Settings And Operation — Continued
Balancing your system with a sound level meter
4. When you are done balancing your speakers, play some movie samples to help you make
any final adjustments.
5. Trust your ears above all else.
Double check speaker distances
The auto setup will calculate speaker distances to the main listening position. Usually, these
measurements will be fairly accurate. However, we suggest getting out the old measuring tape
to double check them. Occasionally, we have found them to be inaccurate, especially when
wireless speakers or subwoofers are used in the system.
Using a sound level meter or sound level meter app for your smart-
phone
If you have a sound level meter or sound level meter app for your smartphone or tablet, you
can use it to balance your speakers. You will need to choose the appropriate decibel range on
the meter. If your meter allows you to choose the weighting, set it to ‘C weighting’. Use the
meter at your preferred seating position as close to ear level as possible. Make sure to point
the meter towards the ceiling. Then, play a test tone through each speaker, one at a time, and
note the reading on the meter. Adjust the volume on each speaker so that they are all similar,
with the surround and rear speakers being slightly louder front speakers. The center channel
speaker should be about 2 db louder than the right and left speakers. In the end, a little ex-
perimentation will yield the best results. Trust your ears to make the final judgment.
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