Hello

[mayho]

Newbie here, just purchased my TV, and speakers, wish I new about this site first. Love the TV, the speakers just are not giving me the sound I want in all stereo or surround modes. I'm thinking of upgrading the Integra. I went to a high end audio store today, is it worth it have someone calibrate my system? When watching movies I cannot hear the surround speakers after about two feet away. My room is 19' x 22'. sofa is in the middle of the room. I know these speakers should rock that room. help...please....Thank You.

 

[majorloser]

If you think you can handle spending a little bit of time and effort, you can calbrate pretty good yourself. There is some decent DVD based calibration discs on the market to handle both audio and video calibration. It's really pretty easy.

Digital Video Esentials:
http://www.videoessentials.com/DVD_NTSC.php

Avia:
http://www.ovationmultimedia.com/avia.html

Both system require you to buy a dB meter. An inexpensive analog meter from Radio Shack works just fine:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103668&cp=&sr=1&origkw=analog+meter&kw=analog+meter&parentPage=search

 

[Jack Hammer]

Newbie here, just purchased my TV, and speakers, wish I new about this site first. Love the TV, the speakers just are not giving me the sound I want in all stereo or surround modes. I'm thinking of upgrading the Integra. I went to a high end audio store today, is it worth it have someone calibrate my system? When watching movies I cannot hear the surround speakers after about two feet away. My room is 19' x 22'. sofa is in the middle of the room. I know these speakers should rock that room. help...please....Thank You.

Get a calibration disc and sound meter as recommended. They will really help quite a bit. I had similar problems with my surrounds, I just couldn't seem to hear them as much as I liked. I ended up moving them in and down about a foot and the difference has been dramatic. Try playing with the location, and level match them to the front.

Jack

 

[Haoleb]

I have calibrated my theater with the avia disc and SPL meter, I find that for most movies I dont really notice the surround sound too much. On others though its definetly there.. One movie that comes to mind is pearl harbor. It could be that you are just expecting to hear as much sound out of the surrounds as you do from the front speakers which just isint the case most of the time.

 

[flyv65]

I have calibrated my theater with the avia disc and SPL meter, I find that for most movies I dont really notice the surround sound too much. On others though its definetly there.. One movie that comes to mind is pearl harbor. It could be that you are just expecting to hear as much sound out of the surrounds as you do from the front speakers which just isint the case most of the time.

Try using one of the old stand-bys fro the surround effect: it's hard to beat the pod race from Phantom menace to see if you've balanvced everything out properly. One more note: if, once you've set up using the Avia or Digital Video Essentials disc, the sound doesn't seem quite right still, don't be afriad to "bump" the settings up or down slightly to see if you like it better. Sometimes we forget that setting the speaker balance is only accurate for the SPL, not for necessarily for you (i.e., where you sit, how you slouch, if you wedge pillows around yer noggin, etc.).

Bryan...HTH...

 

[zumbo]

http://www.svsound.com/products-parts-avia.cfm

 

[mayho]

Thanks. I'm more concerned about the output when I play all stereo. 20 years ago I remember hooking up 4 speakers to a reciever and getting equal sound out of them all. I went through the instructions on the receiver last night and tweaked a few things.

1. I adjusted the field, bringing the rear forward and pushing the front back. (I hope this makes sense)
2. Raised the surr. speaker level to +5 db, and cut the main and sub to +1 db.

Overall it sounded much better, but it was late.
I read so much on this site my head is spining. I could go by a new receiver or amp but I want to make sure I'm getting all I'm supposed to out of this setup.

Should I put the spikes on the floor speakers? I have tile floors. I really like clear highs and vocals over base. Will this help or hurt.

I went to a high end A/V store yesterday and I'm sick. Stuff out there I've never heard of. Magnepan? speakers. Oh my!!! Thanks for being here. Mayho

 

[zumbo]

There is NO WAY to calibrate your system by ear.

http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/setup/loudspeakers/settingspeakerlevelsdistan.php