HTM-200SE and in-room FR

[joe741]

I used the RealTraps test tone CD and my RS SPL meter to see what my HTMs are doing in my room and it looks like it could improve, but how?

room -> 1700 cubic feet.
4 ft between mains.
front right on stand with tweeter at ear level 7 inches from wall.
left front in book case (front edge) 4 inches below ear height with 5+ inches clearance on back and sides.

Hz dB

290 64
280 70
270 75
260 79
250 71
240 67
230 63
220 77
210 74
200 68
190 67
180 72
170 73
160 80
150 83
140 74
130 67
120 64
110 64
100 61

My AVR is crossed over at 100Hz were my sub picks up. Any ideas on how to flatten out the FR a bit?

Thanks,
Joe

BTW, these HTMs sound so much better than my old sats it's scary to think what their FR was like.

[davef]

Hi Joe741,

I am happy that you are enjoying your HTM-200 SE!

Without detailed room diagrams and pictures, it is quite difficult to make any suggestions on improving the in-room frequency response you posted. However, I must say that the results you are getting are very impressive for an in-room response. Typical in-room frequency response measurements vary by as much as + / - 12dB. You are getting an in-room response of +/- 10dB with speakers at different heights, impressive.

You might try measuring each speaker individually so that you can see how each one is contributing to the overall response.

[joe741]

You might try measuring each speaker individually so that you can see how each one is contributing to the overall response.

I'm not going to post the numbers because the dips and peaks are similar to those above. I tested the left front, then the right front and then both together again. For each frequency all three test are within 1 dB. I was somewhat surprised by this considering the different methods of mounting the fronts. (stand vs. bookcase and the latter being 4" lower, but angled up slightly)

Everything sounds good now, dialog is clear I just thought I might be able to make the overall SQ better by smoothing out those humps. The biggest dip I see is in the 100-130 Hz range, -10dB seems like a lot.

Perhaps I'll replace my broken camera and post some pics in the near future? It is a living room first with a large couch, a pair of recliners, end tables, coffee table and a pair of bookcases/shelves. Might be too much for my humble HT setup to compete against?

[davef]

Everything sounds good now, dialog is clear I just thought I might be able to make the overall SQ better by smoothing out those humps. The biggest dip I see is in the 100-130 Hz range, -10dB seems like a lot.

Big dips in 100-130Hz range typically correspond with boundary reflections that are associated with either your ceiling or floor. Not much can be done about this other than changing the height of the speakers, which will simply change the frequency range of the dip.

Take care!