Audyssey setup for dummies

[pseals68]

Finally got new system set up 3.1 with Denon AVR X 4700h, Polk R500 and SVS SB Pro 1000 have run Audyssey app multiple times and just doesn’t sound clear kind of muddled sounding. What am missing or doing wrong?

 

[lovinthehd]

Hard to know what you're experiencing from your description. Sharing full setup details as a result of a typical Audyssey setup might help. Some room details might help as well. Start with perhaps what particular content you're testing with, how many mic positions you used, what were resulting settings and what did you do to personalize?

 

[Swerd]

Finally got new system set up 3.1 with Denon AVR X 4700h, Polk R500 and SVS SB Pro 1000 have run Audyssey app multiple times and just doesn’t sound clear kind of muddled sounding. What am missing or doing wrong?

You might not be doing anything wrong.

Audyssey is good at detecting each speaker's distance from the microphone, adjusting each channel's delay times so sound arrives from all the speakers at the same time no matter where the speakers are located. Audyssey is also good at adjusting the loudness of each channel so all of them are equally loud.

Audyssey also tries to equalize the frequency response caused by different wall, ceiling & floor reflections as they affect each speaker. This effort isn't always successful – it depends on a lot of variables: speaker locations in a room, a listener's seating position, and the speaker's frequency response before any Audyssey correction. It also depends on your own preference. If you don't like the sound of your speakers after the Audyssey room reflection equalization, simply skip that part.

Here's a more detailed explanation.

Newbie looking for advice on setting up new AVR and speakers

I just bought a Denon AVR-X4700H with Polk Signature Elite ES 60 towers, ES 35 center and HTS 10 subwoofer to start a 3.1 system right now. Mainly listening to music and will work my way into more home theater experience going forward. A little over whelmed with Audyssey calibration and getting...

forums.audioholics.com

 

[Teetertotter?]

Before running Audy.....Did you put the subwoofer Volume/Gain at 1/2 level? Then after running Audy....come back and adjust the woofer gain/volume to your liking. You can always manually adjust each speaker, too.
Did you try the fronts faced straight out into the room and or face directly at your listening position, the run Audy? Back of subwoofer, there might be a knob labeled with an LFE setting. Put it to LFE. Just my thoughts.

 

[lovinthehd]

Before running Audy.....Did you put the subwoofer Volume/Gain at 1/2 level? Then after running Audy....come back and adjust the woofer gain/volume to your liking. You can always manually adjust each speaker, too.
Did you try the fronts faced straight out into the room and or face directly at your listening position, the run Audy? Back of subwoofer, there might be a knob labeled with an LFE setting. Put it to LFE. Just my thoughts.

The 50% thing is just a starting point, you still need to check the set sub trim level to see if it was a good starting point for your particular sub amp (e.g. if your resulting trim level in avr is set to -12 and that's the limit, ypical of many avrs, then the gain on the sub is too high and you need to lower gain on the sub and re-run Audssey).

Optimizing speaker toe-in/direction should be done before running Audyssey.

An lfe setting on a sub isn't always the same thing from make to make....but it can indicate it is taking the sub's own LPF out of the picture (but not always).

 

[pseals68]

The 50% thing is just a starting point, you still need to check the set sub trim level to see if it was a good starting point for your particular sub amp (e.g. if your resulting trim level in avr is set to -12 and that's the limit, ypical of many avrs, then the gain on the sub is too high and you need to lower gain on the sub and re-run Audssey).

Optimizing speaker toe-in/direction should be done before running Audyssey.

An lfe setting on a sub isn't always the same thing from make to make....but it can indicate it is taking the sub's own LPF out of the picture (but not always).

 

[lovinthehd]

There a reason you quoted my post? I don't see anything from you with it....

 

[j_garcia]

Audessey also cannot correct improperly placed speakers or a poorly chosen seating position. FIRST you should physically adjust the speakers so it already sounds OK to your ears before running Audessey.

Before running it, set the speakers to sub = yes, speakers small and 80Hz x-over as a starting point. It will likely adjust that x-over point based on your speakers and room.

