The “Magic” of Proper Calibration and Design恰當調(diào)校和設計的“魔法”

文_Gerry Lemay / 編譯_杜曉文

In this article， I’ll try to explain what the secret ingredient is in creating an exciting and amazing sound system. For those of you who have attended the HAA HT3 Workshop or the earlier version of the HAA Level II， I don’t need to add hyperbole to my definition of “magic”. However， if you’ve not been with us during the class， allow me to explain that our results are generally amazing. This， with any combination of equipment and in a wide variety of rooms.In fact， some of the most magical moments have occurred with modest equipment and in very unlikely rooms.

在這篇文章中，我將嘗試解釋構(gòu)建令人驚奇的聲音系統(tǒng)的秘密組成部分。對于那些參加過HAA HT3或早期的HAA Level II培訓的人，我不需要在我對“魔法”的定義中添加夸張的成分。然而，如果你沒有參加過這些課程，允許我解釋一下，“魔法”意味著我們的結(jié)果通常是驚人的。這涉及到各種各樣的器材組合和房間。事實上，最神奇的時刻已經(jīng)在某些看上去不像樣、設備簡陋的房間出現(xiàn)過了。

Design Process設計過程

Allow me to explain the HAA design process.It must be understood that simply calibrating a room is not enough.That’s why understanding the theory and principles of proper design is imperative.HAA has developed the Acoustic Design Review （ADR） as an exhaustive way to identify design issues prior to the actual calibration. In the class， we begin with a poorly designed room and incrementally improve various aspects of the design for training purposes. In the real-world，this is not practical. The ADR is designed to be used prior to the calibration and，in a perfect scenario， prior to the room construction. This way the room is ready for the final calibration immediately after installation.

允許我解釋一下HAA的設計過程。必須理解的是，簡單地對房間進行調(diào)校是不夠的，需要掌握恰當設計的理論和原則。HAA已將聲學設計審查（ADR）作為一種詳盡的方法，用于在實際調(diào)校之前識別設計問題。在課堂上，我們從一個設計很差的房間開始，逐步改進設計的各個方面，以達到培訓的目的。而在真實世界中，這是不實際的。ADR被設計用于調(diào)校前，甚至在房間建造前，這樣，房間在安裝后可以馬上進行最后的調(diào)校。

The ADR covers all aspects of the layout and zooms in on many seemingly minor misalignments. No room is perfect.Some layouts are not practical for a given scenario. For these situations， we depend on interpreting the acoustical problems present in the design flaw and identify ways to mitigate them. However， the truth is that most rooms can lend themselves to a perfect alignment and the real skill is in creating a practical way to allow the design to be perfected. Too often systems are designed with imperfections under the misguided assumption that the effect will be minor. For true “magic” we need to solve placement and acoustical issues in a way that blends into the room. What are the keys to a great design?

ADR覆蓋了布局的所有方面，并放大了許多看似微小的偏差。沒有房間是完美的。有些布局并不適用于給定場景。對于這些情況，我們依賴于對設計缺陷中存在的聲學問題的解釋，并找出減輕這些問題的方法。然而，事實上大多數(shù)房間都可以有一個完美的狀態(tài)，而真正的技巧是創(chuàng)造一個實用的方式讓設計完善?？上У氖峭ǔＧ闆r下，系統(tǒng)設計是存在缺陷的，并錯誤地假設影響很小。真正的“魔法”是我們需要以一種融入房間的方式來解決布局和聲學問題。而好設計的關(guān)鍵是什么呢？

I won’t go into a complete explanation of the ADR here. That’s what our class is for. The real key is designing a room that is easy to calibrate. The “calibratability”of the system is an imperative. You see，if something is easy to calibrate it’s more likely that it will be calibrated and calibrated properly. The best example of this is in sub placement. There are many techniques for sub layout. The optimum scenario allows a designer to keep the room uncluttered meanwhile placing subs in the most advantageous positions. I say positions plural， because two subs are far easier to calibrate than a single sub. Most of the time we see all the effort goes in to simply get a smooth response. This misses the issue of seat-to-seat consistency. I discuss seat placement in earlier articles.

