Ok, thanks to the support and the "coersion" from various Axiom speaker owners, I finally got my M80s and set them up already. Barring new flagship speakers from Axiom :), I guess I am settling down with what I have now and start the calibration journey.

I have never owned a HT system berfore so pardon my ignorance.

I got a RadioShack SPL and a AviaGuide DVD and finished my speaker level calibration. I like I am hearing (but what do a newbie like me know, eh?) but I have some questions:

1. When I played the test tones from the DVD, is it normal that I have ot turn my receiver's volume up to -8db to get to a reading of 73 db on my meter? That -8 db reading is supposed to be my reference for all speakers, right? Is it true that the reference volume differs from receiver to receiver?
2. Assuming my speaker level calibraton is done correctly, I would like to learn more about EQ setting. Is there any 101 articles to read online before I start? What other equipment do I need to get into EQ calibration? Is this a good start?

Sorry for the long post. Thank you.

h317, don't worry too much about the -8dB reading on your master volume. All receivers are different in this regard.

Here is a post in the AVS Forum that list many links.
Go down a bit and there is a section for subs.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10118822#post10118822

Wow, lots of readings! I read a few articles and they help a lot. Thanks, PaulHa.

One of the article suggests to set all speakers to small. Just wondering how many M80 owners do that?

I just set my M80s to small, after realizing I wasn't getting any bass from the sub while listening to cds. I can also set the crossover for the M80s down to 40hz but run them at 60hz.

I have my m80's set to small with a 60 hz crossover to the sub for movies.

I have my m80's set to large for music most of the time- I don't really use a sub for music that often.

so do you have to switch the receiver settings each time you go back/forth from music to movies? I keep everything to small and 80hz with subs and sounds great for both.

Mine are on large... 'cause I'm waiting for my sub!

the denon 3808 has a seperate setting for 2 channel listening.

in the GUI to set the settings for 5.1 you go to

manual setup-> speaker setup->
then under -speaker config- you can set all of the speakers to large/small, and under -crossover settings- you can adjust the crossover settings for any small speakers to whatever you want. Unless under -subwoofer mode- you have it set to "LFE+main" and then you can even assign a "crossover" for large speakers... this will be the point at which frequencies are duplicated between the speaker and the sub (if your speaker is set to large)


In the GUI under manual setup->audio setup->2ch direct/stereo
You can set the speakers to large or small for 2 channel only.


I think the way I have mine set up is that my m80's are small with 60 hz x-over for movies, and large with no crossover for 2 channel music when I am listening in "direct mode". When i listen to 2ch music in "stereo mode" my mains go back down to small with a 60 hz crossover.


phew... that was complicated to explain- basically the 3808 lets you have seperate configurations for movies and music, and you can even have seperate configurations for 2 channel music that you can switch between at the press of a button (stereo and direct.) There is even a 'pure direct' mode... i have not figured out what the heck that is for though- it is basically just a direct mode that bypasses any audessey config you have set up and blacks out your monitor image and your panel LED's. I am bypassing audessey eq for all settings now so I think the only difference between pure direct and direct is that it blacks out my panel/tv.... kinda weird

You are correct, the manual states in pure direct the video signal is cut so as not to cause any posssiblity of interference.

I have my M80s set like terzaghi. I sit close enough to them that even if I can’t hear the bass below 80 hz from them I can still feel it. A nice test I’ve used to see if a lower crossover improved my perception of the bass is the opening of Master and Commander when the two ships are trading broadsides from either side of the screen. With the lower crossover I can feel more impact from the corresponding side as each cannon fires. It enhances the realism.

My Denon is only a 2807 but it auto detects the media and plays surround in the appropriate surround mode and stereo in 2ch direct stereo mode.

The 3808 must be different than my 2805. You set the speaker settings how you describe above, however, this applies to all modes on the denon; standard, stereo, direct, etc.

AS you have guessed the 3808 is quite a bit more user friendly and much more customizable then the 2800 series, even the 2808 isn't upto the same level of customization. Time to for an update Randy.

I think I make pretty good money, but this hobby is wearing on my wife. I'm trying to figure out how I can swing on of their amps, but know some day I'll have to get a different pre.