Audyssey Setup Guide

Created (compiled) by giomania

The step-by-step instructions below are based on information collected from the Audyssey FAQ, located here:
http://www.audyssey.com/faq/index.html and the AVS Forum Official Audyssey thread, located
here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=795421

Disclaimer: The following procedures may not work in all cases, as there are too many variables to account for in this
document. If you feel further assistance is required, please visit the AVS Forum Official Audyssey thread.

I. Room Setup

A. Lower the noise floor of the room (<45dBA) by turning off the HVAC system, projector, etc.

II. Subwoofer Setup

A. Determine the optimal placement of the subwoofer within your room using common accepted
practices. (location, location, location)

1. Here are some useful references for subwoofer setup:

a. Audioholics subwoofer placement
article: http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/get-good-bass/subwoofer-placement-the-
place-for-bass-part-1
b. Harman multiple subwoofer placement white
paper: http://www.harman.com/wp/pdf/multsubs.pdf

B. Disable the Low-Pass Filter (LPF) on the subwoofer, if allowed.

1. Disabling the LPF will result in more accurate subwoofer distance measurements.

2. If the LPF cannot be disabled, set it to the highest frequency allowed.

C. Ensure the subwoofer(s) are at least 3 – 5 inches (7 – 13 cm) from the wall.

1. Reverberating walls may result in inaccurate subwoofer distance measurements.

D. Set the subwoofer polarization (0 or 180 degrees) using common accepted practices.

1. If you have two subwoofers, ensure their polarization settings are the same.

E. If the subwoofer has a phase control (in addition to the polarization control), set it at “0”.

1. Phase controls on subwoofers apply "delay" at one frequency rather than the needed group
delay that is frequency independent. So, it is best to just leave them at “0”.

F. If the sub has an EQ system, you can use it to tame large peaks (see item 1 below) before
calibrating with Audyssey, but this is generally not recommended. Most of these EQ systems
only allow one measurement position, and therefore only correct the amplitude (volume) for one
 seating position. Audyssey adds the benefit of measuring in the time domain for multiple seating
positions to create an acoustic bubble.
1. Narrow peaks or dips in the response below 100 Hz that are 1/3 or 1/6 of an octave wide
can be improved—but not eliminated—by Audyssey Mult EQ XT.
a. In these situations, the built-in subwoofer EQ systems might be useful.

G. Calibrate the subwoofer volume

1. Set the volume control on the subwoofer at the middle of the adjustment range allowed.
a. Please note this “starting point” may not work with all subwoofers.

2. Place the microphone at the first measurement position (see guidance in section V.) and
proceed with the calibration process for the first measurement—until all speakers have
been measured once.

3. After the first measurement process is complete, select "Calculate", then "Save" or "Store",
then go to "Check Parameters".
a. Audyssey will calculate the speaker distances and trim level settings from this first
measurement.
b. Each manufacturer has a slightly different interface, so the terminology may not
exactly match.

4. Check the subwoofer trim level setting in the receiver / processor menu.
a. If the subwoofers’ trim level is at the maximum limit of the cut (-) or boost (+)
adjustment range allowed, you need to adjust the volume control on the subwoofer
and repeat step #2. Specific instructions will follow.
b. Trim adjustments are a tool used to achieve the goal of producing the same Sound
Pressure Level (SPL) from each speaker / subwoofer in the system.
c. For example, Denon receivers have a trim adjustment range from -12dB to +12dB.

5. If the subwoofer trim level is at the maximum boost (+), turn up the volume control on the
subwoofer slightly and repeat step #2.

6. If the subwoofer trim level is at the maximum cut (-), turn down the volume control on the
subwoofer slightly and repeat step #2.

7. A suggestion for tweakers is to set the subwoofer trim level in the range of ±3 dB.
a. This is only a suggestion for the tweaker who likes to play around.
b. Audyssey’s position is to perform steps 4 to 6 above.

• Note: This process is for checking the trim levels only. After you have completed the subwoofer
setup, be sure to start the measurement process over, following the guidance in section V to use all
six or eight measurement positions available.

