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Pro Setup - Delay Setup
The Cinema Reference
provides the flexibility to set
the delay for each of the six
speaker channels including
the subwoofer. Unlike
conventional delay settings,
where the front right and left
speakers act as the reference
distance, the six channel delay
configuration requires that
one of the six channels be
selected as the reference.
Since delay is applied to
speakers that are closer than
the furthest most speaker, the
“Reference Speaker” is the
speaker that has the greatest
distance to the primary
listening position. Delay is
then applied to all of the other
channels.
The Cinema Reference is
capable of delay settings in
0.5 millisecond increments.
Since 1 foot is equal to 1
millisecond, you can adjust
the delay for each channel to
the nearest 1/2 foot (six
inches). As such, your
measurements need be
rounded to the nearest six
inches.
The adjustment of the Delay setting can be configured independently
for each of the Cinema Reference’s six channels (including the
subwoofer channel). The goal of setting channel delays is to have
the sound from each speaker reach the primary seating position at
the same time or perhaps better put, the correct time. Since the
Cinema Reference can delay the signal of a channel from reaching
that channel’s output (and as such, the amplifier, then the speaker,
and then your ears), the delay is applied to all speakers that are
closer to the listener than the furthest speaker. This speaker, the
one at greatest distance from the primary listening/viewing position,
for the sake of this section, will be called the “Reference Speaker”,
because all of the other speakers closer to the listening position, will
use this speaker’s distance as a reference point.
The process of setting the delays will require the use of a tape mea-
sure or some other distance measuring instrument. ADA suggests
using the U.S./British standard to measure these distances in feet
as sound travels at approximately 1 foot per millisecond (1/100th of
a second). If you are using the metric standard to measure your
distances, ADA suggests converting all measurements to feet as it
will be easier to calibrate the delay time settings (1 foot is approxi-
mately equal to 30.5 cm).
The example below details a sample speaker placement where each
speaker is located at a different distance from the primary seating
position. The chart to the right is filled in with the sample distances
from diagram below.
FRONT (LEFT)
FRONT (RIGHT)
CENTER
SUBWOOFER
SUR. (RIGHT)
SUR. (LEFT)
12 Ft
17 Ft
8 Ft
7 Ft
15 Ft
10 Ft
