Finally received my SPL meter, tuning question...

[popolz]

In Avia they say to put the master volume to 00. Well my JVC receiver doesn't work that way... it's going from 0 to 70.

To get 85dB I only had to go to 50/70 then I tuned all the channels to 85db. Is it ok?

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[kexodusc]

As long as your SPL meter reads the same for all speakers, it doesn't really matter. Louder volumes tend to give a better impression of room reflections, excitements, etc, but the reference level is arbitrary.

85 dB is as good as any...I recommend setting it to the volume you'll listen at the most.

[popolz]

oh ok thanks

I'll see if the readings are as leveled at 35-38 as they are at 50.

my initial tuning done by ear wasn't too bad... my center was 2 db too high, my left surround was 2 db too high, the right one was 1db too high and the 2 backs were right on.

The woofers well uuuuuhhhh let's say they were way off the chart ~10db too high

[This Guy]

hahah my subs were around that high before i metered them too. I love my bass so they're still about 7 dB too high. I use the meter for all of the speakers except the sub now, i just do it by ear because that's how enjoy the music the most.

[popolz]

well I redid my tuning at my "listening volume" and I had to crank the subs 2 DB and tweak the surrounds by -1dB.



This Guy: I might raise the subs again but I didn't watch any movies yet...as I'm working 4-midnight it's not a good idea

[kexodusc]

Guys: Raising the sub above the reference level is quite normal and some would argue "proper". Human hearing tends to diminish especially below 30 Hz. A lot of people build in rising slopes to their bass response.
If you aren't using a lot of room treatments or equalizing to flatten your bass response, it's quite possible that your test tone for the subs is near a peak in the response, so the rest of your sub's output could be considerably lower.
Or maybe you just like a lot of bass, in which case, crank it up and enjoy.

[cam]

I have my front three perfectly set at 75 db, ok, maybe my center is 1 db higher and so are my side surrounds. That's the way I like it. On these threads I have read that a good sub set up should be about 3 to 6 db higher then the rest of the system. Well, I don't know exactley how accurate my Rad Shack digital SPL is but my current sub levels read about 8 to 10 db's higher then everything else. Not taking all the correction levels for the sub into consideration, and also the accuracy of my digital spl, I would say I have a set up that I thoroughly enjoy. Regardless of what your spl says, it really depends on your subs capabilities and what you prefer with the lower octaves. If you have a sub that bottoms out easily then chances are you will have it set low, thus not reproducing the best part of a movie, unless it is cranked up and distorting badley, whereas this would make the whole system sound like sheet. If you have a capable sub compared to the overall volume level of the rest of the system, chances are you will like your sub level set on the high side. Nothing wrong with that if you ask me.

[popolz]

I did my tuning with an extech analog SPL meter. nice little toy