 

[pseals68]

Thank you so much for the replies! I have a 15 x 15 room 9’ ceilings, with 1 wall facing the foyer and the other wall open to adjoining room. System and speakers are facing the foyer with a 9’ center spot for front stage. The sub is located next to my left front speaker. Also, curious about the SVS app and adjustments you can make. I’m streaming Tidal, mainly Steely Dan for the sound and movies. Been working on speaker placement, angles and DB levels. After some trial and error things are sounding much better. Just curious if it’s normal to have to increase volume for better sound and dialogue? You guys are amazing and love reading and learning!
Paul

 

[lovinthehd]

Generally speaking a bit more volume often is perceived as 'better". How far are your speakers from the front wall? How many sub positions have you experimented with?
Your seat is 9' from speakers?

 

[lovinthehd]

Audessey also cannot correct improperly placed speakers or a poorly chosen seating position. FIRST you should physically adjust the speakers so it already sounds OK to your ears before running Audessey.

Before running it, set the speakers to sub = yes, speakers small and 80Hz x-over as a starting point. It will likely adjust that x-over point based on your speakers and room.

Doesn't matter what you set the small/xover to before running Audyssey as it will simply override those settings (and the avr will override the general Audyssey suggestion of small/80hz xover). Definitely agree on optimizing speaker position first, tho.

 

[pseals68]

Generally speaking a bit more volume often is perceived as 'better". How far are your speakers from the front wall? How many sub positions have you experimented with?
Your seat is 9' from speakers?

Yes, not loud per say but bump to hear things better. Music 27 on receiver sounds good, movies/TV around 45 volume on receiver.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes, not loud per say but bump to hear things better. Music 27 on receiver sounds good, movies/TV around 45 volume on receiver.

Those volume settings seem a bit odd....especially if you are referring to the absolute scale (as would be fairly low in volume especially for music)....or do you mean -27 and -45 for the relative scale? https://support.denon.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/136/~/avr---audio---relative-and-absolute-volume-ranges

 

[pseals68]

Those volume settings seem a bit odd....especially if you are referring to the absolute scale (as would be fairly low in volume especially for music)....or do you mean -27 and -45 for the relative scale? https://support.denon.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/136/~/avr---audio---relative-and-absolute-volume-ranges

I’m not sure just what I see in the screen. Also, don’t mean loud but quality of sound

 

[pseals68]

I’m not sure just what I see in the screen. Also, don’t mean loud but quality of sound

Also, using the Denon app and it just says 45 no /+

 

[lovinthehd]

Also, using the Denon app and it just says 45 no /+

If it's the absolute scale then you don't see a "+", but if using the relative scale you would see the "-". 27 is an extremely low volume on the absolute scale, tho. Hard to know what you mean by quality of sound without more info in any case. You might re-run Audyssey to make sure it was a good run....I'd use all mic positions, starting with the first at your primary position at ear level and the rest in a circle about 1.5" in radius.....

You might try just changing scale to relative, as that's the most frequently one shared on the forum....

ps Don't use their app, but would think it would be the same as the general display properties of front panel/gui

 

[pseals68]

If it's the absolute scale then you don't see a "+", but if using the relative scale you would see the "-". 27 is an extremely low volume on the absolute scale, tho. Hard to know what you mean by quality of sound without more info in any case. You might re-run Audyssey to make sure it was a good run....I'd use all mic positions, starting with the first at your primary position at ear level and the rest in a circle about 1.5" in radius.....

You might try just changing scale to relative, as that's the most frequently one shared on the forum....

ps Don't use their app, but would think it would be the same as the general display properties of front panel/gui

I mean the quality of the sound produced is enjoyable to my nonprofessional hearing. Thank you for all the input and will continue to work on speaker placement, angles and take the information gained and rerun Audyssey some more. I don’t understand all the tech talk yet, but love learning.

 

[lovinthehd]

I mean the quality of the sound produced is enjoyable to my nonprofessional hearing. Thank you for all the input and will continue to work on speaker placement, angles and take the information gained and rerun Audyssey some more. I don’t understand all the tech talk yet, but love learning.

In order to really share your subjective experience, you'll need to expand on how it was determined. We have a lot of anecdotal stuff where someone preferred something, but without any actual reasoning/proof behind it. This is the bane of audio generally....placebos make a huge part of audio compoent 'choice' under less than ideal conditions. But can satisfy you.

 

[pseals68]

In order to really share your subjective experience, you'll need to expand on how it was determined. We have a lot of anecdotal stuff where someone preferred something, but without any actual reasoning/proof behind it. This is the bane of audio generally....placebos make a huge part of audio compoent 'choice' under less than ideal conditions. But can satisfy you.

 

[lovinthehd]

I still think you don't know how to use the "quote" button?