Pioneer SC-27 Owner's Manual - Page 131

Additional information 13 Chapter 13: Additional information Speaker Setting Guide In order to achieve an even better surround effect, it is important to accurately position the speakers and make their volume and tone characteristics uniform so as to finely focus the multi-channel sound. The three major elements in positioning the speakers are distance, angle and orientation (the direction in which the speakers are pointing). Distance: The distance of all the speakers should be equal. Angle: The speakers should be horizontally symmetrical. Orientation: The orientation should be horizontally symmetrical. In most homes, however, it is not possible to achieve this environment. For the distance, on this receiver it is possible to automatically correct the speaker distance electrically to a precision of 1/2 inch using the Auto MCACC Setup function (page 46) and to adjust precisely using the procedure described at Precision Distance (page 117). For the volume and sound quality as well, accurate sound field correction using the equalizer and speaker phase characteristic correction using the Full Band Phase Control function (page 68) together make it possible to achieve the ideal listening environment. Step 1: Speaker layout and distance adjustment Use speaker stands or the like to make sure the speakers are steady, and leave at least 10 cm (4 inches) from the surrounding walls. Position the speakers attentively so that the speakers on the left and right are at equal angles from the listening position (center of the adjustments). (We recommend using cords, etc., when adjusting the layout.) Ideally all the speakers should be equidistant from the listening position. Tip • If the speakers cannot be set at equal distances (on a circle), use the Auto MCACC Setup speaker distance correction and Fine Speaker Distance (or Precision Distance - SC-27 only) functions to make them equalize the distance artificially. Step 2: Adjusting the speaker height Adjust the heights (angles) of the different speakers. Adjust so that the front speaker units reproducing midand high frequencies is roughly at the height of the ears. If the center speaker cannot be set at the same height as the front speakers, adjust its angle of elevation to point it to the listening position. Set surround speaker 1 so that it is not under the height of the ears. Step 3: Adjusting the speaker orientation If the left and right speakers are not pointing in the same direction, the tone will not be the same on the right and left, and as a result the sound field will not be reproduced properly. However, if all the speakers are pointed towards the listening position, the sound field will seem cramped. Testing by the Pioneer Multi-channel Research Group has shown that a good sense of sound positioning can be achieved by pointing all the speakers towards an area 30 cm (12 inches) to 80 cm (31 inches) behind the listening position (between the surround speakers and the listening position). However, the sense of sound positioning can differ according to the conditions in the room and the speakers being used. In smaller environments in particular (when the front speakers are close to the listening position), with this method the speakers will be pointed too inward. We suggest you use this example of installation as reference when trying out different installation methods. Step 4: Positioning and adjusting the subwoofer Placing the subwoofer between the center and front speakers makes even music sources sound more natural (If there is only one subwoofer, it doesn't matter if it is placed on the left or right side). The low bass sound output from the subwoofer is not directional and there is no need to adjust the height. Normally the subwoofer is placed on the floor. Put it in a position at which it will not cancel out the bass sound output from the other speakers. Also note that placing it near a wall may result in sympathetic vibrations with the building that could excessively amplify the bass sound. If the subwoofer must be installed near a wall, place it at an angle so that it is not parallel to the wall surface. This can help reduce any sympathetic vibrations, but depending on the shape of the room this could result in standing waves. However, even if standing waves are generated, their influence on the sound quality can be prevented using the Auto MCACC's standing wave control function (page 119). Step 5: Default settings with the Auto MCACC Setup (auto sound field correction) function It is more effective to perform the Auto MCACC Setup (page 46) (and Precision Distance (SC-27 only) on page 117) procedure once the adjustments described above have been completed. 131 en