STONES SOUND STUDIO

Setting up a home theater speaker system using  DVD THX audio test tone

by Russell Storey  2004

Setting up a home theater speaker system using a THX test tones  ( broard band white noise) played back from the DVD player  is one of the better ways to hear not only the sound signature of each speaker tweeter midrange and bass  but also its real  SPLdb (Speaker pressure Level) level.The THX test tones are actually testing the response of the  home theater system all the way through from the DVD player via the Home theater receiver to the speaker via the speaker leads.
Any change in the channel  levels or difference the sound signature of each speaker and or phasing (reversed speaker leads) will be very easy to detect with your ears as you listen to the signal.This very simple test signal is available from any THX certified DVD movie  disk see list of movies.

The THX test for Audio is accessed via the main menu on the DVD disk.

Once you have accessed the THX Audio and are sitting in the lounge chair facing the center speaker and screen run the test  tone and the  THX noise   will be sent to each channel  starting at the front left speaker then rotating in a clockwise motion  through each of the 5.1  6.1 or 7.1 channels
finishing with the subwoofer. Repeat this test several times until you get  all the channels balanced in level(a good starting point on most receivers is set each channel to +7 to begin with) .

Subwoofer Amplifier Control  level Settings using THX test tone

Initial Subwoofer Amplifier settings  Pre Set your subwoofer volume control to 12oclock and the Frequency control to 11oclock phase  switch set to normal

If your receiver has a DTS subwoofer level setting menu then set this to +10 for DTS . DTS subwoofer level should be set +10db above the standard  Dolby Digital level of 0db.

to be continued ............................