Rane THX Room EQ User Manual

Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

Home THX Audio System

Room Equalization Manual

Rev. 1.5

This document is Copyright 1995 by Lucasfilm Ltd

THX and Home THX are Registered Trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd

Dolby Stereo, Dolby Pro Logic, and Dolby AC-3 are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

Table of Contents

Introduction and Background: Why Room Equalization? ..................................... 3

Test Equipment Requirements ........................................................................... 4-5

The Home THX Equalizer ....................................................................................... 5

Equalization Procedures ................................................................................... 5-22

Section 1: EQ Procedure Using the THX R-2 Audio Analyzer ............................ 6-13

1.1 - 1.3 Test Equipment Set-Up ................................................................... 6-9

1.4 - 1.7 LCR Equalization ......................................................................... 10-11

1.8 - 1.10 Subwoofer Equalization ............................................................... 11-13

1.11 Listening Tests ................................................................................. 13

Section 2: EQ Procedure Using a Conventional RTA ...................................... 14-21

2.1 - 2.3 Test Equipment Set-Up ................................................................ 14-17

2.4 - 2.6 LCR Equalization ......................................................................... 17-18

2.7- 2.9 Subwoofer Equalization ............................................................... 19-21

2.10 Listening Tests ................................................................................. 21

Equalization Checklist .......................................................................................... 22

Appendix: “WOW!” A User’s Guide to the Laser Disc ..................................... 23-24

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

Introduction and Background:

The goal of the Home THX Audio Program is
to reproduce in the home the film sound experi­ence exactly as the director heard it on the film
dubbing stage. Even with all the elements of a
Home THX Audio System correctly installed, one
challenge remains to our ability to perfectly “close
the loop” connecting the dubbing stage to the
home environment. That challenge is the almost
infinite variability of room acoustics. To achieve a
consistency of performance under varying acous­tical conditions, some form of room equalization is
necessary.

Why Room Equalization?

In the room volumes (under 6000 cu ft) for
which the Home THX Audio System was de­signed, several problems exhibit themselves no
matter how “flat” or “accurate” a speaker is de­signed. The first problem is the existence of room
modes or standing waves. These modes are a
function of each room’s shape and dimensions,
and cause uneven frequency response with
peaks and dips in the low frequency range. Since
these standing waves occur at fixed locations for
fixed frequencies within a room, there is no way to
completely avoid these artifacts. However, since
the audience for a home theater remains gener­ally in one specific area of a room, prudent equal­ization can usually level these peaks and troughs
and produce smoother response in the listening
area. The proper positioning of the Subwoofer
elements of a Home THX Audio System can do
much to minimize these standing wave artifacts
(see the Home THX Newsletter #2), but even with
careful placement, bass equalization is usually
necessary to restore a flat and accurate bass
response.

The second problem which room equaliza­tion is designed to correct is that of speaker/room
boundary interactions. These boundary interac­tions are the same ones that make a loudspeaker
appear to have more bass when placed in a
corner versus the center of a room. As you can
see, the placement (for example) of the screen
LCR loudspeaker asymmetrically in a room can

have serious repercussions. The speakers placed
nearer to the room’s boundaries will have a
different tonal balance to those placed more
centrally. The result of unequal tonal balance is
that sounds can vary dramatically as they are
panned across the three front channels, and
dialogue from boundary-close loudspeakers may
have poor intelligibility.

In both circumstances, with room modes or
with room boundary problems, a properly set up
room equalizer can restore the accurate spectral
and inter-channel tonal balance of a home theatre
system. Remember that these effects will vary
from room to room and installation to installation.

As valuable as room equalization is in restor­ing correct spectral balance, the measurements
required to obtain consistent and repeatable
response are very tricky. During the 60’s and
70’s, graphic equalizers were introduced by the
home audio industry. Unfortunately, these prod­ucts were used for everything from tone controls
to a means of forcibly obtaining flat frequency
response from grossly inaccurate loudspeakers.
One test method of the period was to use records
with tracks separated into 1/3 octave pink noise
bands and to plot a speaker’s output band by
band with an uncalibrated SPL meter! In most
cases, the results were highly unsatisfactory. The
concept of equalization to correct for room modes
and boundary effects was, without accurate test
procedures, almost forgotten in the consumer
audio field.

However, within professional audio circles,
and in particular the motion picture industry, the
use of equalization to improve the accuracy of
sound reproduction has been continuously refined
and perfected. Over the past decade the Profes­sional THX Theatre program has equalized over
600 motion picture auditoriums world-wide on a
yearly basis. Since the inception of the THX
Sound System program, records have been
maintained of the thousands of auditorium analy­ses and equalizations that we have performed. It
was from this experience that the standards for a
Home THX Room Equalizer and the enclosed EQ
procedure were developed.

