Speaker Level vs Distance

Yes, the distance measurement is actually a delay setting.  The idea is to get the signal from all speakers and subs arriving at the same time for the main listening position (where you place the mic for the first measurement).  This is how they have the system set up in the studio during the mix.

The level setting makes sure that all speakers and subs (1) play at the same level as each other and (2) they play at film reference level when you turn the master volume up to 0 dB.  That's also the reference studio condition.

Depending on how far the speakers are and how sensitive they are, you will typically see negative trim values.  These are simply relative numbers to achieve goals 1 and 2 above.

Please note that you have the volume level on your sub turned up way too high.  The –12 dB setting is the limit of the AVR and it's likely that more cut is needed to achieve reference level.  I suggest you turn the volume on the sub down and run MultEQ again.  More info on sub setup here: http://ask.audyssey.com/forums/84181/entries/76175.html

Wow - quick response! Great.

Thanks for the info re delay.

About the sub, it has very basic level settings, and its set on zero, ie no further bass boost. Its a KEF HTB2SE (wireless model although it is wired in). I have the KEF 3005se complete set. The sub is:

http://www.kef.com/html/gb/showroom/home_theatre_speakers/KHT3000SE/fact_sheets/subwoofers/htb2se_w/index.html

Any suggestions on the over bass?? Maybe because its in the corner of the room behind telly and front/centre speakers?

The zero setting on the sub volume does not mean "no further bass boost".  It's just a gain setting on the sub amplifier that boosts the sub level to a certain value.  In your room it's too high and gives you bass levels above reference.

The AVR is trying to bring it to reference and is running out of range.

i have an onkyo amp, its sets my speaker level settings as follows;

centre -7

front -11

surrounds - 7

sub -7

these settings limit how loud i can turn my amp up as the max is '80'

id like to add +5db to each of the above to ebnable a louder max volume

QUESTION : will this throw out my audy settings if i do ?

please help as no one and i mean no one seems to be able to answer this one :)

The speaker levels are set to achieve two goals: (1) make each speaker play at the same level as the others and (2) make the system play at film reference level when the volume control is set to reference (0 dB when using the relative scale setting).

Changing the speaker level settings does not matter for the room correction filters (MultEQ, 2EQ etc.), but it does matter for Dynamic EQ that will no longer be calibrated to reference.

I believe that your AVR is at the limit of its available headroom. Adding 5 dB to the levels will most likely limit your max volume setting to 75 if that is the case.  It's worth trying.

Is your room really large? These are very high listening levels...

the room is not that large, its just when i want to show off my speakers playing music i can 'blast them out' for want of a better phrase. my av onkyo 577 always has an 80 level as its max volume regardless of the speaker level settings.

May give it a try but really like the dynamic EQ for when watching films at a low level etc.

Cant believe how complicated this all is :)

shoudl say CAN'T blast them out

Agreed on the complicated part... We are trying to make it better, but there's more work to do.  I really don't think your AVR can play any louder.  It's at its limit at that volume setting. 

if any onkyo owners are reading this thread - one option for us is to increase the intellivolume in source setup, allows you to increase your master volume by up to +12db, does the trick well :)

@ gez tins - you haven't set the Onkyo to limit the volume to a particular level have you? Check in the Setup menus that it isn't restricted. While you're there you might consider resetting the volume control from 'absolute' to 'relative' so that it displays the volume as a -xxdB number, which makes it a lot easier to see how far you are from reference level.

Keith, cheers for the info mate but my 577 does not have the xxdb option ( wish it did though ) and nope have not set a max volume level although it does have that function ;)