My present set up consists of two M80ti speakers which I use exclusively,in stereo,for music reproduction.Since I recently moved I find that I am getting an overabundance of bass in my new listening room.I've tried re positioning the speakers in every which way to reduce the bass boom to no avail.Will an Audessey equipped receiver help resolve my problem?

Arthur, room correction in the bass frequencies is a primary Audyssey(the MultEQ versions, not 2EQ)objective, so yes, it should "help", but to what extent is uncertain until it's tried. It's a bit unusual that a new room would be giving you so much trouble. Can you describe the difference in dimensions or any other difference that you think might be relevant? If possible we'd like to make some suggestions short of buying new equipment. For example, although it's a relatively crude adjustment, have you tried turning the bass tone control on your 3480 down a bit?

Bass traps, furniture, rugs, drapes?

Can you describe the room size. Also, where do you have the speakers positioned in relationship to the side and front walls and corners. Also, where is your primary seating location in the room. Is the bass boommy all over or just in your location?

The size of my LR is 20 by 12 Ft.Due to circumstances beyond my control,namely my better half,the speakers are placed 15 inches from the back of the long wall and approx 7-8 feet apart and at least 3 feet from either short walls.My "sweet"spot is on the opposite long wall equal distant from the speakers by 7 feet.The room is well upholstered by a couch and a love seat as well as carpeting and curtains.To tame the excess bass I was using a vintage computerized DBX 10/20 automatic equalizer harking from the "golden age" of stereo.Alas the DBX,which had done a fine job in normalizing the bass at my sweet spot, has gone on to meet "its maker" after long years of faithful service.There are no decent equalizers, parametric or graphic, being made now days so therefore my question about Audyssey for stereo.I am not in need of a HT receiver since I listen only in stereo.Is it possible to get the Audyessy system without having to purchase a HT receiver? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Any chance of finding a used DBX?

There are still some good stereo graphic equalizers out there being made and offered for sale but they are aimed primarily at live music applications so in order for the unit to be compatible with your audio equipment you will need a set of RCA>quarter inch adapters. Check the "Behringer" or "BBE Sound" websites, you will find a number of models that are quite good and might help you with your issues.

The only difference here is you will need to locate, either on-line or a retailer in your area who sells musical instruments AND equipment for live music, i.e. PA systems etc. and of course, carries the above mentioned brands or possibly others that I am not aware of.

Arthur, those room dimensions(assuming about an 8' ceiling)aren't anything unusual and wouldn't result in more than the usual(often substantial)problems with room modes. If the new room has more rigid walls(e.g., plaster compared with drywall)this results in louder bass because of less absorption by wall flexibility.

Speakers should be positioned so that the centers of their woofer cones(not the enclosure)aren't equally distant from the three nearest room boundaries(floor, side and front wall). This to prevent reflections from those boundaries from piling up at the same(especially bass)frequencies. Your present distance about 15" from the wall behind would be about 36" to the center of the woofer cones.

Parametric equalizers(included as manual options in some HT receivers which have auto room EQ)are relatively crude processors compared to advanced room EQ systems. There is(was?)a separate Audyssey SEQ room equalizer sold to professional installers for about $2500. The current most advanced Audyssey MultEQ XT32 version available in HT receivers apparently has similar capability.

At this point I'll repeat a suggestion that I've made to you in the past: the concept of listening to 2-channel music sources(especially the thousand or so classical CDs that each of us have)only through front speakers is badly dated and doesn't allow the ambient sound(from directions other than direct frontal sound)that was mixed into the front channels(there was no place else to put it)to come from the surround speakers where it belongs. Extracting this ambience from the front channels with a mode such as DPLII in a modern HT receiver and directing to surrounds(preferably QSs)contributes significantly to listening realism and enjoyment, and I'd never voluntarily limit myself to listening just on front speakers when I had surround equipment available.