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

Test Equipment Requirements

1.) Real Time Analyzer

This procedure requires the use of a real­time (spectrum) analyzer and a pink noise source.
The analyzer approved for use is the R-2 THX
Audio Analyzer. The R-2 analyzer contains the
following:

• a 4 input real-time analyzer with measurement

bands at ISO one-third octave and ISO octave
intervals

• four calibrated omnidirectional microphones

• spatial averaging through microphone multi-

plexing

• averaging over time (10 seconds up to 2

hours)

• a calibrated internal pink noise source

Along with real-time analysis, the R-2 Analyzer
can measure room reverberation (RT-60) and
background noise (NC levels).

If the R-2 Audio Analyzer is unavailable, the
following equipment may be used with care:

• A real-time analyzer with measurement

bands at ISO one-third octave intervals and a
display range of ± 5 dB (minimum)

• A calibrated omni-directional microphone, or

microphones.

• The analyzer must be capable of defeating

any weighting which may be applied to the
real-time display

• The real-time analyzer must be also capable

of correctly storing and averaging a minimum
of four measurements and have a slow re­sponse mode.

The use of a single RTA, a large number of
multiple measurements, and the averaging of
these measurements is a time consuming
process and can be subject to a high degree
of operator error. It is therefore highly recom­mended that R-2 be employed whenever
possible.

2.) Pink Noise Sources

Pink Noise can be obtained from one of the

following sources:

• the R-2 analyzer

• the “Wow!” laser disc Chapters 8-10

• the Delos/Stereo Review Surround Sound
Test CD

• any calibrated true pink noise source (this can
be verified by measuring the noise source into
the line input of the analyzer for flat response)

Why Pink Noise

What is Pink Noise and why choose it over
White Noise? Simply put, white noise is a ran­dom signal with equal amplitude per frequency,
and pink noise is a random signal with equal
energy per octave. Let’s look at two octave
bands; say from 500 Hz to 1 kHz and 1 kHz to 2
kHz. If each of these bands had equal amplitude
per frequency, it’s apparent that the 1-2 kHz band
would contain more energy than the 500 Hz to 1
kHZ band because it contains twice the number of
frequencies. Consequently white noise sounds
very bright. Pink noise, however, containing equal
energy per octave, closely reflects our psycho­acoustic expectations of flat response. Because
of this perception of flat tonal balance, pink noise
is a very useful tool when using a spectrum
analyzer with 1/3 octave or octave measurement
intervals, and when comparing loudspeakers for
spectral similarity by ear .

One element of caution is necessary,
though. Because pink noise has a random ele­ment to it, when you measure pink noise using a

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

peak level meter or some RTAs you will notice
peaks far above the average. This is more
noticeable through a Subwoofer than through an
LCR speaker. This is because a random bass
peak can last for a longer time (lower frequency =
longer period) than most RTAs or SPL meters
average for. Higher frequency peaks last for a
shorter period. This is why most measurements
using pink noise are averaged for a long time or
are made by averaging multiple measurements.
That way these instantaneous peaks won’t throw
your readings off.

3.) The Home THX Room Equalizer

The Home THX Room Equalizer meets the
exacting specifications of the Lucasfilm Home
THX Audio program. It is specifically designed to
have the wide dynamic range, low noise, and low
distortion required by the demands of motion
picture soundtracks. Careful attention was also
paid to musical transparency.

The frequency centers of each channel’s
controls are carefully chosen to provide the
precise control necessary for accurate room
equalization, and the “constant Q” nature of each
control assures the operator that corrections to
one band don’t “spill over” into adjacent bands.
Parametric controls (where provided) allow for the
pin-point correction of mid-frequency problems,
and every equalizer is provided with a security
cover to help keep a tuned system tuned.

Equalization Procedure

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING TEST PROCEDURES

ASSUME THAT A HOME THX AUDIO SYSTEM
HAS BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED, AIMED AT
THE LISTENING AREA, AND LEVEL CALI­BRATED. FAILURE TO CORRECTLY INSTALL
A HOME THX AUDIO SYSTEM MAY RESULT IN
INCORRECT ANALYZER READINGS, IM­PROPER EQUALIZATION, AND AN ACTUAL
REDUCTION IN THE OVERALL PERFOR­MANCE OF THE SYSTEM.

Please refer to the Home THX Audio System
Installation and Operation Manual (available from
any Home THX Licensee) for details on system
design, setup, and calibration.

For your convenience, an Equalization Proce­dure Checklist is located on page 22 of this
Manual. We recommend that you use it as a
handy reference only after thoroughly study­ing this Manual.

Graphic Conventions: When referring to the THX
R-2 Analyzer, specific, numbered function keys
on the control computer are identified by the
following graphics:

F-7

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

SECTION 1: Room Analysis Using the R-2 Analyzer

1.1) Define The Listening Area:

The first step in correctly equalizing a Home THX Audio System is to identify the listening area.
The equalized response of the system will be averaged over this area to provide a balanced sound
field for all listeners. Equalizing for a single position can result in poor performance at other points in
the listening area. However, calibration of SPL (Sound Pressure Level) may be done from a single
reference position using the internal test signals of the Home THX Controller. These bandwidth limited
signals minimize room mode effects.

