Hz-khz-db - Help!!

BESKI64

Hi...I need your help.....just thought of a few more general questions:

(1) When you calibrate your HT system with the "AVIA Disc", what levels do you actually calibrate...the volume sent to each speaker?, the tone sent each speaker for Base/Mid/high? All of the above? I'm not sure what will actually be calibrated or what the intent and purpose of this is (other then to get better sound?)

(2) At times we can't always hear the talking dialogue from the center...is turning up the center volume during a particular movie go against all calibration principles?

(3) I hear mention of the "Cross-Over Frequency" especially as it pertains to Subs...what does this mean? How is it determined? How is it adjusted?

(4) On my Sony Receiver STR-DE945 I can adjust the volume level sent to each set of speakers which is measured from -10dB to +10dB and when I do, I hear the obvious increase / decrease in volume . BUT then I also have another adjustment for each set of speakers that can be adjusted as follows:

BASS: 100HZ ---> 1.0 KHZ
MID: 500HZ ---> 5.0 KHZ
HIGH: 1.0KHZ ---> 10.0KHZ

When I adjust through this range for the Front, Center and Rear Speakers, I really don't hear much of a change....Should I be able to? Is this something that is adjusted one time through calibration and then left untouched, or is it adjusted based on what your playing...DVD, CD, FM, etc. ??

Please let me know what you think...any input, links, reading info etc. would be appreciated...

Thanks,
Beski

RT 800i
CS 400i
F/X 500i
PSW 350
Sony STR-DE945

juice21

1. the objective of using a calibration DVD such as AVIA is to obtain the same listening DB at a given spot (normal listening position) so that you may have the best possible sound. the test disc does not adjust tone of individual speakers, just their levels.

2. is this after you've used a calibration DVD?

3. crossover frequency when reffering to subwoofers is the frequency you can manually set to have your subwoofer roll-off as to not have too much overlap with your mains. (or allowing an extension so that their are no 'gaps' in your sound between the lowest frequency your mains can produce and the highest frequency the subwoofer will reproduce) this allows each speaker to deal with a smaller frequncy range, thus it can reproduce it more efficiently.

have you downloaded or ordered polks home theater handbook?

handbook

also, you should sign up for the speaker specialist

both of these publications have great advice and set-up techniques for begining HT.

good luck, and HAVE FUN...:D

BESKI64

Thanks Juice...

No, until last week I had never even heard of the calibration concept....I just adjusted each speaker with the remote during each individual DVD / CD based on how much center, surround, Sub I was hearing or wanted to hear on that particular day (I know somebody must be going crazy with this response.....just like finger nails down a black board!!!......I didn't know any better)

How about question #4....what is this adjustment of HZ and KHZ as it relates to Low/Mid/High ranges??

Beski

jcaut

I had a Sony ES receiver that had three-band tone controls for each set of speakers. I bet that's what you're referring to with the low, mid-, high frequencies. I believe the Hz, or Khz adjustment changes the center frequency for the tone controls-- if you go through the menu, you should also have a low, mid, and high (or bass, mid, treble) tone control for each set of speakers. Kind of like a built-in parametric EQ. In that case, if you vary the frequency control, you'll only hear a difference if you've got that band set to some amount +/- db. I leave my tone controls set flat (0 db), and since your speakers should all be timbre-matched, you probably can too.

Hope that didn't confuse you more..

Jason

pensacola

>>...what is this adjustment of HZ and KHZ as it relates to >>Low/Mid/High ranges??
>>BASS: 100HZ ---> 1.0 KHZ
>>MID: 500HZ ---> 5.0 KHZ
>>HIGH: 1.0KHZ ---> 10.0KHZ


Those are simply "tone controls". HZ stands for Hertz (or, cycles-per-second... frequency). 1 KHZ equals 1,000 HZ. We can hear most frequencies between roughly 20-20,000 HZ.
The bass control (which looks more like a lower mid-range control to me) would change the level of the bass, and so on through the other three regions. The bass control would affect the lower musical instruments (bass, tuba, etc, as well as a lot of the sound effects in movies). The mid would control the level of the mid-range (trumpet, guitar, sax, and human voice). The high level control would control the upper frequencies (mostly the upper "transients" of musical instruments--what puts the "ZING" in crash cymbals and brass instruments).

Tone controls (in my opinion) are for compensating for acoustical problems in your room. In other words--leave them on "normal" unless an adjustment is required. If you have a square room with a lot of nodes, or bass boominess, you may need to cut the bass--although your particular bass control covers too large a region (nearly 3-1/2 octaves) to effectively deal with this. If you have a lot of over-stuffed furniture and heavy carpet, you may need to boost the highs, and so on. You can adjust them with the aid of a sound-pressure level (SPL) meter at your listening position, or simply do it by ear. Some people adjust them according to their tastes--not concerning themselves with a "flat" response, in which case an SPL meter wouldn't be necessary.

Ultimately, you should adjust tone controls to suit YOUR tastes, since you're the one who has to listen to their effect.

Hope it helps more than hinders.

avelanchefan

Juice 21

Thanks for the great post. Like they say "you learn something new everyday" and I just learned that I can get these great newsletters for FREE!

Not very many companies do that. I was surprised there was no charge. But why should there be? When we are all so loyal.:D

goingganzo

i was haveing that problem when i had my ht setup in the liveing room i fixed it by turing down the gain on the sub