speaker level calabration

racer4551

Need a little guidence here,trying to calibrate speaker balance and level.I am a little confused on which setup to use, the receiver setup(denon 2802) or avia disc .The reason for the confusion is this, if i use the denon setup in order to reach 75db the front r&l main levels on receiver have to be set to 8 (MAX IS 12)compared to rear surrounds set at3. Is this normal for the speaker levels being so far apart? Also since my system is setup as 6.1 (single rear speaker,2 fxi30s side surrounds) how do use avia to setup 6.1 or do i have an older disc that doesnt alow for 6.1 setup. Any advice on how to do this or better recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

WENNERDAHL

Hi, I will try to help with your problem. If I remember the Adcom amp you have is a 5 channel, if so check to see if level input on amp are all set to zero. I'm not sure if your amp has separate input level adjustments? If that's not the problem make sure to use a sound pressure meter, the analog version from Radio Shake is a good choice. I would use your Denons test signal to setup speakers if your Avia disc is 5.1 version. You just need all the speakers to read the same level on meter. I prefer setting meter at 80db C weighted and response slow. Start with center channel speaker and adjust volume on receiver up or down until meter reads zero. Now adjust the rest of your system. And DO NOT change the volume! I hope this helps, and do find it strange that your levels and so different. I have the same speaker setup as you, but my fronts are RTi-38's. My receiver levels don't very anymore than 3db's. One more thing, You may want to hook up your speaker's to your Denon reciever and see if you have same problem.:)

racer4551

When i use denons speaker setup the main volume automatically sets to 00 , then i should adjust speaker balance from there starting at 0 db for each speaker then using radio shack spm set each speaker at main listening position to 80 db each right? I dont know if it matters but the difference in level could be the way it routs through components? Denon 2802 preouts to audio control rialto 7 channel eq then to adcom 5 channel amp. I have the mains rti70s biamped(denon front r&l speaker out to high input and adcom amp to low level input of rti70s) i also have center wired the same way. The surround speakers are powered by adcom amp only. The rear center is also powered by denon rec. Now you would think that the mains and center would take less input because they are biamped but its exactly the opposite? I also learned that my copy of avia is 5.1:mad: which i just purchased recently not even thinking if it was capable of 6.1 calibration daaaaaaaa. What is a good 6.1 setup disc?

WENNERDAHL

Well if I under stand, you have to different amplifiers driving you speakers.(mid/bass and tweeters) The Denon receiver is driving tweeters and Adcom is driving mid/bass. If this is correct?! I would not recommend it….The sound level(s) between tweeter and mid/bass units will not be the same. I think what you are trying to do is agood idea. But you must use 2 amplifiers that are the same (make/model). I have is pair of Martin Logans in my audio only setup. Electrostatic panels are drive by one stereo Aragon amp and bass drivers are powered by the other Aragon amplifier. You could also use one amp to driver one speaker. IE; right channel =high and left channel =low. If I had your system I would use the Adcom amp to drive all speakers, except your rear center speaker and don’t bi-amp. I believe you have a subwoofer, so set the crossover in your Denon to 80hz. so main speakers will not need to reproduce deep bass. If you really want to bi-amp get another Adcom amp, but I think that is over kill. Most Polk speakers are easy to drive. Using more amplifiers will not make your speakers louder(bi-amping). Doubling amplifier power by 2x will only achieve a 3 db gain at your speakers. I don’t have much experience with EQ’s, but the one you have looks nice.
For speaker level setup: Sense your Denon has a fixed volume, you’ll need to set the sound pressure meter to what ever setting that get needle closet to zero (I’m only saying zero because it’s better to have some space on your meter +/-) and that will be your reference point. Now set the other speakers to that level. Good luck !

racer4551

Thanks for the info wennerdahl, when you say power all speakers from adcom amp i agree thats probably the best way. Since were talking about speaker wiring would you replace gold jumpers on rti70s with a premade jumper? or would you bi-wire them from adcom?When you said get meter to read zero do you mean 80db at each speaker when in denon test setup?

WENNERDAHL

If you have wire for bi-wiring, than I would hook it up that way from the Adcom amp. About the sound pressure meter. Your meter does not need to read 80 db's. You need a common level between all your speakers. I think, I got you on the wrong track at first, I assumed you could control your volume when your Denon was playing test tones. So that being said, if the meter only reads of example, 75 db's, that's OK, just make all the speaker read 75 db's. And I will not tolerate anything less than +/-1db ! Oh....... I'm just kidding. You may find that it sounds better with one speaker a bit louder or softer. Well have fun and let me know how it goes.