Awesome! Thank you very much. Those Rythmiks are truly audio Heaven. Especially having them on the MiniDSP and fine tuning them.

@@PolkFan Do you live anywhere near Northern Virginia? I'd love to audition your system. Post Covid, for now I'll continue to enjoy your videos.

Hell yeah. I used to live in NOVA, I'm down near Richmond now though. Not too far of a hike; just south of Spotsy, about an hour from NOVA. I'm all for an audition. DM me on IG (polkfan17) and we can set something up.

I just did a follow-up to this vid also. Same concept, different application that works a bit better, in my opinion. If you wanna check that out.

Where is it bro? Can you send a link so i can check it out

@@oguzme Cool, I see you found it. Forgot to tell you that it was the latest vid I uploaded.

👍🏾 Thanks!

I'm glad it was helpful. Thanks!👍🏾

I must've missed this comment. I agree. The db level you set only represents how loud your system will be at reference level. So you can set them to what you want. What's most important keeping the difference in the channels proper. Meaning keeping the rear channels 3 dB below the fronts.

You’re supposed to calibrate to 75 db for all speakers to hit reference level of 105 db peaks on 0 db. Speaker internal test tones are -30 db, so you’re supposed to calibrate to 75 db so for regular content the max db it can reach is 105 db, and the subwoofer max is 115 db, but still calibrate that to 75 db because the internal test tone for the sub is -40 I believe instead of -30

@@uncharted3isthebest810 Follow the link in the description and go make your argument with him. That's my reference.

Cool! 75 is kinda quiet, though. You have to turn the receiver up pretty high to get a decent volume level. But I guess it's all relative. Not everyone is a fan of being "in" the movie 😄. I like setting my speakers at 80dB because it gives you more overhead. It doesn't change the sound. It simply means I'll reach a louder volume at a lower point on my receiver than someone who sets their speakers to a lower dB rate.

@@PolkFan I chose 75 dB because I have my setup in my master bedroom and it's a smaller room 😂, also I don't want to upset my wife when I'm watching movies 😂 Do you listen to your movies and stuff at reference level? (0dB on the receiver?), I have a Pioneer Elite VSX-LX105 and I listen to it at about 25dB to 20dB? (Volume level on the receiver), and it's loud enough

@Doggo_Norse Gotcha. Totally under that. I have to wait until my wife leaves before I can turn the system up to the thrill point of enjoyment. A normal "acting like I have some sense" movie volume is -25/-20; thrill seeking is -15/-10 depending on the content. Never taken up to reference level - stupid uncomfortably loud at that point.

This is my source and why I set my levels to where they are. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gbiRqsqTx8W6lps.html

Thanks Ricardo! Always good to hear from ya. 👌🏿🎶👊🏿

No doubt, anytime! 👊🏿

Good stuff. I personally wouldn't trust the accuracy of the phone for SPL measurements but that's me. I think you have your fronts too low. Leave those around 80db and the surrounds at the 77 range. My speakers both the S60s and S30 can handle full-range with ease. Setting them at 40hz is light work for them. The S60s are rated for frequencies down to 24hz and 42hz for the S30. I wouldn't do if I didn't know better. What I do is isolate the speakers, play them at high listening volumes and switch between the crossover settings. I listen to how they perform at high volumes as well as visually checking them to see if they're being overworked. This is why I have no worries of them running at 40hz. Letting more bass into the center also enhances the richness and provides a more natural sound. If you cut too high, your center will sound thin and less natural.

PolkFan yea I still think I will get an actual meter and double check but I think for now it’s a good baseline this app is very high rated so I don’t think it’s that bad . All good just letting you know sounds like you tested everything out nice reason I set at 75 is that’s what they said is ideal for home theater and that commercial cinemas set for 85db . For now me being in a apartment I’m only rocking a 3.0 setup no sub no surrounds so it gets plenty loud not even close to reference level for me when I get a house I’ll get the rest of the speakers and re adjust everything again

@@danemoreno88 Right. I feel you on that. Having outside constraints limits you from going all in. I listed the link for the meter I bought in the description if you're interested. It's fairly cheap, like $30. Yeah, I do a lot of different configs and testing, and in some cases, I find that unconventional things work better.

I really don't think it makes much difference. Different people prefer to do it in different ways. This way works perfectly fine for me. My latest vid for calibrations has more detail than this one and some integration tips.

@@PolkFan Hey, really appreciate the response. I wasn't sure if anyone was even go to respond give the age of the original clip...😅

@bryanjones9952 You're very welcome! I have the YT app installed and get notifications whenever someone leaves a comment. I try to stay engaged with the viewers.

