How to use test tones to calibrate

racer4551

All right guys i think i can do this but i need a little guidence here,i want to take a freq. response reading from my system,i have downloaded the gomer test tones and burned them to a cd,so my first question is what exact tones do you use for testing?Second,where do you take the readings from?The sweet spot or some where else?Third, do you play this tone in direct stereo mode on my receiver?I would assume yes because its recorded in two channel,my processor allows the option of using or not using the sub in direct two channel,so would it be best to take a reading without the sub to see where to set the icbm crossover for the mains(set to where then mains really trail off on spl)then bring the sub in to the mix.Or should i just set the crossovers all to 80 and the sub freq. to max,which is where i have them now.Thats it for now ,but what to do with all the readings taken as far as applying them to a graph is the next step i will need help with.Any help would definatley be appreciated.

gatemplin

I use all of the tones and then some. I put the meter in the listening position and run the tones with the stereo speakers on as well. Dont forget to use the correction factors.

racer4551

Does the spreadsheet automaticaly figure the correction factors?Where do i get the spread sheet for figuring the graph?I know this has been covered before but am unsure where and which graph to use.

gatemplin

If you need the spreadsheet with correction factors for those test tones send me your e-mail address and I'll send it to you. PJdami made it.

After you plot the data, choose insert chart and make a line chart. If you get stuck I can help.

racer4551

Thanks for all the help so far gatemplin,gotta sign off for tonight,got to do that work thing tommorro,god i hate working on saturdays:mad: :mad: Will pick this up tommorro,also sent you a pm.

gatemplin

Just sent you the spread sheet

racer4551

Just ran the test tones, now how do i view these on a graph,i entered them into the spreadsheet, now what?

Airplay355

highlight the cells u entered info in, then click on the chart wizard icon, it is a tiny bar graph with red blue and yellow bars on the top of the screen, choose ur gaph and ur good to go

racer4551

How do i save this spreadsheet so i can upload to this forum,it keeps telling me its an invalid format? Wait till you see this crazy graph,either i did something wrong or i like bass to much!Now if i could only get this to upload....................

pjdami

racer,

Make sure you use the beyondgomer test tones that correspond to that particular spreadsheet or it will be all out of sync.

I sent ya a pm back.

Paul

Airplay355

when u click save as you are prolly gonna have to save the file as a jpg or some type of picture file so u can upload it to the website, try that

racer4551

Thats what i am having trouble doing,saving as a file that can be uploaded.I did use the gomer test tones. Working on how to save as i type this?...........................................

Airplay355

u can copy and paste the chart into a program like photoshop and save it as a picture there....idk if thats the best way to do it but it works

racer4551

Still trying...............about to give up:mad: :mad: :mad: any of the programs i have will not recognize the spreadsheet because its not a photo?Damn computers! why do they have to be smarter than me:(

pjdami

Racer,
Open up the spreadsheet and go to the chart (graph) worksheet. Now in the upper left corner of the graph left click to select the entire chart. You should see some small squares around the entire chart letting you know it is selected.

OK. Now go to the top menu bar and click Edit > copy to copy the graph.

Open up whatever program your computer uses to look at pictures. I'm using Windows photo and fax viewer. Click file > new in the menu bar and then edit > paste. Save as a .jpg file.

You will then need to make sure that the picture is smaller than 100 kb which is somewhere near the max size that Polk allows to post. You may need to edit the picture sized by the stretch feature.

If you are still having trouble let us know what program you are using to look at pictures.

racer4551

Finally!!!!!!!!Thanks pjdami,how simple was that!!!!Have a very bad headcold last couple of days and have been living in a fog,so thanks for the patience .Well here it is,what a mess ,i have the sub calibrated a little hot for low level response,on avia setup it is about ten db's higher than other speakers.I have the sub level set to -5 at processer and 0 at icbm sub level control and 12:00 position on svs gain .

gatemplin

Youch!

So the ICBM is doing the bass management. Where is the crossover freq?

