Audyssey SETUP GUIDE - Get the BEST RESULTS!

Are you new to home theater and have never ran Audyssey? Are you a seasoned home theater enthusiast but have never been impressed with Audyssey's results and end up turning it off? Then try this setup guide and maximize the results you get from Audyssey! Be sure to like, subscribe and hit that bell icon to be notified when I upload a video!
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[@joesnyder8764]

Thank you. Just changing the crossover settings to 80 made a big difference.

[@sg1ds919]

Home theater gamer, I think most people including myself would like to see you setup your system from start to finish . That way we get-a basic idea what to look for. You know show n tell.. Thanks

[@sjsphotog]

+100

[@BLACK997RS]

This is very helpful to me. It actually improved my speaker sound. thanks.

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Awesome! Glad I could help!

[@jvdh_bnb]

The production quality of these videos is insane. Subscribed!

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Are you being sarcastic?

[@demoncamberx4054]

What's not mentioned in this video but is very important to know, is do not ever set the crossover for the speakers any lower than where Audyssey initially sets them.

[@douglastaylor3122]

Why

[@sjsphotog]

@@douglastaylor3122 it may cause damage to them. usually set them to 20 Hz ABOVE what the manual states they can go down to so if they ca go down to 60 Hz then set the crossover for 80 Hz, etc,. This way you shouldn't cause damage. For your HEIGHT speakers since they mostly play higher freqs you can set those even higher as no need to send bass up there usually

[@sprite_goblin]

It’s also easier to drive your speakers if you’re sending the low frequencies to the sub, so less stress/heat on the receiver and more headroom for volume

[@rkumarblr1]

Finished the Audyssey setup and agree that resetting the levels of the speakers post the setup, as is being suggested in the video, does make a significant difference. Only in my case I used the test tones from the AVR for the purpose and set at 75dB using C Slow with the Radio Shack meter set to 80 dB with master volume at 0dB. The reason for AVR test tones is because the level setting on the AVR comes along with the test tone and I do not know how to switch them off to use with a demo disc. Should be something basic but don’t know.

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Unfortunately it's a back and forth between going into the levels setting on the receiver, then back out to get the disc measurement, then back in to adjust. It's a hassle but I've gotten used to it. I try to use test tones on a disc over the internal ones as the internal ones don't apply Audyssey's EQ settings, so your results may be off, albeit slightly and possibly to the point where you couldn't hear it.

[@rindershow212]

You are absolutely correct on audyssey setting sub levels to -12db when it tells you to set it at 1/2 dial on the gain.

[@Squishmallows24]

How did you fix the problem? I keep running into the same problem

[@rindershow212]

@Squishmallows24 just increase the sub gain in audyssey menu. That's what I always do

[@michaelgeorge5436]

I don't get why so many people say to leave dynamic eq off. It is the best thing about audyssey and was a night and day difference to me. The sound after turning it on was incredible. With it off, it was dead and lifeless.

[@PeteNice29]

Limits peak volume for one.

[@mauriciob8260]

for me Dynamic eq on and light option give me the best ever sound on my Denon X3800H , when I switch to off my sound feel dead , so you totally right I still don't know why not many people like it

[@PeteNice29]

@@mauriciob8260 It's mainly for people that don't listen at reference level all the time, which means most of us.

[@SagnolTheGangster]

Thanks for the info man, u really helped me through the setup process. Cheers!

[@fondoo]

thank you for the video!!! i'm going to try those tweaks tomorrow am

[@schemkesa]

I did the Audyssey set-up, but thought the overall balance (levels) was better, didn't liked the EQ. To flat. It succesfully EQ'ed the umpff out of my large frontspeakers, but I just love that. And I have dipole speakers and don't think Audyssey is compatible with those dipole speakers

[@cbrb6594]

The se ret with this on your receiver is when you want greater bass before setting up turn your bass to low then turn it up very little whereas it is barely audible and voila that Audyseey Mic will have it thumping . Another note: you will still have to turn each speaker volume up because this mic will usually have the volume low and sound like trash

[@Squishmallows24]

I keep running into the subwoofer problem that sets them to -12db after calibration. How do I fix this without having to buy a setup disc?

[@kevinMosmen]

Another great video! Thank you Brad. How do you not have millions of followers?!

[@christisdale9977]

Thank you for this video.I have been having a terrible time trying to set up my sub.It was always resulting in the trim level going into -12 and I didn't know what I was doing wrong.

[@mzaentertainment5618]

Hi thank you for the tutorial. I just want to ask about subwoofer volume. In my case if I set the volume to 50%, i will never get the sub volume at the same level during test tone. If I raise the volume to match the front DB level, i will end up with too loud bass during watching the movie. Is it necessary to match sub db level to my front?

[@akasinned52]

Wow, turns out I been doing it wrong all along. Who new all listening positions were based off the main listening position. I always wondered why each listening position had to be 2 feet or less from the 1st position. All my listening positions were based off individual positions for each person. You cleared up a lot, no wonder my system sounds like crap LOL.

