Auto Calibration Crossover Settings?

[admin_exported]

I have recently purchased the Sony STDRH820 AV Reciever and the Boston Acoustics Soundware XS 5.1 speaker package. When I run the auto calibration function on the reciever it recommnds the following satellite speaker crossover settings:

Centre: 180Hz

Front L + R: 170Hz

Surround L + R: 140Hz

Looking at the manual the satellite speakers themself have a range of 150Hz - 20kHz (sub is 40-150Hz), so as a relative newbie to home cinema my question is this, should I keep these settings or should I should I change them all to 150Hz. I ask this because I was under the impression that I should be using the lowest value that the speaker is capable of producing? I think I read that somewhere?! I have played around and I feel that they sound a little better when I tweek them all to 150Hz but maybe I'm just hearing what I want too!

Also, why are all of the crossover settings different if they are all capable of producing the same frequencies? Is this to help with depth etc? I have had a look at the other settings and they all seem fine (speaker distances etc).

Thank you all, any help/explanations would be appreciated!

 

[Andrew Everard]

Well, the speakers will produce a different frequency response depending on their location – due to the room effects the auto-calibration is designed to assess. And bear in mind that the satellites don't have a brick-wall cut-off at 150Hz, nor does the sub – usually these figures are quoted as the point at which the output ceases to be useful, as it will have tailed off in level. As an indicator of that, note that the specs say the sub only goes up to 150Hz, but its crossover control range extends to 180Hz!

Neither does the filtering in the receiver have a brick-wall cut-off at the frequency indicated: it's actually a sloping-off of level against frequency.

All that said, and assuming the sub crossover is set to 180Hz, thus taking it out of the equation completely, I'd wind the crossover point on all the satellites down to 150Hz, and set the sub crossover to 150Hz too - otherwise you run the risk of having a 'gap' in the upper bass, which can be noticeable. If that sounds better to you, then stick to it – auto-calibration is good, but not infallible.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much, that all makes sense to me now. I've set the crossover on the satellites and on the sub (yep, I did set it to 180Hz) both to 150Hz.

Thanks again for taking the time to read/respond.

 

[moonfly]

I would add that if your running a sub as high as that, you would be best trying to place it on the front wall in line with your front speakers. It will improve the overall integration of the sub and speakers and stop low frequency localisation issues being a big concern.