You should pay particular attention if the listening area is particularly deep (several rows) or wide.
With some measurement positions very close to Left or Right screen speakers, care will be needed in
averaging the RTA measurements to prevent unintentional weighting.

1.2) Choose Measurement Positions:

1

2

4

3

Mic Positions

Suggested Microphone Positions for 1 Row Seating

Fig 1

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

• Choose four positions that represent prime listening positions spaced equally throughout the

listening area (Fig. 1).

• Position your analyzer’s microphones at seated ear height (38" to 48" off finished floor). Place the

microphone(s) on a stand.

• Do not attach any microphone directly to the analyzer or hold it in your hand. Your body is an

acoustical object large enough to influence what is supposed to be a room measurement.

• Label in your notes each position and note any related information (e.g., Microphone 3 located

under loft overhang) which can affect your interpretation of the measurements.

• Do not point any microphone directly at a loudspeaker. Point it straight up. You are looking for a

room measurement, not just the direct field of the loudspeaker.

• If you are placing a microphone on any piece of furniture (i.e., a chair or couch), make sure that

the mic is away from any cushion or seat back by at least 1 foot. This will improve the accuracy of
measurements at that position above 800 Hz.

For multiple rows of seats, see Fig. 2 below.

2

1

3

4

Mic Positions

Multiple Row Seating and Microphone Positions

Fig 2

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

1.3) Home Theatre and Test Equipment Set-Up

Home Theatre Equipment:

• Switch your Home THX Controller to the “Dolby Pro Logic Surround” mode. The Home THX

Cinema mode must be switched off for this procedure. Note: For Controllers featuring Dolby

AC-3 Decoders, there is no easy method to insert broad band pink noise into this signal path.
Equalization should be done through the Dolby Pro Logic mode on these controllers as well.

• Calibrate the individual channel levels as usual using the internal test signals and a reliable SPL

meter.

• Disconnect or disable the Subwoofer and the channels you are not measuring. You want to ana-

lyze each channel individually and disconnecting unused channels helps prevent assignment
errors. One installer spent a frustrating hour trying to EQ a Center Channel speaker only to find
that he had been playing pink noise through the Right Channel speaker.

• Set the System Volume at Reference.

Pink Noise Sources:

Pink Noise may be obtained from one of the following sources:

• The internal pink noise source of the R-2 Audio Analyzer

F-7

• The “Wow!” laser disc, Chapters 8-10.

• The Delos/Stereo Review Surround Sound Test CD

• External calibrated pink noise source (200 mV RMS) placed into each channel’s EQ input.

R-2 Setup:

Defeat any weighting on the RTA portion of R-2 (e.g., “C” weighting). Measurements are to be taken
with flat response.

F-3

F-4

,

F-4

,

Set the analyzer to Slow Response.

F-2

F-2

,

Set your analyzer’s scale to the appropriate SPL range, and the dB per division scale to 2 dB.

F-3

F-2

,

8

Set the measurement time to a minimum of 20 seconds.

F-4

F-2

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

Begin the multiplexing operation.

F-1

F-5

,

1.4) Real-Time Analysis:

• Begin with the Center Channel

• Start your pink noise source.

F-7

If using “Wow!” Chapters 9, put the appropriate track on A-B
repeat so that it conveniently cycles automatically. (Note: “Wow!” pink noise chapters will allow for
a maximum measurement interval of 20 seconds, so when using “Wow!” as a noise source the
minimum and maximum measurement intervals are the same.)

• Begin your measurement interval.

F-8

IF USING “WOW!” AS THE SOURCE, BE SURE
THAT YOU BEGIN THE INTERVAL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CHAPTER HAS REPEATED!
Any blank spot during the measurement interval will corrupt the data.

• Analyze your spatially and temporally averaged data.

NOTE: DISPERSION AND AIR ABSORPTION AT HIGHER FREQUENCIES WILL CAUSE A
GENTLE ROLL OFF IN RESPONSE BEGINNING AROUND 6 kHz. THIS IS NORMAL AND DOES
NOT REQUIRE EQUALIZATION. (Fig. 3)

dB

SPL

75

70

65

60

25

40

63

100

Typical Unequalized LCR Room Response

160

250

400

630

1000

1600

Frequency Hz

Fig 3

2500

4000

6300

10000

16000

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

1.5) Equalize:

The resulting spatial average will approximate the inverse of the correct EQ curve. As a starting
point, assume that a dip of -3 dB on the analyzer calls for an increase at the appropriate EQ frequency
of +3 dB. Remember the scale on the analyzer is 2 dB per division.

Since we will re-measure a number of times, any over correction or under correction will be
caught. When analyzing the averaged RTA curve, try to look for the mean SPL for all frequencies and
adjust the peaks and dips to that mean.

Remember that we are trying to achieve a response in the LCR channels of ±1 to 2 dB from 100
Hz to 1 kHZ without drastic EQ shifts. A boost of 6 dB places many demands on both amplifiers and
loudspeakers.

1.6) Re-analyze:

After applying the corrections to the appropriate channel frequency centers, re-run the procedure
described in 1.4 to verify the corrections. You will find that you will have to measure and correct
several times to achieve a balanced and repeatable response.

