SPL Meter Readings.

MxStYlEpOlKmAn

Klipsch Chorus 11: 110 DB (loudest), 105 (average)
M&K MX-90 (with Old Driver): 105 loudest, 103 average
Klipsch/Kef/M&K Surround Setup: 110 (average) 115 (loudest)
I will give you my SPL readings when I get to my house and tell ya what I get.

Klipsch Speakers, are ear bleeding. Nuff said. I was taking the readings with pillows between my ears. I couldn't handle it.

Frank Z

Originally posted by MxStYlEpOlKmAn

I was taking the readings with pillows between my ears.

polkatese

Sid, can't imagine how loud that is! be careful, or you might be experiencing hearing loss before your first sex...

MxStYlEpOlKmAn

That isnt my system. That is my Dad's. I dunno how loud mine plays!

rs159

Originally posted by polkatese
Sid, can't imagine how loud that is!...

Have you ever been in a boom car?

MxStYlEpOlKmAn

Originally posted by rs159


Have you ever been in a boom car?

Yep thats it! Minus the Boom. Totally clean ear piercing highs!

rs159

Ear peircing highs are the realm of PA speakers. MORE SUBS I SAY!!!!!

MxStYlEpOlKmAn

The M&K is not a loud subwoofer, but its loud enough, my ears are still ringing from those effin horns!

Dr. Spec

Sid, what brand SPL meter are you using? What settings are you using on the meter? Can you post a pic?

Doc

MxStYlEpOlKmAn

Ratshack Digital Meter, Fast Response, C Weighted, We set all the speakers to 75 db at 51% on the receiver.

Dr. Spec

Originally posted by MxStYlEpOlKmAn
We set all the speakers to 75 db at 51% on the receiver.

Hi Sid - this doesn't make any sense. You have to run the AVR test tones and calibrate THEM to 75 dB all around. The individual speaker levels will end up being either in the plus or minus range. Master Volume during calibration should be 00.

Doc

MxStYlEpOlKmAn

My Dad dosn't have + and -'s on his pre/receiver. Its just a volume contol, we just set the speakers up where they read 75 db at 51% on the Receiver.

Dr. Spec

Well you didn't really do anything then. If you can't adjust individual speaker levels, there was no calibration, only sound pressure monitoring.

danger boy

Dr. I have this problem with my front two speakers as well. My Marantz SR5000 does not allow for individual volume control of the L & R fronts. All others speakers have the ability to raise and lower individually. It bites for sure.

MxStYlEpOlKmAn

Let me put it this way, it lowered the volume of each individual speaker. Its just no plus and minus deal, all the speakers are EVENLY blended. Its NEAR perfect. We did the 'calibration' with On Screen Display Test Tones, we turned each speaker down with the Preamp and and calibrated where all the speakers hit 75db at 51% at the receiver. May not be your perfect way but to My Dad and I its about perfect!

Like there are knobs, center, surrounds, and the main amp has knobs for the mains, you turn them down that way.

VR3

My System Readings:
Overall in 2 Channel (-25 On Receiver) - 105 DB
Overall in 5 Channel (-30 On Receiver) - 105 DB
Overall in 2 Channel (-30 On Receiver) - 98 - 96DB
Subwoofer Stats: (-30 DB on Receiver) 107DB Max :: 102DB Average
How Bad My System Was Off:
Mains - Off 4 DB
Center - Off 4 DB
Surrounds - Off !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DB
I had my surrounds WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY low!

My system sounds M-U-C-H better now! Way better! It sounds totally effin awesome! However I found something out that I didn't like. I got my friend to make me a track of 50hz, and my center channel totally dismissed it. My surrounds picked up some of it. Considering the surrounds and center both hit to 60hz, I don't see why the center decided not to pick it up. Anyway, that is incredibly not low! lol! I can't wait to get a bigger center!

Frank Z

Sid,
If I understand your post correctly there's nothing wrong with your center. If you played a 50HZ test tone, and your center channel is only rated to reproduce sound as low as 60 hz, then you were 10hz below the bottom end of the speakers ability to reproduce. Have you tried using Avia or S&V setup disks to check/calibrate your speaker levels, or are you using the receivers internal tone generator?

VR3

Receiver Internal Tones. Well it makes no sense. The RT25i is rated for 60hz also, and it still picked the frequency up. The center was just like........*huh*? ohh well.....

Frank Z

According to Polk ( http://www.polkaudio.com/home/specs.php?recent=1&category=4&speaker=26 ) The 25's are rated down to 50hz, but the CS245 is rated down to 52hz. (I think you have a 245). If the 245 is your center then you need to try a test tone at 52hz or greater.

Dr. Spec

When you say "my system", this is with the Pioneer Elite AVR? That should have individual channel balancing capability, even if your Dad's doesn't.

The internal test tones are perfetly fine for basic calibration, but I agree a calibration DVD is best for HT.

So, if your system sounds "M-U-C-H better now! Way better! It sounds totally effin awesome!", what did it sound like before - rotten? Or was it simply that you didn't know how much better it COULD have sounded because you had never heard it that way? See what I'm getting at? Keep your mind and your ears open to change and always be ready to reset your definition of what you consider to be "good sound" as you become more experienced and add things to your tool bag like channel balancing and calibration.

