receiver or spl for speaker setup?

[ricoman]

I just picked up a couple of polk speakers for rear surround and an SVS sub. I have a Yamaha receiver with the wired mic module for speaker setup, but would it be better to pick up an SPL meter from the 'shack to setup the speakers or use the Yamaha setup?

 

[CraigV]

A lot of people use the built in capability of the receiver first, and then fine tune with an SPL meter. My suggestion would be to try one method, then the other (built in vs. SPL) and decide which gives the better sound to your ears.

 

[lsiberian]

I just picked up a couple of polk speakers for rear surround and an SVS sub. I have a Yamaha receiver with the wired mic module for speaker setup, but would it be better to pick up an SPL meter from the 'shack to setup the speakers or use the Yamaha setup?

Just use the auto setup.

I see no need to mess with it after that. An SPL meter is still very useful though.

 

[Mike19]

+1 tp Isiberian

 

[Alex2507]

Waste your time with the auto set up first and then fix everything with the SPL meter.
That's how I did it.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Back in "early" auto calibration days, I think I could do a better job manually then what they could do. Now days, especially with AVRs that use Audessy, they do a better job than me.

I suggest you run the auto cal, reset your speaker size and crossover, do a final level check with the SPL and be done with it.

 

[GlocksRock]

I run the auto setup then double check everything manually. The auto setup can check for phase and speaker distance, and other things that you may have missed, so it's beneficial to run it.

 

[jwenthold99]

My receiver came out right before auto setup was available, so I am not speaking from experience, but I would run the auto setup, and then tweak it from there. And of course you need the spl meter to see how loud it will go!

 

[bandphan]

As has been mentioned run the auto cal to let the filters be applied, then check level match with the spl meter. As we go forward auto cal will become more solid and has come a long way since its inception. Just as important is understanding your rooms interaction with the speakers.

 

[CraigV]

My receiver came out right before auto setup was available, so I am not speaking from experience, but I would run the auto setup, and then tweak it from there. And of course you need the spl meter to see how loud it will go!

While wearing ear plugs

 

[Midcow2]

Waste your time with the auto set up first and then fix everything with the SPL meter.
That's how I did it.

Alex is spot-on.

Use auto set-up to get speakers distances correct (eliminate any reverberation or echoing) and then use SPL from your listening point to precisely level all the speaker sounds.

Then start looking to upgrade every thing to newer and better components, after all you are an audiophile and it is your right to upgrade .

Sound on,

MidCow2

 

[jwenthold99]

but of course... must preserve "golden ears"