# Is Audyssey Multi-EQ a "quick fix"



## ghstudio (Jul 27, 2007)

Ugh....I took my first measurements of my system today with REW. Standing waves, bass mess, and 3000+ seems a bit hot. 

I have a Yamaha 31 channel EQ that I'm going to try on my L/R speakers....and another EQ for my center, but I am wondering if it wouldn't be easier to just get an audessey Multi-EQ processor like the Integra 9.9 and let it do it's thing tuning to the room. 

This is a home theater application with NHT speakers all around (2.9, AC-2, L5's) and an NHT Power5 amplifier. 

I really can't do much with the room....8' hard ceiling, plaster and glass walls, tile floor with some rugs.....sort of an acoustic nightmare....but it's mine  

Is Audessey my savior???


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## hifisponge (Nov 20, 2007)

I've used Audyssey extensively, and all I can say is that you may like some or all of what it does to correct your in-room response, but if there is anything you don't like, you have no ability to tweak the results. It's a gamble. I found that it did a generally good job at correcting the bass but made the sound too bright as well. Since you can't limit Audyssey to just the bass, it just shifted the problem from lumpy bass to bright treble. 

It may work out better for you, but there is no guarantee.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

No amount of equalization will “calm down” an overly live room that has hard surfaces everywhere. 

That said, not sure I’d pay over $1000 for a new processor just to get Audussy. It’d be cheaper to add outboard equalization, assuming that you already have separates.

_That_ said, if it’s Yamaha’s analog 1/3-octave GQ-series equalizer you’re talking about, those are rather poor quality equalizers. I wouldn’t use them.

Regards,
Wayne


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## cinema mad (Jan 28, 2007)

So if ghstudio gets A new processor with Audyssey XT and wants to run REW to "further refine" EQ his subs, is it correct to turn off Audyssey in the Processor, run REW to help set up the external EQ then rerun Audyssey again?....

Cheers....


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## hifisponge (Nov 20, 2007)

Personally I wouldn't use both Audyssey and an external EQ. Too many cooks in the kitchen, if you catch my meaning.

If you chose to, I don't see why it would matter what order you do it in. You could run Audyssey, then run REW with Audyssey on and use the manual EQ to attempt to further flatten the response, or you could go the other way and do manual EQ first and have Audyssey fill in the gaps.


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## ghstudio (Jul 27, 2007)

Wayne.....would Rane ME-30's be better than a yamaha GQ eq?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Audyssey Multi-EQ is more than just an eq and has far more capabilities than a standard 1/3 octave eq. You will get much better results using Audyssey and it does all 7.1 channels not just the mains.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

ghstudio said:


> Wayne.....would Rane ME-30's be better than a yamaha GQ eq?


I’ve never personally used one, but I expect that it probably is. I’ve heard rumors that the GQ-series equalizers are manufactured for Yamaha by Phonic, which is a low-end company. I have stereo 15-band version in my bass rack. When I did a head-to-head comparision of it against an Ashly stereo 15-band model, the Ashly totally blew the Yamaha out of the water.

 Here’s a thread started by a Forum member who used a couple of Rane parametric EQs, of the same vintage as the ME-30, I believe. You might find it interesting. In Post #8 I outlined some crude tests you can do to give you an idea if the equalizer you’re using is any good.

Regards,
Wayne


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## t6902wf (Nov 14, 2008)

SVS is launching a sub EQ SVS EQ1 at CES.

It works in conjunction with Audyssey in the receiver.

It is not a tweakers solution but I will be interested to hear about it.

I believe it will sell for 799 or somthing colse to that.


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## ghstudio (Jul 27, 2007)

Tried the Rane's and got some hum. Rather than tracking it down, I then tried a Yamaha q2031 which was blissfully quiet. I will be posting before/after graphs on the REW forum...incredible difference in both the graph and the sound.

At this point, I'm working on my mains.....and next the center. The sub is a challenge that will require a parametric solution and I'm looking for one.

When I'm done, I'll probably get an integra 9.8 to try audyssey and see how well it works on the front/subs....as well as the sides/rears. Somehow automated 7:1 automated equalization is appealing. 

I suspect that the audyssey solution will only tackle the biggest peaks, and won't be up to the job of smoothing out the bass....but we'll see.


