Audyssey commentary.

[Davemcc]

I might be the odd man out, but I think I don't like Audyssey. I ran Audyssey and lived with it a while but it seemed to ruin my system's bass and two channel sound quality. It sounded reverberated or echoey or some other word to describe it. Sound without it is clearer and more distinct. The bass virtually disappeared. I knew the sub was working properly because I could hear it when I turned it louder but it still sounded "odd". I could not get a decent bass tune even with the SMS-1. Now that I turned it off, the sound is clear and distinct, the bass is more natural and the bass FR is much easier to tune.

When I initially ran Audyssey, I had to run it for a minimum of three positions due to Integra's design. Because I only have one good seating location in my primitive multi-use living room, I left the mic in the same position for all three samples. Technically, it should get three identical readings and be optimized for at least that seat. In the past, I tried Audyssey for my three main seating locations but because two of those seats are outside of the space between the speakers, those samples were buggered from the start and created a bad reverb effect. I haven't found a way to run Audyssey to make it more desirable than just running straight through.

 

[jostenmeat]

You ain't the only one, Dave! There are a few who I respect quite a bit who also were not happy with the results. This is being said from Audyssey Fanboy #1 at this site, perhaps.

That said, it is ALWAYS recommended to do all 8 measurements for XT. Also, when you did 3, was it always in the exact same spot? This really matters...

Because part of the strength of this tech is averaging out all the modes and reflections all around the room. Unless your head is seriously in a vise, and you only listen with ONE of your two ears, you need to measure all around, even if just one seated position. I've even heard one rec of doing something like: 1 at position 2 behind position 3 pos 4 front of pos 5 pos 6 left 7 pos 8 right.

Anyhoo, sorry man. If you have questions about running Audyssey with SMS1, rmk is the first I guy I think of here.

 

[Davemcc]

I did try it once with 8 positions and wasn't happy with the results. The last time, it was with the mic in exactly the same spot for all three samples.

The first part of the setup sequence I did was to use the SMS-1 just to establish a relative volume match for the sub. Then I ran Audyssey and tried to fine tune afterwards with the SMS-1. I found my sliders and Q's all over the map to try and get the FR reasonbly flat but the results still sounded as if the signal itself were corrupted. Almost as if Audyssey was phasing the signal to get sound to arrive at different places at different times.

 

[mike c]

i have the audyssey on both my 3808's off. i'll try to run them again as soon as i get my AS-EQ1 (which will effectively shield my sub from the bass killing action of the Audyssey in receivers)

 

[Davemcc]

i have the audyssey on both my 3808's off. i'll try to run them again as soon as i get my AS-EQ1 (which will effectively shield my sub from the bass killing action of the Audyssey in receivers)

But will that help if Audyssey is corrupting the signal by multi-phasing the source signal?

 

[mike c]

But will that help if Audyssey is corrupting the signal by multi-phasing the source signal?

note for this thread: audyssey will henceforth be known as AS

basically, the AS EQ1 will trick the AS in the receiver into thinking that the subwoofer has a perfect FR, Phase and what not, so the AS in the receiver will not try to mess with the subwoofer frequencies.

 

[Davemcc]

basically, the AS EQ1 will trick the AS in the receiver into thinking that the subwoofer has a perfect FR, Phase and what not, so the AS in the receiver will not try to mess with the subwoofer frequencies.

That's a trick pony if I've ever seen one.

 

[Exit]

Referenced below is a thread on Audyssey from the AVS forum. A number of people have had poor results on initial startup, but many of them have worked out their issues through the thread, which has advice from one of the Audyssey inventors - Chris. There also is a general setup procedure guide which was derived through practical experience. Don't give up without giving this forum a try, because a lot of people report great improvement with Audyssey.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=795421

Also, SVS is going to sell an Audyssey stand-alone processor which can process two subwoofers properly. That SVS should market an Audyssey-based processor is an indicator that Audyssey is to be taken seriously, as if the receiver companies endorsements were not enough.

 

[rnatalli]

I personally don't like Audyssey either. If it does indeed flatten the sound, then I simply like colored sound and there's nothing wrong with that

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I do not use Audyssey on my AVR-5308CI as well.

The sound feels "compressed" or something - just doesn't sound "right" to me.

 

[mperfct]

Do you guys who don't like Audyssey have a substantial amount of room treatments? I'm interested in how much interaction there is between the two.

Thanks~

 

[Davemcc]

Referenced below is a thread on Audyssey from the AVS forum.

Wow, 431 pages and almost 13,000 posts. It may prove impossible to extract any usable information from the gigantic mass of posts. It's like finding a needle in a stack of needles. That's why I like the pithy commentary on AH. It's easier on my brain.

 

[Davemcc]

Do you guys who don't like Audyssey have a substantial amount of room treatments? I'm interested in how much interaction there is between the two.

