Reference level trims.

[photographer86]

If i am at 0db on my marantz sr5012. Spl is showing 72db at listening position. If i adjust the level trim so it reads 75db to that position, does that add Distortion? Thanks.

 

[mtrycrafts]

If i am at 0db on my marantz sr5012. Spl is showing 72db at listening position. If i adjust the level trim so it reads 75db to that position, does that add Distortion? Thanks.

No, it will not.
I presume you are trying to level match the channels?

 

[photographer86]

Yup! Just re calibrating with the new rp-160m. Didn’t if it was better too set 0db sound level or to bring up volume so center showed 75db and make whatever that number was match other. Thank you.

 

[PENG]

If i am at 0db on my marantz sr5012. Spl is showing 72db at listening position. If i adjust the level trim so it reads 75db to that position, does that add Distortion? Thanks.

Did you run Audyssey auto setup before you measured the spl? And what kind of sound level meter you used?

 

[photographer86]

Did you run Audyssey auto setup before you measured the spl? And what kind of sound level meter you used?

I did. But i don’t like how much auto eq dimmed down lets the highs of the klipsch speakers. So i turned it off. All speakers sound better to me with it off. I am using REW with a calibrated umm-6 microphone. Using spl in REW with c weighting slow response.

 

[photographer86]

Using the pink noise in the avr. I calibrated the speakers at 0db. FL is +1. Center is -2.5db FR is +.5db. RS is -4.5db LS is -4.0 RBS is -5.0db LSB is -5.5db. The 3 subs i am running. What i did for that was spl each one to 72db or 73db i can remember exactly but did each one, one at a time at listening position. Then i turn them all on and combined got spl measure of 75db. Listened to a few movies. Sounds great to me. For the heck of it the reason came about distortion was i wonder if adding db channel level trim added distortion cause your making the signal louder. So for the heck of it. I started with front left speaker and had to set volume to + 5db to read 75db on spl in rew. Matched all the rest. Watched a couple more movies and didn’t hear any distortion on either even though i was passed 0db reference volume per a relative scale. Now did i play the movies at reference level? No i didn’t thats too loud. Lol. But i play at about -18 to -14 on a relative volume scale setting on avr that shows -79 to +12db i think for marantz sr5012. Just playing around more and learning more or less.

 

[TheWarrior]

Using the pink noise in the avr. I calibrated the speakers at 0db. FL is +1. Center is -2.5db FR is +.5db. RS is -4.5db LS is -4.0 RBS is -5.0db LSB is -5.5db. The 3 subs i am running. What i did for that was spl each one to 72db or 73db i can remember exactly but did each one, one at a time at listening position. Then i turn them all on and combined got spl measure of 75db. Listened to a few movies. Sounds great to me. For the heck of it the reason came about distortion was i wonder if adding db channel level trim added distortion cause your making the signal louder. So for the heck of it. I started with front left speaker and had to set volume to + 5db to read 75db on spl in rew. Matched all the rest. Watched a couple more movies and didn’t hear any distortion on either even though i was passed 0db reference volume per a relative scale. Now did i play the movies at reference level? No i didn’t thats too loud. Lol. But i play at about -18 to -14 on a relative volume scale setting on avr that shows -79 to +12db i think for marantz sr5012. Just playing around more and learning more or less.

That is how it should be done, turn on receiver's noise maker, raise volume to 0dB, hold SPL meter where listeners ears are located and adjust each speaker so it is within 2dB from one end of a couch to another, for example.

 

[TheWarrior]

'Reference Level' means slightly different things from sound Production, to Reproduction, where you are. By calibrating your system at 0dB, you have established that on your system, 0dB should be reference level.

However, as there are few standards in place for recordings, each movie or album will therefore be heard at different SPL's to achieve their defined Reference level. Make sense?

 

[PENG]

I did. But i don’t like how much auto eq dimmed down lets the highs of the klipsch speakers. So i turned it off. All speakers sound better to me with it off. I am using REW with a calibrated umm-6 microphone. Using spl in REW with c weighting slow response.

If you did, the levels should have been set the same (+/- 1 dB I guess), for all channels from your mmp already even if you turn Audyssey off after. That's the only reason I asked..

