Home Theatre Subwoofer Advice

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Batman

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#2426807 25-Feb-2020 11:31

networkn:

I can now hear the Sub, so I believe it's unlikely a fault. I am not sure why the YPAO has set it's volume to -7.5 when at that setting you can't really hear it, also if I am supposed to "fix it" by increasing the volume level at the Amp.

I'll try running the YPAO as discussed hopefully tonight, and see how I go.

Part of the issue is I am not sure how to tell if it's "right" I could hear bass last night, the upstairs was vibrating slightly when I had the volume up, so it's powerful enough, but it sounded a bit "boomy" to me.

Let's see what the recalibration shows.

when you run ypao, it is likely, for the sub (LFE) it gives out some cluster of freqencies, and there was one particular frequency that was quite likely your sub's strongest frequency, so it was in party mode when it produced it, which also happened to be your room's favourite frequency, got reflected by your walls/ceiling/floor combo and the mic picked up. it got confused. it wasn't happy. the algorithm said too much. so it turned it down.

ypao is not smart. it's dumb. it didn't account for your sub's quality, poor position, room acoustics. but it's better than you (or me), [but not a professional with a lot of equipment and a standalone DSP/EQ system, in addition to your amp]. i have a sony. after the EQ the bass is OFF THE CHARTS. everything is maxxxx bass. love it though lol. (but my room is an open room with no ability to reflect anything)

i'd like to think it does the best it can with the EQ hopefully that's where all the money in R&D was spent, but little things like your sub standing wave overkill and selecting the correct low pass filter setting, it wasn't R&D-ed into it. so you just fix it.

it's like if your phone has a setting out of the box that doesn't suit, just change it. no dramas.

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Batman

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#2426813 25-Feb-2020 11:38

I also recall that in older Audyssey systems, the LFE (sub) default is EQ -10 dB. Not sure why it does that (there was a reason), and there is a specific setting to make LFE from the default -10 to 0. just check that yours don't do that, which i doubt.

Dunnersfella

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#2427133 25-Feb-2020 21:31

Right - pics helped a lot.

If your measurements EVER come back with a result that is greater than +6 / -6 you need to go back to the drawing board.

So as your sub was measured at -7.5, you need to turn it down a little bit at the sub, then re-run YPAO.

Next - you say you have down-firing speakers?

How many? 1 pair? 2 pairs?

Are they configured to be ATMOS or as surrounds / rear surrounds?

If they're supposed to be ATMOS / DTS:X then you'll need to set them up as such.

Outside of that, run YPAO multi-position using a central position as the first measurement point.

It's interesting just how much more accurate it gets with more data to work with.

So, turn your sub down a bit, check your speaker configuration (ATMOS or not) and run a multi-point measurement.

You can actually save your audio settings from 'Pattern 1' to 'Pattern 2' so you can compare between your initial measurement (as a baseline option) vs after you tweak it yourself.

networkn

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#2427142 25-Feb-2020 22:05

@dunnersfella

I have one set of Polk 8" speakers in the ceiling. I think I mentioned them earlier. How do I check if they are configured to Atmos? They should be, they are what I purchased them for (and something I paid a pro to install and configure for me). They certainly play sound in Movies. I have a pair of RS6 Surrounds as well, mounted on the back wall. The couch is against that same wall.

So when I contacted SVS the first time, it was them that told me to set the Sub to -15 or -10, and I opted for -10 (Configured with the App for the Sub on my Phone). Confirming you want me to turn it down, so that means say -15 On the Sub and then remeasure?

Things got a bit hectic at work, but I did find the mini tripod that came with the Amp, and I'll elevate it to the correct height and step out of the room for the measurements.

jonathan18

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#2427144 25-Feb-2020 22:18

networkn:

Things got a bit hectic at work, but I did find the mini tripod that came with the Amp, and I'll elevate it to the correct height and step out of the room for the measurements.

Good to hear; don't forget the other key point we've been emphasising: make the first measurement from the centre, not in your seat at the side and next to the back wall.

Dunnersfella

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#2427153 25-Feb-2020 23:37

Cripes - they are ATMOS speakers?1

Who did you use to setup the AVR? It certainly wasn't done correctly.

If you're not using the Zone 2 / 3 functionality of the ARV you should set your 'power amp assign' to 'basic' or 7.2.2 + 1zone (I think...).

Then set 'surround back' speakers to 'none'.

Then set your 'front presence' speakers to 'overhead'... they will show on your AVR as down-firing in-ceiling speakers, set them to 'small'.

