https://www.audioholics.comWhere audio and video equipment undergoes rigorous objective and subjective tests by our staff, ensuring that marketing slogans aren't the only guidelines for your home theater choices.Wed, 26 Mar 2025 04:00:00 -0000https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/10-characteristics-great-audiophile-soundGene's YouTube video explores 10 key characteristics of a great audiophile playback system. This article delves into those traits and discusses how to optimize your setup to achieve audio nirvana.Wed, 26 Mar 2025 04:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/10-characteristics-great-audiophile-soundHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/audio-advice-home-theater-designer-toolAudio Advice’s free online Home Theater Designer and Projector Throw Distance Calculator are powerful tools allowing you to design your dream theater. These tools produce customized designs according to your room dimensions and AV preferences. Not sure what size screen you need, or where to place your speakers? These invaluable tools take the guesswork out of designing the ideal theater. Read on to learn more.Wed, 23 Nov 2022 05:50:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/audio-advice-home-theater-designer-toolHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/2-channel-from-home-theaterEven a high-quality home theater can deliver underwhelming two-channel audio playback, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here we discuss some of the common problems that Audioholics founder Gene DellaSala has come across when helping others achieve audiophile level two-channel playback from their home theaters. We’ll also look at how to build a home theater around an existing two-channel system. Read on.Mon, 27 Jun 2022 05:35:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/2-channel-from-home-theaterHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/convert-room-to-home-theaterSo you've got the itch to put in a home theater. But, how does one go about doing this and what room should you use? This quick guide gives you a step by step procedure to make it a reality. Be sure to watch our related YouTube video and check out all of the embedded article links to dive further into each topic. Also, feel free to share your stories and pics on our related forum thread for the benefit of our community.Mon, 17 Apr 2017 17:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/convert-room-to-home-theaterHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/basic-hdtv-calibration-procedureThis is a very basic guide on how to calibrate a new HDTV display. We offer a step by step procedure on how to take the display out of torch mode and how to disable many of the auto features that cause deleterious effects on picture quality. We also show you how to properly set black level to ensure the best picture quality. Be sure to also check out our YouTube Instructional Video on how to Calibrate an HDTV Display using the Spears & Munsil Blu-ray.Sun, 18 Dec 2016 18:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/basic-hdtv-calibration-procedureHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/dynamic-range-home-theaterDynamic range is the ratio of maximum system output to the noise floor. The more you improve upon this ratio, the better sounding your system will be since it would not have to work as hard for you to hear the loudest and softest musical passages with absolute clarity. In this article and related YouTube video, we provide the six (6) essential steps for improving system dynamic range. Be sure to share your experiences and tips in our related forum thread too.Sat, 27 Aug 2016 15:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/dynamic-range-home-theaterHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/hdtv-calibrationSo you bought that new HDTV and the colors just don't POP like they did in the store. The following article on HDTV Calibration explains the do's and don't of calibrating your new TV's blacks, whites, and colors with near professional results and (don't tell installers) you can do it yourself for free! You start with getting your TV out of the factory default mode (aka. Torch mode). Read on to find out how.Tue, 16 Aug 2016 15:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/hdtv-calibrationHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/how-to-set-up-a-blu-ray-playerIf you are fortunate enough to own a Blu-ray player and HDMI 1.3 or newer AV receiver, then welcome to the wonderful world of HD Audio and Video! You've got the tools to, at the very minimum, enjoy 1080P video with lossless audio via Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD or even the new immersive surround formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. But, is your player configured correctly to transmit these signals? Our YouTube instructional video shows you how to properly set up and test to make sure it is.Wed, 15 Jun 2016 23:30:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/how-to-set-up-a-blu-ray-playerHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/subwoofer-integrationIs your subwoofer properly integrated into YOUR A/V system? A great subwoofer can sound, in a word, "great", but a properly integrated subwoofer can help your entire system sound great. This article will talk about two settings that can make or break that process: bass management and the distance setting. Failure to get these adjustments right can adversely impact the sound quality of your home theater and its ability to reproduce the rumbles in action sequences of blockbuster movies. Let us show you how to ensure you get the BIGGEST WOW effect! Be sure to check out our recently added YouTube instructional video.Sun, 05 Jun 2016 22:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/subwoofer-integrationHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/home-theater-set-up-basics-101When we surveyed some of our neighbors' home theater systems, we discovered about 90% of them didn't even have a digital connection between their DVD