Denon 3805 Auto-EQ setup

[BoseMan]

Guys,

Anyone used the omni-Mic with the Denon 3805 with the auto-setup feature? How well does this work and any there are good tips?

thx
pete

 

[warpdrive]

Just follow the instructions in the manual or read this: http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/Denon-AVR3805_review05.php

It's pretty easy, and it works great.

How does it work? Simply put, it plays some test signals, analyzes it through the microphone and adjusts the receiver for the best sound quality and settings for your room and speakers.

For most systems that have a subwoofer, you probably want to set the crossover to 80Hz and speaker size to small.

 

[Zarg]

Not so Fast

Guys,

Anyone used the omni-Mic with the Denon 3805 with the auto-setup feature? How well does this work and any there are good tips?

thx
pete

I used the mic & the auto set-up feature. If you scan the Audioholics 3805 review, you will quickly note that Denon has some room for improvement in this area. I concur.

The auto setup measured the speaker distances incorrectly and, in my view, inaccurately EQ'd the speakers. I would advocate a manual set up process.

If you have to use the mic, make sure you use a compatible holder or somehow suspend it. Avoid sound reflections from things like sofas & chairs -- unless that is your room set up. Avoid extraneous noises, like kids crying or loud burping. And try to get your body out of the sound environment, as well. Hide behind a sofa or -- better yet -- leave the room altogether.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jason Coleman]

I've actually found that the mic and the auto-eq feature work exceptionally well. You don't need to seal off the room or barricade yourself, simply don't stand between the speakers and the mic. As far as finding something to set it up on, try a simple camera tripod...the mic is fitted with the female threading for the universal camera mount and with a tripod you can adjust the height and maybe even set it up solidly on your couch where you actually sit. This isn't brain surgery...

As far as the measurements, the mic located my speakers within 2" of their actual locations. The only challenge that people seem to have is that it places the subwoofer farther away than it should be...but that's easily fixed by going in and adjusting the parameters. For $65 it does much more than a Rat Shack SPL in that it actually compensates for room characteristics, speaker frequency response, and distance and leaves all of the results easily modifiable. Additionally, it's easy as hell to use and pretty quick, too!

Jason

 

[Red]

I just set up my new 3805 last night. The Auto EQ and omini mic work very well - with a few tweaks. Mine also set the subwoofer distance further than it really is as well as my left surround - probably due to room acoustics - but this is easily modified if you want to do it through the manual set up. Use it in conjunction with a SPL from Radio Shack and you will get very even levels from you speakers

 

[ericlhyman]

I read a review that stated this process always sets front speakers to large. Is there a way to have it treat front speakers as small and generate correct settings?

 

[Zarg]

Tweaks?

I just set up my new 3805 last night. The Auto EQ and omini mic work very well - with a few tweaks. Mine also set the subwoofer distance further than it really is as well as my left surround - probably due to room acoustics - but this is easily modified if you want to do it through the manual set up. Use it in conjunction with a SPL from Radio Shack and you will get very even levels from you speakers

Hey Red, I appreciate your input (no pun intended). But I have to ask, if you have to do a manual set up in conjunction with a Radio Shack SPL, how can you say that the auto set up feature works "very well"? Not trying to get in your face here ... but c'mon. Isn't the WHOLE PURPOSE of the auto set-up to avoid that very process?

Speaking only for me, and my personal experience, I was very disappointed with a system that claims to be automatic, but inaccurately measures speaker distance and thus requires manual intervention.

Doesn't mean that the 3805 isn't a great A/V receiver -- it is! I like mine a lot. But if somebody is looking for a good & accurate auto set-up, I would recommend that they look somewhere else. Not everybody is comfortable with an SPL meter.... and those folks should understand what the 3805 can, and cannot, do for them.

Regards

 

[Jason Coleman]

Other than maybe adjusting the distance that the 3805 measures your subwoofer at, what other tweaks are you referring to? I'd guess that the majority of 3805 owners find their auto-eq settings spot-on and leave them alone. If anything, they might "move" their sub closer by adjusting the measured distance. Other than that, what's your complaint? Is YPAO or MCACC superior to Denon's Auto-EQ and, if so, in what regard? Other than a true calibration and testing, which might be beyond the abilities/interests of many, what do you suggest as an alternative?

Jason

 

[sjdgpt]

There is a note in the owners manual of the 2805 regarding subwoofer distance.

I don't have the manual in front of me, but as my memory serves me, the manual says due to electronics (I suspect meaning circuits and cables) the subwoofer may "measure" an inaccurate distance... but is still the proper setting.

My 2805 absolutely nailed the distances of the other speakers.

 

[gene]

I would use caution when using the auto EQ of this receiver, as well as the Yamaha and Pioneer equivalents. So far the only system we found to have enough precision and accuracy for room EQ above 100Hz is the new Audyssey system found in the Denon AVR-5805 and 4806.

The other auto eq's are good for tailoring the sound, but mileage may vary. Also, the AVR-3805 doesn't crossover point or speaker size to my knowledge. For most home theater setups, the small setting all around is the way to go.

 

[shokhead]

On my 2805,it got the distance fine but for the sub,it was only off by 4 feet. Also the levels were all above 80db. Thats right,sets the fronts to large so if you change them to small,it throws the eq off. I set them to small and left the eq off.

 

[Jason Coleman]

...the AVR-3805 doesn't crossover point or speaker size to my knowledge...

The 3805 doesn't automatically assign a crossover frequency, but it will determine whether your speakers are "large" or "small." Agreed that most HT setups should use the "small" setting. If the 3805 determines that your speakers are "large," as it did with my Studio 100's, simply go into "Speaker Configuration" and change them to "small." I run mine small with DVD's and Multi-Channel music and let the sub do the hard work, but I run them "large" w/o the sub for 2-channel music.

Jason

 

[se7en]

do they sell other brands of mics at other home audio stores like best buy etc.... ? if so is it better just to get the denon mic?

 

[Jason Coleman]

For the $60 that you can easily get the Denon mic for, it is well worth it. It's tripod mountable and comes with a very long cord for easy setup.

Jason