[@mikek.4211]

Don’t feel bad Dennis. I’ve been doing it the same way with my Marantz AV8805. Now I will have to go back and re-do the setup as well. 🤷🏻‍♂️😂

[@TobyPasta]

I was wondering what I did wrong with Audyssey but now I'm gonna watch this and make sure I have everything set up right. Thank you for this video, and fantastic work on this as well! This is really high quality!

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Thanks for the comment. Glad I could help!

[@xRESWarriorx]

Thanks for the video!

[@MrArjanOskam]

I now have a Denon AVR-x2800h and I can not find the "Speakersize" menu anymore...

[@sipet81]

When turning off dynamic Eq and dynamic volume the sound lost everything. Sounds awful but most of the setup videos says to turning off. What did I wrong?

[@xburgos1]

Amazing content Thank you

[@davidj.martin948]

Hello may I ask you a question ? If i wanted to set up my system sound manually because Audyssey gets it wrong then how do i enter the Speaker Distances measurements into Audyssey? Do I actually run Audyssey first and then go under Manual setting /Distances and undo what Audyssey has listed and enter my own? I thought part of the purpose of having Audyssey do it was because it also included the Delay according to the distance of each speaker, so if you go in and undo it wont that cancel out the delay that goes with the distance for each speaker that Audyssey measured ? If you measure your speaker distances manually i dont know what to do with the measurement i guess is what im asking . Thank you

[@janlinhart7914]

I don't understand what you meant by matching levels only on left front and subwoofer. Could you pls explain? I mean why just those two?

[@mafosa8519]

Yea... I had to replay that part 3 times to figure out I don’t understand? Larry

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Sorry for the late response. You only need to do the left front and subwoofer for a couple reasons. First being that the left front channel is the “reference level” for the sub. At 0dB on the receiver, this means the front level should read 85dB using Avia, or 75dB using any other test disc. This will ensure that when you set the sub volume to 82-83dB using the subwoofer volume control (on the sub, not the trim level in the receiver), that you’ll be setting it to that same reference level. Audyssey will take care of all the other channels. By doing it this way, you’re making sure that the gain on the subwoofer is right in the money so Audyssey can accurately apply the EQ filters.

[@scottb721]

He just means set your front left speaker as the starting point that the other speakers are adjusted up or down to match. It makes sure you're starting the process at a point that's in the middle of the adjustable range.

[@randyrice7090]

I ran Audyssee last year and since went ahead and added a second subwoofer. Went to run it again and now my room is too loud. I can't get them to register at 75DB without shaking the wall apart. So I gave given up on Audysee. But, I enjoyed the Audysee center channel boost, etc that I've now lost. What can I do to fix this?

[@finkle745]

I’m watching because it always seems that everybody changes everything audyssuy set up does, so trying to figure out what the benefit of running it?? Personally, I thing the EQ setting sound terrible, so is the only benefit is to get distance correct?

[@rkumarblr1]

My apologies I got mixed up between videos. You have clearly indicated that the prelim steps are speaker placement, distance and level setting the left speaker and subwoofer to reference level before running audyssey. So my questions are already answered. Thanks. I suppose the master volume position on the AVR when running audyssey does not matter as long as it’s kept constant through the measurement.

[@sjsphotog]

some say you should have the AVR volume at your ref level for listening (75 dB for most) as 85dB, even though that is what the studios use, is way too loud for most home theaters)

[@jazzman9469]

Hello, thank you for the great setup video. Question; I just setup in my bedroom (11x11) a Bose Acoustimass 5.1 system with an Onkyo TX-NR727 receiver. I ran Audyssey but I am still hearing more in the 2 back surround speakers. I have all speakers set to 60hz per Audyssey. Do I turn the db to a negative number? Example, if I have my center at -3.0db, front L&R at -7db, sub at -3db and the 2 rear speakers at -5db, is this a good setup? Or, should I turn the rear speaker db to 0db? Sorry for the long question, I am new to the home theater sound quality. Thank you!

[@TopperDude]

Very entertaining video :). Love the approach :)

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Thank you, TopperDude!

[@IvanEBC]

*Cries* i never had this audyssey setup since i got my Onkyo NR-525TX years ago, tonight while messing with a microphone port, i realised it wasn't a microphone port, but an audyssey setup port ... so i DON'T have a microphone port on my AMP? Sheesh... but in my messing around trying to sing into this microphone, i realised i was meant to use this audyssey supplied mic, and just messed around, now i get some weird echoing all over the place. i thought, instead of doing a correct calibration, i'll just switch this crap off, but noooo from everything i can see, once calibrated, its on for life. So i guess now i'm going to have to take time to calibrate something that never needed calibration in the first place as i don't sit in any conventional seat arrangement either, i just want to switch it off.... ... ok, i've vented. thank you.

[@jasonbflorio]

Im hoping to get your opinion, since I am unable to find the answer anywhere else. Audyssey always trims each channel by a few dBs. (I do not have matching center/mains, although all Definitive Tech) Lets say I get results of C= -5 | L= -2.... I usually "zero" out and compensate the other channels. (It would be C= -3 | L= -0) LMK if this makes sense. It balances out with my meter, however I was never certain if it messed with the room compensation or not. Is what I have been doing acceptable, or should I get a slap on the wrist?

