Audio volume question

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WyleECoyoteNZ

1049 posts

Uber Geek

#142539 16-Mar-2014 16:08

Hey all,

Hoping someone may be able to help out, or point me in the right direction.

I'm running a Onkyo TX_NR609 driving a Mission 5.1 setup (M35 fronts, M3C1 Centre and M30 rears)

This afternoon I had some music playing from a AC Ryan playon hd 3d media player to the receiver and had to have the volume reading as 46-50 for there to be any real loudness to the music. The track being played was a mp3 file at 256 kbps.

There is a HDMI connection between the media player and the receiver.

A while ago when kids and wife were out I used the adyssey config mic to setup the speakers and speaker distances etc.

To me, it seems the volume had to be quiet load (on the dial) for there to be any real loudness coming out of the speakers.

Would running a optical cable between the media player and receiver help improve things, or have I just got a bunch of lemons?

Any (useful) suggestions appreciated.

Speakers specs below

Thanks.

overkill

222 posts

Master Geek

#1006758 16-Mar-2014 16:17

It's just Audyssey doing it's thing, have a read of the following and it will hopefully get you on the right track for volume control....

https://audyssey.zendesk.com/entries/73283-dynamic-eq-and-reference-level

"Setting the Standard in Quality and Commitment"

driller2000

935 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#1006762 16-Mar-2014 16:36

i have an onkyo reciever - and i found i had to adjust the levels upward for most channels to get it to my liking post the audessey calibration

happy as larry now though :)

Sideface

9355 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#1006765 16-Mar-2014 16:45

The volume (sound pressure level) that you hear depends upon every point of the audio chain, including the source.
Were the MP3 files recorded at a low level?
Do all MP3 files sound quiet, or just these ones?
HiFi gear manufacturers decades ago discovered that people like to listen with the volume control at "9 o'clock" for normal listening and "12 o'clock" for "loud". So they calibrated their equipment for comfortable sound levels at "9 o'clock". Sales psychology, nothing else.
Does it really matter if you have to turn beyond "12 o'clock" for loud, if your sound is otherwise OK?

Sideface

Batman

Mad Scientist
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#1006769 16-Mar-2014 16:50

audyssey calibrates your speakers to achieve a reference volume it plays.

they have a pre-saved sound clip of hundreds (?) of frequencies all at 75dB (?) at where you sit.

so if it only senses say 65dB from a speaker it will calibrate it to a +10dB, if it senses the sound at 85dB it will calibrate that particular speaker to -10dB. it also calibrates all those frequencies it plays - and adjusts them dynamically depending on your preference (there are options), and the distance (delay).

usually the volume on your system once calibrated becomes a delta. 0 means at reference, - means less than reference and + means louder than reference.

reference however refers to unprocessed raw digital signal from a DVD.

so if your source is NOT a raw signal from a DVD player the reference is off.

obviously your source is much softer than a DVD's reference. so you have to crank it up.