Anyone using Front wide (or) Front height with Audyssey DSX ?

[elangoas]

Hi All,

Have been toying-in the idea of Front Wide & Front Height speakers and using the Audyssey DSX surround mode....

The general reading have been good & most of them including Audyssey recommend Front wide before you go all the way Front heights...

DSX | Audyssey

Anyone here tried this on your AVR ?

Please share your feedback...

 

[elangoas]

Lemme rephrase, has anyone tried 7.1 on your AVR using Front Wide / Front Height?

 

[elangoas]

Ok people.... I tried Audyssey DSX surround mode (7.0) on my Onkyo AVR 818 using Front wide speakers.... And i must say, it has completely elevated the movie watching experience... If there is one word i could say "FANTASTIC" :clapping:

Never knew that surround could be such good....

Note : i am trying to find time almost daily after i return home & repeating the movies in Audyssey DSX mode...Will share my detailed experience soon with pictures on how i did the setup & audyssey settings....

 

[saketb]

Its great to know that using Front Wide speakers enhances noticeable soundstage in movies, I would love to use but, my receiver lacks the feature.

Instead... front heights can be used as my receiver supports.
Have you tried to use Front Heights, does it also enhance the soundstage in movies. I've my onkyo satellites which are not being used, so can be used as Front Heights.

Whats your opinion?

 

[elangoas]

Its great to know that using Front Wide speakers enhances noticeable soundstage in movies, I would love to use but, my receiver lacks the feature.

Instead... front heights can be used as my receiver supports.
Have you tried to use Front Heights, does it also enhance the soundstage in movies. I've my onkyo satellites which are not being used, so can be used as Front Heights.

Whats your opinion?

sure @ saketb... I would love to test the sound-stage using Front heights.... When i change a speaker position, Audyssey demands that i re-run the full 8 point calibration (Takes approx 45 mins) to get the best results....Moreover i borrowed a pair of BS speaker from my friend for a weeks time to test this... I just have 2 more days to return him.....

If he agrees for an extension, i will use them as Front heights and test them as well hyeah:... Mounting the BS speaker near the roof @45 degrees is lil tough.... Anyways will check the feasibility...

Yes... you can use your satellites speakers for Front heights.... It think it is better if you can re-run your Audyssey calibration once....

BTW which version of Audyssey does your AVR have?

 

[saketb]

The receiver has Audyssey 2EQ.

 

[elangoas]

The receiver has Audyssey 2EQ.

Great... So you planning to try Front Heights with your satellites ?

 

[saketb]

Great... So you planning to try Front Heights with your satellites ?

Yes, but many issues have to figured out before doing so. I do not have any support on the heights above the fronts so, have to hang them on the wall, drilling, have to remove everything and set it up,
so until and unless its gives some great experience, I may have to think.

Plus I am using my fronts bi-amped so will it support front heights, I will have to check the manual.

 

[elangoas]

Yes, but many issues have to figured out before doing so. I do not have any support on the heights above the fronts so, have to hang them on the wall, drilling, have to remove everything and set it up,
so until and unless its gives some great experience, I may have to think.

Plus I am using my fronts bi-amped so will it support front heights, I will have to check the manual.

If you use Bi-amp, you wouldn't be able to use Front heights...

Hmm understand..... If your satellites are not huge, Dont drill the wall... Just try to hammer with a small nail so that it can withstand the speakers...

(or) try this... You might have seen the small plastic shirt hanger... You can stick them to the walls @ that height... If your satellite speakers have wall mounts, you can tie them using a small twisted plastic + Aluminium cable strings to the nail in the wall....

If you are satisfied with the performance, then you can try hooking them up permanently....

 

[saketb]

If you use Bi-amp, you wouldn't be able to use Front heights...

Hmm understand..... If your satellites are not huge, Dont drill the wall... Just try to hammer with a small nail so that it can withstand the speakers...

(or) try this... You might have seen the small plastic shirt hanger... You can stick them to the walls @ that height... If your satellite speakers have wall mounts, you can tie them using a small twisted plastic + Aluminium cable strings to the nail in the wall....

