Audyssey Manual Calibration “OCA’s REW + Audyssey Awesomeness”

[Hyacin]

Hmm if my PC is set to Atmos, I get my heights when I play Atmos or DTS:X demo clips. On past Denon AVRs it would say Multichannel In but on my X4500H it displays Atmos. Have you downloaded the Atmos add-on for Windows?

Yes, that is how I was able to enable Atmos mode for testing. Even with the PC set to 7.1 though, and the receiver set to "Multi Ch 7.1 in", when I fired up an Atmos movie in Media Player, the receiver switched into Atmos mode and all channels were working as expected. When I play the 128k or 256k Atmos sweeps though, it does not

 

[OCA]

What should they be? I can't seem to find them anywhere, and I've been searching high and low, watching videos, and trying every setting combination I can imagine for hours now :'(

I've set it in Windows to 'Stereo', '7.1' and 'Atmos', and not one of them will play my highs or surrounds (not surround backs) correctly. I'm almost in tears I'm so frustrated here and can't think of what else to try.

I remember seeing something in one video I think about keeping the receiver on "Multi Ch 7.1 in" or something, so I've done that, as well as making sure the AVR is the 'default device', which it has been the entire time I've been struggling with this.

Is there a page or portion of a video that goes over specifically and exactly these settings?

Thank you. <3

Update: If it helps at all, with the "speaker configuration" set to 7.1, when I play a known Atmos movie with Media Player, the receiver kicks into Atmos mode and seems to play as expected. When I play, say, "FWR.mp4" from the updated 256k sweeps in the second post of this thread, the receiver stays in "Multi Ch In 7.1" mode, and the sweep comes out of my FR speaker, not my FWR speaker. Same with the original sweeps linked from the video description.

Try these True HD lossless sweeps with VLC player (they can be played from a USB stick in a Bluray player, too). Here're instructions with a link to files.

 

[Hyacin]

Try these True HD lossless sweeps with VLC player (they can be played from a USB stick in a Bluray player, too). Here're instructions with a link to files.

They work! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

And after setting up VLC with passthrough for these, I went back to the 256k ones and played those in VLC and they pass through and trigger Atmos mode on the receiver now too!!!

Was also able to verify and resolve a concern I had - the "top" front/rear do seem to map perfectly to "high" front/rear ... I was worried they'd end up somewhere in the middle of two speakers or something.

Thank you thank you thank you!!! Might take tomorrow off work so I can spend all day calibrating :-D

 

[CrazyDwarf]

I've set it in Windows to 'Stereo', '7.1' and 'Atmos', and not one of them will play my highs or surrounds (not surround backs) correctly. I'm almost in tears I'm so frustrated here and can't think of what else to try.

It should be set to Dolby Atmos for Home Theater. Try Microsoft Store Netflix App for testing. You can only engage height channels with specific files on Windows, I believe OCA provided them in one of the Videos for Atmos Calibration. Also, you should set your media player to Bitstream for audio (player dependent).

 

[just1n]

Hmm if my PC is set to Atmos, I get my heights when I play Atmos or DTS:X demo clips. On past Denon AVRs it would say Multichannel In but on my X4500H it displays Atmos. Have you downloaded the Atmos add-on for Windows?

I second checking this. I was banging my head against a wall until I learned of that add-on.

 

[Hyacin]

Thanks @CrazyDwarf and @just1n ! As I said a couple posts back though, I did have it the entire time, and TrueHD+Atmos videos were triggering Atmos mode on the receiver just fine, even when the "Speaker configuration" in Windows was only set to 7.1.

The issue seemed to be with Media Player not passing through the DD+ Atmos like it was with the TrueHD - no idea why. Using VLC though as @OCA suggested, and going in to the settings and forcing passthrough, ALL the files trigger Atmos mode now. Super excited to do some calibrating this evening!!

 

[OCA]

Thanks @CrazyDwarf and @just1n ! As I said a couple posts back though, I did have it the entire time, and TrueHD+Atmos videos were triggering Atmos mode on the receiver just fine, even when the "Speaker configuration" in Windows was only set to 7.1.

The issue seemed to be with Media Player not passing through the DD+ Atmos like it was with the TrueHD - no idea why. Using VLC though as @OCA suggested, and going in to the settings and forcing passthrough, ALL the files trigger Atmos mode now. Super excited to do some calibrating this evening!!

Make sure to turn loudness management OFF in the AVR. That menu will show up temporarily only during Atmos signal playback and is ON by default. Those sweeps have dialnorm settings disabled but still better safe than sorry.

