# psychoacoustic response vs. home curve



## vince (Oct 19, 2007)

Hi, I am using R+D software for room tuning and have been reading in the BFD posts about this "house" curve, and how the low end should be elevated in relation to the top end, in other words bass high then sloping gradually down towards the top end. Is this the same thing as a "psychoacoustic" response??? just wondering isn't the goal to get a "flat" response?:scratch: don't know what response to go after to be text book accurate:dontknow:
Vince


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## Josuah (Apr 26, 2006)

A house curve makes you feel better. It is not used as something that is supposed to be accurate.

I do not have a house curve. I calibrate flat. I have a large room with a not-bad acoustical situation, and am willing to playback movies with heavy bass at reference level. (It helps to ramp up during trailers or something, so your brain/ears adjust.)

One reason you might want a house curve is because in your house, you're not likely to play back movies at reference level (i.e. 85dB dialog, 105dB peak) but you still want to feel the rumble that you would feel if you were. If you run dialog at 65dB, which many would consider normal listening levels at home, then your sub is going to hit 95dB peak which isn't going to rumble things at 20Hz. But if you just ran the entire sub at +20dB, then where things crossover it'll sound strange.

Also, you shouldn't playback at reference level often. You'll permanently damage your ears. Maybe once a week or something. And some movies you just don't want to even once, like Black Hawk Down. (It's accurate, but that's why soldiers lose their hearing.) Watch dramas or comedies the rest of the time.


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