If you can change it to the relative volume display, which is the one that starts in the negatives that would be best because you'll know that reference level is at 0. However, if you only have the absolute volume display, which is 0 - whatever, reference level will be reached around 80, but there's no certainty of the exact point. It will vary slightly between different receivers, makes, models.

For an absolute volume display (1-100) there is no exact point to set for reference level. However, reference level generally comes around 80, depending on the amp. Relative volume displays (-70-20) make it easier by setting it to 0 for reference level.

Awesome. Glad to hear you're enjoy those beautiful sounding speakers. For music, a pair of the L12s will serve very well. They're also great for movies, but not a good as the 15s. The 15s would be the choice if you're looking for that "big" HT bass. Taking cost in consideration, you can buy a pair of L12s for the cost of one FVX15. You know me, I always suggest a pair opposed to one.

The calibration set everything spot on to 80db. I pulled the surrounds down to 77, and the subs were high. They were at 90db, so I pulled them down to 84db.

Are you on Facebook?if yes i need to ask you a few questions regarding the flagship yamaha 3080 , I was wondering if I can pm you on Facebook, its about calibration

@@Mr_HC DM me on IG. Polkfan17

If it allows you to change the volume display type to relative volume, which is the one that starts in the negatives, do that so that you know exactly where reference level is - 0. But if can only use the absolute volume display (0-100), reference level isn't certain but 80 is the typical point for reference level on the absolute volume display.

@@PolkFan Thanks. Marantz has the - (minus) one and did the setting and got the 0 dB.

Awesome!

That's correct. The factory settings is on a db scale which is from -80 to +15, or somewhere close to that. When setting the dbs with an spl meter, place the volume at 0db and turn on your test tone.

@@PolkFan thanks man. I see this parametric equalizer from yamaha. Flat-Front-Natural-Through. Which one you prefer and why?

@@DimplesDon9 I use Front. I like the sound of it. It adds warmth and more front stage presence. Natural is also good but can be too flat for me, at times. Front isn't bad but seems a little to sharp.

It all depends on the RMS power per channel of your receiver, and the speakers' sensitivity. I also had to add +7db to my ATMOS speakers to get them to 80db. In my other system, where I'm running my A770 and S15s, I had to add +6 or 7db to get them up to 80 also. So it all depends on the power and speakers in the system. The actual dB level isn't what's most important; the difference between channels is. For instance, you can set your fronts and center to 77db, just drop the surrounds 3db below them and set them to 74db. The dB level that you set only represents how loud it will be at reference level. There's a link in the description that explains which dB levels to set and that was my reference point. But since posting this vid, I slightly deviated from the numbers mentioned and found a better sounding mix. Here's where I am now. Fronts, Center, ATMOS, Subs = 80dB; Surrounds = 77dB

It should be at 0db.

Master volume should be at 75db starting from the centre or left channel set the level at 0db then increase the volume until I reaches 75db then that is your reference. Set all other channels from that point onwards.

Having multiple subs, you'll see great benefit with an SPL meter because you can level set/match the subs before calibration. Doing that ensures a flatter and smoother bass response. Of course, setting the proper levels of your speakers is the obvious but it really does make a difference. Other than HT use, I personally have no use for an SPL meter, perhaps measuring my car system but I think I'm off the chart with that. The meter I bought tops out at 130 something db. The S35 isn't an upgrade but a downgrade from the S30. The S30 has a fuller sound than the S35. Those smaller woofers aren't capable of producing the bass tones of the larger woofers in the S30. The S35 is simply a slim design, low-profile center for tight spaces. The meters are pretty cheap. I Iisted a link for mine in the description.

@@PolkFan Word up! Thanks. I will purchase and may need further help. Hmmm, I am stunned to hear of the situation with the S30/S35. I had it the other way around.

@@michaelmorgan8552 It's easy to do. I think Polk could've used the naming convention a little better. Naturally you'll think the higher number is a higher model - and with most of their speakers that's the case. Instead of the S30 and S35 they should've named them the S30 and S30S (Slim) or something like that. Yeah man, if you need help with using the SPL meter you can always reach out, I gotcha.

You should be able to change the volume display in the settings. If you set it to dB, it starts in the negatives and displays the volume in dBs. In that case you set the master volume to 0 to do this. But when your display is 0 - 100, set the master volume level to 80 for this procedure.

@@PolkFan yes my volume start from 0 tp 100. Thanks

For receivers with only an absolute volume display, reference level is around 80. Use 80 as your reference point.

Yeah that's pretty weird. I never had to change the batteries but I swapped them out after I read this post to test it, and mine works fine. It came with some off brand AAs, I threw in some Energizes and it works like a champ.