 

[TheZebraKilledDarwin]

This is really interesting. I started playing with @OCA's methods (before A1 was released) because I had a notch at 70Hz that Audyssey was adding 9dB to and causing distortion. Using this method, one could limit the pseudo speaker response to only peaks above a smooth, minimum phase response (and only below transition) and avoid that problem.

How do you export REW measurements in a way that can be inserted into the ady file? The information that comes out of the ady file includes only the raw response data. Comparing a standard REW impulse export with the header data A1 adds before REW import, there are apparently some differences in peak value, peak index, and response length. The sample interval appears the same, however.

I played around with @OCA 's tips for ex- and import of values (I used ratbuddyssey for a quick check without using the AVR, if the speaker data was readable by MultEQ) and when ratbuudyssey loaded .ADY and displayed the "measured" speaker response as the wanted EQ curve correctly, I measured the transferred ADY file and the Audyssey 'flat' correction reflected the aimed target curve with the EQ settings in REW.
I double checked that in REW by calculating the speaker measurement difference between the Audy OFF setting and the faked Audy 'flat' curve, and the difference indeed shows only the applied EQ curve.

 

[Hyacin]

How many swears am I allowed to use in a post on this forum?

Because it is going to take a LOT of them to accurately describe the difference between the sound of the stock Audyssey calibration, and my barely half-assed attempt at this.

It is night and day. I am shocked my system can sound this good, and I'm SUPER anxious to do it all again to dial it in even better.

I can't say thank you enough for the amazing videos and all the help!!

When I get some cash, you can be very sure another YouTube tip will be heading your way!

 

[Chromatischism]

How many swears am I allowed to use in a post on this forum?

Because it is going to take a LOT of them to accurately describe the difference between the sound of the stock Audyssey calibration, and my barely half-assed attempt at this.

It is night and day. I am shocked my system can sound this good, and I'm SUPER anxious to do it all again to dial it in even better.

I can't say thank you enough for the amazing videos and all the help!!

When I get some cash, you can be very sure another YouTube tip will be heading your way!

Makes me wonder what kinds of problems you encountered before. The difference should not be like night and day. Still, glad to hear you were able to get results faster and easier.

 

[Hyacin]

Makes me wonder what kinds of problems you encountered before. The difference should not be like night and day. Still, glad to hear you were able to get results faster and easier.

I had only used the built-in Audyssey cal previously on _this_ receiver (6700), so I don't think _that_ helps anything ... and I wasn't even trying to do any correction for the 'speed of sound' stuff. I only bought the MultiEQ app for the HT I just built my son with a 4700.

I did do a full 8-point cal on this unit, following the directions to the letter. I guess right off the bat my time alignment was probably off and possibly to a significant degree given I've got about 16' between my SBs and my mains.

Add to that none of the benefits that the MultiEQ app brings to the table ... and then all of @OCA 's awesomeness, and it really is night and day!

Might be a bit less of an improvement when I do it on my son's setup as I've been using the MultiEQ app from day 1 there.

 

[famasfilms]

I have an 1120 and a Denon 6500 avr. The 1120 drives my front l/r in a 7.1.4 Atmos setup. My arendal sub is connected to the 1120


Audyssey is set to front l/r bypass and roomperfect is active.

With all the talk of the audyssey one script making a big difference I'm wondering if it's worth connecting my sub to the Denon and running the script to get an 'optimal' audyssey calibration for all speakers, or if roomperfect is superior

The advantage of using the script will be an optimized calibration and levels instead of my 'amateur' attempt to run audyssey alongside RP and manually level match etc. Or should I stick with roomperfect as it's considered a more premium calibration tool?

 

[OCA]

roomperfect is superior

I would like to hear your comparison results if you decide to go ahead. I have never tried Room Perfect and I respect Lyngdorf products in general but I remember it being compared to Audyssey back in 2009/10 and considered equals. Audyssey didn't change a single thing since then, if that's also the case with RP, I am afraid A1 will chew it off

 

[famasfilms]

I would like to hear your comparison results if you decide to go ahead. I have never tried Room Perfect and I respect Lyngdorf products in general but I remember it being compared to Audyssey back in 2009/10 and considered equals. Audyssey didn't change a single thing since then, if that's also the case with RP, I am afraid A1 will chew it off

Ok, well in the absence of examples of other people with Lyngdorf / Audyssey I guess I'll have to xD

 

[famasfilms]

I would like to hear your comparison results if you decide to go ahead. I have never tried Room Perfect and I respect Lyngdorf products in general but I remember it being compared to Audyssey back in 2009/10 and considered equals. Audyssey didn't change a single thing since then, if that's also the case with RP, I am afraid A1 will chew it off

hey so initial first impressions after playing The Matrix lobby scene Atmos, and Heat bank robbery in DTS-HD

Front speakers seemed much more noticeable. About 6 months ago I had to narrow the front soundstage to accomodate a home office desk and really felt the soundstage was compressed. This frustrated me to extent I started looking at bigger properties than my apartment in order to have a dedicated home office! After A1 the front speakers seem distinct again.

