks Auto-EQ slightly improved room modes, but not really say much about the total sound quality of Auto-EQ vs Direct?

 

[KEW]

So he thinks Auto-EQ slightly improved room modes, but not really say much about the total sound quality of Auto-EQ vs Direct?

It is fair to say that that is my interpretation!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Would be a little interesting to see him review and compare all the available auto-EQ software.

 

[PENG]

So he actually liked the sound ("subtle") of the AcuEQ?

I don't think so. He likes Dirac and may be okay with Lyngdorf's RoomPerfect, and now Audyssey after he reviewed the x3600h.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I don't think so. He likes Dirac and may be okay with Anthem' ARC, and now Audyssey after he reviewed the x3600h.

Did he ever flat out say, "Wow, I absolutely love the sound of Dirac - it sounds so much better than Direct Mode or any EQ!"

 

[lovinthehd]

Whoopee.

 

[KEW]

I don't think so. He likes Dirac and may be okay with Anthem' ARC, and now Audyssey after he reviewed the x3600h.

Agreed! He did not like AccuEQ in the sense that he would choose it for his own system!
He said it was better than nothing.
Of course, listening to audio on a portable transistor radio from the 60's is better than nothing!

 

[KEW]

Did he ever flat out say, "Wow, I absolutely love the sound of Dirac - it sounds so much better than Direct Mode or any EQ!"

I searched his website for that quote, and it seems he never said that!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I searched his website for that quote, and it seems he never said that!

Now when he says, "Better than nothing", does he mean "Direct or Pure Direct" modes?

Because "some" of us have a hard time believing that anything is better than Pure Direct mode in terms of the midrange and treble.

Maybe better in the bass region, but not midrange and treble.

 

[KEW]

Did he ever flat out say, "Wow, I absolutely love the sound of Dirac - it sounds so much better than Direct Mode or any EQ!"

He did say this about Audyssey XT32 (the bold typeface is Amir's, not mine):

Anyway, I told it to upload the data to the AVR which took a bit. Once there, the results were superb! The sound out of my system was now reference quality, pinning me down to my seat listening to track after track from my "audiophile" playlist. Room modes were gone and the deep, floor shaking bass that I expect from my Salon 2 speakers were back with the new target curve. Detail was to die for. Bass was clean. On and on.

 

[KEW]

Now when he says, "Better than nothing", does he mean "Direct or Pure Direct" modes?

Because "some" of us have a hard time believing that anything is better than Pure Direct mode in terms of the midrange and treble.

Maybe better in the bass region, but not midrange and treble.

Like I said, he seemed to emphasize the room mode corrections, not general room EQ.
So he is saying "Yes" (not maybe) better in the bass region!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

He did say this about Audyssey XT32:
"The sound out of my system was now reference quality, pinning me down to my seat listening to track after track from my "audiophile" playlist. Room modes were gone and the deep, floor shaking bass that I expect from my Salon 2 speakers were back with the new target curve. Detail was to die for. Bass was clean. On and on."

Damn he sounds like Jon Atkinson from Stereophile.

 

[PENG]

Agreed! He did not like it in the sense that he would choose it for his own system!
He said it was better than nothing.
Of course, listening to audio on a portable transistor radio from the 60's is better than nothing!

You are talking about AccuEQ right?

 

[KEW]

You are talking about AccuEQ right?

Right!
Thanks, I went back and edited to remove any ambiguity.