III. Dual mono (LFE) Subwoofer Setup

A few receiver and processor models are able to apply individual Audyssey equalization curves to
multiple subwoofers simultaneously. If you do not own one of these units, the SVS AS-EQ1 will
 apply individual Audyssey equalization curves to two subwoofers simultaneously. Alternatively, you
can follow the below advice to have two subwoofers share one Audyssey equalization curve.

A. Place the subwoofers symmetrically within the room, if at all possible.

B. Place the subwoofers at identical distances from the primary listening position, if at all possible.

1. When two subwoofers are driven as one unit, proper time alignment is critical.

2. The two subwoofers will not be properly time aligned unless they have the same physical
distance from the primary listening position.

3. Adjusting the physical distance of the two subs effectively adjusts their time delay.

C. The above advice applies only to sealed rectangular rooms without any openings.

D. Follow the steps in subwoofer setup (section II.) for each subwoofer.

E. As an alternative to locating the subs at equal distances from the main listening position, you may
insert an electronic device between the receiver / processor and the nearest subwoofer.

1. This device should introduce a time delay such that its output sound reaches the main
listening position at the same time as the farthest subwoofer.

F. Attempt to match the output level of both subwoofers.

1. Use the receiver / processor internal LFE test tone while adjusting the volume control on
the subwoofer to perform the following:

2. Turn one subwoofer on, and adjust the output level to 80 dB using an SPL meter.
a. Ensure the SPL meter is located where the first Audyssey measurement position
will be taken (see section V.), and is set to “C” and “Slow”.
b. If you do not have an SPL meter, adjust the level by ear.

3. Turn off the first subwoofer, turn on the second subwoofer, and repeat the procedure.

4. Turn on both subwoofers and calibrate with Audyssey.

IV. Microphone Setup

A. Use the microphone that came with the unit.

1. Use of a microphone from another make or model will cause incorrect frequency response
measurements because of different internal calibration.

B. Mount the microphone on a tripod or a microphone stand with an adapter.

1. Microphone stand adapter option: Search the internet for “On Stage CM-01”.
 C. Point the microphone at the ceiling.

D. Place the microphone at ear height when seated.

1. During the measurement process, do not vary the height of the microphone more than a
few inches relative to the first measured position.

E. If the seat back is higher than ear height, ensure the microphone is raised above the seat back.

1. Positioning the microphone above the seat back will eliminate additional reflections.

2. For recliner chairs, you can recline the seat (lower the back) to minimize the reflections.

V. Microphone Placement (Measurement Positions)

A. Use the maximum amount of measurement positions allowed by the Audyssey version.

1. If you are using MultEQ or MultEQ XT you should use all six or eight measurement
positions available.

B. Avoid taking measurements too far off to the side (near room boundaries) and / or outside the
front Left and Right loudspeakers (off-axis), even if seats are located there.

1. Frequency response in these locations will exhibit reduced high frequencies.

2. Audyssey would adjust the room correction filters according to this measured response,
resulting in unnecessary compensation.

C. Avoid taking measurements too close to the back wall, even if the only seating is located there.

1. Move the microphone at least 1 foot (30 cm) from the back wall before measuring.

D. Measure behind the main seating area, if you can.

1. If the main seating area is out in the room, and you can measure behind it while keeping
the microphone at least 1 foot (30 cm) from the back wall, you should do it. The idea is to
"surround" the seating area with measurements.

E. For the first measurement, place the microphone in the primary seat / listening position, where the
listener’s head would be positioned, and at ear height.

1. Audyssey uses the first measurement position to calculate the speaker / subwoofer level
and distance settings, so the microphone should be placed in the primary seating position.

2. Distance measurements are really time measurements that ensure temporal coherence. It is
a critical part of calibration because—without it—you have frequencies arriving at
different times: This is called non-constant group delay, and is a form of distortion. The
distances are calculated so the sounds from all speakers and subwoofers arrive at the first
measurement position at the same time.
F. Most seating configurations can utilize the following microphone placement methodology:

1. The first microphone position (#1) must always be where your head is located.

2. For the remainder of the measurements, use the approximate pattern in the below diagram
to surround your listening area, while ensuring you follow the guidance above.