NOTE: ABOVE 1 kHz, IN TYPICAL ROOM ENVIRONMENTS, THE SOUND FROM HOME THX LCR
SPEAKERS IS DIRECT FIELD DOMINATED AND THE FREQUENCY RESPONSE MAY BE POSI­TION DEPENDENT. AVOID DRAMATIC EQ CHANGES ABOVE 1 kHz. SINCE WE ARE MORE
SENSITIVE TO FREQUENCY PEAKS THAN DIPS, USE THE CONTROLS AVAILABLE SPARINGLY
TO REDUCE HIGH FREQUENCY PEAKS, RATHER THAN TRYING FOR RULER FLAT RESPONSE.

Avoid radical EQ beyond this point.

Typical Unequalized Room Response

75

70

dB

SPL

65

60

25

40

63

100

160

250

400

630

1000

1600

2500

4000

6300

10000

16000

Frequency Hz

Fig 4

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

You will have achieved a correct EQ curve when successive measurements show the same flat re­sponse.

Repeat this procedure for each remaining screen channel and the subwoofer. Use the appropri­ate track on “Wow!” or your pink noise source, and remember to connect only the speaker that you are
testing. Your front channels are now equalized.

1.7) Compare EQ Settings

NOTE: IN INSTALLATIONS THAT ALLOW FOR SYMMETRICAL L/R SPEAKER ROOM PLACE­MENT, CONFIRM THAT THE EQ SETTINGS FOR L & R CHANNELS ARE SIMILAR. Small varia-

tions of 1 dB in individual 1/3 octave bands are tolerable. In asymmetrical L/R speaker placement,
larger variations in EQ curves are acceptable; particularly at the lower frequencies where boundary
effects are most common.

Using R-2, the comparison function compares the curve in memory to a curve on the disk drive.
This means that the stored curve on the disk drive is always assumed to be the reference. The result­ing difference curve shows the deviation of the curve in memory from the reference curve. To com­pare a curve on display to a stored curve, select
items listed. You can save the resulting comparison by hitting

F-2

, then select the reference curve from the

F-9

.

1.8) Equalizing the Subwoofer

Measuring the Subwoofer is very similar to measuring the LCR channels with one exception.
Because the pink noise source will exhibit larger instantaneous fluctuations in amplitude at lower
frequencies (see the section on pink noise in the introduction), longer averaging times may be neces­sary to improve measurement consistency. If you are using “Wow!” as the pink noise source, use the
Center Channel Pink Noise (Chapter 9). Otherwise connect your pink noise source into the both Left
and Right channel inputs of your decoder.

Unequalized Subwoofer Room Response

75

70

dB

SPL

65

60

25

40

63

100

160

250

400

630

1000

1600

2500

4000

6300

10000

16000

Frequency Hz

Fig 5

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

When equalizing the Subwoofer Channel, you should concentrate on reducing the serious peaks.
You may find that because of the depth of the room modes a ruler flat response is not within the range
of the equalizer. This not a major concern since a response within ± 3 or 4 dB is very acceptable.
One tip; a reduction of energy in the 20-30 Hz range will enable the subwoofer to play louder without
before encountering excursion problems.

1.9) Confirm the Subwoofer Splice: Center Channel

The next step is to activate the internal test signals present in your Home THX Controller and re­adjust all SPL’s to their correct 75 dB C weighted levels. This will even out any level variations intro­duced by equalization.

After level check, return to your “Wow!” Center Channel pink noise; Chapter 9. Observe on your
RTA the relative levels of the Subwoofer and the Center Channel. The overlap area is referred to as
the splice point. Follow the same averaging procedure you used in Section 1.4. In particular, look at
the crossover area between 80 Hz and 200 Hz. This area will usually appear uneven (Fig. 6).

Uneven Subwoofer Splice

72

dB

68

SPL

64

60

25

40

63

100

160

250

400

630

1000

1600

2500

4000

6300

10000

16000

Frequency Hz

Fig 6

The most common cause of an uneven Subwoofer splice is the relative difference in positions
between the LCR speakers and the Subwoofer(s). These position differences can cause frequencies
common to all the speakers to arrive at different times at the listening position, and partially cancel or
reinforce themselves. At this point use the Center Channel EQ to adjust the response at the

splice. DO NOT use the Subwoofer EQ.

1.10) Confirm Subwoofer Splice: Left and Right Channel

Next, in the Stereo or Bypass mode play both the Left and Right Pink Noise from “Wow!”; Chap­ters 8 & 10. Measure and analyze as described in Section 1.4. Adjust both the Left and Right Chan-

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

nel splices to the Subwoofer channel by using your Left and Right Channel EQs.

Remember, if the relative levels are off, use your Home THX Controller to adjust the levels. Use

only the Left, Center, or Right EQ controls to adjust for uneven frequency response at the
Subwoofer splice point.

