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Thread: Sensitivity mismatch between fronts and surrounds

  1. #1
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    Default Sensitivity mismatch between fronts and surrounds

    I'm looking at rounding out my Towers/Horizon fronts with surrounds for a 5.1 system and am considering a pair of HTM200s or Lunas. Ignoring the cost difference, which is admittedly very large, is there an issue with the 5.5 dB sensitivity difference between the Lunas and the Towers? The HTM200s match the sensitivity much more closely. It also seems like the SE tweeter will have an advantage in vertical dispersion over the Raals, but I'm very enticed by the all Raal surround system . This would be for home theater only, for music my source material is all stereo.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Sensitivity mismatch between fronts and surrounds

    assume your HT processor has room correction which would adjust necessary channels to level match so wouldn't expect any issue with the difference in sensitivity.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Sensitivity mismatch between fronts and surrounds

    Quote Originally Posted by racrawford65 View Post
    assume your HT processor has room correction which would adjust necessary channels to level match so wouldn't expect any issue with the difference in sensitivity.
    But they would only be matched at the reference level used by the processor. At any other volume (higher or lower), they wouldn't be matched. The amount of difference would depend on the difference the "volume knob" is from reference.
    -curtis

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Sensitivity mismatch between fronts and surrounds

    Quote Originally Posted by racrawford65 View Post
    assume your HT processor has room correction which would adjust necessary channels to level match so wouldn't expect any issue with the difference in sensitivity.
    Yes, I have a Denon with Audyssey XT32. But I'm generally in the less is more camp with room correction. I do run Audyssey but have it apply the correction at 500Hz and below. I'm not sure if that only applies to level matching though.

    Quote Originally Posted by curtis View Post
    But they would only be matched at the reference level used by the processor. At any other volume (higher or lower), they wouldn't be matched. The amount of difference would depend on the difference the "volume knob" is from reference.
    I would have assumed that the level matching would apply across all volumes, but I could be wrong.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Sensitivity mismatch between fronts and surrounds

    Quote Originally Posted by bcg27 View Post
    Yes, I have a Denon with Audyssey XT32. But I'm generally in the less is more camp with room correction. I do run Audyssey but have it apply the correction at 500Hz and below. I'm not sure if that only applies to level matching though.



    I would have assumed that the level matching would apply across all volumes, but I could be wrong.
    I added LUNAs to my front towers and horizons recently. My take is that just for movies, RAAL surrounds are an over kill. But if you are one of those who listen to more music once the speakers are there and start thinking about what ifs, you may get the LUNAS and be done.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Sensitivity mismatch between fronts and surrounds

    Curtis, please say more. I would expect correction to be a gain adjustment and apply at all signal levels, equally.
    Last edited by jimb; 04-19-2019 at 01:10 PM.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Sensitivity mismatch between fronts and surrounds

    Quote Originally Posted by jimb View Post
    Curtis, please say more. I would expect correction to be a gain adjustment and apply at all signal levels, equally.
    As would I as although the gain (or negative gain) is determined at ref level, it's applied to each channel. If not, wouldn't things get out of whack if one listened above or below reference level?

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Sensitivity mismatch between fronts and surrounds

    The distance from the speakers to your listening position also matters. The closer the rear speakers are to you, the less power they need.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Sensitivity mismatch between fronts and surrounds

    Quote Originally Posted by racrawford65 View Post
    As would I as although the gain (or negative gain) is determined at ref level, it's applied to each channel. If not, wouldn't things get out of whack if one listened above or below reference level?
    Furthermore, the range of signal levels over time varies tremendously with program material, regardless of the volume knob setting. Curtis is a knowledgeable guy. I'm interested in hearing more of what he was addressing in his comment. Perhaps it is to do with relying on room correction versus channel level matching, which is a separate setting. I assume one would use the channel level setting controls for the what the OP asked.
    Last edited by jimb; 04-19-2019 at 04:53 PM.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Sensitivity mismatch between fronts and surrounds

    Quote Originally Posted by jimb View Post
    Furthermore, the range of signal levels over time varies tremendously with program material, regardless of the volume knob setting. Curtis is a knowledgeable guy. I'm interested in hearing more of what he was addressing in his comment. Perhaps it is to do with relying on room correction versus channel level matching, which is a separate setting. I assume one would use the channel level setting controls for the what the OP asked.
    Hi guys...sorry for chiming in late...

    Disregard what I posted and blame it on not it having enough coffee before thinking. I was thinking at reference level, the less sensitive speaker will need more power....but that is not what came out when I typed.

    You just need to make sure you have enough amplifier power to cover the less sensitive speaker.
    -curtis

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