Configuring the s170i – NAD S170iAV User Manual
Page 18
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CONFIGURING THE S170i
The SPL meter should be placed at the primary listening position, at approximately the height of the
seated listener’s head. A tripod is very useful, but with a little duct-tape almost anything—-a pole lamp,
music-stand, or ladder-backed chair, for example—-can do as well. Just be sure that no large acoustically
reflective surfaces obstruct or are near the microphone element. Orient the meter with its microphone
(usually at one end) pointing straight up toward the ceiling (not forward toward the speakers) and make
sure that its “C” weighting scale is selected. To calibrate your system to play at the same objective
loudness as a high-quality commercial cinema, set the meter to display 75 dB SPL. (On Radio Shack meters
this necessitates either setting the meter to its 80 dB range and taking your readings at the -5 point, or
selecting the 70 dB range and reading at the +5 point.
This 75 dB SPL point is the “official” cinema (and THX) reference level. However, we note that no law
requires you to use this level, and in fact this reference seems too loud for some users for home cinema
playback. Many people find that calibrating to 70 dB SPL instead turns out just about right.
CONFIGURING LEVELS
From the OSD Main menu, select the
], and [Enter]
keys. Activate the test-noise signal with the remote’s [Test] key(next to the [Volume up] key); you will here
a “surf” noise that cycles through your speakers, beginning with the left-front. (If you do not hear the test-
noise, check your Audio Connections (above), and your
On the left-most column of the OSD you’ll see an > pointing toward
is at some other
line, use the remote’s [Cursor
] keys to move it to
] keys
to adjust the noise output from the Left (left-front) speaker; the test-noise will automatically move there
and the “level offset” reading on the right will change by 0.5 dB increments. If you are using an SPL meter,
adjust the Left output to produce a reading of 75 dB SPL C-weighted (or whatever other reference level
you have chosen to adopt)
If you are balancing levels “by ear” you will have to choose one speaker—-usually the center—-as a
reference and adjust each of the others so that is “ sounds as loud” as the reference.
Using the remote’s [Cursor
] and [Cursor
] keys, adjust each speaker in turn to produce the
same SPL meter reading (or subjective loudness), within ±1 dB or better; the S170i’s ability to calibrate
outputs by 0.5 dB steps should facilitate this precision.
NOTE THAT:
• All speakers must be in their final locations before level-setting.
• Your subwoofer (if any) should be set with its integral crossover defeated, or set to its highest-possible
frequency.
• Due to the effects of room acoustics, matched-pair speakers (front; surround; back) will not always
calibrate to exactly the same level offset readings.
• If you are particularly meticulous, you may wish to come back and re-check your level setup after
completing the Delay setup routine (below).
DELAY SETUP
Your system’s channel-delay settings are a subtle but important refinement of your setup. By informing
the S170i of the loudspeaker-to-listener dimensions of each speaker, it will automatically impose the
correct delays for each channel, optimizing imaging, intelligibility, and surround-sound ambience. Enter
your dimensions with precision within about 1 foot/30 cm.
CONFIGURING DELAYS
From the OSD Main menu, select the
], and [Enter]
keys. Using the [Cursor
] keys, set
and the front surface of the front-right loudspeaker.
Using the same remote keys, set the remaining speakers, each to the distances of your system layout.
Where a particular speaker is not present in your system, “None” will be displayed and no distance setting
will be possible.