players and receivers and 100% of them didn't even bother with level calibration or proper bass management setup. To say we were shocked is an understatement! While most of our neighbors still don't understand what Audioholics is all about, they know that it's a safe bet to come to us with their audio woes. This Top 10 Tips and Setup Guide will help flesh out those issues for either you or one of your fortunate neighbors that needs your help. Be sure to check out our related YouTube video discussion for more insights.Wed, 27 Apr 2016 12:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/home-theater-set-up-basics-101Home Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/bass-optimization-for-home-theaterFor the past decade I've been on a quest to achieve what seemed to be the impossible in my theater room: state-of-the-art bass reproduction for EVERY seat, not just the sweet spots. Using multi-sub to manipulate room modes in order to reduce destructive interference is part of the solution. The other pivotal part lies in an inexpensive, little black box from a company called MiniDSP. If you want to learn how to achieve perfect bass reproduction for EVERY seat in your home theater and you have the ability to take basic in-room frequency response measurements, this article and our associated YouTube Video are a must read/watch. Get your bass fixed here!Thu, 03 Mar 2016 13:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/bass-optimization-for-home-theaterHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/a-v-receiver-setup-crossover-distance-level-eqHave a hot new AV receiver in your hands, but no idea how to get everything up and running optimally? Fret not; in this article the Audioholics go over the critical settings for getting the best sound, including bass management, distance, level matching, and equalization and more. Have a AV receiver with an auto-calibration system like Audyssey MultEQ or Yamaha's YPAO? We've got tips to help you get the most out of those systems as well. Click to keep reading and be sure to watch our youtube video!Sun, 11 May 2014 13:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/a-v-receiver-setup-crossover-distance-level-eqHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-of-the-day-speakers-sound-like-tunnelDo your speakers sound like they are in a tunnel, cave, bathroom, auditorium, or a similar location? If so, chances are that you have some type of DSP, or Digital Signal Processing, going on in your system. AV receiver manufacturers often include a number of different DSPs that are supposed to recreate the sound of a particular venue, but these modes can be distracting. Yamaha tends to be the king of DSPs, with options like Hall in Munich, Hall in Vienna, and The Roxy Theater. Their current flagship receiver, the RX-A3020, actually boasts a total of 23 different DSP programs! Check your A/V receiver settings to be sure you're running Dolby TrueHD / DTS HD without DSP processing if your experiencing undesirable results.Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-of-the-day-speakers-sound-like-tunnelHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-of-the-day-tv-is-not-a-flood-lightIn stores, manufacturers purposefully crank up brightness and contrast, among other settings, to make their TVs look "better" than the competition. We know that "better" actually means, "We jacked with the settings as much as possible, at the expense of an accurate picture, so you would buy our TV." Unfortunately, this means your brand new TV doesn't look anywhere close to how it should. If you can afford the money to have your display professionally calibrated by an ISF or THX certified technician, great! If not, you can still get 80% of the way there by utilizing a test disc. Below are a few of the most popular tests discs on the market. If you don't want to spend any money on calibrating your display, then look through your movie collection for a THX certified disc that has the THX Optimizer included. Set your TV's picture mode to cinema or movie (or THX if it's available) and run through the THX Optimizer. Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:25:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-of-the-day-tv-is-not-a-flood-lightHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-of-the-day-receiver-auto-setupJust because your new-fangled receiver has an automatic calibration mic doesn't mean it's guaranteed to setup your speakers properly. Sure, the automatic calibration can be beneficial, but it will almost always get a few things wrong. We frequently read posts that say something to the effect of "My receiver set my speakers to +10dB, my sub to -10dB, and set my mains to large." Results like this are a good indicator that the auto-setup mic on your receiver has some major flaws. Sometimes the answer is just to relocate the mic and retest or change the position of some of your speakers, but typically the best route is to scrap the auto-setup mic and do things manually. For extra tips on how to properly place your speakers or setup your receiver, checkout our complete "Tips & Tricks" section.Sun, 30 Dec 2012 22:15:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-of-the-day-receiver-auto-setupHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-choose-right-picture-modeYears ago we used to wax on endlessly about calibrating your television and getting the perfect calibration. While there are some of us who still love to pull out the calibration kit and dial in our settings for that perfect picture, it's not like it used to be. Manufacturers are starting to get pretty good at providing workable and truly helpful default picture modes on their flat screen television sets. While the generic or near-generic brands may not be nearly as good as some of the more widely-known manufacturers, televisions can deliver a pretty decent picture right out of the box these days. You just have to know what Picture Mode means and how to use it.Sun, 16 Dec 2012 23:20:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-choose-right-picture-modeHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-of-the-day-protect-your-hearingIt's all fun and games until someone loses an eye, or in this case, their hearing. Even a modest sound system is capable of delivering sufficiently loud sounds to cause significant damage to your hearing over time. Investing in an SPL (sound pressure level) meter can be useful for things like system setup, but it is also an important tool to let you know whether you are indeed getting too much of a good thing. Have fun, but be careful!Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:15:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-of-the-day-protect-your-hearingHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-of-the-day-use-a-tripodWhether you're calibrating your surround sound system or taking a photograph, a tripod can make a big difference in the results you get. The tripod will lift the microphone to your ear level and reduce the potential for interference and noise that would be present if you physically held the microphone in place. A good quality tripod can be inexpensive and are they readily available at a variety of retailers. Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:20:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/tip-of-the-day-use-a-tripodHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/haa-turbocal-training-courseIf you have read any of our past HAA articles (there are two on Level I and Level II training) then you'll know that we eat and sleep acoustics. You will also know that we have a great deal of respect for the HAA organization. They have a unique perspective on acoustics for home audio and home theater which is to apply concepts, measure, listen and adjust. Now the HAA has come out with a new training course and I was privileged to be able to attend the pilot class. The course is called TurboCal and it is designed to provide a high value calibration process that is affordable to the consumer and efficient for the calibrator. Most TurboCals are completed in less than two hours.Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/haa-turbocal-training-courseHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/audio-troubleshooting-101We often get flooded with emails from readers attempting to troubleshoot why their home theater systems no longer work correctly. This assumes at one point your system was operating correctly but has recently gone out of whack. As a result, we have captured some of the most common problems reported to us in this short editorial and offer real solutions to resolve them. So if you're system just doesn't sound right anymore, or you want some tips to tweak it to perfection, check out this article.Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/audio-troubleshooting-101Home Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/calibration-theaterIf you’ve got a multi row theater room, you’re probably wondering what the best method of calibration would be. Setting channel trims and delay settings properly are paramount to ensuring good sound quality, but at what seated position should they be set too? This article explores how to effectively ensure good calibration across the whole listening area and not just one sweet spot. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:05:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/calibration-theaterHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/hdmi-black-levels-xvycc-rgbWhen trying to get the most performance out of your home theater, few things are more important than proper display calibration. It has come to our attention that many of you utilizing an HDMI connection might have your black levels incorrectly set. Why the sudden confusion? Options have changed with the introduction of HDMI 1.3 and its tag-along partners: Deep Color and the new xvYCC color space. Read on.Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:45:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/hdmi-black-levels-xvycc-rgbHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/basic-television-setup-tipsYou've finally done it. You saved your money and finally purchased that beautiful flat panel or rear projection television you've had your eye on for the past year. While some may look at this as the final step in the process of getting a better display into the home, in truth, you've just begun. Certainly you could open the packaging, set up the television and plug in some cables, but there’s more. With a few key tips, you can be among the top 25% of HDTV owners who really tweak out the best from their new displays. Mon, 03 Sep 2007 20:07:45 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/basic-television-setup-tipsHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/digital-video-essentials-dve-reviewThe world of high-quality consumer display devices and home theater has really taken off over the last 15 years The tools and information to get one's television set looking its best, however, has been elusive and relegated to the few professionals and videophiles who did their research. I say few professionals because there are numerous professionals with the know-how to repair a display, but who are usually oblivious when it comes to making one look good.Thu, 26 Aug 2004 00:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/digital-video-essentials-dve-reviewHome Theater Calibrationhttps://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/grayscale-calibration-of-home-theater-televisionsWith the onset of larger TVs and Rear Projector TVs, many Home Theater Systems are as good as movie theaters, and sometimes, even better. As more and more consumers enter into the TV market, it's obvious that the widescreen Rear Projector TV (RPTV) is becoming king. What many people don 't know about TV's in general is that they require calibration in order to produce a close to accurate representation of the video signal being displayed.Thu, 26 Aug 2004 00:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-calibration/grayscale-calibration-of-home-theater-televisionsHome Theater Calibration