Audio Calibration

The reason behind the need for a periodic exercise in audio calibration is that all the speakers are not equally efficient in producing the audio sound. They produce different volumes when the same amount of power is applied to them. This is because different channels in a home-theater system play at different volumes since all speakers are not equally efficient. This is to say that they play at different volumes when the same amount of power is applied to them. When the sounds emanating from multi-channel movie track are mixed, the sound coming from each channel produces a specific volume to create an overall effect. If the level of each of the channels is not set properly, the over all effect may go awry or even become a little chaotic.

While your ears are quite efficient at detecting the sound variations, you need a sound pressure meter to monitor the sound system accurately as it originates from an actual source. It must be noted that nearly all the surround-sound processors and receivers generate a test tone that can be used to verify the speaker connections and set the sound level of each channel.

Moreover, the location, direction and height level of the speakers also play an important part in delivering the right sound effects.

You need to spend a lot of money to get some professional to calibrate your audio. You can, however, do it yourself also with a little bit of knowledge of a few tips and tricks about calibrating the levels of your speakers and improve the quality of the audio presentation.

The first step in the process of audio calibration is to set the sound pressure meter to "C Weighting", "Slow Response", and a range of 70dB (decibels). Now place the meter in your normal seating position at the ear level. Tilt it slightly towards the speaker whose volume is to be measured. Make sure that your body or anything else does not obstruct the sound from any direction.

Adjust the master volume level so that the tones are registered approximately in the middle range of the meter. Finally cycle through the test tones for each channel and adjust the levels of the processor or the receiver to ensure that each channel measures as close to the same level as possible.