3. After the first measurement, the order in which you make the subsequent measurements
does not matter: The diagram below only serves to ensure each location is measured.

4. The distance between the measurement positions is variable, and they do not require
measurement. The basic idea is to surround the listening area with measurements.

5. In general, Audyssey does not recommend putting the microphone in "every seat", except
(possibly) in a dedicated theater with rows. In typical living rooms, some seats are
positioned either off-axis, too close to a room boundary, or both.

6. Feel free to experiment with other microphone placement patterns. Just ensure you follow
the guidance in sections IV and V. The basic goal is to surround the listener(s) with
measurements to create an acoustic bubble.
 7. If your seating area is close to or up against the rear wall of your room, use the following
diagram for suggested microphone positioning.

8. If you have additional microphone placement questions, please visit the Official Audyssey
thread on AVS Forum; please see the link at the beginning of this document.

VI. During Calibration

A. Be prepared for the “chirp” measurements, as they are quite loud, and can startle you.

B. Do not make any noise during the “chirp” measurements.

1. Audyssey measures for a few milliseconds (ms) after each “chirp” is finished, but then has
to wait for the DSP to calculate, so the microphone is not active until a few ms before the
next set of chirps.

C. Do not stand in between the speaker and the microphone or anywhere that the sound is either
reflected off of, or absorbed by, your body.

1. The natural room acoustics must not be substantially affected.

D. If a phase warning is shown, check the speaker wiring, and press “Skip” to continue the calibration.

VII. After Calibration

A. Raise the speaker crossover settings, if desired.

1. Raising the crossover frequency from the calibrated setting does not affect the channel
correction implemented by Audyssey.

2. Lowering the crossover frequency from the calibrated setting is not recommended.
a. Audyssey will not provide correction to the satellite speakers lower than the
frequency it measures as the -3 dB point.
 3. Setting the speakers to “Small” with a 60 Hz – 80 Hz crossover is a good starting point,
assuming the post-calibration crossover setting is 60 Hz or lower.

4. For additional details about the crossover selection process, see “Note 1” below.

B. Raise the low-pass filter setting—usually incorrectly identified as a crossover—of the LFE
subwoofer in the receiver / processor to 120Hz, if allowed.

C. If the satellite speaker distance settings (not the subwoofer) were not measured accurately, and are
markedly different from what you get with a tape measure, start all over.

1. Incorrect distance measurements for the satellite speakers indicate a procedural error, and
the associated EQ results are likely to be poor.

D. Do not change the distance setting of the subwoofer: The subwoofer / satellite speaker time
alignment blend is based on this setting.

1. Inaccurate subwoofer distance measurements usually occur when a subwoofer’s Low-Pass

Filter (LPF) is active, or when using subwoofer equalization systems.
a. The LPF, by nature of its design, introduces additional delay to the signal.
b. Audyssey measures the delay of the signal and compensates for it by increasing the
subwoofer distance setting.

2. If the calibrated distance is less than the physical distance, something is wrong, and the
setup and calibration process should be re-accomplished.

3. If the calibrated distance is greater than the physical distance, this is the result of measured
delays between the time the subwoofer outputs the signal and it is received at the
microphone.

E. Disable any Night Modes, Dynamic Range Compression (DRC), and Dynamic Compression (D.
Comp) in the receiver / processor as well as the DVD / BD player.

1. If these features are not disabled, they could possibly cause adverse interaction with
Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume.

2. You may need to temporarily turn off MultEQ to access these parameters in your receiver /
processor.

3. You may also need to select a specific soundtrack type or listening mode before a given
parameter will appear in the menu for adjustment; check the manual to be certain.

F. If your receiver / processor has the THX Loudness Plus feature, turn it off if you plan to use
Dynamic Volume.
G. Select one of the Audyssey target curves. Note that in some receivers / processors, the target
curve selection is automatic as explained in #2 below.

