# major alert, help me out regarding audyssey/bfd



## tdo722 (Mar 12, 2011)

I'm having a major epiphany regarding about Audyssey vs BFD or any parametric system out there. What I researched both from the AVSforum Audyssey official guide and on the Audyssey web site. I realized that BFD or whatever parametric system that you're going to implement will never be quite as good as Audyssey???

Is this true? Please educate me if it is not. I just completed the order of a behringer mixer, the ecm8000, the required cables, the FBQ2496. Total cost came out to be a little bit over $300 (I already have the sound card in place and working). Below are some of the stuff I found out that makes Audyssey superior to any parametric system out there. Again, please educate me if I am wrong:

1. Audyssey creates an acoustic bubble around the listener's position so therefore it has a larger area that can have great sound while parametric system like BFD can only focus on a single location/seat

2. Audyssey is more accurate and applying filters that do not affect neighboring bands unlike parametric??? 

Man, I am this close to just dump the whole BFD/parametric and order a new pre/pro to replacy my DHC-9.9 so that I can get the MultEQ XT32 and with SubEQ HT. Couple that with the Installer Kit Pro and great sound will be attained? I wonder how much I can sell my DHC-9.9 for nowadays...


Also, according to what I have researched and based on the comments from Chris the Audyssey guru from the Audyssey company, the correct setup sequence is:

1. Parametric first/BFD then
2. Run Audyssey setup last

Not the other way around.

Also, people reported having issues with XT32 being too bright on their speakers. I am running separates because I always thought AVR is for home theater in a box or low end systems. I hope XT32 won't affect on my system. Please educate me on this one if I'm incorrect.

Last question, can I use the Audyssey Installer Kit microphone with REW to take measurement to verify after Audyssey has done its job?

My estimates $2200 for a new pre/pro with Audyssey XT32 and Audyssey SubEQ HT. Subtract old pre-pro DHC-9.9 $800??? $1400 total out of pocket for a pre/pro with 3D and latest top of the line video decoder chip, that is pricey. Or just pay $300 for a parametric route to satisfy the subs for now and forget about the whole 3D decoding and XT32 and Subeq for a year or two.

Tough choice to make, don't you think?


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

You need to have a little less faith in marketing speak, or you may spend your whole life buying deodorants and wondering why models are not chasing you down the street 



tdo722 said:


> I realized that BFD or whatever parametric system that you're going to implement will never be quite as good as Audyssey??? Is this true?


No. There are pros and cons for both, properly adjusted parametric will generally do a better job than Audyssey at subwoofer frequencies and will be about the same above that, but there will be a lot of manual measuring and adjusting to achieve that whilst Audyssey will do the work for you.



> 1. Audyssey creates an acoustic bubble around the listener's position so therefore it has a larger area that can have great sound while parametric system like BFD can only focus on a single location/seat


Marketing mumbo jumbo. Audyssey uses the results of several measurement positions to come up with what it considers a reasonable compromise EQ that is OK for each measurement location, though it will not be ideal for any. With a parametric you can do the same, or you can optimise the results for a particular measurement, up to you.



> 2. Audyssey is more accurate and applying filters that do not affect neighboring bands unlike parametric???


The band over which you want a filter to be effective depends on what you are trying to correct. When countering low frequency modal resonances you want the filter to act over the same range as the resonance does. Tools like REW show you how altering a filter setting affects nearby frequencies, and can automatically take care of the filter adjustments for you to optimise the results taking into account the regions where filters overlap.



> can I use the Audyssey Installer Kit microphone with REW to take measurement to verify after Audyssey has done its job?


You could use it, but the response of the mic is unknown so you would not be able to tell whether what you are seeing is a characteristic of the mic or the system. For full range measurements a calibrated mic would be best, next best would be a mic with a reasonably consistent and known response (e.g. ECM8000). For low frequencies a calibrated SPL meter or one of the RS meters with the corresponding generic cal file does fine.


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## tdo722 (Mar 12, 2011)

JohnM said:


> You need to have a little less faith in marketing speak, or you may spend your whole life buying deodorants and wondering why models are not chasing you down the street
> 
> No. There are pros and cons for both, properly adjusted parametric will generally do a better job than Audyssey at subwoofer frequencies and will be about the same above that, but there will be a lot of manual measuring and adjusting to achieve that whilst Audyssey will do the work for you.
> 
> ...



Thank you John. 

I feel better about my FBQ2496 purchase then, haha. Although I really wanted the new MultEQ XT32 but I guess I can live with FBQ2496 for a while and tinker with it and see how it goes. I am particularly only interested in 15 to 200hz frequencies with the FBQ2496 so I guess I got everything that I need to accomplish this. I will post my graphs in the coming days after I receive my order from B&H and Musician Friends and Monoprice. 

By the way, for anyone interested, B&H is currently selling the FBQ2496 for only $122 with free shipping. Very cheap consider the BFD1124 is going for around $100 used on eBay due to its popularity lately, haha.


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## tdo722 (Mar 12, 2011)

John,

What about the setup sequence? Is it correct?

1. BFD / parametric
2. Audyssey

This is correct? or maybe not?


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

tdo722 said:


> Also, people reported having issues with XT32 being too bright on their speakers.


That right there should tell you that even a sophisticated auto-EQ system isn’t always perfect. They’re pretty cool overall, but I don’t think I’d ever use one that didn’t allow me to go in and make some changes if I felt they were needed. Plus I would ALWAYS double-check with a before/after REW reading to make sure it really accomplished what it was supposed to. :T

Regards,
Wayne


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## sickboy013 (Feb 28, 2009)

I would think it would be better to run Audyssey first then make manual tweaks with the BFD, say for a house curve/hard knee curve. Audyssey will EQ everything relatively flat. I would also suggest running REW on the sub before and after Audyssey runs. That way you can see what Audyssey is tweaking. I don't have MultiEQ, I have 2EQ, so it doesn't touch my sub.


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