If you are satisfied with the performance, then you can try hooking them up permanently....

Great idea indeed!! Shall try this weekend, will make them single-amped and run front heights to see if any difference arises.
But, I am worried if the sound quality from the fronts will diminish, if removed from bi-ampimg mode.

 

[elangoas]

Great idea indeed!! Shall try this weekend, will make them single-amped and run front heights to see if any difference arises.
But, I am worried if the sound quality from the fronts will diminish, if removed from bi-ampimg mode.

Cool...Don't worry.... It shouldn't change much....

 

[aakashr]

Hi, have been using front heights for a while now. I have drilled holes and wall mounted them at about 8ft. Took me a long time to gauge the viability and usefulness but since I had some speakers at my disposal I went ahead with it.
Does it enhance the overall experience significantly..........I don't think so. However, once in a while it could elevate the soundstage. It does not effect the fronts in any way, is only used very few instances during a movie. At times they are mostly invisible to the ear.

From the discussion I understand Front Wides would be a better option.

 

[elangoas]

Hi, have been using front heights for a while now. I have drilled holes and wall mounted them at about 8ft. Took me a long time to gauge the viability and usefulness but since I had some speakers at my disposal I went ahead with it.
Does it enhance the overall experience significantly..........I don't think so. However, once in a while it could elevate the soundstage. It does not effect the fronts in any way, is only used very few instances during a movie. At times they are mostly invisible to the ear.

From the discussion I understand Front Wides would be a better option.

Great... Did you try angling the speaker @ you... I mean @ 45 degrees from the front wall facing the listening position... I think if you fix them on the wall & make them fire straight, there are good chances that you might miss good information from them....

Would be good if you could share some more details on surround expansion mode, AVR model # and Audyssey room calibration type...

 

[aakashr]

Great... Did you try angling the speaker @ you... I mean @ 45 degrees from the front wall facing the listening position... I think if you fix them on the wall & make them fire straight, there are good chances that you might miss good information from them....

Would be good if you could share some more details on surround expansion mode, AVR model # and Audyssey room calibration type...

speakers have been angled, not sure if its exactly 45 degree. Its an old 5.1 DENON AVR 1610 with Audyssey MultEqxt Room Eq. supporting up to eight position setup.

 

[elangoas]

speakers have been angled, not sure if its exactly 45 degree. Its an old 5.1 DENON AVR 1610 with Audyssey MultEqxt Room Eq. supporting up to eight position setup.

Ok... I was asking for the approx angle... Not a problem....

 

[manoj.p]

Audyssey DSX has different approach for Front Heights/wides compared to Neo X or Dolby PLIIz. Audyssey is "creation" technology where as Neo/PLIIz is extraction tech. DSX looks at the audio stream and generates the reverb/ambiance. It's is similar to other DSP modes like Rock/Hall/Concert etc. That may make the whole experience artificial.

Neo X / Dolby PLIIz on the other hand look at the surround channel and whatever the out of phase info is - send to front heights. Neo X will look at front and side speakers, whatever is common, sends to wide speakers because that's where it images. You can find out more about these surround modes.

 

[elangoas]

Audyssey DSX has different approach for Front Heights/wides compared to Neo X or Dolby PLIIz. Audyssey is "creation" technology where as Neo/PLIIz is extraction tech. DSX looks at the audio stream and generates the reverb/ambiance. It's is similar to other DSP modes like Rock/Hall/Concert etc. That may make the whole experience artificial.

Neo X / Dolby PLIIz on the other hand look at the surround channel and whatever the out of phase info is - send to front heights. Neo X will look at front and side speakers, whatever is common, sends to wide speakers because that's where it images. You can find out more about these surround modes.

Hmm... I think Audyssey DSX also extracts information from Front left & right channels to create Front wide channels...i believe they designed DSX more for front wide channels first & then supplement with height channels..... (or) Audyssey themselves recommend Front wides before front heights...

On the other hand, Dolby PL IIz & DTS Neo X, extract information from the surround channels & create the height.....

Audyssey DSX is extracting from front channel while Dolby & DTS is extracting from rear channel....