Im not quite sure on what distance to specify for my rear speakers.

I have them both on corner shelves high up above the door (i know not a good place but this is the real world as alot of you no-doubt can sympathize with).

My sette is back against the wall as the room is small.
On my sony reciever i can specify their position but i think this only aplies for sound fields eg Cinema A,B,C modes. I can set position to side, middle or rear and high or low.

Side is as says to the side if i was to be sat a few feet off of the wall. Middle would be in the corners of the room (which they are) and behind is well behind.

So i'm sat at the rear wall with the speakers way up in the corners of the room. That leaves them to the side right? or behind?

Please help me to measure the right distances.
Thanks
John

John, I'd try the middle setting, but don't be afraid to experiment. The sound should sound like it's coming from where it's coming from.

Larry

I would agree with Larry, also don't forget that you need to change the db setting to. That way you will have the same loudness coming from all 5 speakers.
If you don't have a SPL meter I would get one, makes adjusting the levels soooo much easier!

Thanks i dont yet have a SPL meter but i guess its time i took the plunge and get one.

Whats your take on speaker distances as my sony manual says about playing with the distances so you get a sense of being in the screen. eg setting the centre closer than it actually is gives a sensation of being in the screen.

Does anyone set their distances different from what they atually are and if yes why?

Also do i measure the rears from their tweeters way up the wall or just from the wall itself to my ear?

Ive searched everywhere for an answer to the last one to no avail.

John

John, the delay settings are for adjusting the differences in distance between various speakers and your seating position. Start with the speakers farthest, usually L & R fronts. If the center speaker is, say, 2' closer, set the center delay for 2 ms. If the rears are 10' closer, set the rear delay for 10 ms.

There is certainly no harm in playing with the settings as Sony suggests. The ear translates timing into distance, so the sound arriving at your ears first will sound closest. I personally set the delays where the actual distance calls for.

As for the last question, yes, use the tweeter as your measuring point, unless you have the tweeters pointing at the side walls, in which case you would use the sound path, from the tweeter to the wall to your ears.

Larry

thanks larry, just to clarify the last point about the tweeter to my ears.

My speakers are up high so i do measure from them down to my seat? i always get confused about that bit as the instruction books and magazines never seem to mention where to measure from.

it always comes across to me that you measure out to the wall.

apoligies for my lack of understanding on this.

john

John ,

I have experimented at length on this subject. Both with different recievers and speakers . Certainly use the guides that come with your eqiupment, but as it says only use this as a guide and a starting point only.
The previous guy,s have given you some useful information. By far the best way is to experiment and reading as much as you can on the subject.
I have found that the best help is a SPL meter as already suggested . You must purchase one. Go to Radio Shack, they,re not expensive maybe around $25 or so.

Make your purchase, tweek your system and enjoy.

Need any more help just ask
Kev

Yes, John, the actual distance from speaker to ear, not just horizontally. To add to Kev's post, get the meter with the analog meter (needle), not the digital one. It's a lot easier to use.

Larry

thanks for the help. i've been abit busy the last couple of days and only now have found time to get on the internet.

as for the SPL meter i will try the Radio Shack site but as im in the uk i can only hope they'll send it.

if anyone in the UK knows of somewhere here i can get one if Radio Shack wont ship i'd be much appreciated.

thanks
john

John: I had a Sony DB930 until recently. I did set the centre speaker up closer than it's physical distance, and I did notice a difference. Not much, but enough that I thought it was better. As Larry says, it is a timing thing more than anything else, but you should be able to physically notice if you flick back and forth.

My speaker set up was essentially the same as yours, and I set the rear corner speakers as high and side. But the whole method of setting speakers on the Sonys is odd compared to many others; and today it is even more confusing with the whole surround issue. Used to be easy with ProLogic, because you set the delay. That setting is "hidden" behind other names now. Of course, today's stuff has quite a different set of requirements than plain old PL. ... Mike

John,

Radio Shack is known as Tandy in the UK. Can't find a web-site for them, and the only shop I know of (in the Metro-centre) has closed.

ATB,

Phil

Phill,

yep they've all closed. Tandy is no more in the UK and Radio Shack wont deliver to the uk. Im F****d for getting one now. Metro Centre uhm that means youre either in Newcastle or pretty damn close.

My missus is from Sunderland so if you are from Newcastle i can here your reply already. ****** ***** b*****.

There must be some where in the UK to get one.
Must say i've finally got to grips with my RC5000i after along time. Man its wicked when you finally get it to do want you want.

thanks
john

John,

I had the same problem but then found this shop that used to be a Tandys, they still buy radioshack equipment and within a couple of days had ordered in the analog meter for me.

Hope this helps
Link to product [Link: radioshack.com]
Link to calibration info [Link: community-2.webtv.net]

Cost £29.99

The Really Useful Electrical Shop Ltd
36b Howardsgate
Welwyn Garden City,
Hertfordshire AL8 6BJ

Tel: 01707 395333

Trevor

Trevor,

Thanks for the number, i will give them a ring near the end of the week (when i've money) and see if they'l deliver to the south west (Devon NOT cornwall).

thanks again
john

John,
Did you have any lick with getting the SPL meter
Trevor