F

Fowl

Audioholic
Hi All,

I was reading the manual for my Pioneer VSX53 and it suggested to level match the speakers, but it did not suggest a decibel. But I have always read that they should all be set at 75db.

Why is that? would it not also be fine to level match all the speakers at say 85db and also play louder with the receiver volume turned up less?

Perhaps I missed something, thus my question.
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
Whether the receiver is set for 75 db or 85 db as the reference, when it's playing at 85 db it's playing just as hard and bucking up against it's maximum level either way.
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
Hi All,

I was reading the manual for my Pioneer VSX53 and it suggested to level match the speakers, but it did not suggest a decibel. But I have always read that they should all be set at 75db.

Why is that? would it not also be fine to level match all the speakers at say 85db and also play louder with the receiver volume turned up less?

Perhaps I missed something, thus my question.
To give a bit more info on this, the calibration level depends on two things, in essence: test tone level referenced to full scale level and what spl can you stand in your home when calibration.

Because of the latter, 75 dB spl was used with a signal of -30dB FS. this is more comfortable over time as you go through the channels, perhaps several times in a row. 85 dB spl constantly is pretty loud.

Theater calibration is done at 85n dB spl with -20dB FS signal.
 
F

Fowl

Audioholic
To give a bit more info on this, the calibration level depends on two things, in essence: test tone level referenced to full scale level and what spl can you stand in your home when calibration.

Because of the latter, 75 dB spl was used with a signal of -30dB FS. this is more comfortable over time as you go through the channels, perhaps several times in a row. 85 dB spl constantly is pretty loud.

Theater calibration is done at 85n dB spl with -20dB FS signal.
I think I get is now. So in essence, any one can be used.
 
F

Fowl

Audioholic
To give a bit more info on this, the calibration level depends on two things, in essence: test tone level referenced to full scale level and what spl can you stand in your home when calibration.

Because of the latter, 75 dB spl was used with a signal of -30dB FS. this is more comfortable over time as you go through the channels, perhaps several times in a row. 85 dB spl constantly is pretty loud.

Theater calibration is done at 85n dB spl with -20dB FS signal.
I went ahead and calibrated my speakers to 85db and in my opinion it has a more seemless sound across the front stage. Of course that will all change when I get my VGT and VGC.
 
M

MDS

Audioholic Spartan
I went ahead and calibrated my speakers to 85db and in my opinion it has a more seemless sound across the front stage. Of course that will all change when I get my VGT and VGC.
What source of test tones did you use?

If you used the receiver's test tones it is now +10 dB too hot (although you may very well like it that way). If 0 were the reference volume setting, you'd now need to set it to -10 to be at Dolby reference level.

Calibrating to 'reference level' is really only for movies although getting each channel roughly equal benefits all sources. As a typical movie soundtrack has an average level of -30 dBFS and the receiver's test tones are also at that level, you want the SPL meter to show 75 dB: 75 + 30 = 105 dB = reference level.

Keep in mind that a source with a much higher average level, for example CD, will be MUCH louder at the same volume setting.
 
P

Pio

Audiophyte
What source of test tones did you use?

If you used the receiver's test tones it is now +10 dB too hot (although you may very well like it that way). If 0 were the reference volume setting, you'd now need to set it to -10 to be at Dolby reference level.

Calibrating to 'reference level' is really only for movies although getting each channel roughly equal benefits all sources. As a typical movie soundtrack has an average level of -30 dBFS and the receiver's test tones are also at that level, you want the SPL meter to show 75 dB: 75 + 30 = 105 dB = reference level.

Keep in mind that a source with a much higher average level, for example CD, will be MUCH louder at the same volume setting.
Very helpful! Thanks!
 

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