[@DigitalDonAV]

Great video brother!

[@avsolutions212]

Thank u so much u cleared so many doubts...

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Glad to hear that!

[@mikedinno8413]

I have my TV and Home Theater caddy cornered so it's very difficult to calibrate when it comes to seating positions. I have a couch at the center of the room and the other along the side wall. So you tell me which is my main seating position. I split it and put the mic between the two couches. I have one surround speaker elevated along the same wall where the home theater is and the right front is and the other one clear across from it on the other side of the wall where the left front is. It's clearly not how you want everything to be but I have no choice. Cady cornering the tv makes it easiest to watch from all seating positions. I have Pioneer AVR with MCAAC Pro. I have never run REW. I have tower speakers but from everything I've read about crossover 100HZ makes the most sense to me. If LFE is

[@davidfaulkner6008]

Hi, hopefully I wont get shot down in flames for asking.... I have a Denon AV receiver and after setting up Audessey I find I need to increase the SBW level to maybe +3 or for some sources up to +9dB not only for personal taste but also as, for example streaming radio doesnt have enough bass..... after doing so the amp will not go above "70" (max 100) - even with no audio playing, simply turning up the volume just wont go over that level I have tried two different units - AVR X-3600H and AVR-X1700H and both are the same and yes, the limit setting is off :) Thanks

[@cstrasz]

I’m just curious how you calibrate the front left to 85db (and also why you picked that?). Since there’s no volume knob what do you use to adjust it?

[@MFRiley]

Question- Can I use the test tone on my Denon AVR to set the levels of my left speaker and subwoofer, when setting the subwoofer level? If so, should I still set the volume to 0.0dB and aim for 85dB on the left channel and 82-83dB for the subwoofer on my dB meter?

[@thesoulexpressshow1370]

Nice video but I just want to point out for potential readers that the best thing is to always test for themself and not just copy paste settings. Example: On some systems setting the front speakers to large and lfe + main gives better sound. There is no right or wrong use your ears and make the sound like you love it. Cheers

[@jimmymcgill5572]

Why does he want us to set speakers to small if we have towers for the front? I don’t get it

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Setting your tower speakers to small does a couple things. Firstly, it prevents phase cancellation from both the tower speakers and subwoofer playing at the same time, which is a very common problem and is often not easily fixed. Setting them to small also gives your amplifier or receiver far more headroom. It’s much harder to drive speakers set to large, especially if they’re below a rated 90dB sensitivity. I don’t agree with the statement to just use your ears and that there’s no right or wrong way. There are definitely many wrong ways to set things up. Your ears can lie to you. Unless you have something like Room EQ Wizard and a measurement mic, you can’t be certain you’re not making things worse if you set your tower speakers to large.

[@sjsphotog]

@@jimmymcgill5572 Its NOT about about the Physical SIZE of your speakers or their $$. Its about making sure the crossover point is correct so that the SUB gets the tones IT is best at playing and the speakers get the tones THEY are best at playing and without potentially over straining and prematurely wearing/blowing out your speakers.

[@shlokanarva9636]

This is very helpful. I have 24’ HT room and the audyssey cable is not long enough to reach the “sweet spot”. Can you please recommend what extension cable should I look for? Thank you

[@gelderlandproduction]

Yep! GREAT Info!

[@RCJPCarterNovels]

Awesome video!

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Thank you!

[@welderfixer]

I always enjoy this gentleman's videos and this is video good, but it would have been "great" if he demonstrated the actual steps in the receiver. Also, it would be very much appreciated if an expert could show us how to set-up the older receivers because most of us can't afford brand new gear. Surely, there's set-up tricks on the older stuff that newbies like me miss. And, we all know that instruction manuals are rarely worth the paper that they are printed on.

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Thanks for the comment! A step-by-step setup guide is in the video production pipeline, complete with receiver adjustments. I can’t say exactly when that will be done, but it’s coming at some point. I will say though, that there aren’t many tricks to get better sound, but there are some obvious settings you want to turn off if you’re after balance and quality.

[@welderfixer]

@@HomeTheaterGamer Thank you for all of your efforts. I have posted a couple of videos and mine are rather plain and still took a long time to do. Your vids are on a much higher scale than mine and surely could be a full time job, again - Thanks. I have been adjusting on my system for months. I just tried setting all speakers to large and it sure improved my overall bass with my antique Denon AVR-591 and cheap Polk speakers. I was able to set it so the subwoofers were crossed over and playing at good levels. It seems like these systems have as many settings as a jumbo jet and getting more complicated daily. But, hey simple is likely low quality dollar store level gear. Take care.

[@sg1ds919]

@@HomeTheaterGamer I would definitely love that..Im a show & tell kinda guy.. Thanks for all you do for us novice guys..