WARNING! If a dip remains at the Subwoofer splice point even after drastic EQ, check for
correct loudspeaker polarity. Subwoofers or LCR speakers connected out of phase can cause
a “suck-out” at the crossover point. Subwoofers offset from the LCR plane by a large distance
or multiple Subwoofers can do the same. If you are using a single Subwoofer and have a large

offset, reverse the polarity of the Subwoofer signal. If multiple and offset Subwoofers are used, you
should attempt to smooth the response by reversing the polarity of the Subwoofer furthest from the
LCR speakers, or by repositioning the offset Subwoofer.

1.11) LISTEN!

When you have completed your room equalization, play the circulating pink noise from “Wow!”
(Chapter 7). Each front channel, Left, Center, and Right, should tonally sound very similar within the
listening area. If the circulating noise sounds very different, go back and re-measure any offending

screen channel. The reference channel for any timbre comparison is the CENTER CHANNEL.

Correct EQ with Subwoofer Splice

80

76

72

dB

SPL

68

64

60

25

40

63

100

160

250

400

630

1000

1600

2500

4000

6300

10000

16000

Frequency Hz

Fig 7

Please Note: The above curve represents a typical room EQ. Since rooms vary greatly you should
not expect every equalized room RTA to look like the above illustration. A smooth curve, without

radical peaks or dips, is what is desired. With difficult rooms, acceptable tolerances can be up to ±3 dB.

Your system is now correctly equalized.

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

SECTION 2: Room Analysis with a Conventional RTA

This method of room analysis was written to mimic the spatial and temporal averaging of the R-2
THX Audio Analyzer. The procedures for choosing microphone positions and the techniques for
equalization are identical with both types of instruments.

2.1) Define The Listening Area:

The first step in correctly equalizing a Home THX Audio System is to identify the listening area.
The equalized response of the system will be averaged over this area to provide a balanced sound
field for all listeners. Equalizing for a single position can result in poor performance at other points in
the listening area. However, calibration of SPL (Sound Pressure Level) may be done from a single
reference position using the internal test signals of the Home THX Controller. These bandwidth limited
signals minimize room mode effects.

You should pay particular attention if the listening area is particularly deep (several rows) or wide.
With some measurement positions very close to Left or Right screen speakers, care will be needed in
averaging the RTA measurements to prevent unintentional weighting.

2.2) Choose Measurement Positions:

1

2

4

3

Mic Positions

Suggested Microphone Positions for 1 Row Seating

Fig 8

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

• Choose four positions that represent prime listening positions spaced equally throughout the

listening area (Fig. 8).

• Position your analyzer’s microphone(s) at seated ear height (38" to 48" off finished floor). Place

the microphone(s) on a stand.

• Do not attach any microphone directly to the analyzer or hold it in your hand. Your body is an

acoustical object large enough to influence what is supposed to be a room measurement.

• Label in your notes each position and note any related information (e.g., Microphone 3 located

under loft overhang) which can affect your interpretation of the measurements.

• Do not point any microphone directly at a loudspeaker. Point it straight up. You are looking for a

room measurement; not measuring the direct field of the loudspeaker.

• If you are placing a microphone on any piece of furniture (i.e., a chair or couch), make sure that

the mic is away from any cushion or seat back by at least 1 foot. This will improve the accuracy of
measurements at that position above 800 Hz.

For multiple rows of seats, see Fig. 9 below.

1

3

2

4

Mic Positions

Multiple Row Seating and Microphone Positions

Fig 9

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

2.3) Home Theatre and Test Equipment Set-Up

Home Theatre Equipment:

• Switch your Home THX Controller to the “Dolby Pro Logic Surround” mode. The Home THX

Cinema mode must be switched off for this procedure.

• Disconnect or disable the Subwoofer and the channels you are not measuring. You want to ana-

lyze each channel individually and disconnecting unused channels helps prevent assignment
errors. One installer spent a frustrating hour trying to EQ a Center Channel speaker only to find
that he had been playing pink noise through the Right Channel speaker.

• Calibrate the individual channel levels as usual using the internal test signals and a reliable SPL

meter.

• Set the System Volume at Reference.

RTA Equipment:

• Defeat any weighting on the RTA portion of the analyzer (e.g., “C” weighting). Measurements are

to be taken with flat response.

• Set the analyzer to Slow Response.

• Set your analyzer’s scale to the appropriate SPL range, and the dB per division scale to 2 dB.

Pink Noise Sources:

Pink Noise can be obtained from one of the following sources:

• The “Wow!” laser disc, Chapters 8-10.

• An external calibrated pink noise source (200 mV RMS) placed into each channel’s EQ input.

2.4) Real-Time Analysis:

Start your pink noise source. If using “Wow!” Chapters 8-10, put the appropriate track on A-B
repeat so that it conveniently cycles automatically. Placing your microphone at a reference position
(Microphone 1). Take three or four measurement samples and store each reading into a memory
position of the analyzer. Average these readings and store the average in a memory location. Repeat
the procedure at each of the other three locations chosen.