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## hifisponge (Nov 20, 2007)

ghstudio said:


> I suspect that the audyssey solution will only tackle the biggest peaks, and won't be up to the job of smoothing out the bass....but we'll see.


Audyssey will make your bass as smooth as a baby's butt (on paper), but if subjectively you don't like the sound of the results, there's no way to tweak the filters to alter the sound. And I've found that Audyssey is too aggressive in EQing the mids and treble, which you can't separate from the corrections it makes to the bass.

Here is an example of what Audyssey was able to do with the front left and sub channels in my system.









Looks great right? Didn't sound great. Too much subjective upper-bass and the mids / highs sounded too bright.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

ghstudio said:


> Tried the Rane's and got some hum.


If your Rane gear is their older analog stuff (PE, ME series), I've had trouble with them picking up hum when racked right above or below things like amplifiers. Getting them away from the amps solved the problem.

Regards,
Wayne


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

hifisponge said:


> Here is an example of what Audyssey was able to do with the front left and sub channels in my system.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks like it needs a house curve! :yes:

Regards,
Wayne


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## Aaron Gilbert (Nov 12, 2008)

hifisponge said:


> Audyssey will make your bass as smooth as a baby's butt (on paper), but if subjectively you don't like the sound of the results, there's no way to tweak the filters to alter the sound. And I've found that Audyssey is too aggressive in EQing the mids and treble, which you can't separate from the corrections it makes to the bass.
> 
> Here is an example of what Audyssey was able to do with the front left and sub channels in my system.
> 
> ...


I found the same results in my system, except differences as noted below. I really would like to run all my speakers as full range, and have Audyssey EQ the full range, but that option isn't available to me. On my Onkyo 805, I have to live with whatever Audyssey thinks are the F3 points of my speakers, and it will only EQ them above those points. And it got them far wrong compared to my (and my sound meter's) impressions with actual signals. Oddly, most people seem to have the opposite problem, in that it reports their speakers to be full range when they are tiny bookshelf things. However, that said, I found that it really sucked the upper midrange and complete treble out of my speakers, to the point where it's unlistenable to me for music. It sounded as though that entire range dropped 4-5dB. So the bass/crossover issue is really a moot point. I have tried the setup at least six times, following every last detail of the instructions (far more than are in my receiver's manual), and I'm finally giving up, since the system sounds great with no EQ at all.

So is it a quick fix? Maybe, if it agrees with your room and speakers. Of course, I thought my system sounded great before, and I'm a big proponent of 'If it's not broken, don't fix it'.


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## hifisponge (Nov 20, 2007)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> Looks like it needs a house curve! :yes:
> 
> Regards,
> Wayne


I agree. Audyssey obviously doesn't. :foottap:


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## notoriousmatty (Feb 27, 2009)

Sorry. Im new to equalizing. So you can use REW to measure what audyssey performed? It doesnt override audyssey in any way it just takes the measurements of whats already there, correct? Thanks


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

hifisponge said:


> I agree. Audyssey obviously doesn't. :foottap:


Sure, the basic versions do not but Audyssey Pro does and offers other advantages.

Kal


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

notoriousmatty said:


> Sorry. Im new to equalizing. So you can use REW to measure what audyssey performed? It doesnt override audyssey in any way it just takes the measurements of whats already there, correct? Thanks


Yup. Done that. I am big fan of Audyssey, particularly Audyssey Pro V3 but I am also a fan of "Trust but verify."

Kal


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## ghstudio (Jul 27, 2007)

It's too bad, and somewhat surprising, that Audyssey does not offer their stand alone dynamic eq box with their automatic volume control. I can buy it in an integra but I can't buy it directly from audyssey...

What are they thinking (or aren't they?)


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

ghstudio said:


> It's too bad, and somewhat surprising, that Audyssey does not offer their stand alone dynamic eq box with their automatic volume control. I can buy it in an integra but I can't buy it directly from audyssey...
> 
> What are they thinking (or aren't they?)


I asked this of them when I heard the prototype of the DEQ system. The reason is that the stand-alone box cannot know the appropriate volume to insert the compensation since it cannot distinguish dynamic changes from volume control resettings. 

Kal


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