Hi again - bravo to the salesperson you spoke to, they get an A+ for their answer.

Regarding your questions:

You are going to set all speakers to play at equal level using your SPL meter and the receiver's test tones and calibration menu. The exact level is arbitrary, 75dB is a fine reference typically but all that matters is the levels are the same for each channel.

No EQ should be used.

Audyssey typically gets the distances and levels right, it is the EQ that is the "mixed bag". But distances and levels are the easiest thing for you to do as well, with your tape measure and the SPL meter. I'd follow the advice you've already received. Manual setup, break-in, listen, then run the EQ if you want to and see if it improves or degrades the sound ... just make sure it is easy to turn off once you've run it if you decide you liked the pre-EQ sound better.

This may sound like a stupid question but I hope I'm understanding this correct.

Would it be possible to just right down the distance and levels from the audyssey as this works well. The just go into manuel setup, apply this information and leave all EQ settings at 0.

This seems like it will save me the time of measuring with a spl meter?

Unless I'm not understanding something.

Thanks again for all the help.

Hmmm - should take you about five minutes to measure distances and run the test tones to set the levels. I can't imagine why you wouldn't just do it that way rather than hope for good results with Audyssey ... besides the fact that after setting up and running Audyssey, and finding its results once complete, and writing them down, and then going back to turn off the EQ, certainly SEEMS to be a process that would take much more time than the five minutes to do it manually.

Not sure what you're hoping to gain or avoid, I'm just giving you the "easiest" path - although I'm sure many paths would eventually lead to the desired result..

I just asked because I don't own a meter. Just thinking of a way to save $20.

As always thank you for all the help!

Ah-ha, I see. Do you have a smartphone? Cheap/free SPL meter apps available that work fine.

Geat Idea! I never thought to look.