Audyssey Impressions and Questions

[Feltran]

Despite having a less than ideal acoustic environment, for the last year I haven't had Audyssey turned on (despite having it available) because I didn't like the idea of intentionally digitally altering recorded music.

Wow, was I dumb!

I have a little bit of music that sounds a bit like it is in a tunnel when I turn Audyssey on, but for the most part the result is pretty spectacular. The bass thumps harder, the mid range is thicker and more articulate, and the soundstage is significantly bigger. It is the single biggest upgrade I have made to my system so far and it didn't cost me a penny.


Now, on to the questions:
First, is it safe to expect the best sounding loudspeaker position without Audyssey to be the same as the best sounding loudspeaker position with Audyssey, or do I have to do a lot of experimentation to try to figure it out? (It is obviously easier to identify the best position without Audyssey because determining the position with Audyssey requires running the setup software again every time you tweak the position).

Second, if I make small tweaks to the system (like upgrading cabling) should I run Audyssey again after making the changes, or should I stick with the Audyssey profile I established before upgrading the equipment?

 

[Gordon Gray]

Feltran,

JonFo is the resident expert on this item.

You may want to search out some of his posts.

GG

 

[JRace]

Now, on to the questions:
First, is it safe to expect the best sounding loudspeaker position without Audyssey to be the same as the best sounding loudspeaker position with Audyssey, or do I have to do a lot of experimentation to try to figure it out? (It is obviously easier to identify the best position without Audyssey because determining the position with Audyssey requires running the setup software again every time you tweak the position).

Yes - Garbage in = Garbage out. The better your starting point is before Audyssey the easier it will be to imporve the sound. This also means there will be less alterations of the signal and therefore less potential drawbacks from using theEQ.

Second, if I make small tweaks to the system (like upgrading cabling) should I run Audyssey again after making the changes, or should I stick with the Audyssey profile I established before upgrading the equipment?

Yes, and no. Every change you make could affect the outcome, whether or not it is worth the time involoved is up to you. Even changing the seating postions or room decorations could affect the sound the arrives at your ears.

I would n;t worry too much about re-running it often, only when you make a significant change.