Comments on: Reference vs. Preference

By: seamstress mannequin

seamstress mannequin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:45:57 +0000

Great reading. I have some questions but I will keep reading other material here first

By: Louis Quintal

Louis Quintal — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:17:11 +0000

Hi Chris
I have just listened the “THIS IS IT” bluray mastered in DTS HD MA . Since this was mixed for film I figure it was mixed in the “standard” films mixing practices ….and this sound mix shines when played with Audyssey processing.
I don’t understand why all bluray concerts don’t stick with the film mixing practises

thanks for this magnificient technology!

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:47:12 +0000

Hi Marco,

Unfortunately the current AVRs don’t provide enough memory to store multiple calibrations so you will have to chose one.

By: marco

marco — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:33:02 +0000

Hi chris
i have the Denon AVR-4310 and i have both plasma tv and a projector in my home theatre , some times i use my plasma tv for watching moveis and other time i use the projector , the thing is that i have notes with the projector screen pulled down , i get more sound reflection in the room ,and when it,s pulled up again i get less reflection from the room , my question is that should i run audyssey calibration setup with the projector screen pulled down or up ? or do i have to sacrifice one for the another? as i have mentioned i tend to use both the projector and the plasma tv sometimes. Thank you!

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:09:27 +0000

It is neither. This curve was derived from multiple factors. One is to account for the differences in the listening conditions. Content is created in rooms where the listening is more direct sound and less reverberant sound. But, at home the opposite occurs and so a translation needs to happen to make sure that content mixed to the X-curve is properly experienced at home.

By: RustonJ

RustonJ — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:59:50 +0000

Chris,

Is the Audyssey “reference curve” a flat response or does it emulate the “X curve” used in the film industry?

I have read some confusing articles that state that a subjective “house curve” that boosts low frequencies (in smaller rooms) is preferred to a measured flat response.

By: mike romo

mike romo — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:01:03 +0000

hey hey–

After much tweaking (and 8 mic positions), followed by 3 hours of Mad Men, I must admit–I am turning a corner on the Audyssey setup. It really does seem to expand the stage and now when I listen to the content with out it, the front sound stage sounds more boomy and thick. I am still trying to figure out what’s what, like what IS the reference, but I am beginning to think that this does sound better.

I will keep working on it.

thanks,
mike

By: mike romo

mike romo — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:16:18 +0000

thanks for this very engaging discussion. I am wading through many, many web sites after re-calibrating my 7.1 system using the MultEQ XT Auto Setup in my Denon 2808CI. I must admit I was really confused by just how different my system sounded after the Audyssey adjustments–and, to be honest, I am not sure if it is better or worse or just…different. (I measured 6 positions, 3 on the sofa, 3 off.)

(I am using Axiom Audio M60v2s for my mains, anAxiom Audio VP100v2 for my center, 4 Cambridge Soundworks surround speakers (legacy, I will get rid of them eventually) and an SVS 10″ sub, the PB-10NSD.)

The biggest differences:

- what seemed like an expanded soundstage in the front (good)
- a significant dropping of bass in the center channel. Like, it just sounded like it got chopped off at the knees. When I turn off the Audyssey EQ and go to my calibrated Manual settings (using a sound pressure meter, etc), there is a lot more warmth to the front speakers, especially the center channel.

Now, of course, after reading this, I wonder, if after setting my M60s to small (when I get home tonight), if there will be a change, but I just have to wonder: the difference between Audyssey being on and off is so dramatic, that I have to wonder if I have done something wrong.

It’s just so incredibly confusing. I wanted to use the Audyssey MultEQ XT to make everything sound better, as the feature advertises, but when I use it, it just sounds so different–worse, really. I just don’t know if the difference is just something I will adjust to or not.

anyway, I dunno where to go with my comment, I am just trying to figure out why it sounds so different.

thanks for this great blog.

-mike

By: Mark Giovannetti

Mark Giovannetti — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:31:21 +0000

Chris, I would add a caveat to this statement: “When Audyssey is “on” then you are at reference.”

The caveat is assuming the measurement process was executed correctly. As we have seen with the development of the Audyssey Setup Guide, there are a few steps to ensure a good measurement run.

Mark

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 23 May 2009 14:28:35 +0000

It’s important to understand that engineers don’t mix *for* reference. They mix *to* reference. Sounds like semantics, but it’s not. “To reference” means that when they walk in the dubbing stage it has been calibrated to meet the required reference conditions of frequency response, speaker placement, etc. Then they sit down and start doing exactly what you say. Always. Every mix is intended to deliver the message of the director and that message is both based on art and the desire (as you say) to please as many people as possible.

They make adjustments to the frequency response of every element in the mix, boost bass, apply effects, etc.

The point of calibrating to reference at home is to make sure that the desires of the content creators are perfectly translated. They chose to put a certain amount of bass in a scene. If your subwoofer is not calibrated at the same level as what theirs was then what you hear will have more or less bass. That may be your preference, but in effect you are remixing the film.

So, reference is a just a tool that lets you peek into the dubbing stage and hear what they heard.