Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Speaker Volume

I have ran Audyssey with my Denon 3311. I have 2 M80's, VP 180, 2 QS8 and Hsu Sub. Even after taking the advice of many by changing the various crossover frequencies as well as setting the FRC to small, I still feel more sound/volume is coming from the QS8's and not from the FRC. The channel settings as well as crossover frequencies are as follows:

Front L: -3 db/80 hz
Center: -1.5 db/80hz
Front R: -3.5 db/80 hz
Rear R and L: -3.5 db/80 hz
Any thoughts or suggestions?

I'm not familiar with the Denon controls, but is there any chance you are adjusting the "rear" (speakers 6 and 7, ie only in a 7.1 system) levels rather than the "surround" or "side" (speakers 4 and 5 in a 5.1 system) levels ?

Id suggest that you turn of Audyssey and calibrate with and SPL meter.

Even if you use a SPL meter, there's no reason you can't bump up the FRC or lower the surrounds manually until it "sounds right'. Personally, I don't care for the Audyssey results, but it's a good place to start.

Or at least write down the measurements in audyssey, calculate manually with a tape measure and SPL meter and then compare the differences. That's what I always do. Usually end up with measures from them both, mostly manual.

Ortho, the numbers you show seem fairly typical and wouldn't indicate that the surrounds are too loud. Nevertheless, you have the option to set the surrounds 2-3dB lower manually and/or to check the calibration manually with the internal test tones and your ears or an SPL meter.

I used a SPL meter and all the speakers are producing 75 db with test pattern. The issue seems to be when playing back music which leads to me believe it has to do with which mode I have set on the receiver. If that is the case, any recommendatins by those who have a Denon receiver?

When you play back music in 5 channel stereo mode the front channels are copied to the side channels plus mixed and sent to the center channel.

The resultant volume sounds about twice as loud as just playing back in stereo mode because all the speakers are working together. That's a normal result.

Bill

Which mode does the reciever say it is in when you are playing music?

Sounds like you are in "simu" mode for 5 channel surround. Try changing to "stereo" or "direct" for two channel listening, or hit "std" and certain parts of the music will be sent to the center or surrounds.
That is how the modes are abbreviated on the remote for my 3808 so I assume yours is similar. I find the 5 channel "simu" mode to be the worst way to listen to music. Usually go with stereo or direct as the vocals sound much better out of my m80s than on my vp150 which is where they end up in the "std" mode.