A friend recently gave me a Realistic (Radio Shack) Sound Level Meter. I had no previous experience using a Sound Level Meter. Throughout the years I have owned AV Receivers with Audyssey capability, I have never attempted to set up my system with Audyssey correction, preferring to trust my ears.

Yesterday, I decided to use the Sound Level Meter to equalize the white noise levels from all my speakers at my Preferred Listening Place ("PLP"). During the process, I used the Level Calibration sounds from my two AV Receivers as the sound source. I placed the meter on top of my PLP chair. I oriented the microphone in the meter toward each of my two Triton Ones (my Front Speakers) and noted the sound level on the meter as my reference point. The Triton Ones' sound levels were the same for both units without adjustment. Then, I re-oriented the Sound Level Meter toward each additional speaker around the room and adjusted the speaker sound level to match the reference level, making sure I did not exceed the reference level (meaning a lower setting rather than a higher setting as necessary). Since I drive my Center speakers with a separate AV Receiver, I did not use the Sound Level Meter for the Center level - preferring to adjust that level manually.

I did not use the Sound Level Meter to adjust the sub woofer volume levels. I simply set them to the zero mid-position on the Receivers. Then, I set the Triton One LFE Levels to 12:00 o'clock and my Paradigm sub woofer to it's mid-point volume level.

I am currently evaluating this setup by listening to music in a multi-channel Dolby mode. So far, I am finding the level adjustments to be both interesting and satisfying.

Using a Sound Level Meter is simple and takes very little time. I recommend the acquisition of such a meter for anyone who wants to fine-tune a system. Granted, the fine-tuning is only good for the PLP, but that situation cannot be avoided.

Happy Listening,

Art

Good one Art,
It is never too late to learn to use a new toy.
Let us know how you like your system this way?
God Bless,
Wayne

So far so good. After many months of listening to music in the Pure Direct Mode, I am finding that listening to music with all speakers balanced and active is an enjoyable experience. Both my Onkyo and Denon AV Receivers have multiple listening modes and I am enjoying sampling them with favorite classical recordings, both instrumental and vocal.

One early and interesting finding is that there is a noticeable difference in LFE levels between the various listening modes. I will probably conduct some tests with my Stereophile Test Tone CD to learn more about this discovery. But, for the time being, I am just enjoying the music.

As I write this post, I am listening to the vocal group Chanticleer sing Palestrina motets. We had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Chanticleer in concert at East Tennessee State University on Sunday evening last. Chanticleer is a 12-voice all male a capella ensemble, perhaps the premier such group in the world, and we were fortunate indeed that they appeared in Johnson City.

Happy listening to all,

Art

If you go to the GoldenEar newsletter Volume 1, Issue 3 there is a complete guide to setting up your system using an SPL meter or app. It continues into Issue 4 as well. Since the Radio Shack SPL meter is no longer available, you can download apps for your smartphone that will work reasonably well and there are other inexpensive meters mentioned in the articles.