Auto-Calibration Feature and Speaker size

[thekid]

I was running the auto-calibration function on my Pioneer VSX-815 and after it completed the set-up I checked the speaker size settings and found it had set my front speakers to Large even though they are bookshelf speakers. The speakers in question are Bose 201's (Bose bashers please stick to the question and leave your matches in your pockets-this is not intended to be another Bose thread). Not sure if it matters, but the rest of the speakers are; center Bose VCS 10, rears Bose 161's and the sub is a Sony 700. I am a little hesitant to switch them to small if the system is setting them differently. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

[abulgan]

i have Pioneer receiver too with that auto mic. calib,
it makes mistakes sometimes,setting small-large or opposite,and setting volumes higher or lower so i bought a SPL meter to make all ajdustments by myself.

also set your all speakers to small and send all Bass to your SW

[superpanavision70mm]

I own that same machine and let me tell you a few hints...

First, the MMACC mode w/ mic will let you get pretty close, but you will always need to do some fine tuning. I typically let it set the distance and such, but then I go back and readjust the EQ a bit and also make slight adjustments to the channel level. It does get pretty close with it's own calibration, but not exact. It's biggest problem is with the EQ and I have a hard time adjusting this using the mic.

Just because it sets them as Large does not necessarily mean anything. I have done A/B testing with the setting on large and small and for my setup...the large works MUCH better. I would try playing around with it yourself for awhile and if you don't seem to see any progress let the mic do the work for you and then go back and tweak it.

One other thought is that any changes that you make to your room also change the settings a bit, so you may have to do this if you modify your room even to the slightest degree. Example might be adding new furniture to the room or other acoustical elements/factors. You may also want to play around with the xover setting and see what type of results you get with that as well.

The Pioneer is an excellent receiver for it's price and has served me well for some time now....I swear by the Pioneers and I am hoping to get an ELite soon.

[thekid]

Abulgan-Super

Thanks for the info. I guess I will trust but verify these adjustments. I will go ahead and play with the adjstments some and see where it takes me. I really do love this reciever and use the auto calibrate function alot since my wife has a habit of rearranging the furniture almost every other month!

[shokhead]

They must all set them to lg because my Denon does the same to the mains.

[abulgan]

Abulgan-Super

Thanks for the info. I guess I will trust but verify these adjustments. I will go ahead and play with the adjstments some and see where it takes me. I really do love this reciever and use the auto calibrate function alot since my wife has a habit of rearranging the furniture almost every other month!

just let it adjust distance,and trust your ears to make channel levels by yourself(or buy a SPL meter)also, don't use EQ and Tone,cause this can damage your speakers and flat listening is the closest way to Hi-Fi sound.just listen theway it's recorded.also do not forget to use Bass Peak Level,

[shokhead]

Bass peak level?

[musicman1999]

Kid
set your speakers to small,you don't want to send a full range signal to speakers that are not designed to play full range.These speakers are not ment to reproduce lower frequencies,also by sending low frequencies to your sub,where they belong,you lessen the load on your reciever.The big problem with these auto set ups is they don't take into account speaker type and size.Time delays and levels seem to be close however.

bill

[thekid]

Thanks all.

I did set them to small and there was a difference especially when playing in stereo mode. At this point I am inclined to leave them on the small setting. I also checked speaker levels and it had my sub at -7.5db. The fronts by the way were set at -1.5 for the right (speaker nearest the SW) and at 0 for the center and left. I thought there was an earlier thread that said you should have your SW at +3-4db higher than the fronts. I did adjust my SW up to that level above the fronts and it just shook everything when I played "Jarhead" which is fairly tame in terms of LF effects. It was not boomy, just too much bass IMO so I have set the SW on +1.5db. Anyone see any harm with this configuration?

[shokhead]

-7.5
-1.5
+1.5
What does those numbers mean?

[L.J.]

Kid, I would suggest you go out and purchase an SPL meter to get your levels properly set. My Denon's auto setup is pretty accurate but I still fine tune the levels myself. The sub's calibration is always off by a mile as far as auto setup goes. You need to match the sub's level to the rest of your system then raise it about 4-5 db. You can only do this with an SPL meter.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Bass peak level?

Shok,
A bass peak level can be found on some receivers (definately on THX receivers) allows you to set maximum levels on the bass channel to avoid overdriving the subwoofer. This is especially critical to bass reflex designs which are easy to overload past their tuning pont. Since most THX approved subwoofer use bass reflex loading, the feature is most prominently found on THX certified receivers.

[abulgan]

yes

cause i hate to hear pop-up sound from SW

Sir,do u know this,SW level must be 107 or 110 db?or more

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

yes

cause i hate to hear pop-up sound from SW

Sir,do u know this,SW level must be 107 or 110 db?or more

Here is my advice my good man. Find a disc with VERY bass heavy material (War of the Worlds would be perfect) Play back the bassiest scenes (The pod coming from below ground is a perfect scene as it has bass to below 20hz in it) at the listening level you consistantly use. When you hear the speaker going pop, set the bass peak limiter lower,

I am surprised you are hearing a pop for this speakers, they are very robust in the bass department.. It should take everything you throw at it no problem.

[abulgan]

thanjs my man

i hear pop-up when reach the limits of sub on Bass P.Level Test,

[mustang]

Those BOSE 201s are capable of some decent bass. Keep them set to large. The other speakers should be set to small. Those 201s were designed to produce bass and they do it well. Assuming you don't have any bass boost activated, I can guarantee those BOSE can handle whatever you throw at them(other than a little port noise).

[shokhead]

Wow,those 201's will play down to 25Hz?

[thekid]

Those BOSE 201s are capable of some decent bass. Keep them set to large. The other speakers should be set to small. Those 201s were designed to produce bass and they do it well. Assuming you don't have any bass boost activated, I can guarantee those BOSE can handle whatever you throw at them(other than a little port noise).

Mustang

Thanks for the response. I really did not have a sound quality issue per se with the speakers set on large. The speakers do handle bass fairly well for bookshelves but the question really is why the reciver would calibrate them that way. (Even Bose does not recommend setting them on Large) Is it based on the test sounds the mic was picking up or some other methodology/process. One of the responses I recieved indicated that by setting them to small I am taking some of the load of the reciever and that can't be a bad thing. You mentioned bass boost. I do have the bass boost activated is there something there specific to the Bose I need to know about?

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Those BOSE 201s are capable of some decent bass. Keep them set to large. The other speakers should be set to small. Those 201s were designed to produce bass and they do it well. Assuming you don't have any bass boost activated, I can guarantee those BOSE can handle whatever you throw at them(other than a little port noise).

Umm, there is no way in hell a Bose 201 can play down to the lower limit of bass found in movie soundtracks main channels. That little thing cannot even produce 60hz with any accuracy. That speaker should ALWAYS be set to small.