[@docjohnson3980]

Great video my man 👍

[@bigmo9044]

Just a question about using curtains on openings. I have my home theater in the living room. One side has a 6 foot opening to the hallway and the back has a 5 foot opening to another room. Would you recommend installing curtains to close off the openings? Thanks

[@dottorfoggy]

Stupid question, what kind of disk are you using to test the levels? Is possible to find a download version?

[@thomasacheson1625]

I enjoyed your video. I'm at entry level. My Denon surround sound receiver is from the early 2000s. So, haven't gotten to the level of the new age audio enthusiasts. My living room isn't user friendly as far as speaker placement very limited space. To top it off I'm using old school cerwin vega home stereo speakers. Average weight of these old monsters is 80#s +. They are not hanging from the ceiling. I'm really trying to blend home theater and, hifi. In the audysse set up for my antiquated system the 1st question it asks is front speaker height. I do have an understanding what it's asking for. In the set up format when it sends a ping to locate speaker location the front speakers don't respond. Is that because the speaker height isn't set?

[@gareplofkip3104]

My problem is that it tests every speaker except my subwoofer.What can i do except the obvious things like check the connections or change the cable.

[@davethestalker]

I had just posted a lengthy comment regarding adjusting speaker levels after Audyssey. One thing you didn’t show in this video was your Master Volume level was for playing Avia. Was it 0db or some other number such as your typical listening level? My typical listening levels are between -35 & -30db. I have my x7200wa set to turn on to -40db to avoid “accidents”, and max volume is set to 0db. My ears hurt at 0db and we definitely don’t need accidents happening there too! Love your channel bud.

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

@Dave B. thanks for the comment! I'll check out your other comment shortly, but to answer this question: my master volume when using Avia is 0dB, which if all is good, reads 85dB on the SPL meter. I never, EVER listen to content at this volume level, mind you, it's only for setup/calibration and I will often wear noise cancelling headphones or earplugs if dealing with it for more than a couple of minutes. My normal listening volume varies, but for movies it's typically around -15dB to -10dB. I have my receiver set to turn on to -30dB as I'm with you on the "accidents" part haha.

[@sg1ds919]

@@HomeTheaterGamer WOW -79db all the way down to -15db to -10db for movies huh . Thats gotta be loud..

[@EragonxVxRevan]

@@sg1ds919 it won't be loud if you calibrate it as he does.

[@taheralikhan5771]

Hi bro your video always watching its great information thank you so much My question is I have focal sopra n2 Center is electra surround also focal 800&806v I can run audyssey it’s coming front large And what db I calibration for my speaker 75 db or80db

[@3vino1]

I don't have a subwoofer since my front three way Cerwin Vega VS 120's have a 12 inch woofer and are set to large. Sounds great with Audyssey multi EQ set to reference. However, reference and flat do not give me enough base on the lower frequencies. I also had to raise the volume on my surrounds. I loaded reference to the equalizer and found that bass was set lower than mid ranges. If I remember correctly, before I recalibrated, I had Audyssey set to off, and I now believe that it was defaulting to the equalizer and tone controls, which I had set manually for use with music with my CD player. I remember good lower and high frequency sounds. Where it was lacking, was that sometimes the dialog was a little low. Now that I think I know what was going on, I might be able to adjust the equalizer to give me the right settings on everything. Too bad that I can't make adjustments while Audyssey is on. I'll just have to play with it some more. BTW, I understand that a subwoofer might be the answer, but I don't have room for it on the front wall. I have a large entertainment center and the large wide Cerwin Vegas there. Any help would be appreciated.

[@shaolin95]

Sorry but unfortunately you really need a sub to get the experience

[@mskmsk7174]

Excellent. Thanks

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Glad you liked it!

[@MrNickster12345]

Hey home theater gamer. I have a question. After running Audyssey calibration, would you say most people would be fine with the end result? I mean not using a minidsp or using a spl meter on the subs and speakers? Would audyssey get everything close enough? If you can give me some advice it would be much appreciated.

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

I would say: it depends. Haha. For the those who just want things to sound ok with minimal effort, then I’d say yes. Audyssey does a decent enough job, though I’d advise everyone to at least go in and make sure their speakers are set to small and their crossover is set to 80Hz for all speakers (or above if Audyssey sets it higher, never go lower than what Audyssey sets). Audyssey likes to set the crossover too low, and even if your speakers can go down to 40Hz, doesn’t mean they will do so effectively and efficiently. It’s best to let the subwoofers do what they’re designed to do, and you’ll also be putting less stress on the amps in your receiver. Leaving the level trim setting where Audyssey sets them should be fine. It typically gets those right. But if you’re one who wants to get the absolute most out of their speakers and subs they can, then my answer would be no. There are many, many things you can do to better your sound, and unfortunately once you go down that rabbit hole, it’s pretty much never ending. Haha.

[@JohnConboy1]

Hi I have a Kef T2 subwoofer which doesn't have a volume control dial.My Denon receiver sets the sub to -0.5db. Should I just stick to what the receiver sets it to? Thanks.

