When I use the auto setup with my 990 I use a tripod and point the microphone forward. Looking at the design of the microphone it looks like it could be placed on a horizontal flat surface which would have the mic pointing up. I found a lot of threads about auto setup but don't see anything about the microphone orientation.

I apologize if this issue is covered somewhere and I missed it but I couldn't find anything.

Should the mic be oriented forward, like the listener's head or up?

Thanks again for all your help.

Up, at the sweet spot where you listen, preferable at your ear level.

Omnidirectional microphones are designed to be oriented at 90 degrees incidence to the source of sound for flattest response in the high end. In other words, pointed at the ceiling.

Thanks very much. All this time I've been doing it wrong.

Thanks for your help.

I'll add this: I have used a camera tripod, with the mic on top, so I could put the tripod in the listening position and set it to the same height as my ear.

Being that we are talking about calibration, what volume level are you guys using to auto calibrate?
I have noticed that the speaker levels will change depending on what you set your volume level to initially.
Has anybody else noticed this?

Calibration is usually done at 75dB SPL at the "reference" level of the main volume control (or whatever point on the main volume control which you wish to call the "reference" point).

At least in theory, this will yield movie playback levels which are the same as they were on the dubbing stage where the movie was mixed.

That is kind of what I have done.
I usually set the volume control to -25dB and calibrate from there.
I guess it all depends on what your "normal" volume setting is for movies.

Doesn't auto calibrate automatically set the volume for you?

Yes, and it is friggin' loud.

If you use CHANNEL CALIBRATE->TEST TONE->MANUAL option in the menu, the 990 uses whatever the current volume setting is.

Which means that it isn't a constant volume level.
That is why it is important to set your volume control to your "normal" listening level before you auto calibrate.

I'm missing something here. As far as I know, auto calibrate does not let you set the volume of the test tone.

Old post reopened. Has anyone used a different microphone to calibrate their 990. I seem to have misplaced mine, but I have two Audyssey mikes from my Onkyos. Will they work? Anyone got an opinion?

I don't see any reason that they shouldn't.These mics are pretty much commodities.

Don't do it. These processors are matched up to the microphones. The differences are likely to be less of a problem for basic calibration than for room correction, but it still may not be ideal.

I would think it should work, but I would want to check the technical specs of each microphone to make sure they are somewhat compatible. You don't want to saturate the mic input.

The more I think about it the more I think it should work as all the measurements being taken are relative and the microphone should cancel itself out.

You could always try it and not commit the results if they look like garbage. I take it that you have a pretty good idea what the results should be for your setup already? I don't think there's much risk of physically damaging the mic input of the 990.

I will keep lookin for my microphone, thanks guys.