Listening
We recommend that you break-in the speakers prior to listening, so you will want to give them a few days of playing at low and medium volumes. Similar to an athlete stretching before a track meet, breaking in the speakers will limber-up the driver components so that they are ready to perform their very best.
Once your speakers have been broken-in, use your AVR (audio/video receiver) or DVD player’s surround sound set-up mode to select proper speaker configuration. Most AVR’s have the option of selecting “large” or “small” speakers. We recommend starting with the AVR set to “small”. However, you may prefer the sound when they are set to “full”. This does not present a problem, so long as audible distortion from the source or AVR is not present at high volume levels (refer to your AVR or DVD player owner’s manual for more information on this).
Using your AVR test-tone function, or white noise generator, can help in determining all individual speakers are getting a matched, balanced signal of equal volume (refer to your AVR or DVD player owner’s manual for more information on this).
Once your speakers are properly set-up, take some time to calibrate your system. The easiest and most accurate way of calibrating your system is to use an audio/video calibration DVD or CD. We recommend the Avia DVD (you can purchase this at amazon.com or go to ovationsw.com). If you don’t have the disc, or would rather do it the “old-fashioned” way, follow these steps:
Start with just two-channel music. Listen to hi-fi recordings that are familiar to you. Things to listen for are:
1.Imaging between L and R. Do they seem balanced? Can you hear voices and instruments coming from between the speakers?
2.Timbre of individual instruments. Do you hear the rich overtones from a trumpet? The warmth of strings? Vocals?
3.Integration between subwoofer and satellites. As the bass notes ascend and descend, do you hear a seamless transition between the low-mids in the satellites and the lower frequencies in the subwoofer? Does the bass seem to emanate from the front wall, where the front L and R speakers are?
Now move on to surround sound movies (Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround EX, etc). Things to listen for with movies are:
1.Listen for a seamless soundstage throughout all five satellite speakers.
2.Listen to dialogue from the center channel. Does it sound open? Are whispers and soft voices intelligible?
3.Integration between sub and satellites. As the bass notes ascend and descend, do you hear a seamless transition between the low- mids in the satellites and the lower frequencies in the subwoofer? Does the bass seem to emanate from the front wall, where the front L and R speakers are?