Speaking of, set your sub level somewhere in the middle negative range on your Elite, and bring the sub up to around 78 dB with the M&K plate amp volume control. Use C-Weighted Slow for all calibration. Use fast for peak SPL monitoring.

Anyway, what is the bass management circuit doing in your Elite? What is your speaker size set to for each speaker and what is your filter point if they are set to small? The Elite manual should be able to tell you this stuff.

Even though the 245 is rated to 52 Hz, it will play lower, just not at the same volume. It might be -5 dB at 50 Hz as compared to a higher frequency, but he should still be able to hear it. Something else might be going on here with the bass management.

Doc

VR3

Doc, I liked how my system sounded before, it just wasnt blended perfect. My mains sound much better than my center and surrounds at the moment though, so I don't listen to multi channel music.

Here is how my system is right now

All speakers are set to small
I set the Receiver bass crossover on 100hz. I set the subwoofer crossover at 65-70hz. I like to hear some bass coming from the speakers or it just sounds empty. I actually didn't do mine on 75 db, I did them on 65db instead because I listen to stuff at -40 when im just sitting around and I would have to set the speakers to ludicris +'s (if that makes sense) like +9.....etc. Yes my PE has seperate speaker, pluses and minuses. I listen to music around 96-98 db. If I use all 5 speaker it raises up to 99-101db.

Doc, Seems you have something against me. You must think that I think my home theatre is da s*** right? well let me put it this way, don't rock a boat that im not aboard. I am open to new sound, personally I have heard 2 speakers by Polk that totally make my system sound bad, the Polk RTi150 and the CSi40, I am getting the CSi40 sometime this year, I *MIGHT* get an SVS, maybe. My favorite speaker right now are Def Tech's. I am open to new sounds and I welcome different speakers and receivers with an open mind. I have nothing against you but plz stop thinking I am a closed minded person. Anyway...........................

Dr. Spec

I don't have anything against you at all. But many of your past posts have been closed minded and you have often jumped to conclusions that have absolutely no foundation or technical merit and this in turn portrays you in a less than flattering light.

If you are serious about growing and learning, then just keep an open mind and think twice before you "open mouth and insert foot".

Hell, a few months ago you didn't even know what an SPL meter was or even what SPL stood for. Now you own one and have calibrated your system and you noticed a huge improvement - good for you and that's what I call positive progress.

There are "improvements" like that around every corner if you remain humble, open minded, willing to learn, and willing to accept that your personal definition of "good sound" is shaped by your experiences and is subject to change almost on a daily basis. These are words I try to live by and you should too.

BTW, if you are doing bass management at the Pioneer, you should bypass the filter control at the subwoofer, otherwise you will cascade the two filters and create a depression in the FR in the 60-100 Hz range. If you can't bypass the sub filter control, then crank it all the way up to its highest setting. Also, try an 80 Hz filter point (at the Pioneer) for your speakers and you might find quite a bit more bass coming from the center channel. If you use a 100 Hz high pass, it's no wonder you can't hear much of anything at 50 Hz coming from the speaks - it's all being sent to the sub by that point.

Doc

VR3

Doc you lost me man! lol!

Pioneer gives me 3 choices.

100hz, 150hz, 200hz

I liked it crossovered at the 100hz.

rs159

Who the hell would want to cross over at 200? Bose owners, maybe but I thought the bass module had all that internal to itslelf.

VR3

Probally someone with small satelites.......(sp):rolleyes:

fireshoes

Mx, leave the receiver crossover at 100 since that's the lowest setting, then turn the subwoofer crossover all the way to its highest point. The way you currently have it set, the receiver is sending frequencies 100 hz and below to the sub and then the sub's crossover is saying only play bass 65-70 hz and below, so you would be missing 30-35 hz of music that neither the sub nor speakers would be playing. Turning the sub crossover higher will take care of the problem.

VR3

Originally posted by fireshoes
Mx, leave the receiver crossover at 100 since that's the lowest setting, then turn the subwoofer crossover all the way to its highest point. The way you currently have it set, the receiver is sending frequencies 100 hz and below to the sub and then the sub's crossover is saying only play bass 65-70 hz and below, so you would be missing 30-35 hz of music that neither the sub nor speakers would be playing. Turning the sub crossover higher will take care of the problem.

ok, so I turn the sub crossover to 100? My sub can crossover at 120 if need be, do I need it there?

Dr. Spec

Yes, leave the Pioneer set at the lowest setting: 100 Hz. I am also surprised it won't go any lower - are you sure about this?

Anyway, the M&K might have a filter bypass input jack. If it does, then use it. If it doesn't, set the filter all the way to its highest setting (120). That way the sub won't filter what the Pioneer has already filtered once.

The sound should be much fuller in the midbass range after you eliminate the filter cascading.

Doc

VR3

Alright, yeah Im sure the PE dosn't go any lower. I didnt it like it being so high either. Oh well!

Dr. Spec

Were you able to hear a difference in the mid bass after cranking the M&K all the way up to 120?

rs159

Maybe he should do it the "Polk" way and run speaker wire through the M&K and use the Xover there. 100hz is way too high considering the RTi38s and the room they are in. The lower the sub is crossed the more open and natural the bass will be, since you would have a more stereo source of bass in the locateable range.