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

NOTE: CHECK THE OVERALL SPLs AT EACH MICROPHONE LOCATION. IF THESE VARY BY
MORE THAN ± 1 dB, ADJUST THE MASTER VOLUME ON THE CONTROLLER TO COMPENSATE
THE SPL AT EACH LOCATION TO APPROXIMATE THE SPL AT THE REFERENCE POSITION
(Microphone 1). FAILURE TO DO SO MAY RESULT IN SKEWED SPATIAL AVERAGES.

With the four positions stored in memory, now average to obtain the spatial response for the
entire listening area. Notice that we have used the method of obtaining several samples for each
microphone position to smooth out the stochastic effects of the pink noise.

NOTE: DISPERSION AND AIR ABSORPTION AT HIGHER FREQUENCIES WILL CAUSE A
GENTLE ROLL OFF IN RESPONSE BEGINNING AROUND 6 kHz. THIS IS NORMAL AND DOES
NOT REQUIRE EQUALIZATION. (Fig. 10)

Typical Unequalized LCR Room Response

75

70

dB

SPL

65

60

25

40

63

100

160

250

400

630

1000

1600

2500

4000

6300

10000

16000

Frequency Hz

Fig 10

2.5) Equalize:

The resulting spatial average will approximate the inverse of the correct EQ curve. As a starting
point, assume that a dip of -3 dB on the analyzer calls for an increase at the appropriate EQ frequency
of +3 dB. Since we will re measure a number of times, any over correction or under correction will be
caught. When analyzing the averaged RTA curve try to look for the mean SPL for all frequencies and
adjust the peaks and dips to that mean.

Remember that we are trying to achieve a response in the LCR channels of ± 1 to 2 dB, from 100
Hz to 1 kHZ, without drastic EQ shifts. A boost of 6 dB places many demands on both amplifiers and
loudspeakers.

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

2.6) Re-analyze:

After applying the corrections to the appropriate channel frequency centers, re-run the above
procedure to verify the corrections. You will find that you will have to measure and correct several
times to achieve a balanced and repeatable response.

NOTE: ABOVE 1 kHz, IN TYPICAL ROOM ENVIRONMENTS, THE SOUND FROM HOME THX LCR
SPEAKERS IS DIRECT FIELD DOMINATED AND THE FREQUENCY RESPONSE MAY BE POSI­TION DEPENDENT. AVOID DRAMATIC EQ CHANGES ABOVE 1 kHz. SINCE WE ARE MORE
SENSITIVE TO FREQUENCY PEAKS THAN DIPS, USE THE CONTROLS AVAILABLE SPARINGLY
TO REDUCE HIGH FREQUENCY PEAKS, RATHER THAN TRYING FOR RULER FLAT RESPONSE.

Avoid radical EQ beyond this point.

Typical Unequalized Room Response

75

70

dB

SPL

65

60

25

40

63

100

160

250

400

630

1000

1600

2500

4000

6300

10000

16000

Frequency Hz

Fig 11

Repeat the above procedure for each front channel. Use the appropriate track on “Wow!” or your
pink noise source, and remember to connect only the speaker that you are testing.

Your LCR channels are now equalized.

NOTE: IN INSTALLATIONS THAT ALLOW FOR SYMMETRICAL L/R SPEAKER ROOM PLACE­MENT, CONFIRM THAT THE EQ SETTINGS FOR L & R CHANNELS ARE APPROXIMATELY THE
SAME. Small variations of 1 dB in individual 1/3 octave bands are tolerable. In asymmetrical L/R

speaker placement, larger variations in EQ curves are acceptable; particularly at the lower frequencies
where boundary effects are most common.

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

2.7) Subwoofer Equalization:

All Subwoofer measurements should be done using the Center Channel Pink Noise band on
“Wow!” (Chap. 9) or with your pink noise source into the Left and Right inputs of the decoder. Disable
or disconnect the LCR speakers.

Unequalized Subwoofer Room Response

75

70

dB

SPL

65

60

25

40

63

100

160

250

400

630

1000

1600

2500

4000

6300

10000

16000

Frequency Hz

Fig 12

Measuring the Subwoofer is very similar to measuring the LCR channels with one exception.
Because the pink noise source will exhibit larger instantaneous fluctuations in amplitude at lower
frequencies (see the section on pink noise in the introduction), more averages will be necessary to
improve measurement consistency. It is therefore recommended that, rather than attempting to
spatially average the microphone positions with a non-multiplexing RTA, you take the maximum num­ber of readings at Position 1 that you can store and average them. Then adjust your EQ setting for flat
response for that average.

If you are using “Wow!” as the pink noise source, use the Center Channel Pink Noise (Chapter 9).
Otherwise connect your pink noise source into the both Left and Right channel inputs of your decoder.

When equalizing the Subwoofer Channel, you should concentrate on reducing the serious peaks.
You may find that because of the depth of the room modes a ruler flat response is not within the range
of the equalizer. This not a major concern since a response within ± 3 or 4 dB is very acceptable.
One tip — a reduction of energy in the 20-30 Hz range will enable the subwoofer to play louder without
before encountering excursion problems.

Reconnect your front speakers.