1. MultEQ creates filters that correct the frequency response of your speakers to a specific
target curve. These target curves are called: (“Audyssey” or “Audyssey Reference”) and
(“Audyssey Flat”).
a. The “Audyssey” or “Audyssey Reference” target curve is designed to translate film
mixing room conditions to the home listening room. This curve is flat to 4 kHz,
has a slight roll-off from 4kHz - 10 kHz, and another additional roll-off from 10
kHz - 20 kHz. This curve should be used for listening to movies in most cases.
i. In a typical living room, the acoustical conditions require a flat curve up to
a certain frequency, and then a roll-off. This roll-off allows the proper
balancing of the direct and reverberant sound at high frequencies.
b. The “Audyssey Flat” target curve has no roll-off. This curve should be used for
movies if your room has a lot of high frequency absorption or if using THX Re-EQ.

2. The selection of Audyssey target curves is performed manually in some products (e.g.
Denon, NAD, Marantz) and automatically in others (e.g., Onkyo).
a. For products with manual selection follow the guidelines above.
b. For products with automatic selection, the following rules apply:
i. The “Audyssey” or “Audyssey Reference” target curve is selected after
calibration.
ii. The “Audyssey Flat” target curve is selected automatically when you switch
to a THX listening mode, if available.

3. Re-Equalization technologies affect the target curve selection.

a. One component of THX is called Re-EQ, which applies a high frequency shelf cut
filter. When listening in THX mode with Re-EQ on, it is recommended to use the
“Audyssey Flat” target curve.
b. Several manufacturers have developed proprietary high frequency roll-off filters
with various trade names; Denon’s “Cinema EQ”, for example. It is recommended
to turn off these roll-off features so the “Audyssey” or “Audyssey Reference” target
curve can operate properly.

4. Note: Music content is not produced with the same standards as film, so, it is difficult to
predict which target curve to use. Audyssey recommends starting with the "Audyssey" or
“Audyssey Reference” curve. In some cases, the "Audyssey Flat" curve might be
preferable for music.

H. If desired, trim level adjustments can be made in the receiver / processor to boost subwoofer levels
for those who prefer more bass output. While not recommended, some users have made trim level
adjustments so that all speakers measure at 75 dB with an SPL meter (set at “C” and “Slow”)
using the internal test tones. See “Note 2” below.

1. Audyssey will monitor these changes.

2. The changes are monitored so that Audyssey and its features (Room correction curves,
Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume, etc.) work as designed.
 3. If you were to make changes to the settings on a subwoofer amplifier, Audyssey would
have no knowledge of this, and those features would not operate as designed.

Note 1: Audyssey does not set the crossovers; it simply measures the -3dB frequency point of each
speaker. This information is passed to the receiver / processor for calculation of the speaker settings and
crossover points, if applicable. Unfortunately, current receiver / processor models do not display or report
the -3dB frequency point measured for each speaker. The only information available is whether or not the
speaker was designated “Large” or “Small”, and any crossover point selected.

Receiver / processor manufacturers use a specific Frequency Decision Point (FDP) to classify speakers as
“Large” (full-range) or “Small” (less than full-range). The selection of the FDP varies among
manufacturers and models, but 40 Hz is becoming the standard. If the -3 dB frequency measured by
Audyssey is below the FDP, the speaker is classified as “Large’. If the -3 dB frequency measured by
Audyssey is above the FDP, the speaker is classified as “Small”, and a crossover frequency is selected.

Each receiver / processor has various crossover points from which to choose. Typically, the first
crossover setting above the -3 dB point measured by Audyssey is chosen. For example: If your receiver
has crossover settings of 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 Hz, and the speaker is set to “Small” with an 80 Hz
crossover, that is an indication the - 3dB point is somewhere between 60 and 80 Hz. Crossover selections
in increments of 10 Hz are becoming more common, which allows greater flexibility.

Note 2: Before adjusting the trim settings, please understand that producing a calibrated setting other
than 75 dB SPL results in reference level being achieved with the master volume set to something other
than “0”. Further, Audyssey microphones are specified with a ± 2 dB maximum sensitivity tolerance. So,
in the worst case scenario, the Audyssey microphone would be 2 dB “off”, which is more accurate than
most popular consumer-level SPL meters. Consumer-level SPL meters are usually very inaccurate when
measuring subwoofers. You have been warned.