topic STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching in Home Cinema, Projectors & Players

STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

outpost33 — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 14:22:17 GMT

After auto cal is performed, the receiver offers an option for calibration matching. The feature is not well described in the manual:

Yes: Expands the sweet spot for the viewing position and allows you to enjoy more natural sound by trimming the wavefront for each pair of left/right speakers.

Can anyone explain in more detail exactly what this function is intended to do? Is it some kind of single-point equivalent of multi-point calibration, where several measurments are taken to create a better result over a wider area?

The feature cannot be switched on or off after calibration is performed, so it's difficult to do a direct a/b comparison. You have to run auto cal again in order to enable/disable it, which is frankly quite an odd interface choice.

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

EdwinaU — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 18:52:18 GMT

Hi Outpost33,

We'll see what additional information we can find for you and update this thread when we can. Maybe some of our members will also be able to advise you in the meantime.

Best wishes,
Ed

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

outpost33 — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 14:09:58 GMT

Hi EdwinaU,

Thanks for this, grateful for any help you can offer.

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

The_Black_Rose — Tue, 30 Jul 2019 18:35:10 GMT

Hi Outpost33,

As far as I am aware, the calibration matching function synchronizes all the speakers to ensure that they're all working fine and set up and ready to go for surround sound content.

Cheers,

The_Black_Rose

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

outpost33 — Sat, 10 Aug 2019 06:42:07 GMT

Thanks The_Black_Rose, but I don't think that's quite right.

Firstly, it is an optional feature that takes place after the main auto calibration routine. Secondly, if you read through the forums and reviews, most users advise to leave it switched off.

The most likely explanation I've heard is that it widens the optimal listening area, so that the area in which the mic was placed during auto cal is no longer the single best listening spot. Usually this is achieved using multi-point calibration, but as the Sony doesn't offer this, it has been speculated that this feature is an approximation of something similar.

However, this is far from clear in the manual, so I would like to know in more detail what the Sony engineers intended.

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

The_Black_Rose — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 18:34:27 GMT

Hi Outpost33,

As far as I know this is only an optional enhancement feature and I believe that any settings adjustments mainly depends on user preference.

Thank you for sharing what you've read with us.

Cheers,

The_Black_Rose

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

outpost33 — Sat, 03 Aug 2019 07:18:57 GMT

Thanks again, I'll wait for a Sony engineer to clarify what this feature is actually intended to do.

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

Win_88 — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 13:51:13 GMT

Hi Outpost

It seem that calibration matching gives you a somewhat wider area (sweet spot) in which the user will enjoy the surround effect, in exchange for trimming the wave fronts for each right/left pair of speakers (since the auto calibration works on each speaker individually, the results may not be as consistent relatively to other speakers in the set up).

I know that you can find hundreds of threads full of users giving their two cents on what sounds best and which settings to use, but when it comes down to it, no two rooms have the same acoustics. So I would give it a good listen myself if I was in your place. Take your time listening to samples of audio with Calibration matching both On and Off and compare the experience you perceive and go with what you like most.

Win_88

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

outpost33 — Sat, 10 Aug 2019 06:40:51 GMT

Thanks Win_88, that's kind of what I assumed, but your feedback is helpful.

I assume that each right/left pair means both the fronts and the surrounds in this context, but what exactly does "trimming the wave fronts" mean?

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

grolschie — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 20:31:49 GMT

Wouldn't it be nice if we could change this setting at any time, rather than having to go through calibration, so that we could hear the difference, good or bad. I am following this thread with interest. Hopefully someone from Sony can offer some insights...

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

outpost33 — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 06:31:58 GMT

@grolschie, couldn't agree more. Without wishing to cast doubt upon any of the contributors here, I would still like to hear from a Sony engineer with a precise definition of the feature and commentary on why it is that it cannot be turned on or off without running through a fresh calibration.

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

The_Black_Rose — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:00:54 GMT

Hi Outpost33 and Grolschie,

I've done some research online and I found that the term trim is used for fine tuning and balancing things out. I think the feature does the same thing.

The idea of changing the settings at the same time is actually brilliant. I will try passing this feedback on to Sony.

Cheers,

The_Black_Rose

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

outpost33 — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:09:12 GMT

@EdwinaU:

Was there any more feedback from Sony engineers on what this feature does, and how it does it? We have a general idea from other users, but it would be good to have a definitive technical explanation.

We would also like to request a feature for the next firmware update: the ability to turn Calibration Matching on or off without having to run auto calibration every time.

Many thanks for your help!

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

grolschie — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 21:04:48 GMT

+1 on adding this setting to the settings menu in a firmware update, please. One should not have to recalibrate the receiver just to switch that setting. I'm sure many owners would appreciate this.

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

grolschie — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 19:51:32 GMT

2 weeks, and no further info from Sony.

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

outpost33 — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 11:01:48 GMT

Yes, it would be nice if we at least got a reply.

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

grolschie — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 22:29:06 GMT

Well, this thread certainly died without a definitive response from Sony or any changes made to the firmware.

Anyway reach a conclusion regarding whether this feature is best enabled or disabled?

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

Win_88 — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 18:17:06 GMT

The calibration matching function is relevant for installations where speakers from different brands are used.

Choosing the option will enable the system to measure main speakers sound signature to adapt the other speakers signals by advancing or delaying their phase
to achieve same or similar sound signature as the main speakers on all speakers.

It is not recommended to use the feature when using speakers from the same brand.

Win_88

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

grolschie — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 18:56:27 GMT

@Win_88 thanks. Any reduction in sampling frequency when using this setting? And why is it not available from the system menu besides after rerunning the calibration process?

Re: STR-DN1080 Calibration Matching

Win_88 — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 11:35:23 GMT

@grolschie

I don't think there will be any compromise unless the speakers you connect are vastly different in out levels, which isn't recommended anyway. It's odd that the option disappears from the menu. I don't think it should do that, so I'll send some feedback to Sony about it. I imagine you can get it back if you reset the settings though. Which I know isn't ideal, but it's something.

Win_88