Audyssey MultEQ Discussion Thread

[SierraMikeBravo]

Hey Wayne,

Audyssey doesn't try to flatten out every nook and cranny. The amount of data points used for correction drops off signficantly above the midrange. Also, not sure what mic people are using for those graphs, but I have also said before that using the RS meter for anything (other than maybe nearfield environment....maybe) is a waste of time. It isn't accurate for anything. The smaller the mic grazing area the better (ideally 1/4 inch or less). If these graphs were taken with less than ideal equipment, it brings serious doubt to the validity of the graphs. I would want to know how the measurments were taken and with what equipment before I lend them any credibility. As with anything in life, you need to prove it to yourself. Don't take other people's word for it. Especially since we are talking science here.

However, I do have one question, what good would equalizing headphones do since all problems associated with frequency response are due to the room itself? A speaker placed outside without the confines of walls should theoretically reproduce sound perfectly flat. This is one reason why large venue acoustics are so much different than small room acoustics. Just my 2 cents.

[HionHiFi]

SierraMikeBravo wrote:

However, I do have one question, what good would equalizing headphones do since all problems associated with frequency response are due to the room itself? A speaker placed outside without the confines of walls should theoretically reproduce sound perfectly flat. This is one reason why large venue acoustics are so much different than small room acoustics. Just my 2 cents.

I believe Wayne was just using headphones as an example for this conversation.

At the end of the day time domain is not seen to be greatly affected by either the Audyessy, nor the DSPeaker. Again the peaks and valley's are touched in varying degree based on frequency, a la smoothing, etc.

[Bailman]

OK Wayne,

You done convinced me.

I guess I will rearrange my room (was gonna do this anyway) back to the way it was
and attempt to get this "dandy" product to shine like it does for so many others.

Thanks for all your time BTW, the other thread going on hear @ DaShack was way cool...
a bit over my head but I absorbed what I could.

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

FYI, John has posted a review of the DSPeaker processor.

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/bfd-forum/11699-testing-dspeaker-anti-mode-8033-a.html#post103808

Regards,
Wayne

[tdamocles]

If I have 2 subs setup in a room and run Audyssey MultEQ would it be able to equalize the sum of both subs simultaneously to a somewhat of a nice equalization curve? I've run it (on an Onkyo tx-sr805) and have run REW afterwards and must say that it did a good job of equalization with 1 sub.

Does Audyssey MultEQ equalize to 10hz on an Onkyo?

[SierraMikeBravo]

If your sub is capable of going that low...it will. Pulses are sent across the entire frequency spectrum. However, very few subs go that low with any significant output. Most of the very good subs have a steep dB slope below 20 Hz. Most subs however, have steep slopes in the 30 Hz range or even higher when you get into the not so good subs.

Hi,
I'm a noob to posting in forums so forgive me if I rewind a bit. Having read this entire thread so far and have not noticed anyone mention how many test points that are being run during testing. Are these results from using all 8, or 6 test points available depending on receiver? I would like to know if we are comparing apples and oranges here. By that I mean that multiple measuring points over the listening area will affect the end calibration. It would be cool to know the difference made by using more measuring points. And since I do not yet use REW I cannot take these measurements myself. A pro calibration does allow for considerably more measure points than Multi EQ XT has by itself, but that is for another post. I still need 3 more to download REW

[Sonnie]

Hi Handy...

Most of the REW graphs will be run sitting in the main listening position... but you can measure as many as you like.

When I setup Audyssey, I only use one location myself... my main listening position. Very seldom do I have 6-8 people watching a movie with me.

You do not have to have 5 posts to download REW...

P.S. When I received my Audyssey training, the room was acoustically treated. They didn't apologize for it and were openly mentioning the need to take care of some of the ringing and echo in the room to get optimal sound. And in that hotel conference room they just tilted up panels around the room with no discernible pattern. The demonstration was dramatic so I drank the Kool-aid and bought the kit. I bring this up in response to the link provided to the RealTraps website article. If both room treatment and Audyssey are good alone it only stands to reason that they would be great in combination. I realize that a majority of the members of this forum are the "do-it-yourself" type and I learn quite a bit from them, but thankfully not everyone is. That way guys like SierraMikeBravo and I can earn a living helping the rest enjoy their home theaters.

[SierraMikeBravo]

Handy,

I have always said that the more you help Audyssey, the more Audyssey helps you. This is regarding treatment of the room. While I consider myself to be knowledgeable about incorporating room treatment (diffusion, absorption, diffsorbers, abfusors, bass traps, etc.) the problem is, many folks don't like to use it as it is something that really needs to be designed into the room before you build it. Otherwise, it can be a bit unsightly for many people with a low WAF. Audyssey is a best bang for the buck in that respect. Yes, Audyssey will sound better if the room is properly designed as it isn't the magic bullet and cannot cure everything. But it does help to reduce some of the problems of an untreated room...I emphasize SOME. However, one area that I do note is that Audyssey, IMHO, sets the sub(s) way too hot. I have to usually adjust the sub level after calibration. If you can localize the sub and it is boomy, then it is too loud.

BTW, there is other software out there for taking room measurments. It is a bit of a slippery slope to walk into a customers home and use shareware that they themselves could get for free. I am not saying not to use REW, as I do primarily for waterfall plots, but I use many other types of instruments. I also use a Sencore SP295C, numerous microphones as the Behringer ECM8000 is not good for taking grazing measurments in the listening environment (I do use it for nearfield tests though) and assorted other software that I did have to pay for. Dealing with sound is a very difficult, time consuming process. Video calibration doesn't even hold a candle to acoustic calibration. To do all the measurments necessary to do an acoustical calibration literally can take days. I have had to develop a checklist to keep handy so that I can refer back to proper order of measurements and activites to remain efficient. If you are HAA certified, the ADR can help in this respect.