The Auto-Calibration Trap

Modern receivers and processors like to employ in some shape of form an "auto-calibration" system, that attempts to look at how speakers interact in the room, and "curve" the response to be flatter and more accurate. The key with this feature is to understand exactly what it does and doesn't do, and adjust your expectations accordingly.

Audyssey, Pioneer's MCACC, and Yamaha's YPAO (chicken) all attempt to, using a mic about the size of a disposable pen, look at up to eight seating positions and average out problematic frequencies (frequency peaks are typically more of a concern than valleys, which are caused by speaker cancellation due to improper placement, and cannot be resolved by boosting a frequency that isn't there). Most of these systems lack sufficient resolution under 50Hz (sometimes higher), and often do not offer the granularity required to "fix" whatever it thinks is right. What is does do is equalize speaker levels, relative distances, and alert to phasing issues that can result in thin bass. Plug in your Bic mic, keep the room relatively quiet for five minutes, and you (presumably) have a better result that you did before. Keep in mind, this process will typically alter the sound of your speakers to allow them to play nicer in their environment. This is the McDonald's hamburger option to room calibration.

The Spago version is far more complex. Sure it's pricier, but the results are far better. Utilizing spectral room analysis with various laptop-based programs, real microphones (calibrated to the task), and the know-how of the techs, this room examination can reveal things in spaces that were thought to be "good" before. The process typically results in a several page full-color analysis of room modes that can then be used to deploy the appropriate types of treatments in the room to ensure a response that allows the listeners to "reach out and touch" the performance. This addresses everything, from where to place seating areas, speakers, screens/displays, and even the type of sound rating the door to the room should have.

Key in this process is the fact that it addresses the structure of the room itself, not just how certain speakers react in a pre-existing environment. Isolating the room (also known as "floating") allows the equipment to not fight the space it's in. This creates an interesting scenario, in which people discover environmental and effect sounds that were not heard before, improving dialogue, and enhancing dynamics. Note that speaker frequency response is not affected, so what you fell in love with sonically is not fundamentally altered; just optimized through improvement of the acoustic space. Again, the room is treated from the studs in, leaving the electronics alone other than ensuring proper setup. Audyssey in fairness does a good job of smoothing uniformity of response over a given listening area, but only after the room is adequately addressed structurally. The analogy of using room calibration to solve a room's ills without doing anything else is using fine-grit sandpaper to cut down a tree.

As with anything, there are price considerations to be made whenever courses of action are considered. Buying a new receiver will get you some semblance of room calibration, it's just important to realize that in this scenario, the room itself isn't being optimized in any way. Proper room (and system) analysis will determine needs, goals, proper equipment for the task, and development of the space involved to all work in synergy so that finally you can hear what's on the disc--maybe for the first time ever.