[@TerminatorJuice]

I've been a home theater enthusiast for over 25 years, but just recently I've gotten more serious about setting my system up properly to reference, and I'm having trouble picking out a SPL meter right now. I don't want to spend $200, but I also want one that is accurate enough to do the job. And I've never used a setup disc before and it seems that they aren't that easy to come by... The most popular one that I've seen is AIX Records audio calibration, so I guess I'll look into that one. Great video tho!

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Thank you for the kind words! For discs, you can check out the highly regarded Spears and Munsil HD Benchmark 2nd Editions disc. It has audio calibration signals for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-MA. For SPL meters, I’ve heard great things about the VLIKE SPL meter on Amazon though I’ve personally never used it. I might pick one up as my SPL meter is about 15 years old at this point.

[@TerminatorJuice]

@@HomeTheaterGamer Thanks for the advise!

[@woosa42]

This spl meter is not tripod capable.

[@kringtheking2657]

Would it not be better if subs play 82db at -10db in receiver ? More gain on sub amps to get more headroom

[@VonSpud]

Great Thanks!

[@calinubro]

Should the subwoofer trim be set to zero before I start calibration? What level should my subwoofers be set too?

[@mrronenza]

Great Video ! Regarding LPF for LFE adjustment. On my Subwoofer there is knob for crossover settings. From 80hz to 120hz and in addition an LFE position. What to adjust if the processor is on 120hz with LFE enabled ? Thanks.

[@firmbutton6485]

120

[@boigoe]

Hi what about the distance...audyssey sets this but do we need to correct the distances manually

[@sutraleticsssutraleticss5001]

For some reason when I run Audessey, I keep getting phase error all the time for FRONT HEIGHTS. They are connected correctly but yet I get the error. Any work around ? Thanks.

[@2slofouru]

I have the older ht-r550 and the hdmi ports don't work for anything. Can I still set up the mic and use its internal menu? I already setup crossover frequencies and played with the manual eq, but my fronts are basic yamaha and need more eq.

[@Kwarkiemodo]

Hi there. How to set audyssey with no sub? When I have this on, the bass is almost gone.when I turn audyssey off the bass is full and perfect. Any suggestions on how to solve this? My main speakers are set on full because of no sub. Thnx!

[@xpsmax1]

what do you do when your AVR is in a Rack in a server room and need to setup Audyssey? I tried to add 1/8" extenders, but it seems to fail.

[@nkartes]

@3:44 When you say you calibrate the left front speaker to 85db after setting the MV to 0db, are you doing so by adjusting the speaker in the test tone menu? Also, why is it only necessary to adjust the FL prior to running Audyssey?

[@dustinmihalcheon5013]

So after all that do you turn your sub back to level? My Paradigm has a notch in the middle it sits at which I assume is level.

[@ProjectSOG]

Great video! I'm new to home theater. If I set the front left to 85db wouldn't Audessey adjust it? Also, why only the left front and not the right one as well?

[@sjsphotog]

most likely because since the front L + R speakers are usually the same distance from the Main Listening position just on either side of each other. At least that is the goal/basic rule to have them equidistant apart but the width from each other should be SMALLER than the distance from the front of the speaker to the listener, so that there is good stereo sound and separation.

[@Mlock76]

Thanks for the helpful video. Where do you suggest I look for a reasonably priced SPL meter?

[@LMR65]

Try OfferUp

[@superbreezerboy1]

hello , thx for the great videos . i have a little question for you ..... if i set my master at 0 and i wil messure my speakers with the test tone , for the 75 dbl, i get nothing of sound ? can i fix it in the reciever or must i turn the master up ?

[@Not2touchearth]

The terminology was a bit over my head. I’m a novice. Is there a video that explains some of the terms?

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

No worries on being a novice! We were all there at some point. I’m actually going to be doing a video explaining these terms for those who are just starting out. I don’t currently know of video that explains all of that, but I’m sure one is out there.

[@musicom67]

0:51 - Here's a quarter for the ALDI cart. Put the comedy in the cart and lock it up when through with it. Then take your quarter.

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@brianroberts6554]

Great video, sir! Quick question, though: it's about the AmazonBasics adjustable mic stand you showed you'd bought previously. Would you buy that one again, if you had to? Did it give you enough flexibility in positioning your Audyssey mic? Did it come with everything you needed in the box, or did it require that you have hardware on hand in the house?

[@FaroukAbouRafeh]

I just subs. loved the video and the tips ! just woundering, i live in BRASIL and cant find same audio level meter brand can i use other brand for metering ? and can i play any audio or is there any audio file i can download to make the test ? thank you so much ! uh last thing !! my X3500 five a -8.0 to my subwofer and it says its 5 meter away though its only 2,5m away , any idea if this is normal ??? one more time thank you !

[@dustinmihalcheon5013]

What if you have no room behind you for measurements? I have a wall there....

[@creole75]

If I run audyssey setup then go into manual setup for tweaks will it override/cancel the whole audessey auto setup and config or will it be a hybrid?

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

It will be a hybrid. It will still retain Audyssey’s EQ on all your speakers.

[@creole75]

@@HomeTheaterGamer thanks!!!

