# Dynamic EQ



## Steeve-O (Dec 3, 2010)

Since I had my Onkyo received something I didn't liked much about it was when I was watching movie or listening to music at low sound level. It alway made the bass so quiete that the subwoofer amp would sometime shut down.

Now I've discovered what Dynamic EQ can do but my only concert is, and I haven't found the answer on google. Will Dynamic EQ increase the bass when watching at higher level like -10db as it does with low level like -40db ? Because I'm unsure if I want to watch a movie at -10db with this function on since it seems to pump out quite a lot more bass at low volume. And personally I find that it's more piratical to not have to play with receiver audio setting everytime I want to watch at loud level then a low level.

Also if I understand all of this right, Dynamic volume would actually lower the overall volume of loud scene in movie, for example an explosion scene, to not disturb neighbor when watching movie later in the evening ? I'm kind of new to all of this audio world and I'm doing my best to learn as much as I can on my own, but sometime some clarification is useful and usually people here a more knowledgeable than most website around Internet.

Thank You 
Steeve


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

Dynamic EQ will adjust the bass levels so that it feels similar at different volume levels. It will increase the bass levels when using lower AVR volumes, and it will decrease the bass levels when using higher AVR volumes.

Dynamic Volume will limit the loud sections.


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## Steeve-O (Dec 3, 2010)

So if I put the volume at higher level for example -10db it will then have a lower bass level than It would usually have without the Dynamic EQ,

At -25db if would be about the same,

and at -40db bass would be louder than it is without the dynamic EQ does I understand this all correct?


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

Basically, yes.
I don't know specifically when Dynamic EQ makes the changes, maybe someone more knowledgeable will come along and give better details.

Why don't you try it for yourself. Play a very low steady tone through the sub, increase and decrease the volume while turning the Dynamic EQ off and on.

Personally I don't care for Dynamic EQ at all, the changes it makes is much too drastic. With it engaged, at lower volumes, not only is my system way too bass heavy, but also the surround sound is drastically louder. At very low volume, the surround speakers practically overpower the front speakers.

Also I hate that my Onkyo automatically engages it anytime the auto setup is run.


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Dynamic EQ is almost like Dolby Volume in that it can make low level listening more enjoyable and you don't have to keep on reaching for the remote every time a big explosion happens on screen, we have all been there, although there are some differences in what Dolby Volume actually does compared to Audysseys Dynamic EQ, I would not listen to material at levels like -10db with Dynamic EQ turned on as the effects may not be desirable and also it is not meant to be used in this way.


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume are completely different, and I would say Dolby volume is more of a mix between the two.

DYNAMIC EQ will not stop the loud volume spikes of explosions and such (at lower volumes it will actually make them more prevalent through the sub). This adjusts eq and volume to give a more consistent 'feel' throughout the AVR volume range.

DYNAMIC VOLUME limits the minimum and maximum volume range that is reproduced. It will let dialogue stay loud enough to be understood, but will reduce the volume of explosions so they won't be disturbingly loud.

DOLBY VOLUME does both. Like Dynamic EQ, it will adjust the eq to make the audio sound more impressive at lower AVR volumes. Like Dynamic Volume, it will limit the volume range to eliminate loud spikes.


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Hi Glenn, that is more or less what I was trying to say but in a simpler way, I have not been fortunate to play with Audyssey's versions but from what I have read Dynamic EQ is not really favoured well, on the other hand Dolby Volume is just something I could not live without.


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

I figured. It appeared that the OP does not know the specifics of each, so I thought it would be best to give more details.
As written earlier, Dynamic EQ is way to drastic for me.
Dynamic Volume and Dolby volume, I haven't done much with either because I live in a house and love my volume to be very dynamic, the wife rarely complains.
If I can't listen at full volume, I wait.


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

I used to be able to do that too and then my little daughter came along and everything changed, so Dolby Volume has made quite an impact to the way I listen to movies late at night.


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## Robert_E (Jun 12, 2009)

gdstupak said:


> Basically, yes.
> Personally I don't care for Dynamic EQ at all, the changes it makes is much too drastic. With it engaged, at lower volumes, not only is my system way too bass heavy, but also the surround sound is drastically louder. At very low volume, the surround speakers practically overpower the front speakers.
> 
> Also I hate that my Onkyo automatically engages it anytime the auto setup is run.


I agree, the surrounds levels are way out of proportion at low volume with Dynamic EQ. 

This is what Dynamic EQ (green) does to my bass at -25dB on the AVR (purple is without DynEQ):



It's like a very aggressive house curve rising 10dB at 30Hz with the rise starting way to soon too. It took me a while to figure out why my RS SPL meter was suddenly so off setting the sub levels... at the time I didn't know Audyssey enables Dynamic EQ by default. 

I do like Dynamic Volume since 'Late night' mode on the Onkyo AVR only works with Dolby Digital signals and Dynamic Volume works for anything.


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## brent_s (Feb 26, 2007)

I still think folks are misunderstanding what DynamicEQ is doing (or attempting to do). Not only does it EQ various frequencies (highs and lows) to adjust for our natural sensitivity increase/decrease to those frequencies as SPL rises/falls, it also attempts to preserve the front-back surround balance as SPL changes. It's effects are calibrated for theatrical reference mixing levels. As such, it can be thrown off by TV or music tracks (and poorly mixed theatrical releases) that aren't mixed using the same standards ...hence some complaining about overblown surrounds or bass. More recent versions of DynamicEQ provide user adjustable offsets for dealing with non-Reference level mixes...the Onkyo 508 I just set up for a friend provided two reduction levels in addition to the "0" adjustment.

To the OP question, as you increase playback volume towards THX/Dolby Reference level, DynamicEQ reduces its degree of intervention...ie. there's less EQ and surround level boost applied at -10 than at -25...and it's completely "off" when you hit Reference.

I didn't care for DynamicEQ when I temporarily set up an Onkyo 506 in my living room system prior to going to its permanent home at my parents house. After hearing that same 506 in my parents system and then later putting a 507 in my living room system, my opinion has changed. The original 506 produced overly bloated bass in my living room, but seemed to behave as the Audyssey propaganda claimed it would at my parents, suggesting something about my inital calibration "confused" it. For whatever reason, the 507 didn't get confused...(FWIW, there were some speaker/sub changes between the 506 and 507). Yeah, there are still occasions when a TV broadcast seems to almost be all surround at times (NFL games seem especially prone) or a bass frequency might get a bit hot, but overall, I like the product since my living room system is used mainly at levels *well* below Reference...there's a dedicated theater room for the loud stuff.  I haven't ever tried DynVol...I love my dynamic range and we always mute commercials so they're not a problem.

-Brent


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