Surround "Calibration" Factor
Gang,
With my setup below (FXi30's as surrounds vs. larger drivers in the front soundstage), I've heard that those who have already calibrated their speakers with my kind of setup using an SPL meter and calibration disc go one step further and "boost" the volume of the surrounds (and rear center, if they have one) to some level, in an effort to "compensate" for their smaller drivers so they better match the front soundstage.
If this is a better method to match (calibrate to) the front soundstage a bit better, what should the increase in volume be? +2-3 dB? Basically, I'm asking for those of us that have the FXi30's instead of the 50's, since the 50's have the same drivers as the RTi70's and CSi40.
I realize that the 30's don't dig as deep as the 50's and there is a 1dB lower sensitivity of the 30's, but I thought that some compensation could be achieved by increasing the volume a bit. True?
With my setup below (FXi30's as surrounds vs. larger drivers in the front soundstage), I've heard that those who have already calibrated their speakers with my kind of setup using an SPL meter and calibration disc go one step further and "boost" the volume of the surrounds (and rear center, if they have one) to some level, in an effort to "compensate" for their smaller drivers so they better match the front soundstage.
If this is a better method to match (calibrate to) the front soundstage a bit better, what should the increase in volume be? +2-3 dB? Basically, I'm asking for those of us that have the FXi30's instead of the 50's, since the 50's have the same drivers as the RTi70's and CSi40.
I realize that the 30's don't dig as deep as the 50's and there is a 1dB lower sensitivity of the 30's, but I thought that some compensation could be achieved by increasing the volume a bit. True?
Mains: polkaudio RTi70's (bi-wired)
Center: polkaudio CSi40 (bi-wired)
Surrounds: polkaudio FXi30's
Rear Center: polkaudio CSi30
Sub: SVS 20-39 PC+
Receiver: ONKYO TX-SR600
Display: JVC HD-56G786
DVD Player: SONY DVP-CX985V
DVD Player: OPPO DV-981HD 1080p High Definition Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI
Remote: Logitech Harmony H688
Center: polkaudio CSi40 (bi-wired)
Surrounds: polkaudio FXi30's
Rear Center: polkaudio CSi30
Sub: SVS 20-39 PC+
Receiver: ONKYO TX-SR600
Display: JVC HD-56G786
DVD Player: SONY DVP-CX985V
DVD Player: OPPO DV-981HD 1080p High Definition Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI
Remote: Logitech Harmony H688
Post edited by kberg on
Comments
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I think there is some validity to this concept. The larger drivers "fill the room" better than the smaller drivers, even if they are calibrated to the same SPL on test tones.
One need look no further than the difference between the CS400i and the CS245i, or the CSi30 and CSi40.
I have the same issue with my dual CS245i as rear surrounds. I might go another 2 dB, but not much more or it will be obviously louder.
Doc"What we do in life echoes in eternity"
Ed Mullen (emullen@svsound.com)
Director - Technology and Customer Service
SVS
