Advise on Audyssey Sound Equalizer installation?


Hi,
I just ordered the Audyssey Sound Equalizer. The EQ is only available through professional installation. However, the installation does not include passive treatments or speaker placement. In a way I can understand Audyssey's philosophy:
"The product corrects for acoustic problems present in your listening area, whether your room has been treated with wall panels and has ideal speaker placement or not"


However, based on my research here, I would be better off treating as many issues as I can before the EQ kicks in.

Any Advice would be greatly appreciated as I am pretty new at this.

My biggest issues:
1) Room Dimensions: 18Lx11'2"Wx8H. The room calculators that I tried actually told me to build a new room! (Although my room is a library. But the book shelves are only on 2 walls.)
2) Bay Window: I will install a (thick) curtain. The EQ has special software for Bay windows.
The bench bay windows problems will be addressed through the EQ by analyzing the "liveliness" & reflective character that the window creates, and creating the appropriate filters, even as it relates to time domain & delay.
3) My Sub:
a) 3 way firing. I am moving it to the back of the room to behind the listening area.
b) Sub has a 65Hz Low Pass Filter that does not optionally shut off. As a result I am forced to do 2 workarounds: 1) x-Over must be 60Hz (My PrePro only does 20 increments. 2)I must use Krell's Enhanced Bass mode. That mode sends the Bass to both the Mains & Sub. So, in a way, the EQ must handle 3 subwoofers. My mains go down to 32Hz. Enhanced Bass is required because of the nature of most x-overs in PrePro's. The x-over does not pass the upper freq of the dedicated .1 channel of the x-over anywhere other then the Sub. (Presumably, the PrePro manufacturers assumes that the sub can handle higher freq then the crossover). The .1 of DD & DTS can upto 120Hz. I looked it up. So If I don't want to completely miss information, I must send the Bass to 3 speakers/subs. Although that's a lot of Bass for such a tiny room. I wonder how the EQ will handle all my Bass. After an explosion, my body rattles for some time.

My listening room is pretty much Sound Proof, in case you are wondering why all this bass is not waking my entire house up. The room used to be a garage and there is thick intallation all around the entire room. I don't hear the door bell or phone ring when I am in there.

Perhaps I can also be helpful for other perspective buyers. Perhaps you want to know how the install went? I expect the EQ to be installed in 4-6 weeks.

Thank you in advance,
Cap
captaincapitalism
One of the limitations of the EQ, is there is no install kit available to the consumer and the installer will have to come back to calibrate when it will becomes necessary.

For that reason alone, along with many others, you need to do the room treatments and sub/sat configurations and decisions first. I am a longtime Audyssey user (prior to my current setup I used a Denon 4806 w/ Audyssey for movie theater setup), but my Audyssey-light was self-configurable, and I heard benefits as I redid the calibrations when things changed..

Your comments that the Audyssey EQ would solve all ills is only partially correct. Like an antibiotic. it will work MUCH better if there is less infection (I assume that's correct...:>) ). It can only do so much with filters and math. If it has a better envirnoment, it will not have to do major shifts in phase, etc.
"But within there lies the crux. The EQ is a product that works irespective of the speaker placement. So no matter what I do, according to Audyssey, I am using the product correctly".

No that's not going to be right. We've been to the Audyssey product training, and are trained to use the Audyssey. And I can tell you for certain that, yes, you still need to place things properly! You can't place speaker where there's major holes in the sound, and expect the Audyssey to fix that! It's not possible. Also, you need to properly setup the speakers for proper "aim" and "toe-in" for proper tonality from all the seats, or at least get that fundamental aspect with-in tollerance, to get even dispersion from the seating possition(s), as well as proper imaging/soundstage width considerations.
Tedmbrady is correct in stating that the acoustics need to be considered for best results, and the less the Audyssey has to do, the better.
You mentioned "book shelves" in the room, which may strongly help break up first order reflections, add diffusion, and tame slap-echo. All of these things are a plus in most smaller/medium domestic room settings.
I'd like to see your room personally to consult.
But yes, there'll be no replacement for experience here. Have one of us look at it and help you with design or at least setup, tweaking, consulting, and Audyssey calibration. Some out there will even "teach" you how to do it, while they do your system! That way you can kno what you're doing better on your other systems in the future. Good luck
qwackysmacky@juno.com,
I sent you an Email. I could use the help if you are willing to help or consult.