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

2.8) Confirm the Subwoofer Splice: Center Channel

The next step is to activate the internal test signals present in your Home THX Controller and re­adjust all SPL’s to their correct 75 dB C weighted levels. This will even out any level variations intro­duced by equalization.

After level check, return to your “Wow!” Center Channel pink noise; Chapter 9. Observe on your
RTA the relative levels of the Subwoofer and the Center Channel. The overlap area is referred to as
the splice point. Follow the same averaging procedure you used for Subwoofer EQ. In particular, look
at the crossover area between 80 Hz and 200 Hz. This area will usually appear uneven (Fig. 13).

Uneven Subwoofer Splice

72

dB

68

SPL

64

60

25

40

63

100

160

250

400

630

1000

1600

2500

4000

6300

10000

16000

Frequency Hz

Fig 13

The most common cause of an uneven Subwoofer splice is the relative difference in positions between
the LCR speakers and the Subwoofer(s). These position differences can cause frequencies common
to all the speakers to arrive at different times at the listening position, and partially cancel or reinforce
themselves. At this point use the Center Channel EQ to adjust the response at the splice. DO

NOT use the Subwoofer EQ.

2.9) Confirm Subwoofer Splice: Left and Right Channel

Next, in the Stereo or Bypass mode play both the Left and Right Pink Noise from “Wow!”; Chap­ters 8 & 10. Adjust both the Left and Right Channel splices to the Subwoofer channel by using your
Left and Right Channel EQs.

Remember, if the relative levels are off, use your Home THX Controller to adjust the levels. Use

the Left, Center, or Right EQ controls only to adjust for uneven frequency response at the
splice point.

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

WARNING! If a dip remains at the Subwoofer splice point even after drastic EQ, check for
correct loudspeaker polarity. Subwoofers or LCR speakers connected out of phase may cause
a “suck-out” at the crossover point. Subwoofers offset from the LCR plane by a large distance
or multiple Subwoofers can do the same. If you are using a single Subwoofer and have a large

offset, reverse the polarity of the Subwoofer signal. If multiple and offset Subwoofers are used, you
should attempt to smooth the response by reversing the polarity of the Subwoofer furthest from the
LCR speakers, or by repositioning the offset Subwoofer.

2.10) LISTEN!

When you have completed your room equalization, play the circulating pink noise from “Wow!”
(Chapter 7). Each front channel, Left, Center, and Right, should tonally sound very similar within the
listening area.

Correct EQ with Subwoofer Splice

80

76

72

dB

SPL

68

64

60

25

40

63

100

160

250

400

630

1000

1600

2500

4000

6300

10000

16000

Frequency Hz

Fig 14

Please Note: The above curve represents a typical room EQ. Since rooms vary greatly you should
not expect every equalized room RTA to look like the above illustration. A smooth curve, without

radical peaks or dips, is what is desired. With difficult rooms, acceptable tolerances can be up to ± 3 dB.

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

Equalization Checklist:

Set-UP

• Set Up Home THX Audio System

• Aim L, C, R loudspeakers using pink noise on “Wow!” disc

• Calibrate individual channel levels with controller’s internal test signals

• Set Up Microphone positions

• Set RTA weighting for Flat

• Set Up Scale Range and Divisions

With R-2 Audio Analyzer only

• Set Measurement interval for 20 sec. minimum

• Begin Microphone Multiplexing

Analyze & Equalize

• A) Disconnect Subwoofer, Left, and Right Channels

• B) Play Pink Noise through Center Channel

• C) Measure multiple locations, average readings, and equalize Center Channel

• D) Repeat C until measurements are consistent

• Repeat operations A,B,C, &D for Left, Right, and Subwoofer channels

Confirm EQ

• Reconnect System

• Confirm splice of Subwoofer with Center Channel by playing Center pink noise in Dolby Pro Logic

mode

• Confirm splice of Subwoofer with Left and Right Channels by playing Left & Right Channel Pink

Noise in Stereo or Bypass mode

Check System Set-up

• Re-calibrate individual channels with controller’s internal test signals

• Listen to circulating Pink Noise on “Wow!” disc to compare timbre of LCR speakers

• Return to Home THX Cinema Mode and play Wow! demo listening for accurate Foley*, clear

dialogue, precise localization, smooth pans, and overall detail

*Foley is a term used to describe the all of the “natural” sound effects which contribute to our sense of
reality in motion pictures. These effects are created in a special sound stage in sync with the action of
the film. The process was named after Jack Foley who invented the system of adding the sound of
footsteps to early talking motion pictures in order to enhance their believability.

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

Appendix:
“WOW!”— A User’s Guide

The “WOW!” laser disc was created by
Lucasfilm for use with Home THX Audio systems.
“WOW!” consists of exciting demonstration,
educational, and testing material to help you best
appreciate the Home THX Audio System. “Wow!”
is available to consumers with the purchase of a
Home THX Audio System controller.

“WOW!” should only be played through a
Home THX Audio System, and should never
be sold, rented, copied, broadcast, or used for
any commercial purposes. Any unauthorized
use of this copyrighted material is strictly
prohibited, and violators will be prosecuted.