[@OG_G4m3r]

Anyone know how to turn audyssey OFF on a Denon AVR-X2400H?

[@J.R.Hernandez73]

Great explanation! Right to the point! Quick question, what are your thoughts about the Harman target home curve for calibration?

[@jlane7731]

What dvd did u use. Don’t see it in the description below.

[@rkumarblr1]

My couch is a recliner with a high back. Like an executive seat. In such a case do we do the measurements at the LP removing the couch or with the couch in place, given that the distance between the back of the seat and the and the LP is only 4 to 6 inch when in the seat during active listening? Since the back will interfere with the sound around the microphone while measuring

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Definitely leave the couch in place. You ideally want your room to be the same as it would be when listening. In your case, you would move the mic as far back as possible on the seat to the left and right, and measure there, that way you're not blocking the sound. With room correction, you want to measure basically areas where your ears might be, if not slightly outside of that for those last two measurements.

[@sjsphotog]

Isnt your sub supposed to be set 3 dB ABOVE your main speakers?

[@rkumarblr1]

Setting the left front and Sub to match about 75 dB using the test tone ( do not have the Avia disk) using the Sub gain at MV of O dB prior to running Audyssey. Caused Audyssey setup to show the Sub level as to loud. Should I ignore it and proceed? Or lower the Sub gain to get within Audyssey green, ignoring the match to the front? I do have the DTS music demonstration and setup disk. It has pink noise for various channels track 18 through 24 but does not say as to what dB to match to 70, 75 or 80.

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

I honestly would just ignore it. If the sub comes back WAY too low (like -12dB which is the minimum on most receivers), then you'll have to rerun Audyssey using their suggested level. However, in my many years of setting up Audyssey the way I do in the video, I've never had that happen. Even when calibrating multiple subwoofers.

[@frashr]

Great video, thanks. Am curious why you prefer to set your speakers to "Small" when I would presume your towers may qualify as "Large"? I have similarly sized B&W towers in front so am curious if you find an advantage to setting "small" over "large" - or do you return and switch them to from small to large after running Audyssey and setting your SPL tweaks?

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Thanks for the comment. While it is true that my towers can be set to LARGE (they play down to around 40Hz effectively), setting them to SMALL does a couple of things. It routes all bass properly to the subwoofer, where as setting them to LARGE would actually cause much of the bass to play through them instead of the sub, resulting in far less output. There may also be phase and cancellation issues if the frequency playing through the towers overlaps at all with the subwoofer. You can set your bass made to LFE+MAIN in your receiver, but I wouldn't recommend as that can cause loads of issues with phase and cancellation and is just difficulty to integrate properly. The other big benefit is headroom. Setting them to SMALL reduces the load and strain on the amps in your receiver or what ever you may be using. Depending on your setup, this may result in less distortion at higher volumes. I know there is a tendency to want to use your speakers to what they were rated to go down to, but if you have a subwoofer, I'd set them to small. The subwoofer is much more capable at reproducing low frequencies than the majority of tower speakers, even really expensive ones.

[@frashr]

@@HomeTheaterGamer Thanks - seems to make sense that perhaps this works better than a "Large / LFE + Main" set up, if you're skimming low frequency off of the fronts anyway.

[@Jens3304]

Hope you can help me. If you have the Audyssey MultiEQ IOS app and disable Midrange compensation and set Audyssey to "Reference" mode. Will I still get a roll off in the high freq range? Is it ONLY "flat" mode that disables Audyssey to not roll off high freq? I have the B&W 702 s2's and i'm looking for Audyssey NOT to roll off the high freq range Thanks in advance :)

[@boigoe]

Hi gamer...can I run audyssey without a subwoofer and when audyssey is done I can connect the subwoofer...is this possible....I have a rel subwoofer..lots of people are saying run the audyssey without the sub??

[@buchner8103]

Yep. I agree with this. Setup sub separtly , after audyssey test. You may do this without sub, audissey detect your subwoofed if in connected to system, or not. Test contuned without him.

[@rkumarblr1]

Thank you for the video and details. So audyssey setup lowers the level, so you recommend to reset the levels to reference levels using a test disk for 0dB master volume. Got that. Some question I have are 1. Do you recommend any steps like speaker level setting using AVR test tones before the audyssey setup as well . 2. Does it matter as to what the master volume is at when running the audyssey setup measurements 3. Any other steps to be taken prior to audyssey setup like speaker distance setting even though audyssey will correct that based in room characteristics?

[@Lonewolf-ei5yv]

Well, the answer in all questions is no, because the audessay will overwrite any settings before it.

[@sg1ds919]

@@Lonewolf-ei5yv so you’re saying use audyssey first then use SPL to fine tune it. Is that correct?

[@Lonewolf-ei5yv]

@@sg1ds919 yes that's my understanding at least. I must admit that I am new to this more research is needed and definitely more experimentation because what will work in one setup is no guarantee of success in another.

