STEP 2
Pioneer started a revolution with the world’s first calibration technology for a home amplifier, the Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration system (MCACC). Created by Pioneer experts in cooperation with
AIR Studios professional sound engineers, Pioneer strived to bring professional studio-quality sound to the home environment. Now Pioneer introduces Advanced MCACC, for even more accurate sound
calibration adjusted to your listening environment. What you get is fine-tuned audio personalised for your home — heard exactly the way the recording engineers intended.
Advanced Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration System
Advanced MCACC features a newly developed, patent-pending 3-D
Calibration method. This feature is the fruit of two years of Pioneer
research, with practical field tests and analysis for actual room calibration
data, since MCACC was first introduced. Advanced MCACC obtains even
more precise measurements, as the 3-D Calibration method takes
reverberation — the time factor or third axis — into account, as well as
existing frequency and level readings at each band. The frequency
response for an indirect signal differs from direct sound, caused by
obstacles in the room or the room characteristics. The human brain
analyses and confirms the sonic information much more on direct sound
than indirect, i.e. the tonal balance, position for each sound image and
sound field generated among speakers. The 3-D Calibration method
calibrates the frequency balance mainly based on the direct sound,
MCACC makes it easy to recreate the perfect
listening environment. Hooked up with the
(included) set-up microphone, the system
automatically confirms speaker presence and
speaker size. Next the amplifier emits a series of
test tones which enables MCACC to automatically
adjust the distance (channel delay) between speakers relative to the listening
position within 5 cm, channel level in 0.5 dB steps and frequency balance with
Pioneer’s exclusive ‘Envelope Calibration Method’. This method enables
moderate adjustments for frequency response, ignoring steep peaks and dips,
and avoiding intensive phase shift which deteriorates the smooth sound stage
between speakers. VSA-AX10Ai-S features a 9-band digital equaliser, which gives
the best result with the ‘Envelope Calibration Method’, as confirmed from 5 years'
research at the Pioneer R&D Centre. There are two modes for adjusting the
frequency balance between speakers: ‘All Channel Adjust’ mode flattens the
frequency response for all speakers and ‘Front Channel Align’ mode synchronises
other speakers to the front speakers. Two ‘Custom’ user presets are available to
memorise manual settings. With these professional level calibrations, MCACC
produces a true three-dimensional sound field.
Automatic Frequency Response Alignment with new
3-D Calibration method
Automatic Surround Set-up
The Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration system (MCACC) works just like a professional sound stage right in your living room. The beauty of this automatic sound field adjustment system is that you are able to automatically or manually
precision-tune your home system to your living room just like a sound professional, but with minimum effort. Using a calibration microphone (included) that plugs into the amplifier, the MCACC system monitors your sound environment
and measures the acoustics in the room. It then automatically adjusts various sound parameters on each channel to neutralise characteristics that tarnish the original sound. And the new Advanced MCACC with 3-D calibration method
enables even more accurate tonal measurement and calibration, as it considers the effects of room reverberation. This tonal calibration technology is so far developed that it calibrates both direct and indirect sounds simultaneously.
Advanced MCACC is the first technology to realise tonal calibration focused on direct sound, which leads to improved sound calibration.
Standard MCACC (2-D Calibration): only frequency
and level are measured
Advanced MCACC (3-D Calibration): frequency,
level and timimg are taken into account
Precise sound reproduction
Frequency (Hz)
Frequency (Hz)
S
peaker lev
el (dB)
Time (ms)
100.0 dB
dB
dB
After
Calibration
All Channel Adjust Mode – Front Left Channel Example
Example of Envelope Calibration Method
Automatic Sound Pressure Level Adjustment
Front Channel Align Mode – Surround Channel Example
10 Hz
100 Hz
1 kHz
20 kHZ
FL C
FR LS
SB
SB
RS
SW
10 Hz
100 Hz
1 kHz
20 kHZ
20.0 dB
100.0 dB
20.0 dB
The speaker distance, trim level and tone are not
uniform before adjustment. After adjustment, the
system is automatically equalised.
Calibration
microphone
FL C
FR LS
SB
SB
RS
SW
Automatic Mutual Distance Adjustment
2-dimensional Adjustment
3-dimensional Adjustment
Before
Calibration
After
Calibration
Before
Calibration
Set-up microphone
S
peaker lev
el (dB)
6
