2.1 tuning and equalization sequence

[sectrix]

My first post here and want to thank you all for your reviews, discussions, and arguments that have made building out my system confusing and fun.

I'd like some advice on the process of setting up and calibrating a 2.1 system (in my signature). I don't need a step-by-step guide, just a list of typical things to adjust and in what order.

Things like:
- Speaker positioning
- Sub integration
- Gain structure
- Room treatment
- EQ
- Crossovers
- Delay

and so on.

What are all the things to do? What order to do them in?

I do have a Umic and REW.

Thanks!

 

[Keith_W]

Do it in this order:

1. Speaker positioning and choose your listening position.
2. Subwoofer positioning. Use measurements for this. Place your sub at the listening position, then go around the room taking sweeps.
3. Gain. Adjust the subwoofer so that it is about 5-6dB louder than the main speakers.
4. Take a sweep of L, R, and each sub individually with a timing reference. Decide if you want to implement an XO or not. Reason to not have an XO: additional bass sources in the room means more even bass. Reason to have an XO: high speaker distortion at low frequencies, low power amplifier, etc. At this point, decide if you want to repeat steps 1-3.
5. Adjust the delay of the subwoofer so that it sums properly with the main speakers.
6. EQ.

Room treatment, if you already have it, comes first. If you don't have room treatment, complete all the above steps and decide if you need it.

 

[thcdru2k]

I’ll just focus on the calibration workflow I use with my Flex HTx.
First I do a quick polarity sanity check on the speakers and sub by looking at the initial impulse direction, just to make sure nothing is accidentally inverted.
Next I time align the left and right speakers using acoustic timing reference and adjust delays so the speakers arrive at same time.
I pick the crossover based on the speaker’s usable low end. I generally go as low as the speaker stays reasonably linear and clean.
If two subs I would align the subs to each other first. With one sub I go straight to integrating the sub with the mains.
I measure one main and the sub using the same acoustic timing reference, then use the REW alignment tool in impulse mode with the cursor at the crossover frequency. I use Align IR at cursor to get a starting delay value.
I enter that delay and then fine tune with small stepwise delay changes while watching the summed response through the crossover region, aiming for the best summation.
Once timing is set, I keep EQ light. Mostly narrow peak cuts and usually under about 4 dB.