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Re: How does one emulate the typical theater sound? [message #73491 is a reply to message #73485]

Sat, 04 August 2012 23:40

Wayne Parham
Messages: 18786
Registered: January 2001

Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Without subs, I'd place them against as many boundaries as possible. Back against the wall, low to the ground on small risers, not stands. But I'd much prefer them to be on stands that place them at ear level with flanking subs beside them.

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Re: How does one emulate the typical theater sound? [message #73492 is a reply to message #73491]

Sun, 05 August 2012 08:37

j0nnyfive
Messages: 50
Registered: June 2012
Location: Arkansas

Baron

Thanks. I will try that. I just got some new concrete blocks to put them on. Smile

They're a little less than a foot tall. I'll put them back against the wall again and see how that sounds.

Well actually... just thinking about this... I think Audyssey would cancel out the bass boost taken from the wall... Hmm.. BUT, maybe the speaker would be used more efficiently this way? Because instead of Audyssey trying to ADD bass, it would need to take away bass... perhaps this would give Audyssey a bit more "slack" to work with. I'll try it!

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Re: How does one emulate the typical theater sound? [message #73493 is a reply to message #73492]

Sun, 05 August 2012 10:44

justphil
Messages: 114
Registered: December 2010

Viscount

I think I understand what the OP is getting at. In my HT I use a Denon receiver with 2pi mains and a 1pi center. My surrounds are some crummy speakers from an old Pioneer set up. My wife's and my main complaint is that you have to have the volume VERY loud to hear whats being said. But at that point, the volume of the music portion of what you are watching is to loud for comfort. Its like the voice volume needs to be turned up separately. I have yet to figure out how to accomplish this but its like my center channel needs to be louder as I believe that is where most voices come from in multichannel material such as DVD's. Perhaps this is a failure with proper mic placement when I run Audesy.

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Re: How does one emulate the typical theater sound? [message #73495 is a reply to message #73493]

Sun, 05 August 2012 12:05

j0nnyfive
Messages: 50
Registered: June 2012
Location: Arkansas

Baron

Hey JustPhil!

Sounds kinda like what I'm dealing with. It's the voices. If I turn the "surround mode" to "virtual", the voice gets a lot more clear! But for some reason, this setting sounds way too weird. It's not right to my ears... but the voices are easier to hear. But when I go back to Stereo or Dolby, it's like the voices get a bit more quiet and muddled sounding. And so I'm tempted to hit "volume up"..... up.... up.... oops! down... down.... down... lol

But, I've been tweaking and moving the speakers... and I think I'm getting the hang of it. For one thing, I really do think these speakers need a sub. Let me correct that... for MOVIES, you need a sub PERIOD. Smile

I don't have one (kicking myself). I also think that if you don't have all 5 channels running, Dolby does something funny with the sound. I could be wrong on that one. I also think Audyssey does something funny with the sound sometimes if your auto-setup wasn't done just right.

I also think it's just a question of math: If the dynamic range is higher, there is going to be more distance (in decibels) between the loudest sound and the volume of voices. This difference is something you may have to deal with on a per movie basis. Some movies are just mixed poorly, and some movies are just obscenely loud. I think some movies (older ones?) seemed to sound "brighter" to my ears than others. For me personally, bright + dynamic = ouchy.

Also, my room acoustics are probably terrible (added brightness), and my speakers may not be broken in very well. (I've never let them rip.) Factors factors.

BUT... I think I'm getting the hang of this stuff. Gotta learn your receivers settings and what it all does to the sound. Smile

It IS helping me. "Serious" home theater isn't always a simple matter. lol

K. I'm rambling now. I'll chut up. Smile

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Re: How does one emulate the typical theater sound? [message #73497 is a reply to message #73495]

Sun, 05 August 2012 14:36

justphil
Messages: 114
Registered: December 2010

Viscount

Have you tried messing Dynamic EQ settings? Like Audesy bypassing front speakers, Audesy flat etc? Some of these settings have helped me also.

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Re: How does one emulate the typical theater sound? [message #73504 is a reply to message #73497]

Mon, 06 August 2012 09:03

j0nnyfive
Messages: 50
Registered: June 2012
Location: Arkansas

Baron

Yeah, here's what I typically do:

Music:
- Audyssey Flat, Dynamic EQ OFF. (the usual).
- Audyssey Flat, Dynamic Vol Midnight (if my ears bug me).
- Audyssey (NOT Flat),.. (if the music is too bright).
- Pure Direct (if Audyssey bugs me).

Movies:
- Audyssey, Dynamic EQ On. (If I want to show off).
- Audyssey, Dynamic Vol Midnight (if it's just me).
- Audyssey, Dynamic EQ On, Cinema EQ On (if movie is bright)
- Manual EQ (if movie is so bright it cracks my eyeballs)

Right now I've got the speakers up against the front wall facing straight ahead and on concrete blocks about a foot off the floor. The wall is providing a good bass boost, and I think it gave Audyssey more to work with.

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Re: How does one emulate the typical theater sound? [message #73515 is a reply to message #73495]

Mon, 06 August 2012 16:44

chrisR
Messages: 36
Registered: May 2009

Baron

Let me add a coupe of thoughts. For one of my setups I have an older JVC receiver, and in spite of bringing the audio in on a toslink cable and having the source (TV in this case) sending all 5.1 channels (can't really verify), any of the surround modes just don't work even though I have left, center, right speakers hooked up. It seemed like it worked before but doesn't now, but with any surround mode the sound is way messed up, so the center channel speaker is basically a riser for the TV now.

The other setups have newer Yamaha receivers and those work fine but I generally don't enable the DSP modes, except for 7ch Stereo for some things (radio mostly).
Chris

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Re: How does one emulate the typical theater sound? [message #73530 is a reply to message #73515]

Tue, 07 August 2012 12:04

j0nnyfive
Messages: 50
Registered: June 2012
Location: Arkansas

Baron

I think Audyssey MultEQ XT does a good job so far. I've been resting my ears the past couple days. Get that little weird feeling out. I've got dynamic compression turned on max and the volume down at -50. Smile

Super quiet. Even with compression turned on, they still sound like "big" speakers to me. I guess it's just the fact that sound is radiating from a larger cone? Either way, I like it. I don't think I could go back to smaller speakers. I tried to a couple times. I liked the smaller speaker for a couple days, but sorely missed the big ones.

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