Thanks and I have a another question did you buy the meter from gain Express on Amazon

@@msoles30 Yep, lol. Same seller.

Wow okay thanks

@@msoles30 Anytime

Proper bass management and understanding crossover points are essential to configuring and maintaining a distortion-free system. Your crossover settings will always be subject to the speakers' capabilities and will not always match the crossover points of other speakers in your system. For instance, my S60s are capable of hitting as low as 26hz, but my rears (at the time I made this video) were 6.5s, and could not get that low without distorting. Likewise, my S30 (Center) is capable of getting down to 42Hz, where the surrounds could not get that low without distorting. The surrounds were set to 80hz because that's where they could perform well without introducing distortion into my system. Likewise, the S30 was set to 40hz because that's where it could perform well without introducing distortion. I made a vid that provides more detail, check it out if you like. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jrWgd6iI0K_Ho5s.html

@@PolkFan Thank you for the explanation my friend! I will check out your other video. I just bought 2 F18 Rhythmiks that I'm waiting for and then doing my proper set up.

@@wking8 Very nice!👍🏾

Setting the db level of your speakers is a beneficial component of system calibrations because it ensures the proper audio level from each speaker to your main listening position. What you want to achieve is a bit more complicated than just monitoring the db level. Because different woofers perform differently from one another, for an accurate depiction, you'd need SPL sweep measurements from the original and the current, and compare their responses. One woofer could be louder or lower at different frequencies than the other. Each woofer could have different sensitivity levels, which will also affect the dbs - based on the amount of power delivered to them. As long as you're happy with the overall response and sound, that's what's most important. Otherwise buying a tool to monitor the dbs, for comparison purposes, will be pointless.

Yes. Totally different. Setting the SPL levels is setting the amount of volume that you'll get from each speaker to the specified location (in HT, your seating area). Room acoustics will vary from room to room so a speaker in one position of your room may require more or less gain in order to be heard at the same level as another speaker. That's where the SPL meter comes in to play. It allows you to adjust the gain level of each speaker to properly align all of your speakers to the proper levels. Crossover settings create a cut point/frequency where your speakers will stop producing bass. Let's say I set my front speakers to crossover at 80hz, my front speakers will not play bass tones below 80hz and my subs will play all bass tones from 80hz and below. Larger speakers are capable of handling more bass than smaller speakers so you'd set your crossover points accordingly. The lower the cut point; the more bass allowed through; the higher the cut point the less bass allowed through. Getting the correct crossover point is important because it'll eliminate distortion and damage to your speakers.

@@PolkFan Thank you for explaining. 👍

@@michaelstephens41 Anytime!

I never had any issues with it. Max isn't a necessity but I recommend it because it only displays the max dB that it captures. Max mode is far more stable than when it's real-time. You'll see much more movement without it.

@@PolkFan Awesome, thank you for your reply!

@@colbywoodbery8648 No problem. Anytime! 👍🏾

Which L100s are you referring to, the Polks or JBLs? If You're looking at the Polk L100s you'll be much better off with a pair of S60s. I wouldn't even try to compare the two because you're looking at an expensive pair of bookshelf speakers compared to floor-standing towers. The towers will outperform those bookshelves any day. You'd have to look at the L600s to have a closer comparison, and in that case, the L600s would win being Polk's flagship level. The JBL L100s are far more expensive so I'm gonna assume you're not referring to them.

@@PolkFan Polk L100 legend

@@ongzhaoguang610 Not even a comparison. Did you see all of my last reply?

@@PolkFan by the way ...Also need to depend on room size...My living room 3.5m x 3.8m...

@@ongzhaoguang610 Good info. I think the S60s would work well, they may even be a bit much for that room size. I would also consider the S20s the fronts and S15s for surrounds with a pair of subs for LFE. They'll match perfectly with your S30 and you won't spend an arm and a leg buying them like with S60s or the L100s. The S15s would also work well upfront but will lack the bottom end as the S20s. I use a pair of S15s for my fronts in a different system and the work very well for that.

You'll hear different things. I go by the info I got. Check the link in the description and watch that vid. That guy gives an explanation of the different levels.

Of course. Anything is possible. But the problem I see with doing that is that you won't be able to hear the audio data being sent to those channels. Most of the dialogue goes to the center channel anyway which is good, and you'll hear the surround data, but you'll miss what would normally go to the L and R front speakers.

PolkFan ok but is there any option, in AVR like setting front as none, and selecting only center?

Means I don’t want to miss, can we club left and right information in center.?

@@myhomeaudio8751 When you run system calibration, it'll do a speaker detection and mark the front L and R absent.

