Auto Sound Setup; Important Notes - Cary Audio Design Cinema 12 Owner's Manual

AUTO SOUND SETUP

The AUTO SOUND SETUP feature of the Cinema 12 will automatically measure the
sound characteristics of the main listening room where you have your home cinema
system installed. It has a seven-band auto sensing function that will try to optimize the
sound quality and the overall room frequency response for low bass, mid bass, mid range
and high frequencies while you are using it in the AUTO mode.
The room equalization (EQ) technology adopted by the Cinema 12 provides a superb
listening experience when it is utilized for music playback. We defeat the auto EQ
function during movie playback with Dolby Digital or DTS movie soundtracks. The
room EQ function works for analog signals converted to digital pulse code modulation
(PCM) for surround sound listening or for PCM signals from a CD or DVD player. This
could be used as well for the AM/FM tuner signals if you convert them to digital signals
in the SETUP function by choosing DSP instead of bypass for the Tuner. The
measurement results are analyzed using an original algorithm and environmental settings
are made to improve the sound characteristics of the system in the listening area.
The room EQ can be used to average the overall room response by moving the
microphone to as many as six different physical locations in the room. For the averaging
to take place you will need to run the whole process again for each new placement of the
microphone.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Be sure to set the listening level to a lower than normal setting during
testing as tones can be quite loud.
The microphone is designed to be placed flat on a surface that is the same size
or smaller than the microphone base, with the mesh surface pointed UP at the
ceiling. The speakers should not have any obstruction between them and the
microphone for proper operation during auto set up. Setting this on a couch
back is not a correct way to do this. The microphone is designed to be pointed
at the ceiling. It should not be pointed at each speaker since this will make it
read the room incorrectly.
The auto-setup feature and room EQ available within the Cinema 12 was
not designed by Cary Audio Design. We use the standard auto-setup and
room EQ feature that comes installed on the Cirrus Logic chipset used
within the Cinema 12. We have found in our testing that the results
provided from this stock system may not always be accurate. In light of
this, we always recommend that you perform a manual setup using an SPL
meter and external test tones to get the most accurate settings possible for
your Cinema 12 within your specific room.
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