[@TearfulNight]

Nice content and funny guy

[@monsta21cb]

So I just bought a used sr6013 but had no mic can I use any Denon mic or does it have to be the one with the avr

[@MrArjanOskam]

I think something must have gone wrong. I just used Audyssey but sub levels are so low they're almost inaudible. The Denon AVR-X1600H still put them on -12DB Any idea what went wrong?

[@bumkrilla5339]

Set sub to its highest frequency so on the back if its 120hz set to 120hz if it's have lfe set it to lfe have your subs level match slightly lower then your main speakers

[@frashr]

Hey HTG, great video thanks again - I would like to get your thoughts on bass management settings please. Your recommendation is to set subs at 82-83dB, which I now do before running Audyssey, in order to skip the sub settings in there. I have two subs, and after running Audyssey, and going back in to manually set speaker levels with an SPL, I have two choices: First, I can trim dB levels of each sub individually, and secondly, I can trim them in tandem as a "pair". If I set them individually with an SPL (one at a time) my trim is at about +3dB each, to achieve 82-83dB. However if they are both firing, the dB level in my listening position is actually about 88-89dB. If I set them in tandem however (both firing at the same time), the trim level is about -2dB to achieve an 82-83dB level, and that makes sense. Question is, which is recommended? I think maybe the second one, since subs presumably work in tandem in any given sound track? Also, a related bass question regarding your preference to set front speakers to "Small". Do you prefer to set your bass to "LFE" or "LFE+Main"? I realize individual results may vary - just curious which setup works best for you. Thanks!

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

@frashr thanks for the comment! In regards to your question, I’d recommend initially setting them both to 0dB at your trim level on each as well as the tandem setting and adjust the actual gain on each sub to hit 82-83dB. Then, turn them both on and use the tandem setting to get the output level after Audyssey calibration. Doing it this way will ensure you’re not sending either sub too hot a signal (potentially causing clipping), which has been known to happen when going above 0dB on sub trim levels. Audyssey will likely set them to something like -9dB, but that’s okay as you can set SPL afterwards. In regards to LFE+MAIN, I never use it. Since both subs and fronts are playing the same bass signal, you can run into some nasty phasing issues that result in massive nulls in the below crossover region. I’d only consider it if you have equipment to measure your frequency response with and without it and make a decision based off of that. Even so, I’d rather have more amplifier headroom so I’d likely chose against it unless it was a night and day difference.

[@frashr]

@@HomeTheaterGamer Thanks I'll try that this week, and thanks for your thoughts on LFE+Main too. Lastly (hopefully) at 5:15 in your video, you suggest to "verify that Audyssey got everything correct". Like you, initially I measure and set my speaker distances prior to running Audyssey, but notice these measurements are slightly off after running it (particularly the sub distances). Do you reset the speaker distances to your actual tape measure distances at this point, or leave the Audyssey distances alone as a room correction?

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

@frashr I leave what Audyssey sets for distances. Audyssey will set distances based on phase and time alignment, so changing them can cause some major nulls to be introduced. This applies to both subwoofers and speakers, but changing those distances can be detrimental to your sound especially in regards to bass response. It's best to leave them alone unless, again, you have measurement equipment to verify you're not making things worse. I do mention this briefly in my "mixing sealed and ported subwoofers" video, and it applies to all sealed or all ported configurations as well.

[@frashr]

@@HomeTheaterGamer Thanks again, makes sense!

[@martindescoteaux9288]

Speakers not found!! It's been 3 years that I have my denon and I am not able to do the calibration audyssey.

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Sounds like a it might be a bad Audyssey microphone. Sometimes that long cable gets a short in it somewhere. I’ve seen ti happen once or twice. I wonder if Denon could send you a replacement.

[@martindescoteaux9288]

@@HomeTheaterGamer That's what I thought too. So I bought another microphone on ebay. And I have the same problem. So am I so unlucky?

[@xroadracer]

Hi Brad. What I can't seem to get past is… If after running Audyssey, you change crossover points, speaker sizes, levels and any other settings, doesn’t it undo whatever Audyssey did to begin with? What manual settings can undo what Audyssey did? I’m using a Denon AVR-X3500H. Thank you for the great content!

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Thanks for the comment and I appreciate the compliment! Those questions are both excellent and completely valid ones that I’ll try to answer. There are very few things that you can adjust that will completely undo what Audyssey has done. Some can/will have a negative impact on sound (such as lowering crossovers below what Audyssey sets, which means those frequencies below what Audyssey chose won’t have EQ applied), while others will disable Audyssey all together (mainly changing your amplifier configuration from what you calibrated to something else. An example would be going from Top Middle to Rear Surrounds in your receiver. That’ll disable Audyssey). Audyssey tries to do a number of things and it sometimes gets stuff wrong for various reasons (such as setting speakers to Large when they really shouldn’t be or setting crossovers too low). These are some general rules I tend to go by when I make adjustments after Audyssey (I verify stuff in REW as well): You can raise crossovers, but don’t lower them. You can switch from Large to Small, but wouldn’t recommend going from Small to Large. Adjusting levels shouldn’t have an effect on EQ that Audyssey does, just make sure you have DynamicEQ turned OFF when level matching (you can re-enable after if you like the way it sounds).