PolkFan ok nice then, so there is no left and right loss right?

There's a link in the description that explains why the levels are to set to where they are. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. Some people like for the bass to sit slightly on top, which is why we'll set the LFE to 84, with the front stage at 80. For a flat response, you'll set the LFE at 80 with the front stage at 80. I'd never set the LFE 3db below the front stage because it'll then be below the rest and not flat at all - almost seeming absent. Personally, I run my LFE at 80, but that's with compression, managed through my MiniDSP. Without compression, I'd run the LFE at 84. I also made a follow-up vid to this one. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rZiHmNmY2r7DaJs.html

@@PolkFan OK thank you. I had heard that the sound level meter reads the lowest frequencies of the subwoofer, so if the sound level meter reads 72 in the listening position I hear 75 ... I will watch the video. so if my speakers are at 75 the sub has to be at 75 too?

Sorry , i don’t speak English very well

@@Tearsinrain87 Yes. Where ever you set the front stage, also set the subs. I always encourage people to try different configurations. There's no set in stone method of configurations. Try setting your subs 3db below the speakers just to see how it sounds. If you like it, stick with it. But I think it'll be way low.

@@PolkFan i tried and it plays low ... i thought this was the reference setting. thank you

0 if you have a relative volume display (-70 - 15). Or if you have an absolute volume display, meaning 0-100, around 80.

There's a mounting hole on the back of the SPL meter; it's the same size and thread as camera mounts. Simply screw the mounting screw from the tripod into the meter.

Bom dia. Para uma integração perfeita, coloque o sub no mesmo nível do centro. Se você definir o centro para 80db, defina o sub para 80db. Eu gosto do meu baixo um pouco mais alto, então configurei meus subs para 84db e centro para 80db.

O botão volume do sub vc deixa em 12 horas pra fazer a calibração

You have to make sure to first turn the test tone on. Go into setup>Speaker>Test Tone>over to the right to turn on. Then back out to the Levels menu and select the speaker that you want to adjust.

@@PolkFan hello on my receiver I went into settings and turned on test tone but they say have master volume set to 0 when I got to 0 receiver says mute it's a yamaha rx-a3080 I get no sound with test tone unless volume on receiver is turned up thanks any help would be appreciated

@@ls3silveradoallmotor707 Sounds like you're either inadvertently muting it or it's muting itself for protection. Have you ran calibration and checked the results? Make sure none the the speakers are out of phase and are all connected properly. The calibration results will illustrate any speaker that's not connected properly. If something is off, the receive will protect itself from damage when you turn it up. If all is good there, try turning the mute off with the remote. Underneath the volume buttons on the remote you'll see the mute button - looks like a speaker with a line through it.

@@PolkFan thanks for replying yes I've run calibration everything good there I just wanted to db levels with spl meter when I go down to 0 with volume receiver says mute not sure what's going on

@@ls3silveradoallmotor707 Cool. Have you tried the mute button on your remote?

Ensure you properly calibrate your system; find the best crossover points; properly set the gains; and add a sub - ideally a pair of subs. You have a nice lineup; your main focus is finding what works best in your environment. I'd probably crossover at 80hz for all the speakers except for the OWMs, I'll put those at 100hz. The subs make a night and day difference so that's a must have.

Ho i forgot about our Big Bro Polk HTS 12

Should i add Crossovers Separately fr Speakers?

No man. I'm talking the crossover settings in your receiver.

@@mukeshkhumar8975 Nice, yeah the HTS12 is an awesome sub, no doubt.

Some receivers don't have Relative Volume displays which shows the volume level in dBs; if you only have an Absolute Volume display, which show volume from 0 - 100, reference level will be reached around 80, but there's no certainty of the exact point in which reference level is reached. It will vary slightly between different receivers, makes, models, etc.

I'm assuming you're referring to seperate amps, and I'd agree to an extent. I think those with amp separates can benefit the most from this type of implementation because unlike receivers, amps don't have firmware that can calibrate your system and manage room acoustical corrections, timing, db levels and so forth; they're just a raw source of power. Often times they provide cleaner and more power than some receivers. On the other hand, receivers are also power amplifiers but with a brain. They can calibrate your system and automatically apply settings that you would have to otherwise do manually (like in this video) with amp separates. Receivers like Yamahas are not only sophisticated, they provide plenty of clean power - eliminating the need for amp separates. And a lot of speakers nowadays are highly efficient and don't require a huge amount of power which also makes receivers more convenient.

