# Audyssey/SPL meter question



## bignorm (Oct 8, 2010)

Hello

I tried to search the audyssey thread but could not find answer....
So after running Audyssey (Onkyo 706) other than the speaker size, should I leave the settings alone OR set speaker distance manually and set speaker levels using my Rat Shack SPL meter...

Thanks for your help....

:help:


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

If you ran Audyssey correctly and read more than one position (mic on a trypod, at ear level, pointed up) you should leave the settings alone as Audyssey will not necessarily adjust to what the actual distance is. The only setting that you may want to adjust is the sub.


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

tonyvdb said:


> If you ran Audyssey correctly and read more than one position (mic on a trypod, at ear level, pointed up) you should leave the settings alone as Audyssey will not necessarily adjust to what the actual distance is. The only setting that you may want to adjust is the sub.


Well, to put it another way, Audyssey sets the distances to compensate for the time delay in each channel. That real time delay is the sum of the delay due to actual distance and the delay due to electronic processing. Thus, what Audyssey sets is something you cannot easily assess any other way.


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

After running Audyssey on my Onkyo, only 3 things usually need to be adjusted.

1) Turning OFF the DYNAMIC EQ, which is automatically turned on. 

2) Readjust the speaker's crossovers. Onkyo will often set my tower main speakers to 80hz, and my smaller center and surround speakers to 50hz.?

3) Readjusting the SUB level. 99% of the time Audyssey/Onkyo sets my SUB level too hot.

But all other settings such as distance and main/surround speaker levels work well in my situation.


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

gdstupak said:


> After running Audyssey on my Onkyo, only 3 things usually need to be adjusted.
> 
> 1) Turning OFF the DYNAMIC EQ, which is automatically turned on.


Agreed.



> 2) Readjust the speaker's crossovers. Onkyo will often set my tower main speakers to 80hz, and my smaller center and surround speakers to 50hz.?


Mebbe. Did you ever measure their response?



> 3) Readjusting the SUB level. 99% of the time Audyssey/Onkyo sets my SUB level too hot.


Not in my experience. 



> But all other settings such as distance and main/surround speaker levels work well in my situation.


Agreed.


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

Kal Rubinson said:


> Mebbe. Did you ever measure their response?


Yes. 
With help from my outboard eq's, SPL meter, and test cd's, my main speakers are flat (+/- 4db) down below 40hz.
The center and surrounds are flat down to 70hz.

Of course my Craftsman SPL meter could be off, but it sounds very good to my ears.

Hopefully I can get them measured with REW in the near future.

About the subs being set too high:
I'm not saying it's a common problem, but I know several others on this forum have had the same experience. Maybe they'll chime in to support my claim.


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## bignorm (Oct 8, 2010)

got the Onkyo 706..how do you turn off dynamic eq???

Thanks for all the responses


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## stenizo (Feb 2, 2011)

gdstupak said:


> After running Audyssey on my Onkyo, only 3 things usually need to be adjusted.
> 
> 
> 2) Readjust the speaker's crossovers. Onkyo will often set my tower main speakers to 80hz, and my smaller center and surround speakers to 50hz.?


Hi Glenn,
I thought this is a little odd...
The main speakers crossovers are usually lower than the smaller center and surround speakers. Could this be the other way around? Just inquiring as this is my first time to see such crossover settings. So after readjustment what is your final crossover setting?


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

stenizo said:


> I thought this is a little odd...
> The main speakers crossovers are usually lower than the smaller center and surround speakers. Could this be the other way around?


Believe me, I think it is very odd myself... 
I've had my Onkyo/Audyssey for over a year and have run the setup more than 15 times. Every time that I have a sub hooked up to the system, the Onkyo/Audyssey never sets the mains lower than 70hz (it's usually around 80hz). The center/surround speakers will be set anywhere between 50hz-100hz.
The only time the Onkyo/Audyssey will give my main speakers "Full Range/Big Speaker" setting, is if I disconnect the sub. So I guess it has something to do with the relationship between the mains and the sub.



stenizo said:


> So after readjustment what is your final crossover setting?


