Adding PEQ to AVR over HDMI

[yelloguy]

My current set up is using a Marantz 5015 AVR. I have an Apple TV 4K connected with HDMI for watching movies in 5.1 surround. I have a FireTV Stick connected with HDMI for watching TV shows. And I recently bought a WiiM mini for playing music over optical connection. I also have a Windows PC connected over HDMI to do REW measurements with umik-1 and try out the Equalizer APO etc. But I don't use the PC to watch movies or TV shows because of the lack of a remote control.

I like the WiiM (save for a couple of small problems) for playing music with my custom PEQ, but I want to add the same PEQ to Apple TV and FireTV stick as well. I can see a few options:

1. Getting WiiM Pro and using it's additional audio input. My Apple TV (in my home theater) does not have an optical out. I will have to switch it with the older ATV from my bedroom. The audio will not be over HDMI and I will have to set up WiiM optical source as the source for getting Apple TV audio. It is just more complicated. And I will not be able to EQ the Fire TV

2. Get a miniDSP or similar device. These take analog input and provide analog output. I am not sure how I would introduce it in the signal chain

3. Pay for the Audyssey Windows app and get a license for my AVR for $200. This allows me to set up the PEQ on the AVR in a clean way for all the sources. But seems a little pricey.

4. Get a new AVR from Yamaha. I learned some models provide PEQ ability out of the box. I can probably buy one for the price I would get for my Marantz in the used market. The downside here is that the sound quality will be unknown. I will have to start from scratch and do the measurements and EQ again.

Any other options I am missing?

 

[staticV3]

No WiiM solution will allow you to keep watching in 5.1 surround.
2.1 is all that you'll get.

A miniDSP solution with analog in/out I also don't see working out well.
A 6ch DSP unit will be expensive, and you'll need to buy two additional 6ch DACs for the ATV and Fire TV.
No idea how you'd connect them though.

Tbh, paying for the Audyssey license seems like the most logical choice, as integration will be seamless and you'll be able to keep watching in 5.1 surround.

 

[diablo]

I agree with StaticV3. Though I thought I'd better mention that option 4, new Yamaha, is a bad idea. Yes, they have adjustable PEQs on each channel, but they are limited to certain frequencies and difficult to use. I've tried putting in filters suggested by REW EQ and adapted for the Yamaha frequencies - but for some reason it sounds terrible.

Better to get the Audessy licence for your existing AVR.

I have a Yamaha A8A and have the pre-outs fed into MiniDSPs fo get good sound.

 

[yelloguy]

This is super helpful! Thanks so much for chiming in.

I guess the Audyssey license option was my least favorite and I would have avoided it even if I had to do extra work. But with this info, it seems like the only option. Let me chew it over a bit.

Thanks again.

 

[yelloguy]

Coming at it from another angle -

I have the subwoofer at +6 for my overall settings (Audyssey + PEQ) while listening to music. But this gives me heavy resonance when watching 5.1 material (there are some +10dB peaks visible in REW plots). I tend to reduce the subwoofer to 0 to get rid of these (I realize I am losing some frequencies because I am reducing overall bass).

If I could have the setting of the subwoofer change based on the source, I could live with this as movies are less important to my overall enjoyment. I would have Apple TV and Fire TV sources set to subwoofer=0 and I will have the WiiM source set to subwoofer +6. Is this possible? The AVR remembers the Audyssey mode (Reference, LR Bypass, Flat) on a per source basis. It also remembers the sound modes (Stereo, Dolby Digital, Pure Direct) on a per source basis. But the subwoofer bias, it only allows for all sources. Is there a clever hack? Or is that a question for a different forum! heh

 

[staticV3]

If I could have the setting of the subwoofer change based on the source, I could live with this as movies are less important to my overall enjoyment. I would have Apple TV and Fire TV sources set to subwoofer=0 and I will have the WiiM source set to subwoofer +6. Is this possible? The AVR remembers the Audyssey mode (Reference, LR Bypass, Flat) on a per source basis. It also remembers the sound modes (Stereo, Dolby Digital, Pure Direct) on a per source basis. But the subwoofer bias, it only allows for all sources. Is there a clever hack? Or is that a question for a different forum! heh

Instead of source-dependent subwoofer levels, it would be more logical to apply room correction to the sub, which would remove these resonances altogether.

You can then use the same sub level for both music and movies.

If you're looking for a super cheap way to EQ the sub, then look into the iWoofer platform.

 

[OCA]

Coming at it from another angle -

I have the subwoofer at +6 for my overall settings (Audyssey + PEQ) while listening to music. But this gives me heavy resonance when watching 5.1 material (there are some +10dB peaks visible in REW plots). I tend to reduce the subwoofer to 0 to get rid of these (I realize I am losing some frequencies because I am reducing overall bass).

If I could have the setting of the subwoofer change based on the source, I could live with this as movies are less important to my overall enjoyment. I would have Apple TV and Fire TV sources set to subwoofer=0 and I will have the WiiM source set to subwoofer +6. Is this possible? The AVR remembers the Audyssey mode (Reference, LR Bypass, Flat) on a per source basis. It also remembers the sound modes (Stereo, Dolby Digital, Pure Direct) on a per source basis. But the subwoofer bias, it only allows for all sources. Is there a clever hack? Or is that a question for a different forum! heh

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