Taking Measurements For Audyssey Calibration

Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Here's an iPhone6 mic response, and an unspecified android phone. The android looks nice to about 58hz. iPhone drops much earlier.
That could be why it measured louder from 60hz on up. I took the measurements using 60 or 70hz. Can't remember. From there up the meter would measure differences even with slight volume changes.

* Edit: FWIW gain matching is the method Kevin at Hsu described and recommended. I mixed up the terminology. Again, I believe... :confused:
 
Last edited:
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
That could be why it measured louder from 60hz on up. I took the measurements using 60 or 70hz. Can't remember. From there up the meter would measure differences even with slight volume changes.

* Edit: FWIW gain matching is the method Kevin at Hsu described and recommended. I mixed up the terminology. Again, I believe... :confused:
I think that'll work good.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Alrighty! I found a Sound Meter app for android that I have no way of telling how accurate it is, but it is sensitive enough for sure. My receiver goes up in volume in increments of .5 db. When I would raise the volume 2 bumps (1db) the meter would register that 1db. So while I completely agree a proper sound meter would be more accurate, I believe this app to be up to the task for the purpose of gain matching my subs.

This was my method, using a 60hz test tone. Take notice that the feet have been removed and we have thick, soft, new carpet. Sliding these behemoths around is actually pretty easy. I took the measurements in the same room. That room being the living room. I pulled them into the middle of the living room and set my tablet up on a tripod, mic forward.

27807-512x288.jpeg


I marked the spot on the floor where the front edge of the first sub was with some tape and measured the distance between the sub and the mic. I set the gain on the back of my sub and used my receiver to dial it in right at 80db (as you can see in the pic, the mic is pretty close to the sub).

I put that one back and pulled the other one in the middle of the room and pushed it into the exact same spot, lining it up with the tape. I measured the distance from the mic to the sub to make sure it was the same, then turned the test tone on and used the gain in the back of the sub this time to dial it in right at 80db, just like the other. I believe I am now gain matched. Phew.

I sure hope someone doesn't tell me I had the height of the mic wrong or something. I don't think my ocd could take it. :p
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Then I ran Audyssey again and made sure I had equal distances and heights for each measurement, with exception of the 2 in the rear behind the chair. I had to raise the tripod up high enough to go over the back of the chair. I also took the 3 measurements in front of the chair with the back of the chair up. For the first three, taken right in the seat I pushed the back down. I also made sure the mic was level for each measurement.

20170424_171154_crop_492x458.jpg


I ended up shortening that pole a few more inches so it was at ear level. I sat in the seat right beside it to get that right. All but the back 2 measurements were taken at 33" from the ground.

Looks like it nailed the distances and levels. Everything is sounding awesome.
 
Last edited:
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
There is one other thing that bugs me. When I made those speaker stands they were for shorter speakers and were a touch tall to begin with. Now, the tweeters on the taller Ultras aren't at ear level. They're about 6 or 7 inches too high. I do sit over 14' away from them. Is it worth the effort for me to take those stands apart to shorten them, or am I getting enough tweetage due to distance and dispersion?

Taking them apart and lining them back up correctly is a real pain in the ass.
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
You might be able to shim the backs with some thin rubber feet or cork, like cabinet door bumpers.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
You might be able to shim the backs with some thin rubber feet or cork, like cabinet door bumpers.
No, I need to cut about 6" off of them to have the tweeters at ear height. Those columns are a little warped so putting them back together is a real pain, but I'm willing to do it if it's worth it for better sq.
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
I wouldn't really say 6" at that distance will hurt a lot. Not sure what the vertical dispersion of those ultras is. Put a laser level on the top of the speaker and tilt just the speaker forward until it hits the LP. Then see how far the back of the speaker is off the stand. That would be your shim distance and at 14' distance would probably only take a 1/2" shim. Just
.02. Btw, door to door cannibals just came on radio. Lol
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I wouldn't really say 6" at that distance will hurt a lot. Not sure what the vertical dispersion of those ultras is. Put a laser level on the top of the speaker and tilt just the speaker forward until it hits the LP. Then see how far the back of the speaker is off the stand. That would be your shim distance and at 14' distance would probably only take a 1/2" shim. Just
.02. Btw, door to door cannibals just came on radio. Lol
Nice! I'm a little slow sometimes Bill. I get what you're saying about shimming the backs of the speakers now. That's gonna give me something to play with this afternoon and it sure beats the crap out of taking them apart.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I took the little buttons SVS sent with my speakers and used those to shim the back. I already have rubber pads on my stands so I wasn't using them anyway.
20170426_125812-1305x734.jpg


It's not much, but over 14' it made a difference. I always noticed just a touch more from the tweeters when I would sit up tall in my seat. I don't have the laser pointer to be exact, but they're quite a bit closer to reaching ear height than they were before. It unquestionably sounds better now.
 
Last edited:
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
I took the little buttons SVS sent with my speakers and used those to shim the back. I already have rubber pads on my stands so I wasn't using them anyway.View attachment 20757

It's not much, but over 14' it made a difference. I always noticed just a touch more from the tweeters when I would sit up tall in my seat. I don't have the laser pointer to be exact, but they're quite a bit closer to reaching ear height than they were before. It unquestionably sounds better now.
Perfect! That's even better than saving 15% on car insurance. Lol.
I feel guilty about even saying this, but i started using a laser pointer to adjust my toe in, and surround speaker angles. Yes I KNOW I could eyeball that stuff but my OCD will not let some things go, and in my little brain cell, consistency is king. You have been infected...
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I took the little buttons SVS sent with my speakers and used those to shim the back. I already have rubber pads on my stands so I wasn't using them anyway.View attachment 20757

It's not much, but over 14' it made a difference. I always noticed just a touch more from the tweeters when I would sit up tall in my seat. I don't have the laser pointer to be exact, but they're quite a bit closer to reaching ear height than they were before. It unquestionably sounds better now.
Curious, what are those "buttons" used for usually?
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Perfect! That's even better than saving 15% on car insurance. Lol.
I feel guilty about even saying this, but i started using a laser pointer to adjust my toe in, and surround speaker angles. Yes I KNOW I could eyeball that stuff but my OCD will not let some things go, and in my little brain cell, consistency is king. You have been infected...
Dude, I'm already pricing some cheap pointers on ebay...
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Curious, what are those "buttons" used for usually?
SVS sends them with the speakers. There's adhesive on one side and you stick them on the bottoms of the speakers so they don't get scuffed up. They're actually made for what I'm using them for.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I like the way the price changes from .99 to 4.99 when you add it to the cart....
Lol. Yup. Still, 5 bucks ain't bad. I could have gotten cheaper shipped from China, but eff that noise. Not over literally a couple dollars. Should be here by Tuesday. Maybe as early as Saturday.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Lol. Yup. Still, 5 bucks ain't bad. I could have gotten cheaper shipped from China, but eff that noise. Not over literally a couple dollars. Should be here by Tuesday. Maybe as early as Saturday.
I was thinking for .99 I'll buy a couple! 4.99 makes me stop and think :)
 
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top