Alan discusses setting up EP500

Thanks Alan for the great video. However, I'm a little confused on one thing you mentioned. When talking about the gain(volume) setting, you mentioned to start at around the 9-10 o'clock position and AV sub level to 0 dB.

Even in my huge room, this would be way to loud and overpowering. For me to achieve 75dB on the SPL meter my 500, and current 600 have to be around 6-7 o'clock with -6dB on the Denon sub level. I can't imagine what it would be like for someone in a small/med room.

I think the majority of people on the forum would say they run their 500 and 600's around the same setting as I require.

The manuals have always stated "midway" to the 9 o'clock position, this would be around 7 o'clock. Now, for my first 350, this was more correct, actually 11 o'clock was ideal, however, the volume knob on the 350 had a different scale and starting point than the EP's.

I did some testing tonight and with the sub at 10 o'clock, I had to turn my Denon down to like -12dB and I was still way above my goal of 75dB SPL to match the other speakers. If I put my Denon levels on "0" as most say to start, I have to put my sub volume almost to the minimum.

I'm just trying to understand your comment as this seems like it would be way to "hot" of a setting.

Regards,

Randy

I think the Denons run the subs hotter (relatively speaking) than other AVRs. I know on my H/K, I wouldn't dream of setting it less than zero.

Then again, I don't have an Axiom sub.

It probably is the Denon's if the H/K settings work as Alan suggested. I have my Denon setup similar to Randy's, If I went to 0 on my Denon or 11 o'clock on the 500 I would probably lose some windows.

Yeah Randy, I also set my EP500 around 7 o'clock. You'll recall that quite some time ago there was a discussion here as to whether the language in the manual "...midway to the 9 o'clock position..." should be interpreted as about 7 o'clock or should instead be read "... midway, to the 9 o'clock position, ...". Apparently Alan's discussion clarifies that the manual does indeed mean the latter(i.e., right at 9 o'clock)despite the lack of commas.

You have an HK right John? When I first got my 500 I read the manual as your second scenario but 9 o'clock was just to much, even in my larger room. Others on this website changed my opinion as to it meaning midway to 9 o'clock, or around 7 o'clock since the dial starts around 4 o'clock.

I can't believe the HK's are that much different than the Denon's, or any other AVR for that matter?

No, although I'm part owner of Harman International, I don't use an HK. I also don't think that the sub out levels on the various receivers would vary that much, but maybe some unit does have a somewhat lower voltage at its zero setting and 9 o'clock on the sub would be needed to match up with this. In any case, whatever the settings wind up at, it's okay just so the level is correctly calibrated.

Mine is also at 7 o'clock. I've found that I need to use the SMS-1 remote to control the sub volume depending on the source material.
Cable channels seem to have alot of variation, even between HD channels.

My 500 is at 6 o'clock with my Onkyo. My room is not that big but I thought the setting was rather low compared to what most others said they were using. Glad to hear there are folks that are also down around the 6-7 o'clock range

Regarding the Denons running subs hotter. My Denon 3806 has an obscure, hard to find, sub setting that defaults to +10 and can go as high as +15. This is over and above what you set your sub up for in the general speaker setup section.

Somewhere you can read a post about my sub woofer gone wild until I discovered this setting.

Hi sirquack and all,

This is sort of complicated but I may have to do a little edit of the video. I just checked my EP500 and it's set a the 8 o'clock position with my H/K sub output at 0 dB.

Now, a bit of background: During the development period of the EP500, I was sent and installed at least four different amplifiers in my EP500. Each had differences in the electronics and settings. In fact, I'm not sure which iteration of the EP500 amp is currently in my EP500! It's not the latest version, I know that.

When I made the video up at Axiom's listening room, I was going on memory of my own 500's volume setting, which I thought was around 9 o'clock. I know there was a period where it was set quite a bit higher, at about 11 o'clock, and that may have been with one of the earlier EP500 amps. I can't recall when I wrote and edited the latest version of the EP500 owner's manual, but it may require some revision.

I hope that explains the discrepancy.

Over the years I've found significant variation in line-level output voltages from one brand of component to another, even though there is supposed to be some standardization. I recall bench-testing an early CD changer (Sony) that had huge output voltage from its line output, so high that it overloaded the input stage of most receivers and amplifiers we connected it to and caused audible distortion.

My current Sony mega CD changers have perfectly normal output voltage on the line outputs so that may been a weird anomaly of early CD changers.

Regards,

Out of curiosity, Alan what H/K receiver are you using?

It's a 525, the same one as kcarlile's. Getting kind of old but I love the Logic7 decoding for a lot of classical recordings. I don't use the main power amps in the receiver, although they will drive the M80s without problems. The pre-outs go to an old class A/B power amp with 200 watts into 8 ohms, more into 4 ohms. Much of the time, I run the M80s and M22s on an A/B switcher, both with the EP500.

Alan

Alan I'm using a 635 in almost the exact setup you are using and am very happy with it ... I too really like the Logic7 decoding. I've always thought the H/K made a great processor.

I've just started using the Logic 7, after realizing that I was dissatisfied with Neo6 on the 80s.

Alan, I have had precisely the same experience with an older Sony megachanger (CDP-CX400, I think). Very frustrating.

Hi,

Sometimes it's amazing the differences--depending on the source recording--between DPLII, dts Neo6 and Logic 7. I switch around between the three to see which one delivers the most believable soundfield. Sometimes Logic7 throws too much information into the surrounds or I have to reduce the surround level. Other times, it seems to add a third dimension with lots of depth and the speakers mostly disappear.

The H/Ks have had very sophisticated bass management on the multichannel inputs for years, which is a nice feature for SACD/DVD-Audio playback, so you don't have to rely on the sometimes primitive bass management of the built-in SACD/DVD-Audio decoders in the DVD player.

After I wrote my earlier response, I remembered that during the EP500 development, I was changing out individual circuit boards with the wiring harnesses. Tom Cumberland would FedEx me a board, I'd install it and check out the performance. I still have a leftover EP500 board sitting on a bookcase, so my EP500 is some kind of Frankenstein hybrid of boards and amp modules of different vintages.

Regards,

Alan