[@xroadracer]

@@HomeTheaterGamer That's very helpful. Thank you for replying!

[@sumitagarwal3788]

Hi can you pleaee help me calibration my home theatre 5.1.2 on a video call

[@TerminatorJuice]

I thought 75db was the reference level? Edit: I just seen that you said you set at 85db for that test disc.

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Yeah, Avia, for whatever reason, is mastered to 85dB. Honestly I may switch to Digital Video Essentials if I can find my disc, though I much prefer Avis’s subwoofer level setup. I’ve always wanted to try Disney’s WOW calibration disc, but since it’s not made anymore prices are upwards of $100 USD. I’m good. Haha.

[@TerminatorJuice]

@@HomeTheaterGamerMy Onkyo NR808 from 2010 has Audyssey and it has me adjust the gain/volume knob on my sub until it reads 75db(about 1/8 of the way to full volume) on the setup screen before Audyssey starts, but then it put it at -4.00db afterwards for some reason... The results were way too low so I moved the knob to about 1/4 and put the level at -2.00 before it gave me the impact I was looking for! Lol

[@thecrlghs]

@@HomeTheaterGamer FYI - avia is over 20 years old. At time of original mastering, reference WAS 85db.

[@Consfearacy22]

Why do you set all the speakers to small?

[@paulv8453]

Great video. Can you recommend an affordable 7.2 Denon receiver that would allow me to calibrate 2 separate subs? Does that require their Audyssey XT32 software? Thanks

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

I'd probably go with the Denon X1600H if you're on a budget. And yea, you do need XT32 to calibrate the subs individually.

[@paulv8453]

Home Theater Gamer Thanks for the info! I’ve heard of the Denon X1600H being a great receiver. I’ll look into it. I have a cheap Sony STRDH590 & it says that it’s 145 watts per channel RMS but I usually have to crank it up between 30-40 to get good volume. Is that normal? What are the receivers that are loud at a negative volume level?

[@CarboCrux777]

@@paulv8453 dude, i am no expert but I assume you adjusted the speaker level from the "Speaker Setting" from the home menu. Else Press AMP MENU.1Select “” - “T. TONE” on the display panel.

[@paulv8453]

@@CarboCrux777 FYI: I had purchased the Denon 3600 or 3800 when it was on sale just after posting this and I sent it back because it was just more than what I need at this time. It’s a bedroom mini theater space with a decent 5.1 system with x2 RSL Speedwoofers.

[@glennkennedy3174]

When I’m running Audessey on my Denon 3700, I find that if I turn in my Subwoofers (M&K MX-350, and a Jamo D7) I get more accurate distance measurement, and better sound. The umik in on the way, so will be able to do some experiments. Have you experimented with this? Thoughts?

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Thanks for the comment. The subwoofer distance is a bit misleading as setting it to the exact distance may not be the best setting. Essentially it’s a time alignment tool that can be used to make sure your subs are in sync with your main speakers. I wouldn’t worry about it being accurate to the actual distance, but what gets you the smoothest response at and around your crossover point. I actually just released a video guide a few days ago that walks through that very process (setting sub distance) using REW. Might be worth trying it out when you get your UMIK.

[@glennkennedy3174]

@@HomeTheaterGamer 👍👍 I’ll get back to you after the UMIK arrives.

[@kuriakos36]

Hey man please little help i have 4.0 system prime TOWERS and prime bookselfs for suround yet and i run audessy and the sound became very week😳😢 why this happend how i can make my sound dynamic again with bass from prime towers because before they're rock enough and now are very low and the sound shit what you suggest me 😓🙄

[@raymondayala5355]

You have to do a meter check with that decibel reader on all speakers. The test tone and you can download an app and use your phone mic to read the speaker noise. It should be at 75db average. You also have to set your receiver at 0db. You have to go to the volume menu and change the configuration from 0-98 to the decibel configuration. Then when you turn up the volume on the receiver, it’ll hit the 0db mark and that’s Eden you start measuring the sound. Also play with the crossover settings on your speakers. Set them up to 80hz and play with the sound.

[@ddcrocky3831]

Do you run the receiver setup first then Odyssey

[@AR_ZACK91]

Audyssey set my sub to -12. How could I get it to calibrate it better.

[@jeremywhitt7532]

Reduce the volume on the sub and re-run Audyssey.

[@mladia]

You changed your mind about your crossovers after REW huh? :-)

[@playamaddskillz861]

@ Home theater Gamer, regarding the three inches (for each measurement) from main listening position you covered; did you mean for example, 3 inches from positions 1 to 6 or 3 inches from positions 3 to 6? I ask because if it were the former, positions 5, 4, & 6 couldn’t possibly be aligned if they were all 3 inches, from position 1.

[@HomeTheaterGamer]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. It’s the latter that you mentioned. So position 4 is 3 inches in front of position 1, position 5 is 3 inches in front of position 2 and position 6 is 3 inches in front of position 3.

[@playamaddskillz861]

Home Theater Gamer, many thanks.