How to MultEQ

Making MultEQ a breeze to set up.

Audyssey MultEQ is a simple way to automatically equalize and calibrate your home theater system to overcome speaker placement and acoustical problems in your room. Use these tips and, in about 15 minutes, you will have great sound. MultEQ will set your speaker and subwoofer levels so that they match and deliver a properly balanced soundstage. It will also set the delays to make sure that sound from all speakers arrives at the same time, even if some speakers are placed closer than others. The most significant innovation is the equalization MultEQ creates to balance the frequency response of all the speakers and minimize acoustical problems in your room. When you’re finished, Audyssey MultEQ makes your system sound the way it should: great!

How to MultEQ

MultEQ Steps

  1. Unpack the included Audyssey microphone and connect it to the front of your AVR.

  2. Place the mic at ear height in the primary listening location and start Audyssey MultEQ as instructed in the manual.

  3. You will hear the Audyssey chirps from each loudspeaker.

  4. Then move the microphone to a new position around the listening area according to the diagram to the right. Depending on your version of MultEQ, you will have 3, 6 or 8 measurement locations. With MultEQ Pro software, you can take up to 32 measurements (12 shown in diagram).

  5. Once you have finished the measurements, our technology will create a room equalization filter for each speaker and save it to your AVR.

Measurement Tips

The first measurement must be taken in the middle of the listening area. After that, the exact location of each measurement is not critical, but be sure to follow these guidelines:

  • Use only the microphone included with your AVR. If you cannot find it, contact the manufacturer for a replacement.
  • Attach your microphone to a tripod.
  • Take the measurements at ear height and with the mic facing the ceiling.
  • Start the measurements from the primary listening location and spread out from there. Approximate distance from the first measurement position is 2 feet in any direction.
  • Focus on the central listening area and avoid extreme positions such as the back wall or too far beyond the left and right speakers.

For additional questions about mic placement, visit Ask Audyssey.

Subwoofer Setup Tips

If you have a subwoofer, some additional settings will help give you balanced, deep bass from your home theater system. Try to use the subwoofer’s direct input (aka, LFE input) in order to bypass the filters in the subwoofer and allow the bass management system in the receiver to operate properly. If there is no direct input, then the lowpass filter knob on the subwoofer should be set to the highest frequency it allows. Set the subwoofer volume control to its midpoint. If there is a Phase control, it should be set to 0 degrees.

To enjoy the benefits of your subwoofer you have to make sure that the low frequency content is being sent to it. After MultEQ is finished, check your speaker settings in the Setup Menu. If your AVR has set any speakers to “Large” or “Full Range”, change them to “Small”. If you don’t, then there will be no bass playing from your subwoofer! Read our blog post about the benefits of using proper bass management.

More Questions?

That’s it! Many Audyssey users have told us that they were about to replace their speakers until they calibrated their home theater system with Audyssey MultEQ. We hope you achieve the same stunning results.

If you’d like to connect with Audyssey, join us on Facebook.

If you have additional questions, visit Ask Audyssey.