The following table of contents outlines the vari­ous chapters on the WOW! laser disc, and pro-
vides some suggestions on their use.

Side 1:

Chapter 1: WOW!;

This is a remarkable thematic montage of
various George Lucas films, with fast, tight editing
to emphasize interest and excitement. All of the
soundtracks are essentially unchanged with one
exception: a new musical score was commis­sioned to tie the entire piece together. WOW!
provides a short and complete movie going
experience, and shows off all of the potential of
the Home THX Audio System. WOW! contains a
wide variety of sounds, from very quiet passages,
to loud, explosive ones; there are sounds pan­ning between Left and Right, and from front to
back; there is soft dialog buried in the midst of
competing, loud sound effects; there are power­ful, deep bass sounds that make you feel fully
involved in the action. The Home THX Audio
System will deliver all of these sounds with star­tling realism, and unequaled clarity!

Chapter 2: The Home THX Audio System;

Tomlinson Holman discusses the elements
of the Home THX Audio System and what sets it
apart from more conventional home theatre
systems.

Chapter 3: Mode Selections;

Five short selections illustrate the most
appropriate use of the various modes of your THX
controller. These selections show the best use of
the Home THX Cinema, Dolby Pro Logic, and
Stereo modes.

Side 2:

Chapter 4: Soundtrack;

This chapter outlines the process whereby
the soundtrack of a movie is created. It gives you
an appreciation of what you are missing when you
watch a movie on a non-THX system. There is far
more to making a film soundtrack than most
people imagine.

Alignment Test Signals:

Chapter 5: Input Level Calibration Tone;

This 1 kHz tone is recorded at 0 dB (Dolby
reference level), and can be used to calibrate the
input level of your THX controller. Adjust the level
so that the meter on the controller reads

0 dB(reference level) when this signal is
playing.

Chapter 6: Pink Noise, Left & Right, In-Phase,

-10 dB;

This signal is comprised of broad band noise
and can be used to adjust the Center output level,
or check the phase of the Left, Right, and Center
speakers, as well as the Subwoofers. When
played back through a correctly adjusted system,
this signal should yield 75 dB SPL (Sound Pres­sure Level) on a sound level meter, C-weighted,
slow mode.

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Home THX Equalization Manual Rev. 1.5

Chapter 7: Pink Noise, Circulating L-C-R-S,

-10 dB;

This signal is comprised of broad band noise
and can be used to calibrate all the individual
output level controls after the input level controls
have been calibrated. Set the level to read 75 dB
SPL on a sound level meter, C-weighted, Slow
mode in each channel in turn, measured from the
primary listening position.

Chapters 8-11: Pink Noise, Left, Center, Right,
Surround Channels, 0 dB;

This signal is comprised of broad band noise
and can be used to assist in aiming the Left,
Center, or Right speakers directly at the primary
listening area (especially in the vertical plane).
Simply listen for the best high frequency response
at your seated position. The Surround Channel
Test Signal (Chapter 11) may be used to test the
Surround Speaker positions for the best evenness
and envelopment of the Surround Field. When
played back through a correctly adjusted system,
these signals should yield 85 dB SPL on a sound
level meter, C-weighted, slow mode. These
signals can also used for spectrum analysis if
room equalization is performed.

Chapter 16: Rattle Test, Frequency Sweep, 20
Hz to 500 Hz, 0 dB;

This is an extremely slow low frequency
sweep, intended to help pinpoint rattles, structural
resonances and other potential problems in the
bass. Warning: this signal can be damaging at

high volumes. Care is required in setting the
volume for this test.

Chapters 17-18: Slap Echo Test, Center and
Surround Channels;

This recording of a hand clap is repeated
several times to facilitate the identification of “slap
echoes” which might be stimulated by the system.
Slowly walk around the room, listening for a
fluttering, percussive echo following each initial
clap. Treat room surfaces accordingly. For best
results it is recommended to shut off the L, R, and
S speakers on the Center Channel Test, and the
L, C, and R speakers on the Surround Test.

Chapter 19-20: Video Test Patterns;

These patterns will enable a video technician
to correctly set you TV set, monitor, or video
projector to the correct levels of color, hue, con­trast, and brightness.

Chapters 12-15: Frequency Sweep, 20 Hz to 20
kHz, Left, Center, Right, & Surround Channels,
0 dB;

This sine wave sweep covers the entire
audible range and can be used to measure the
frequency response of the Left, Center, Right, or
Surround channel electronics. Use in conjunction
with a chart recorder set for a 3 mm/sec. pen
speed. It is not recommended to use this test for
loudspeaker adjustments since room standing
waves make the results unreliable. Warning: this

signal can be damaging at high volumes. Care is
required in setting the volume for this test.

Copyright 1992 LucasArts Entertainment

Company

©Rane Corporation 10802 47th Ave.W., Mukilteo WA, 98275-5098 TEL [phone] FAX [phone]

Printed in the U.S.A. on Recycled Paper

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520-333 AUG95