Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions THX Re-equalization

I have read several posts suggesting that the THX Cinema Mode's re-equalization processing will not work well with Axiom speakers. Why is this? As I understand it, the purpose of re-equalization is to re-compensate for the original compensation movie soundtracks make for projecting sound through a screen. If that is so, then why should that affect Axiom speakers differently than any other speakers?

I have never heard such a thing, and wouldnt think it to be true at all.
Where did you hear that?
Sounds like a big ole load of BS.

I did a global search on "re-equalization" in the Axiom message boards and found the following:

"From what I understand, this re-equalization can at times destroy the great "axiom" sound, thereby nullifying all that work that Ian and Allen and others have put into this."

"750 - YPAO - does not include re-equalization on the mains and surrounds. Essentially, you can futz with the bass, mid and treble manually, but the YPAO won't re-EQ your speakers, except for the center. Some say that this is a good thing (like Alan - a moderator on these boards), because the equalization can make the speakers sound much different, and basically undo all that the manufacturer did to make the speaker sound the way that it does."

"The THX mode may well further decrease the clarity of dialogs, since the THX X-Curve re-equalization significantly rolls off treble frequencies. I would try the straight Dolby Digital mode."

Ahh, I think that is just the "EQ is generally a Bad Thing" sentiment, whether it's THX Re-EQ or any other kind of Eq. Nothing specific to Axioms, other than that Axiom owners are more of a chatty bunch

There is a general feeling that EQ may be the only way to deal with evil low frequency problems down in the sub-200 Hz range, but other than that most people here fall into the "friends don't let friends use EQ" school...

Bridgman is right, many speaker manufacturers do not recommend the newer AV receivers that offer Room EQ enhancement. They feel it can make great speakers sound bad. Even receivers that don't have THX certification have similar, if not better, technology. Denon's Auto Setup and Room EQ, Yamaha's YPAQ, Pioneer Elite's MCAAC (?), and now other's like Onkyo are coming out with their own version.

Many people really like this ability, as it helps take some of the guesswork out of calibrating your system. These same people will say it did not hurt the sound of their speakers, and that may be true. You really need to decide that for yourself.

Personally, at first I loved my Denon's results. However, after playing around with things for a few months, I decided to just use the Denon's Auto Setup, which sets speaker distance delays, speaker levels, polarity, etc. I decided that the Denon's Parametric EQ, made my M60's sound a little to midrangey. I have decided to adjust the various band manually.

This issue is not specific to Axiom speakers only, as these settings will affect the sound of any speaker. The Axiom's are very efficient and accurate speakers right out of the box, so they really don't need much improvement.

good luck...

I have to agree with Bridgman.
The EQ onboard those receivers certainly seems like a good idea, but in reality the number of bands they even use to attempt equalization is so small, it's laughable.

Both Bren and Alan can attest to the difficulties in trying to EQ a room i'm sure, but personally trying to do it with a $40 (if that) microphone boxed with a $600 receiver somehow doesn't fly with my sensibilities.
I would rather rearrange my furniture and add a bookshelf, but some folks prefer and easy, all-in-one solution.

My Toshiba RPTV also has an auto calibration to align the guns but everytime i've pressed that button, the convergence is so awful i have completely separate red and green people on the screen.
A good idea, helpful to the HT newbies, but in reality, it is really not that good and manual calibration is alot more effective.

I think the function of THX re-eq is to tame bright sound tracks not automatic speaker setup like the YAPO. i beleive re-eq cuts off a portion of the frequency response like the "CinemaFILTER" feature found on DENON and Onkyo receivers.

500,

That was my understanding as well. I think the idea is that the actual soundtrack (used in movie theaters) utilizes front tracks modified to make up for the fact that they must be projected through the screen to the audience. The THX Cinema mode undoes this (for the fronts only) because home theaters do not generally project through a screen.

I thought one explanation might be that the phenomenon suggested by Axiom board members is not actually true.

I thought another explanation might be that the DVDs themselves are recorded with the modification undone, so that THX is now giving a double whammy.

I thought another explanation might have something to do with the suggestion, made on non-Axiom boards, that Axiom has put their money in the upper ranges, so that when these are clipped, the limitations of the speakers are made more evident. Does that make any sense? Of course, this then would apply to all such speaker designs. (Which I think are called "bright"?)

In reply to:

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I thought another explanation might be that the DVDs themselves are recorded with the modification undone, so that THX is now giving a double whammy.

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Yes, the audio tracks are remastered for home use. More likely, the filter is there to remove buzz from HTIB-type dome tweeters.

In reply to:

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Axiom has put their money in the upper ranges(snip...)Which I think are called "bright"?

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I call mine "Charlie."

It's a personal listening choice. I've related this before, but it deserves mention again. My brother and I are both in the same field (broadcast video), and our tastes in audio mixing couldn't be further apart. For instance, I own M3s/QS4s/VP150 for the HT, he swears by his 2 channel 1980s era paper cone towers ("Bro, that's not a frequency response, that's a bell curve!") We both use Edirol (Roland) MA series powered nearfield monitors for work. MA-10Ds at the edit suite and CG stations and MA-20Ds at the audio desk. I prefer the Bass knob set at about 1 o'clock (60% of sweep) and the Treble knob at about 3 o'clock (80% of sweep) positions... maybe a bit bright, but I slouch and sit back in the chair, puts me off-axis for the tweeters. I walked in one day and he'd been at my desk, and set both knobs to nearly zero. I asked if he was mixing for AM radio.

Needless to say, whoever the producer is on the project handles the audio.

I also like to remind him that he's been diagnosed with tinnitus from years of being onstage and since I've always worn either cans or earplugs, I can still hear a pin drop and tell you the metallic makeup of it.

Bren R.

BrenR,

Given the personal listening choice issue, would it follow then that one who does not like bright-type speakers would have trouble with Axioms? Say especially for music?