 

[photographer86]

If you did, the levels should have been set the same (+/- 1 dB I guess), for all channels from your mmp already even if you turn Audyssey off after. That's the only reason I asked..

Thanks everyone. I think i have a center channel reflection. Let me explain. Not really sure. So using the auto cal mic that come with avr let it do its thing. The center channel always is -11db to -12db trim level. So thats why i bought and used rew and the umm-6. With that i get -2.5db for reading of 75db in rew. The rest of the speakers were very close! Just center channel way off. And my bad. I could auto calibrate still with avr mic, its the eq that it applies that bring the treble down. I see i can shut that off. So ill play around more.

 

[lovinthehd]

Thanks everyone. I think i have a center channel reflection. Let me explain. Not really sure. So using the auto cal mic that come with avr let it do its thing. The center channel always is -11db to -12db trim level. So thats why i bought and used rew and the umm-6. With that i get -2.5db for reading of 75db in rew. The rest of the speakers were very close! Just center channel way off. And my bad. I could auto calibrate still with avr mic, its the eq that it applies that bring the treble down. I see i can shut that off. So ill play around more.

Odd to get that different a level with same position of speaker. Normally I'd just think your center was way more sensitive than your mains....what are the speakers involved?

 

[photographer86]

Odd to get that different a level with same position of speaker. Normally I'd just think your center was way more sensitive than your mains....what are the speakers involved?

Yes very odd. So the jbl s center is being using now till i get the klipsch. Its 92db sensitive. The rp-160m are 95.

 

[Pogre]

Did you try setting Audyssey to "flat"? I prefer that over "reference". It seems a little bit brighter to me with the flat setting.

 

[PENG]

Yes very odd. So the jbl s center is being using now till i get the klipsch. Its 92db sensitive. The rp-160m are 95.

Something is wrong, may be messed up settings? You may want to do a factory reset and then run auto setup again.

 

[photographer86]

Gonna do a reset on marantz sr5012 tonight and ill run the auto cal again but will try flat instead. Ya. I don’t get why center isdoing negitive 12. I could try the center below tv. But above tv sounds better. Below is a little low for getting speaker at ear level for when sitting ok couch.

 

[PENG]

Gonna do a reset on marantz sr5012 tonight and ill run the auto cal again but will try flat instead. Ya. I don’t get why center isdoing negitive 12. I could try the center below tv. But above tv sounds better. Below is a little low for getting speaker at ear level for when sitting ok couch.

When you do, try at least 3 positions, 6 will be better if not 8. It is not about averaging but for collecting the required cluster information for Audyssey to do a better job.

Also, make sure the mic points straight up and unobstructed in all directions, if that means it has to be a few inches higher than ear level it is fine.

 

[lovinthehd]

Gonna do a reset on marantz sr5012 tonight and ill run the auto cal again but will try flat instead. Ya. I don’t get why center isdoing negitive 12. I could try the center below tv. But above tv sounds better. Below is a little low for getting speaker at ear level for when sitting ok couch.

How do you have the center positioned above the tv? Angled down to your listening position? Where in relation to the tv?

 

[photographer86]

How do you have the center positioned above the tv? Angled down to your listening position? Where in relation to the tv?

Right above tv. 5° angle to listening position

Also yup i hut every auto cal postilion. Atleast 3 feet apart from last position. Gonna do a reset here in a few. Then ill post a update. Getting some food! Did i make anyone hungry? Lol

 

[lovinthehd]

Right above tv. 5° angle to listening position

Also yup i hut every auto cal postilion. Atleast 3 feet apart from last position. Gonna do a reset here in a few. Then ill post a update. Getting some food! Did i make anyone hungry? Lol

Wonder if it's a reflection off the tv to an extent....I generally just use all 8 mic positions in a fairly small circle around the first position...maybe 3 ft diameter fwiw. What pattern did you use?

 

[Pogre]

Right above tv. 5° angle to listening position

Also yup i hut every auto cal postilion. Atleast 3 feet apart from last position. Gonna do a reset here in a few. Then ill post a update. Getting some food! Did i make anyone hungry? Lol

3 feet apart? I think it's s'posed to be 2 feet or less, isn't it?