Need some help with the settings on my receiver.... please :)

[mjnoles1]

Hi, first let me tell you what audio equipment I have. I own a Pioneer VSX-D514 (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/detail/0,,2076_4153_60646217_tab=B,00.html?compName=PNA_P roductDetailComponent) I also purchased the speakers that go with the Pioneer HTD-540DV system. (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/detail/0,,2076_2047433_98124090_tab=B,00.html?compName=PN A_ProductDetailComponent) The front speakers are a 2 way system with a 10cm woofer and a 5.2cm tweeter, 6ohms and frequency range is 50 Hz to 20 kHz, center speaker is a 8.7 cm 1 way cone type with 6 ohms and 65 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range, surround speakers is a 8.7cm 1 way cone type system, 6ohms and 95Hz to 20kHz. The subwoofer that came with the speakers I did not want so I purchased the Subwoofer that came with the Pioneer htp-240 system (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/detail/0,,2076_2047433_123876882_tab=B,00.html?compName=P NA_ProductDetailComponent). The powered Subwoofer speaker is 8 inches with the power Amp at a continuous Average Power Output is 100 watts min, at 28 ohms from 20 Hertz to 200 Hertz with no more than 1% total harmonic distortion and crossover frequency is 150 Hz.
I have everything set up but I would like some advice with the settings on the receiver. I already set all speakers to small. The front, center and Subwoofer is all set to 11ft from listening position with surround speakers set for 5 feet from listening position. I would like some help with the Xover setting as of now it is set at 150. I also would like some input on the LFE ATT setting which I have no idea what that setting is used for as of now I have it set to 0 but it can be set for 0db,10db or **db
The speakers I have set to + 7.5db for each speaker and the sub.
I have added an attachment of how the speakers are set up if that will help.

Thank you all for the help :)

DSC01520.JPG

[jeskibuff]

Well, hopefully someone more familiar with your system will chime in, but when you say you've set all your speakers to +7.5db, that sounds wrong to me. You should start your front speakers at +0db and adjust the rest relative to them. If you don't have a decibel meter, then you need to first make sure the volume of your front speakers are balanced. Keep one at +0db and adjust the other one to match it. Then try to match the center channel, then the surrounds and sub.

The LFE ATT probably means "Low Frequency Effects Attenuation". I would imagine that you might use this for late-night listening when you don't want to disturb others. In other words, your system is volume matched, but you want to temporarily reduce the subwoofer volume. Keep it at +0 and try changing it in those type situations. Maybe someone else can offer some other suggestions as well.

The crossover frequency of the sub is probably best left to experimentation. Find one particular cut that will give the subwoofer a good workout and play it over and over again, changing the crossover frequency each time. Make notes/observations about each setting. Then do the same with a cut that is particularly nicely recorded, but doesn't have a lot of low frequency content. This ensures that you don't overkill your settings for a particular type of recording. If one setting sounds good for both cuts, use it. If you decide on a different setting for each cut, maybe you can compromise with a setting between the two.