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New member Username: LucymaydogBluffton, SC Post Number: 1 Registered: May-06 | I was wondering if anyone would share some tips for setting levels, using/not using features commonly offered on audio products, or anything to get a system so it's at peak performace. Fine-tuning, I guess. I was wondering if there were just some things I just wasn't aware of that I should be doing after just purchasing some Kilpsch Promedia 2.1 speakers for my laptop, and read by some posters that all the levels on the computer's EQ should be at 0.(Speakers arrive tomorrow, so I've yet to test this advice) Anyway, my setup sounds "OK", but I really feel like I could get it thumping and more in sync. I want more out of it. I don't sense I'm getting a real surround experience, and not even hearing the rears a lot of the time. I know for a fact it's wired correctly, and I don't want to turn the rear levels up so much that it sounds like I'm just listening to 4 satellites, mounted in each corner. I'd like to sync them up so it's just one room-filling aural experience. This is what I have (Please keep in mind I purchased these components back in 2000, when this was a pretty impressive mid-level, non-HT geek setup) Energy Encore II 5.1 speakers Hitachi 53UWX10B Sony STR-DE885 Panasonic DVD RP56 Philips DVR I have all this in a 12x17+/- dedicated room, with fronts mounted about 5-1/2' up, in each corner(1/4 of the ceiling slopes down along the wall the TV is against) about 4' from either side of the TV, TV about 6 feet from the chairs, and rears mounted about 9' up and about 9' back from the main chair on either side. There is method you have to use with the Energy Encores that requires running the sub via the front speaker outputs, and bypassing the sub output. Don't ask. It just sounds better. So, should I level everything on the actual TV audio, and just manipulate the receiver's levels? Should I put everything at 0 and start from square 1 and try "is this better or worse? Worse? Try another level. Better? keep it and change another level. Worse? Change that level, but do I need to change the last level to compensate?" method? That's how I ended up where I am now. The DVD has all sorts of options: One touch cinema, Bass Boost, VSS1, VSS2, and on and on. Then just the receiver itself has a hundred different ways to screw up the sound with presets/custom, settings for height, distance, levels in Mhz and Dbs, and so on, and even the sub has two knobs. By the time I've changed everything thinking I'm tweaking it to sound awesome, I'm afraid I've done the opposite. If I try the "better or worse" method, it'll take another 6 years. As I have no sound meter, nor desire to buy one, and no one to fiddle with the levels as I sit there and dictate what to do, how should I go about setting this system so it really kicks? Am I overanalyzing this? Thanks for any input- Michael |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 8146 Registered: Dec-03 | Try going here http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/setup/index.php |
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New member Username: Floyd_1977Plainfield, IL USA Post Number: 8 Registered: May-06 | Michael, Page 25 of your STR-DE885 manual describes how to adjust the channel levels. You can do this with your remote, eliminating the need to have another person assist you. This can be done easily with an SPL meter, and there's no need for trial and error. For some reason, you are reluctant to buy or borrow one, so your calibration will naturally be off. You'll simply have to set each channel by ear, until they seem to be at the same level. This can be difficult for the subwoofer level. As far as your DVD player, keep in mind those audio settings will have no effect if you have your DVD player connected to your receiver via a digital connection (coax or optical). However, your receiver also has settings like speaker height, distance, etc., and these should be set as accurately as possible. Again, your manual explains how to determine all of these settings (I used to have the same receiver). There's nothing magical about these settings. Speaker height is the distance from the speaker to the ground. Speaker distance is the distance from the speaker to your listening position. The Mhz/Db settings you are referring to are equalizer settings. I'm not sure what you mean by levelling everything on the "actual TV audio." 99% of the time, there's no need to have an audio connection between your TV and receiver. |
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New member Username: LucymaydogBluffton, SC Post Number: 2 Registered: May-06 | Ahhhh......the Owner's Manual. Always the last place I'd think of looking. Thankfully, I'm the type of person who never throws anything out. But this will require a lengthy search in an extremely hot attic. I'm a cheapskate, is why I'm reluctant to buy an SPL meter, but it may be a sound investment. Bad pun not intended. Disregard the "acutal TV audio" question-I was obviously delerious. I have optical cables, so that's good news I won't have to worry about fiddling with the dvd player. Thanks for all the advice, help and suggestions! I'm learning a lot, and have stumbled onto some great websites via this board. |
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New member Username: Floyd_1977Plainfield, IL USA Post Number: 9 Registered: May-06 | If it's not convenient to get to your manual, you can download it here: http://esupport.sony.com/perl/model-documents.pl?mdl=STRDE885 I still have my STR-DE885, but it's boxed up in the crawl space. I really liked it, until one night when we had a bad storm. I think it must have taken a power surge; since then, all channels have static, except at low volume. |