About that Auto Set-up with the mic. I rearranged some things and ran the auto calibrate again. The distances after auto detection are not the actual distances in a few cases. I measured each distance and set accordingly, then tweaked distances while watching all three Lord of Rings.
I think if the distance is decreased the speaker fires later to give the perception of a larger room/space. I also noticed if the sub’s distance increased, the sub fires earlier and gives the perception of quick and agile base.
The purpose of distance settings is to insure that all speakers' outputs reach the same point (the listening position) at the same time, even though each speaker's output has a different distance to travel. At the speed of sound, one foot
roughly equates to one millisecond. Therefore by having distance settings, the processor takes the longest distance and applies no delay. It then takes the difference between that distance and each shorter distance and delays the other speakers by roughly 1ms per foot of difference. It's a simple way to explain the process, but it gives you the idea.
One interesting side effect of auto setup systems is that it can compensate for things other than just distance. Users of external sub EQ tools like the SMS-1 typically have some additional brief signal delay generated by that EQ process, and the microphone detects that delay as extra distance. It can then compensate for the delay with the distance setting.
My center channel speaker is above the TV. In order to get the sound to emit from center screen, messing with the distance can steer the sound up and down – that’s interesting. I think this is due to interaction with the mains which are mostly below the TV screen. I set the center to the exact distance and then +/- a foot or two and found it – the spot where the center sounded similar to the mains tonally. They are different brands of speaker and the center has always been bright and edgy. Then I modified the volume of the center and I finally have a uniform front. Stuff moves from left center right and it’s smooth! Not possible with my old preamp. The distance setting ability makes it for me. The share center with mains helps too; I have it on 2. Wow, the 990 is sweet.
This is an unusual use of the distance settings, but I'm glad to hear that you've been able to get the front soundstage dialed in so well. Speaker trim settings can also have a significant impact on this, as having level imbalances can
really hurt the overall performance of the system.
Still quirky though, ie: where’s the Fwd through preset FM channels button?
If I remember correctly, the remote's channel up/down only changes the frequency. The number pad lets you directly access presets, but I think the only way I remember to scroll through the presets is the left and right cursor buttons on the front panel. You might try the cursor controls on the remote to see what they do with the tuner, though. It's been a few years since I used a Model 990, and even longer since I used the tuner on one - there may be a trick I'm forgetting.
With night mode off – it’s insane! My sub shows it’s the weakest link with night mode off (unrestricted dynamics and killer base). I’ve answered the door twice in the last week to find it must have been the stereo. I don’t mind.
Sounds like the 990 is working out well for you!
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