@@PolkFan For separates, you need a preamp/processor. From my experience, a processor with a 200-300 watt amp with all channels driven with balanced XLR cables provides the best listening experience, and the dynamics along with sound placement and separation are night & day. In my old setup which was a 5.2.4, I had all the speakers hooked up to a Pioneer SCLX901, everything sounded great but I did notice at times when watching movies the sound will dip a little bit in the 4th act of movies during action sequences. Especially, if I watched a few movies back to back. Then I purchased an adcom THX power amplifier from eBay. I hooked my front stage and surrounds to the amplifier and the sound I heard during movies is more dynamic. The sound pressure was more evident in the room. the sound phase from speaker to speaker was more authoritative. I'm running 4-ohm tower speakers with an SVS ultra center though. Now I'm running a 7.4.4, setup with a Sherbourn Pa 7-350 amplifier along with the adcom. I had my SCLX901 in preamp mode with all channels disabled and there is a difference in sound and dynamics. Then I swapped the SCLX901, for a Marantz 7705, and changed the RCA cables to balanced XLR cables. The preamp is better at delivering the sound than a receiver. You will have to hear it to understand it.

@@ta-seti9356 I can see that being the case. The simple logic is that more power will push your speakers more and you'll subsequently get more of everything out of them. Yes, you're right with separate amps you'll need a preamp processor such as the CS-A5200 from Yamaha. So it's just like having a receiver at the end of the day - just a far more costly setup. I was thinking of stereo amps for some reason in my last reply. There are so many levels to home audio that it comes down to, how important is it to you, and how much are you willing to spend. When you start dealing with separates and preamp processors it gets expensive really quick. Most people who dive into the hobby aren't deep pocket Davids and will be satisfied with the sound they get from entry-level receivers at a fraction of the cost. So yeah, separates will provide a better experience but at what cost? A lot of receivers are capable of producing really good sound for much cheaper. It's just like tuning a car; some will spend 100k to make it 1sec faster than a car with only 10k in it.

I left a link in the description for the SPL meter that I use. They're mad cheap on Amazon.

@@PolkFan yeah i went and purchased the SLM-25 here in town and man what a difference!!! Thanks fam!!!

@@FatFolksProductions Awesome! That's what's up. Glad it helped. 👊🏾

Check out the link in the description.

Bruh, I was just watching the trailer and saying to myself, I watched this on Netflix. 😄

Yeah, I'll see if I can do a demo with it.

@@PolkFan lots of LFE plus that shit felt like i was in the hurricane with my surrounds lol

@@49ers50 Nice! I watched it a while back so I haven't heard it with the current setup. I know it's gonna hit like a beast.

If that's what works for you dude, do it 🤷🏾‍♂️.

Exactly. I'm finding that even older movies sound good. I used to find newer movies with ATMOS or DTS-HD for good sound. When your levels are perfect, everything sounds good.

PolkFan word up I was watching Kung Fu Panda action scenes sound real Good specially the fight scene on the bridge.. So much Details

@@49ers50 I was watching Clash of the Titans on Netflix. The scene where the giant scorpions came out was really good.

The most recent Total Recall movie sounds badass on bluray. It has a 5.1 DTS Master lossless track.

The 2012, reboot of Total Recall sounds badass.

Nah man it's at 80; not sure what 30 you're referring to. Besides I don't use this meter anymore, I use REW with the UMIK mic. It's much faster and accurate.

@@PolkFan ok u the man 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Why is that? Please enlighten me.

@@PolkFan yeah the test tone bypasses all post processing.

A calibration disc obviously. With test tones

@@mivanp2185 Which is why you'd want to use it. You want to use a tone generator that is completely unfiltered/raw. Using an external source could introduce a couple of issues that I see off the top. It's subject to filters, i.e. your EQs, bass and treble adjustments, source input level changes, etc. Using the tone generator in the receiver ensures that none of those things are affecting the tone. The receiver also calibrates the tone for reference level when it reaches 0db. Versus using an external source, the db levels could be thrown off when the test tone is subject to being processed.

@@PolkFan it's the opposite Bro. Let me know if you need some respected sources

I get people like you who love to come on my channel and disagree with anything, yet fail to provide any supporting information or logic. Had you read the description of this video you would've seen the source where I received my info. Go to his video and make your argument since you're so sure of yourself.

In addition, you clearly don't know shit. Db levels have nothing to do with hitting your ear at the same time; that's timing. Timing is set by setting the DISTANCE, not db levels. That's basic HT knowledge.

@@PolkFan should I share another one. I have like 1000 more videos . I mean come on man. This dude is wrong. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/nqlyrJilnbrTZYk.html

Don't come to my channel with dumb shit. You make an ass of yourself.

@@PolkFan and another one lol Do you need more or is 2 enough lol kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p9h3q7RpsqmtoZs.html