hi there: running in and sub set-up

[admin_exported]

Well finally folks I ve made it! Managed to post a reply and on Monday my long dreamed about 'system' arrived. This is the set up, all purchased in Cyprus, after checking our Monitor Audio, B&W I settled on KEF and the q700 series. This is the whole set up: Q700 x2 floor standers, q200 center, REL R305 ( amazing sound and build), pioneer VSX-920, Kef T101 stands with T101 Kef as surround speakers, QED profile HDMI, QED SAXT.Sony bravia tv. 40 inch. I cant wait till i get home every evening....just to stroke the speakers lightly, turn them on, run them in and stand back and admire the whole set up. Now two questions, whats the best way to run in all the speakers? And how do I get the best out of the REL R305? Cheers

 

[Andrew Everard]

Did a bit of tidying and moved your question to here, as you're more likely to get answers.

 

[fayeanddavid]

Well finally folks I ve made it! Managed to post a reply and on Monday my long dreamed about 'system' arrived. This is the set up, all purchased in Cyprus, after checking our Monitor Audio, B&W I settled on KEF and the q700 series. This is the whole set up: Q700 x2 floor standers, q200 center, REL R305 ( amazing sound and build), pioneer VSX-920, Kef T101 stands with T101 Kef as surround speakers, QED profile HDMI, QED SAXT.Sony bravia tv. 40 inch. I cant wait till i get home every evening....just to stroke the speakers lightly, turn them on, run them in and stand back and admire the whole set up. Now two questions, whats the best way to run in all the speakers? And how do I get the best out of the REL R305? Cheers

Congrats, we have something very similar, see signature!!

As for running in, they'll be those out there that will argue but about 50 hours or so and you'll hear the Qs really sing

Up to you how you do that, just leave the sound on when your out, be patient and accumulate the hours through listening etc

As for the sub, always the most difficult but the easiest way to start is do a full speaker test, set you sub to maximum crossover, sub gain about half way, set all your speakers to small, run a SPL test and set speakers to be equal SPL say 75 dB.

Then have a considered listen and you can then adjust the sub a 0.5dB this way or that to satisfy you, I have mine running 1 dB below SPL level of speakers otherwise it is too overpowering, not booming but just too much

Should be straight forward enough, if you don't have an SPL meter use your auto set up as a starting point and trim as your ears tell you

Good luck

 

[f1only]

Use the MCACC setup on the Pioneer to get the speakers set about right. The sub when setting up it is advised in all the amp manuals i have had, to turn the subwoofers bypass fully clockwise to maximum & the volume to 50% before doing your MCACC setup. Setting up this way tends to blend the subwoofer in with the other speakers, if you want more bass after listening for a while, up the db on the amps subwoofer out a little until it reaches the desired effect using a film you are familiar with.

If you have, or can borrow a SPL meter all the better. This is so you can get the speaker levels more accurate in your sweet spot after having used the MCACC setup, if not don't worry about it as the Pioneer is usually pretty good.

After you finish doing all that, i would just check it all again after the first month of use, re-running the MCACC setup. Then again after 3 months.

The reason for checking / re-running the calibration setup is your speakers will take a while to run in as they tend to loosen up over a period of time. Mine took around 6 months or so & i had an increased in Bass over that period of time.

Hope that is helpful. Regards ... Paul

 

[Anonymous]

Guys thanks for the input and tips much appreciated. At this point in time the sub bass is sitting right next to the right Q700 and may need repositioning. Il follow your tipe and keep you posted on how I got on. Andrew thanks for moving my post, I thought that I hadnt managed to post the comment as i couldnt see it anywhere for a while. Cant wait for the weekend to put the set up through the motions.

 

[chudleighpaul]

Just having a guess, but as you live in Cyprus, you may have tiled floors, and perhaps shutters instead of curtains, standard for hot countries, so you may have some problems with accoustics. I go to Trinidad quite a lot and there is the same problem there, the surround systems sound terrible.

The answer is plenty of rugs and soft furnishings and curtains if possible.

Anyway good luck with your new system, hope you have years of enjoyment.

 

[Anonymous]

Fayanddavid...it was actually your enthusiasm with the Kef700's that actually prompted me to demo them, so thanks for that. The speakers are on tiles there arent any shutters though. If i move the REL 305 around to the left of the tv will I have to do the MCACC set up all over again?

 

[fayeanddavid]

Fayanddavid...it was actually your enthusiasm with the Kef700's that actually prompted me to demo them, so thanks for that. The speakers are on tiles there arent any shutters though. If i move the REL 305 around to the left of the tv will I have to do the MCACC set up all over again?

Thanks for the comment

Yep, probably best to rerun the set up (if only to be absolutely sure) and then you know.