About every 3 months I redo my system in different ways to experiment. But usually I set the:
mains at 40hZ
center/surrounds at 80hz
subs trail off above 80hz


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## stenizo (Feb 2, 2011)

Thanks for the response, Glenn. This must be an Onkyo thing and I find it interesting. I have a Denon 4311CI and audyssey suggests closer to your final setting after your manual readjustment.


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## stenizo (Feb 2, 2011)

bignorm said:


> got the Onkyo 706..how do you turn off dynamic eq???
> 
> Thanks for all the responses


I'm not familiar with Onkyo but if you go to "setup" you would find "audyssey settings". That's where you disable dynamic EQ. (Hopefully, Onkyo setup menu is similar to Denon's).


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

bignorm said:


> got the Onkyo 706..how do you turn off dynamic eq???


On the Onkyo remote:
-press the AUDIO button once(center of remote, just below the arrow/enter buttons).
-press the Down/Up ARROW buttons to scroll through AUDIO Menu. Pressing Down will go through Bass --> Treble --> Late Night --> Re EQ --> Dynamic EQ --> ....
-press the Left/Right ARROW buttons to choose setting. While in Dynamic EQ, press Left/Right to turn it OFF/ON.
-press the AUDIO button once again to go back to main display.

*** Remember that Dynamic EQ is turned on by default every time the set up is run***

Also, experiment with all these settings, Dynamic EQ is too dramatic in my set up but may work perfectly in yours.


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## bignorm (Oct 8, 2010)

OK..

thanks for all the help.....


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## toddriffic (Feb 7, 2011)

As a low volume listener, I really appreciate Dynamic EQ and Vol, can't say enough about it.


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## Dwight Angus (Dec 17, 2007)

I also appreciate Dynamic EQ and leave it on always. I have no use for Vol so always off.


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## phreak (Aug 16, 2010)

I just re-ran Audyssey and found crossovers set at 40 main, 90 center, 70 surround. I reset to 60 main, rest at 80. Checked levels with RS meter and found surrounds 74, mains and Center 71, subs 72. Reset all at 75, subs 77. I use Dynamic Volume on medium when watching with my wife or late at night, otherwise it is off.


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## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

Funny you say that Audyssey sets your sub too hot. In my Marantz it always sets the sub too low and the surrounds too hot. I have to go and set levels with my spl meter for them to be right.


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## Dwight Angus (Dec 17, 2007)

After running audyssey all my channels are set too low. I always have to use my spl meter to reset levels to 75db.


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## Nikolay (Mar 25, 2011)

Dwight Angus said:


> After running audyssey all my channels are set too low. I always have to use my spl meter to reset levels to 75db.


I have nearly the same equipment: Onkyo PR-SC5508 + Emotiva XPA5 and after Audyssey calibration all speaker levels are set to -12db (68-75db depending on speaker). So I have to manually adjust all levels to 75db after each calibration. :foottap:


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## Dwight Angus (Dec 17, 2007)

Nikolay
After running Audyssey setup my mains are at 70db and my surrounds are at 69db. My subs are set to about 66db. So I manually adjust all levels back to 75db. This adjustment will have no impact on filters resolution set by Audyssey.


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## Nikolay (Mar 25, 2011)

Dwight Angus said:


> Nikolay
> After running Audyssey setup my mains are at 70db and my surrounds are at 69db. My subs are set to about 66db. So I manually adjust all levels back to 75db. This adjustment will have no impact on filters resolution set by Audyssey.


Are you using internal test tones to adjust levels or external CD/DVD with test tones? I am using internal test tones (those which are available in Onkyo GUI), but I think that is not correct, because after applying Audyssey EQ speaker levels could be changed. Probably because of that Audyssey calibration procedure set speaker levels to different values. WDYT?


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