Maybe adjusting the Phase and crossover frequencies can flatten that out. Try a couple more plots.

racer4551

Yes the icbm is doing all the bass management right now,i have all the x-overs set at 80, i havent messed with the phase control setting ,i think its at 110 on the svs.I also made sure that my bass control was set o and treble is set to +2 on the processor.I think that i am going to recal. with avia disk just to make sure of levels,because i have changed the sub pos a little and also changed the way it was sitting(had spikes in the base,wrong thing to do,it would vibrate an dmove around on those spikes)

racer4551

Well i made a change of only the svs sub level gain from 12:00 pos. to the 10:00 pos,brought the level down on the graph,but still alot of peaks and valleys.I have tried to upload as before but when i do this nothing happens?Anyone have a recommendation for some imaging software that i can download or buy ,i have currently microsoft picture it! express 9 and arcsoft photobase 2.0 photo studio 2000 installed now,they were installed by a friend who built this computer and i have no disks to reinstall.I think there might be a problem with these programs?HELP!!!!!!

gatemplin

Right click on the chart in Excel, copy
Open Microsoft Paint in Accessories
Paste chart in Paint
You can resample size if it is too large
Save File as .jpg
Then upload

Hope this helps, this is what I do, it should work

racer4551

Ok i got it to display in the paint section,now how to i resize and save?

racer4551

Ok here is the latest graph,still ugly........................

racer4551

What would be the next best thing to do,adjust phase control?what would be the best procedure to do this?

gatemplin

To re-size go to Image and Stretch/skew

That graph is ugly, I would try making charts at 0, 45, 90, 135 and 180 degrees and picking the flattest one and fine tune from there.
I dont know enough to say whether or not that is the problem there but it couldn't hurt.

racer4551

Thanks very much for everyones help so far,i think thats a good place to start ,with the different phase control settings and see what that does.

gatemplin

Are there phase controls on both the ICBM and the SVS? Is the crossover on the SVS all the way up? maybe there is something funky goin on there.

If the phase is not the problem then I think it is location. Is it possible to move the sub to the other corner behind the LSi or move the sub out where the speaker on the floor is?

Hopefully Doc will have some suggestions aswell

pjdami

Racer, that's going to be a challenge with that placement. Do try what gatemplin has suggested with the phase control. Actually, I had a very similar looking curve with corner placement of my sub.

If the phase control doesn't work is there any other convenient place to put the sub? You can move it totally to the other side of your front soundstage or just move it a foot or two from where it is now. All of these will give you surprisingly different results.

It can be frustrating and very time consuming but patience and your ears will ultimately be the deciding factor.

Unfortunately, you like me, are plagued by some bad room acoustics in that position. Not everyone has this misfortune. Room placement is key to cure this.

pjdami

Are there phase controls on both the ICBM and the SVS? Is the crossover on the SVS all the way up? maybe there is something funky goin on there.

Yeah, gatemplin, I was thinking the same thing here. Could there be some double filtering at the crossover point going on or something.

Unfortunately, I have no advice on the operation of an ICBM as I've never messed with one.

Racer, a quick test would be just to move the sub somewhere else and run a sweep. That would give some clues as to if you are in a room null now or if it is something electronic going on with some of your settings.

racer4551

No phase controls on the icbm,just sub gain(set at zero) and lfe control(set at max level0)Both receiver and dvd player set to large speakers,no delay and icbm x-overs all set to 80.I can move the sub out beside left front lsi or could move to right front corner behind rf lsi.I am going to finish running the different phase control settings and see which position is best and then go from there.

gatemplin

It sounds like you are on the right track now. Hopefully things will flatten out. The phase settings will have to be readjusted if you move the sub though.

racer4551

I think i got it now,will see:D gonna see if the phase helps any with the sub in that left front corner,if not will change position to see what that does,i know i have to run the phase tests again after moving the sub,but this is so much fun!I really think in the end i will learn alot about my room effects and hopefully tame the freq curve i have.I have been wanting to do this for awhile now and have been puttting it off,so hopefully it will be worth it.As a last resort, i could also use a bfd1124 to help straighten things out,plus i have my dual channel art355 that i can use also for the mains if needed,but i want to try and do everything i can before resorting to eq's.