Quick question

[drunkmunk]

I purchased a yamaha 5960 and set it up. I ran the auto calibrate and it sounds great. the only fault i've found with it so far (other than I hate the remote) is that seems like I have to turn it up a substantial amount to get much sound ie turning the volume knob to around -30. I've played with the volume trims and it has helped some what but I still have to turn it up quite a bit to hit reference level. Has any one else had this same experience with this model?

thanks in advance

drunkmunk

 

[knobturner75]

I have a RX-V1600 and it is the same way for mine. When I first got my receiver, I thought the same thing. Until I learned that when you have the receiver at 0db, that is reference level. Ref. level is somewhere around 105db which is pretty loud. So, when your receiver is showing -30db, ideally it is putting out around 75db or so. You have to remember that reference level is set using ???? speakers (don't know what brand if any), which means yours may not be as efficient as theirs are and may not be as loud as theirs are at the same level. Also if I turn mine ALL the way up (without any source material of course!!!! ), it will go all the way up to +16.5db. Just as a point of reference, I have had mine as loud as maybe -8db. The amp will go more, just didn't want to have paper cones ejected across the room. Maybe when I get my new speakers, I'll see how loud +16.5db can be.

 

[drunkmunk]

Thanks for the quick reply. well that's pretty reassuring. i've always used 75db as a reference level when using a spl and -30 is putting it there. it just seemed like alot of turning going from -80. haven't really cranked this reciever up yet to really see what it does but I definately like it for movies. the surrounds have a huge difference over the older sony that it replaced.

drunkmunk

 

[knobturner75]

Looks like we did the same thing. I upgraded from a older Sony to my Yamaha. I love it. The remote is weird at first, but I've even got my wife using it for the TV. Of course, it didn't hurt that the batteries died in the TV remote and I just handed her the Yammie's. She picked it up pretty quick.

I noticed an overall improvement over the Sony. My sub cleaned up and became more impactful. The volume was almost all the way up during some movies on the Sony. Now -12db is about as far as I have gone. My speakers need improving, but for now I'm happy with things.

 

[MDS]

Thanks for the quick reply. well that's pretty reassuring. i've always used 75db as a reference level when using a spl and -30 is putting it there.

Do you mean that when the volume dial reads -30 the SPL meter reads 75 dB? If you used the internal test tones to do the calibration then -30 is your 'reference level' and when the music/soundtrack has a peak you will get 105 dB SPL with the volume dial in that position (because the internal test tones are -30 dB).

Typically you would use 0 on the volume dial for reference level although that is just a convention. If the receiver is THX certified then you have no choice but to use 0 because the test tones automatically play at a level that corresponds to 0 on the volume dial. 'Reference Level' of 105 dB is only achieved in the brief moments where the music has a peak; ie its level is 0 dBFS. The rest of the time the music is much lower in level (it will average around -30 dB - just like the test tones). So in short when the volume dial is at zero, the music will average 75 dB. When you are at -30 dB, it will average 30 db lower than that, which of course is not loud at all.

 

[drunkmunk]

now i'm a little confused. during the auto set up I didn't adjust the volume at all I just hooked up the mike, placed it and started the set up. after words as I checked the sound levels with a RatShack spl and the avia disk the volume setting of -30 puts me right about 75db which is about as loud as I care to listen to movies for the most part. the manual didn't mention setting the volume any which way for the auto set up.

on a side note i've found something else that's bugging me about this reciever. I haven't been able to set the lfe cut off for each channel it only let's me set it for the entire speakers. that kind of sucks

 

[billnchristy]

I really need a meter because I find that hard to believe. (not that I don't believe you though)

Though I cannot listen to music or movies in the house as loud as I could in the car when I was younger, I don't know why, it just isn't comfotable.

The system in my Mustang would play at about 110db using an RTA and could peak around 115. Without subs around 95-100db.

I have never gone above -10 with my Yammie 5790...

I'm betting over 80db gets me antsy around the house.

 

[knobturner75]

MDS you brought up a good point, but I have to disagree with you concerning my Yamaha. When I ran my auto setup, it did not ask for a volume setting. I just double checked my manual, and it did not request a specific volume setting. It controlled the volume internally. As a matter of fact, it states in the manual at least twice maybe more, that during auto setup LOUD tones will be heard and that this is normal.

The 105db is a figure (which I could be remembering the wrong number) that I read is the required reference level for THX certification. Like I stated though, I don't know what they were driving to achieve that level. That article said that on receivers like ours 0db is reference level. Which I guess when using THX certified speakers, should be putting out 105db.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Though I cannot listen to music or movies in the house as loud as I could in the car when I was younger, I don't know why, it just isn't comfotable.

The system in my Mustang would play at about 110db using an RTA and could peak around 115. Without subs around 95-100db.
.

It appears you may have serious hearing loss issues, hence the uncomfortable issue.

 

[audio ninja]

0 DB is as high as you should go

From what I've ever read from websites and discussed with sales associates, think of the O DB point as the loudest level that is safe to play while avoiding distortion/ blowing something up. To keep it safe, I rarely go beyond -10db with my Denon 3805. And depending on the source, sometimes -30db is plenty.

Figure out what your highest volume level is. Turn your input source to something that isn't actually hooked up, like VCR (I hope not ) . Turn your volume as high as it will go. Mine tops out at +14db. If yours is something around there, feel safe to play to -10db if you want to. A well recorded cd is usually plays loud for me at -25db, a dvd is -15 to -20, radio is mysteriously loud at like... -35.

 

[MDS]

No confusion. Many receivers don't allow you to pick a volume setting when calibrating the speaker levels. THX certified receivers and I guess the Yamaha with auto-setup also behaves that way. In that case 0 is the reference setting.

What I try to explain as this topic comes up a lot is that the test tones you use to do the calibration are at a given level (-30 dB for internal test tones/THX receivers and -20 dB for AVIA calibration disc). That is why you want the meter to read 75 dB. The tone is 30 dB below the max it could be and 75+30 = 105 dB which is the definition of Dobly Reference Level. The SPL will only be 105 dB when the source signal hits a peak.

Music, especially modern CDs, are recorded at a MUCH higher level. You calibrated with a tone that has an average level of -30 dB, but the CD you play typically has an average level of -12 dB. If you did the calibration (manually or automatically) and the meter reads 75 dB at 0 on the dial, when you play a CD the meter will read much higher at the same 0 setting because the source is much higher to begin with.