Make sure that your Polk ATMOS speakers are plugged into the 'Extra SP1' terminals on the back of your RXA2060.

Then re-run YPAO to ensure the amplifier knows what you're attempting to do :-)

By the way, the 'mini tripod' that came with your amp isn't a tripod. It's a plastic stand that fits on top of a tripod that allows you to measure the angle of your ATMOS speakers relative to your seated position.

Some guidelines to using ATMOS and performing multi-position measurements are listed on page 55 to 61 in the RXA2060 manual.

On your Blu-ray player, make sure secondary audio is set to 'off' and HDMI audio is set to bitstream.

Then, put in a ATMOS Blu-ray movie and play an ATMOS sound track. If you press the 'info' button to cycle through the options, ATMOS will turn up on your AVR's front panel.

You may need to press 'straight' on your remote to turn off extra DSP functions in order for this to show up / play correctly.

Seems convoluted, but it's worth getting the setup correct.

networkn

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#2427419 26-Feb-2020 12:41

jonathan18:

networkn:

Things got a bit hectic at work, but I did find the mini tripod that came with the Amp, and I'll elevate it to the correct height and step out of the room for the measurements.

Good to hear; don't forget the other key point we've been emphasising: make the first measurement from the centre, not in your seat at the side and next to the back wall.

So I think I had been missing the point. You are saying find the ideal position to measure, regardless if it's possible or practical for me to actually sit there ever? I had understood you should measure from the ideal position you could actually sit? Why would measuring from a place you couldn't or wouldn't sit be useful? All the measurements would be out by at least 1M from the position I would usually sit and wouldn't this make it sound weird?

networkn

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#2427422 26-Feb-2020 12:43

I didn't actually get to do measurements last night sorry, I got a bit distracted. I put in some numbers for the sub that SVS gave me and started to play some music and was enjoying it so much I tried another of my favourite tracks, and then another and then I looked up and it was 11:30pm :)

It's a nice feeling knowing you own gear that even after 15+ years still sounds good enough, you get goosebumps listening to it and can lose 2 hours just wanting to hear one more track.

Hopefully, tonight :)

ShinyChrome

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#2427429 26-Feb-2020 12:55

networkn:

jonathan18:

Good to hear; don't forget the other key point we've been emphasising: make the first measurement from the centre, not in your seat at the side and next to the back wall.

So I think I had been missing the point. You are saying find the ideal position to measure, regardless if it's possible or practical for me to actually sit there ever? I had understood you should measure from the ideal position you could actually sit? Why would measuring from a place you couldn't or wouldn't sit be useful? All the measurements would be out by at least 1M from the position I would usually sit and wouldn't this make it sound weird?

I think what he was trying to say is that in terms of the multiple measurements points YPAO will take, the first one should always be from the dead center of your main listening position ie. if you have a 2 seater couch, it should be dead in the middle of the couch, not the seat you sit in. In the link that Dunnersfella provided, see the description of measurement points and accompanying image.

networkn

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#2427970 27-Feb-2020 08:48

I've had to push this out to the weekend. Too hard to get time to do it with putting kids to bed and then everything else to do. I'll report back Saturday.

Batman

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#2427984 27-Feb-2020 09:18

Don't forget to lock the cat up

networkn

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#2429456 29-Feb-2020 22:25

Hmm, so the speakers in the ceiling are connected to rear surround. I assume to run as for Atmos, they need to be connected to Rear Height instead and designated as rear presence (Since they are at the back of the room)?

If I connect them to Rear Height, does that mean they will only operate if I have Atmos Content playing, and I won't hear them (as I do now) when I am gaming etc?

I assume being ceiling-mounted, they can't really working well as rear surrounds?

networkn

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#2435625 10-Mar-2020 13:01

Hi.

An update:

I finally got a chance to run the YPAO from a multi-positional standpoint. The results are below:

I didn't get a photo of the measurements of distance, but according to me, without fail, they are 1M more than the actual distances, so if on screen it says Front Left is 4M, the actual distance is 3M.

After taking this, I can hear surround and the sub, though neither is particularly impressive, compared to the best I've heard my system. I have changed the Sub to -3 and it's probably OK. I may make it around -2.5db

Perhaps what I am listening too doesn't have huge bass impact, but I guess I just expected a bit more from it.

networkn

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#2435626 10-Mar-2020 13:02

5.1.2 is possible it seems. I am torn as to whether to bother or just stick with 7.1 with my rear surrounds in the ceiling. I don't watch a lot of Atmos content and I guess I worry I would get less from my gaming in 5.1 over 7.1.

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