Thanks~

I have two 7' tall triangular corner traps in two front corners and two small panels behind each main. I also have one small panel midway on the right wall. The left wall is a large picture window. The room is an acoustic nightmare to begin with and my treatments are less than ideal but I can barely stand listening to the system without them.

 

[sholling]

I'll be contrarian and say that within limits I've found that AS gives a nice starting point, however it's not perfect. I had to change subwoofer placement because it over emphasized it in the original location. I've also had to alter crossover points for each speaker. Like I said it's a good starting point.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Do you guys who don't like Audyssey have a substantial amount of room treatments? I'm interested in how much interaction there is between the two.

Thanks~

I have only 4 acoustic panels, and I don't even think they do very much at all in my room!

I do have a 15 ft ceiling, carpet floor, 2 sofas, & some drapes.

 

[mike c]

Do you guys who don't like Audyssey have a substantial amount of room treatments? I'm interested in how much interaction there is between the two.

Thanks~

i have Gik panels:
6 244's
6 242's
2 tri traps

 

[lsiberian]

AS is great and should always be done with 8 measurements in a grid around the primary listening position. Using a tripod or some tall boxes is a must.

If run properly it is great starting point for home theater.

For music it's a waste and shouldn't be used at all IMO.

Tweaks will be required afterward to suit your ears biases. But I suggest you run it and then tweak your settings. Room acoustics can wreak havoc on AS, but if you have a standard room I think it is generally helpful.

Don't try to setup multiple listening positions. This is a waste of time. IMO.

Remember you are an Audiophile so you may not even need AS. Some folks do.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

For music it's (AS) a waste and shouldn't be used at all IMO.

I agree with that.

I also think that if it is a waste for music, then it is also a waste for movies.

I mean how much could AS improve on the movies? Does it give you better surround effects?

 

[jostenmeat]

Referenced below is a thread on Audyssey from the AVS forum. A number of people have had poor results on initial startup, but many of them have worked out their issues through the thread, which has advice from one of the Audyssey inventors - Chris. There also is a general setup procedure guide which was derived through practical experience. Don't give up without giving this forum a try, because a lot of people report great improvement with Audyssey.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=795421

From that first post there is the setup guide by giomania
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=14456895&postcount=5701

Also, the Denon guru batpig has a page for AS
http://batpigworld.com/audyssey.html

For music it's a waste and shouldn't be used at all IMO.

I highly disagree.

Don't try to setup multiple listening positions. This is a waste of time. IMO.

?

I agree with that.

I also think that if it is a waste for music, then it is also a waste for movies.

I mean how much could AS improve on the movies? Does it give you better surround effects?

Even my mch classical music blurays sound better. I'm so enamored with this tech, that I IMMEDIATELY started to look towards two channel solutions for the stereo. Unfortunately, the economies scale are such that we don't find things like AS XT in 2ch products, at least for anything affordable that I am aware of. Of course there's the standalone $2,000 SEQ, but, IMO, HT folks are lucky in this regard to be able to profit with much less invested.

mperfct's question was only directed to those who did NOT like AS, but I am using 9 panels, extensive heavy curtaining, rugs on top of carpet, decent space from all boundaries. I have to think long and hard between AS and treatments, as to which provided greater benefits. They both helped substantially, IMO.

While there are those who obviously dislike this tech quite a bit, OTOH, there are those who have done extensive measuring, built their own filters, and STILL prefer AS' results. Then others who have compared their own calibrations directly with those of AS, and they find the results to be pretty darn identical. One method requires laptop, tons of time, and knowledge, and the other method required of me 26 minutes of sitting around while chugging a beer.

Anyways, for movies, one of the surprise benefits for me was how much clearer dialogue became at the extremes of my seating. I thought that a horiz mtm center speaker, positioned too low to boot, would be insurmountable. I don't why or how this worked, but perhaps there were too many masking/overhanging frequencies/reflections covering up the dialogue range that got cleaned up. It's one possibility I suppose.

edit: I like it so much, I contacted a fellow AVSer who is somewhat local and does Pro calibrations. Of the number of things he told me, he says that he uses Rives Audio Analyzer ETF, (Energy Time Frequency) and BARE, Bass And Room Evaluator before and after Pro cal. He put great emphasis on furniture placement, and he also thinks that newer versions of AS will shortly be here, which doesn't excite me TOO much since that means more classes.

 

[Midcow2]

My Audyssey Trip

....That said, it is ALWAYS recommended to do all 8 measurements for XT. Also, when you did 3, was it always in the exact same spot? This really matters...
.....

Just curious, why are all 8 measurements needed ? I have gone to taking a completely different approach, I only take one(1) Audyssey measurement from the place I will be listening from. mainly to pick up the speaker's distances. Then I use manual setting and an SPL meter to set each speaker level. I like a little boost in the subwoofer so I set the SPL level accordingly. maybe I am doing it wrong, but I like the end result

Good Luck,

Midcow2