Well, I have finally gotten just about everything that I wanted for my living room HT setup. The only thing I haven't gotten around to is getting a new AVR for the new audio codecs. I plan on getting that in the near future and also having my display ISF calibrated and have a THX instructor come by and make sure everything is setup up perfectly...:D I also have to cut some holes for the back panel to cover the wires because the receiver was a little too deep with the cords poking out...

My list of equipment:

Samsung LNT5271F HDTV
PS3
Motorola Comcast HD DVR Cable Box
Belkin PureAV PF60 Power Console
Harman/Kardon AVR-635

My speakers:
Axiom M22v2, VP150v2 and QS8v2
HSU VTF3-MK3

I am really happy with the entertainment center I got from RoomsToGo. The TV, barely, and I mean just barely, fit.:D

Here are some pics...

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Very nice Masse ... a good clean install and you have a beautiful home, you should be proud! How's it sounding?

Looks very good!

That IS a tight fit. Do you have your centre angled down?

No, but I think I might get one of those little angle pads to try it. Sound seems pretty good to me, I need to do something about my bass though. I don't know what I should do about it. I don't really know how to calibrate it, so I guess I'm going to have to have someone come out and calibrate it for me. The only location it can really go is in the corner where it is now. I put it where the TV trays are and it sounded a little better but the wife won't let me keep it there.

Since I don't really know what it should sound like, it just sounds kind of distorted. Well at least I think it does...:p

Any recommendations as to what I should try? I don't even know how to try to calibrate my speakers with a SPL meter. I looked at some guides on AVS but it still seems a little confusing. I have the Rat Shack Digital SPL meter...

Where are you? There might be someone on the boards that would be willing to drop by and help you out.

I usually just use the test tones from the receiver and set the speaker levels equal across the board using the SPL meter in the sweet spot(your favorite place to sit(or the center of the sectional), even the sub is set this way. It's a good place to start.

For starters set all your speakers to small in the receiver setup speaker menu. Set the Crossover to 80hz on the receiver for all speakers to start, you may experiment later with other settings. Set the crossover on the back of the sub to bypass (if this option is available), otherwise, turn it clockwise to the max to get it out of the way for the receiver to handle.

Run the test tones on the receiver and adjust all speakers and sub to 75dB from the seated primary position holding at ear level pointing straight up. When adjusting the sub levels, I would put the receiver around -2 to 0dB level, and just adjust the main volume on the back of the sub up/down until you reach the 75dB.

For the SPL meter, put the dial on the 80dB selection, C -weighting, and slow speed.

this should give you a good start.

Really nice looking set-up. I like the entertainment center, gives me ideas. Enjoy!

If you follow the advise by Randy as given above, you will not need anyone else to come and calibrate your system. I think you will also find it fun to do it yourself. Once you start tweaking, though, you will constantly feel the urge to better it up a notch more and therein lies the warning about this hobby; it's an addictive and expensive journey without a clear destination... Enjoy your system.

John

But if get someone to comeover, you might not feel the need to tweek as much and you will also get to meet some of the great folks on the site.

Either way you win.

Plus beer might be involved.

OK, so I ran the setup the way you mentioned. The only problem I have was that the mic wouldn't pick up the left or right fronts. It picked up the center and the two surrounds and obviously the sub, but not the front left/right. Kinda weird. Also, what did you mean by the 0 to -2 dB thing for the sub? The master volume on the receiver? I was using the test tones from my AVR-635 at around -28 setting on my AVR. Is there something better that I should use? TIA...

Also, beer is typically involved with most things I do...:D

I live in Jacksonville, FL btw...

very nice looking setup. are those the axoim stands for the M22s? what is the height of them? thanks.

Not sure what your saying when you say the mic would not pic up the left/right fronts. Are you saying there is no sound?

In regards to levels, when your running the test tones for each speaker you can adjust the dB levels for that speaker that is playing up/down to achieve a balanced 75dB's for all speakers. I'm not talking about the master volume. My Denon allows me to adjust the dB's from -12 to + 12 for each speaker so you can get them all the same.

The 635 may be different, when I kick off the test tones, the volume is preset by the Denon and cycle through each speaker, giving me time to adjust each level for each speaker.

I had a similar problem with my Denon 3608 (or is it 3806, I hate Mondays).

It would not identify that I had 2 speakers when in fact they definitely existed and were producing equally loud sounds. A total reset of the Denon resolved the problem. That or it forced me to re enter whatever I had screwed up.

They are Wood Technology TMT-24 Speaker Stands. Got them at http://www.standsandmounts.com for $88.

What I was saying about the front left/right speakers was that the SPL meter was not showing the dB reading when they were producing the noise...

Do you have the main dial on 70 or 80 dB's? Do you have it on "slow" speed and "C" weighting?

My guess is that the pink noise (test tones) was not loud enough to register on the meter. That is why you have to adjust the dB levels with your remote at the same time "up" until you start seeing the needle recognize the noise.

It would be just like if you set the dial on say 100dB and talked at a soft voice, the meter won't move until you yell.

Nice work on the install. I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks!