This is to some degree an extension of previous posts here. Working with a subwoofer with digital processor (Axiom EP500) and noticed that the distance setting from the 990's auto setup puts the sub considerably further than the actual distance. Have similar users determined whether the actual distance or the auto setup distance tends to sound better ?

The auto-setup does at times get confused about the sub distance (although it seems to be quite accurate with the other speakers). I would tend to adjust it to the actual distance and adjust from there, unless others can offer some first-hand experience that suggests differently.

If you manually adjust, would it be from the sweet spot, from the sub to the last row seat or to the back wall?

The above, from the Denon manual, explains the difference but does not indicate that the setting should be changed to actual distance.

I wonder why.

I'd use the distance from the sweet spot to the speaker for the sub (and for any other speaker, for that matter).

Thanks for the feeback again. I posted the same post on the Axiom Forum for 990 users, and the majority of feedback suggested adding 2.5' to 4' of delay to the actual distance to account for the digital delay of the EP500 sub. Here's a related question: Would it be possible to play a series of single frequency tones below 100Hz or so simultaneously through my mains and sub, and listen for the distance setting that sounds most synched? Kind of like performing relative tuning of strings on a guitar.

I got a question about sub settings too. sorry to hijack this thread. but it's closely related actually.

when i use auto calibrate.. why does it check the sub twice.. and all the other speakers only once.. yes it sends two tones to each speaker. but it runs those two tones twice on the subwoofer.

also this last time i ran auto calibrate. it place the letter "J" in front of the level so it looks something like this J2

I also got the J in front of my sub distance.

It's not surprising that the 990 (and others) get "confused". If you think of the physics of the wave, a 100 Hz tone is over 11 feet long. 60 Hz is almost 19 feet long (based on peak to peak wavelength). I think the processor is taking it's best guess and with waveforms this size, +/- a few feet is really not a big deal.

Del