 

[OCA]

hey so initial first impressions after playing The Matrix lobby scene Atmos, and Heat bank robbery in DTS-HD

Front speakers seemed much more noticeable. About 6 months ago I had to narrow the front soundstage to accomodate a home office desk and really felt the soundstage was compressed. This frustrated me to extent I started looking at bigger properties than my apartment in order to have a dedicated home office! After A1 the front speakers seem distinct again.

Did it get your sub distance right at the first trial? If not, bass will not be optimal.

 

[famasfilms]

Did it get your sub distance right at the first trial? If not, bass will not be optimal.

Heya the log says:

13:42:50 [WARNING] Calculated optimal subwoofer distance of 9.25m exceeds AV Receiver's max. speaker spacing limit [7.95m vs 6.00m]!
13:42:50 [INFO] Attempting to re-align the sub...
13:42:53 [INFO] Subwoofer distance is re-set to 5.9m and is now within receiver speaker spacing limits [4.6m vs 6.00m].
13:42:54 [INFO]

Only thing I'd say after watching Top Gun last night and Maverick tonight, the atmos channels (top middle and top rear) seem a bit underwhelming. But it's possible my previous config/level matching boosted them to make them stand out more




The first audyssey file I used was 8 diff listening points and it sent my front L/R speakers to 110hz, which I thought was odd as they're the "best" speakers in my setup - MA Silver 500 current generation.

Earlier today I did a new audyssey with 6 at the MLP and 2 rotated left/right at the stand, now the fronts are at 80hz. I also redid the roomperfect calibration as the sub is no longer connected to the lyngdorf.

Now movies = audyssey one for all speakers.

For music via spotify streaming to Lyngdorf, I have option to use roomperfect on just the fronts. Denon is kept powered off so no audyssey in effect.


I assume my previous attempt to combine audyssey and roomperfect resulted in some frankensteins monster, hopefully everything is 'cleaner' now.

Bass definitely feels/sounds "cleaner". Previously Denon was set to no sub/large, so all low freqs were being sent to the lyngdorf. There's no sub level calibration on RP like audyssey so I just kept the volume dial at 12 o clock, which was probably way too high

 

[famasfilms]

After several days I can say Aud One breathed new life into my set up. I was rarely watching movies recently except for the very latest releases. I've watched a movie every night since and I can definitely hear a difference

Currently watching Heat, haven't got to the bank robbery yet but so many ambient sounds are audible and distinct, like in the scene where De Niro meets his love interest

Oof- Heat shootout is my go to demo scene every time I change my setup. Just heard for first time when Pacino shoots Tom Sizemore - the bullet whooshes past you from the rear surrounds

 

[Chromatischism]

After several days I can say Aud One breathed new life into my set up. I was rarely watching movies recently except for the very latest releases. I've watched a movie every night since and I can definitely hear a difference

Currently watching Heat, haven't got to the bank robbery yet but so many ambient sounds are audible and distinct, like in the scene where De Niro meets his love interest

Oof- Heat shootout is my go to demo scene every time I change my setup. Just heard for first time when Pacino shoots Tom Sizemore - the bullet whooshes past you from the rear surrounds

Not to cast doubt on what you're hearing, but what about Audyssey One would cause this? Maybe OCA could explain.

I vividly recall scores of people over on AVS making these same exact comments after doing speed of sound correction. That tweak is so small as to be inaudible or at best, barely audible. Yet the placebo effect and the expectation bias were strong.

 

[antcollinet]

Not to cast doubt on what you're hearing, but what about Audyssey One would cause this? Maybe OCA could explain.

Apart from optimising the correction filters? For me - in addition to that - is the way it simplifies implementing a preferred target curve.

Since getting my 3800, I'd been messing about with the app trying to get a FR balance that sounds right. Even using the app doesn't make target curve creation in any way easy. A1 solved all that for me, and my system now sounds right.

I've since stopped worrying about it. This fact alone is a huge benefit.