Auto Speaker Setup - Arcam AV860 Handbook

auto speaker
setup
Dirac Live for Arcam
There is a proprietary automatic loudspeaker setup
function built into your Receiver from Dirac Reasearch.
Using a PC/MAC based application, this attempts to set
all the essential speaker settings for all the speakers in
your system. It also calculates room equalisation (Room
EQ) filter values to remove some of the worst effects of
resonant frequencies in the listening room.
Your Receiver package is supplied with a calibration
microphone, which should be inserted into the
microphone input of the supplied USB sound card and
then into a USB socket on a PC or MAC connected
to the same network as the Receiver and positioned
as directed by the Dirac Live for Arcam PC/MAC
application. This microphone picks up the special
calibration tones generated by the speakers when Dirac
Live for Arcam application is run. The Receiver then
analyses the signal and computes:
speaker type,
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speaker distance,
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speaker level,
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problem resonant frequencies in the room which
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need control by filtering.
To help the system be as accurate as possible when
performing Dirac Live for Arcam setup, there are a few
guidance rules that should be followed:
Minimise any background sounds in the listening
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room and other nearby rooms.
Close all windows and doors in the listening room.
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Turn off all fans including air-conditioning systems.
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Mounting the microphone on a tripod or similar.
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Position the set up microphone pointing upwards at
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roughly head height in the normal listening position.
It is not necessary to point the microphone directly
at the speaker generating the test tone. (It helps if
you are able to position the microphone exactly
where your head would normally be for listening,
with the microphone in direct unobstructed view of
all speakers.)
If your system includes an active subwoofer, start
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by setting its output level / gain control to a value
roughly matching the front speakers.
When activated, a calibration tone is played through
each channel of the Receiver in turn, including the
subwoofer channel. The calibration tone cycles round
each of the speakers multiple times as the different
parameters are calculated. If you do not have a full
7.1 speaker (on the "floor") configuration there will
be periods of silence between some speaker channels.
Follow the 'progress' information on your PC/MAC.
By default, Room EQ is not applied to any of the
source inputs. You should enable Room EQ on inputs
you think benefit from this feature, as required, by
listening when playing typical source material through
each input. After being calculated, this is enabled from
within the Input Config menu.
While room equalisation can help to reduce problems
with listening room acoustics, it is usually far better
to try to solve these problems with the room directly.
Proper loudspeaker positioning, acoustic wall
treatments and moving the listening position away from
walls should produce far better results overall. However
it may be difficult to do this in a home environment, so
Room EQ is your next best choice.
Problems
We advise you to look over the reported measurements
on the screen following Auto Speaker Setup for any
obviously incorrect results, in particular to ensure the
reported speakers match your configuration and that the
speaker distances to the listening position appear look
roughly correct. If the results are not what you expected
re-run Auto Speaker Setup.
The Auto Speaker Setup function is normally quite
accurate but occasionally false results can be generated.
Problems may be as a result of:
external sounds or rumbling/handling noises picked
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up by the microphone
sound reflections off hard surfaces (e.g. windows or
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walls) close to the listening position,
very strong acoustic resonances within the room,
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obstacles (such as a sofa) between speakers and the
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microphone.
If you are still experiencing difficulties or you wish to
have the most accurate results for ultimate surround
performance, we recommend using the manual method
of establishing speaker distances and levels.
E-27
Using subwoofers
If your system includes one or two active subwoofers
you may need to set the subwoofer output level/gain
control set to a higher or lower value.
Please refer to the Dirac application and quick start
guide for full details of how to use the system with your
Receiver.
Downloading the Dirac Live for Arcam
applcation
To download the Dirac Live for Arcam PC/MAC
application and quick start guide, please visit:
www.arcam.co.uk