JBL AVR580 Speaker Placement, System Setup, System Configuration, Speaker Selection and Placement

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

When all audio, video and system connec- tions have been made, there are a few configuration adjustments that must be made. A few minutes spent to correctly configure and calibrate the unit will greatly add to your listening experience.

Speaker Selection and Placement

The placement of speakers in a multi- channel home theater system can have a noticeable impact on the quality of sound reproduced.

The same model or brand of speaker should be used for the left front, center and right front speakers. This creates a seamless front soundstage and elimi- nates the possibility of distracting sonic disturbances that occur when a sound moves across mismatched front-channel speakers.

delay from the center speaker compared to the left and right speakers).

When the AVR580 is used in 5.1-channel operation, the preferred location for sur- round speakers is on the side walls of the room, at or slightly behind the listening position. In a 7.1-channel system, both side surround and back surround speakers are required. The center of the speaker should face into the room. The

No more than

60cm (24")

A)Front-Channel Speaker Installation With Direct-View TV Sets or Rear-Screen Projectors

speakers should be located so that the bottom of the cabinet is at least 60cm (2 feet) higher than the listeners’ ears when the listeners are seated in the desired area.

Rear surround speakers are required when a full 7.1-channel system is installed, and they may also be used in 5.1-channel systems as an alternative mounting position when it is not practical to place the main surround speakers on the sides of the room. Speakers may be placed on a rear wall, behind the listening position. As with the side speakers, rear surrounds should be located so that the bottom of the cabinet is at least 60cm

(2 feet) higher than the listeners’ ears. The speakers should be no more than

1.8meters (6 feet) behind the rear of the seating area.

Speaker Placement

Depending on the type of center channel speaker in use and your viewing device, place the center speaker either directly above or below your TV, or in the center behind a perforated front projection screen.

Once the center channel speaker is installed, position the front left and front right speakers so that they are as far away from one another as the center channel speaker is from the preferred listening position. Ideally, the front channel speakers should be placed so that their tweeters are no more than 60cm (24") above or below the tweeter in the center channel speaker.

Depending on the specifics of your room acoustics and the type of speakers in use, you may find that imaging is improved by moving the left front and right front speakers slightly forward of the center channel speaker. If possible, adjust all front loudspeakers so that they are aimed at ear height when you are seated in the listening position.

Using these guidelines, you’ll find that it takes some experimentation to find the correct location for the front speakers in your particular installation. Don’t be afraid to move things around until the system sounds correct. Optimize your speakers so that audio transitions across the front of the room sound smooth, and sounds from all speakers appear to arrive at the listen- ing position at the same time (without

		TV or Projection Screen
	Left Front	Center Front	Right Front
		Speaker
	Speaker		Speaker
more than 1.8m (6 feet)	when rear-mounted speakers are used
No		Rear-Wall Mounting

B)Rear speaker mounting is an alternate location for 5.1 systems. It is required for 7.1 operation.

At least 17cm (6 inches) from ceiling

At least 60cm (2 feet)

If dipole-type speakers are used on either the side or rear walls of the room, please note that if there are arrows on the speakers they should face the front of the room for the side speakers, or toward the center of the wall for the rear speakers.

Subwoofers produce nondirectional sound, so they may be placed almost anywhere in a room. Actual placement should be based on room size and shape and the type of subwoofer used. One method of finding the optimal location for a subwoofer is to begin by placing it in the front of the room, about 17cm (6") from a wall, or near the front corner of the room. Another method is to temporar- ily place the subwoofer at your normal listening position, and then walk around the room until you find a spot where the subwoofer sounds best. Place the sub- woofer in that spot. You should also fol- low the instructions of the subwoofer’s manufacturer, or you may wish to experi- ment with the best location for a sub- woofer in your listening room.

System Setup

Once the speakers have been placed in the room and connected, the remaining steps in the setup process are to program the AVR580’s bass management system for the type of speakers used in your sys- tem, calibrate the output levels, and set the delay times used by the surround sound processor.

You are now ready to power up the AVR580 to begin these final adjustments.

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