我不打算在這里完整地解釋ADR。這是我們的課堂上的任務。真正的關(guān)鍵是設計一間容易調(diào)校的房間。系統(tǒng)的“調(diào)?！笔莿菰诒匦械?。你看，如果某樣東西很容易被調(diào)校，那么它更有可能被調(diào)校且得到正確調(diào)校。最佳例子是低音炮的擺位。低音炮的布局有很多技巧。最優(yōu)的方案允許設計師保持房間整潔，同時將低音炮放置在最有利的位置。兩只低音炮比單只低音炮更容易調(diào)校。大多數(shù)時候，我們看到所有的努力都是為了得到一個平滑的頻率響應。這里忽略了座位與座位一致生的問題。我在前面的文章中已經(jīng)討論了座位的擺放問題。

Another key element is LCR placement. In the HT3 class we use audiophile style reference material. We are listening not only to the placement of instruments in the soundstage but also for the accurate recreation of a three dimensional soundstage consistent with the recorded event. Ignoring the system’s ability to recreate a complex acoustical space robs our listeners of another magnitude of sonic enrichment. Once we have the audiophiles in the group happy we know the system will faithfully recreate movie soundtrack with ease.

其它關(guān)鍵元素是前置左中右音箱的擺位。在HT3課程中，我們使用發(fā)燒友風格的參考材料。我們不僅在聽樂器在聲場中的位置，也在聽準確再現(xiàn)所錄事件相一致的三維聲場。忽略系統(tǒng)重建復雜聲場的能力，會讓我們的聽眾失去另一種豐富的聲音。一旦我們組里的發(fā)燒友高興，我們就知道系統(tǒng)將輕松地再現(xiàn)電影原聲。

I could go on discussing each of the various elements that comprise the ADR，but the real message here is attention to detail. Each element of the system has a role in the perfection of the result. Any item that is close but not quite right is a potential point-of-failure in achieving magic.

我可以繼續(xù)討論構(gòu)成ADR的各種元素，但這里真正的信息是注意細節(jié)。系統(tǒng)的每一個元素都對結(jié)果的完善起著作用。任何接近但不完全正確的事物都是實現(xiàn)“魔法”的潛在失敗點。

During the HT3 workshop， each design element is changed individually then the result is listened to. We are listening to the effect of the change on sound quality but also how this change affects earlier design changes. This process of associating cause and effect is the key to creating a total design which is near perfect. Again， incrementally designing a system is only truly practical in a teaching workshop. The value of the lesson is the importance of strictly following the proper design principles and understanding the ram ifications of straying from them.

在HT3課程中，每一個設計元素都會被單獨改變，然后聆聽結(jié)果。我們在聽改變對聲音質(zhì)量的影響，以及這種改變?nèi)绾斡绊懺缙谠O計。這種因果聯(lián)系的過程是創(chuàng)造一個接近完美的整體設計的關(guān)鍵。同樣，這種增量式的系統(tǒng)設計方式僅會在動手實驗課堂上適用。這一課程的價值在于嚴格遵循正確的設計原則以及理解偏離這些原則的后果。

希望在設計階段，我們能夠通過調(diào)整低音炮的位置和將座椅移動到房間合適的位置，來讓低音的頻響曲線趨于平整

Calibration Process調(diào)校過程

Calibration depends on good design.A good design makes the system more easily calibrated. Depending on the final calibration to solve design problems，even with an equalizer， is misguided.The calibration becomes more difficult and ultimately may not be properly accomplished even with automated tools.

調(diào)校依賴于出色的系統(tǒng)設計。后者能讓系統(tǒng)更容易被調(diào)校。即使有均衡器，依賴最終的調(diào)校來解決設計難題，也很容易誤入歧途。調(diào)校會變得更難，就算用上自動化工具，正確完成的幾率也很小。

The HAA calibration process circle is shown in figure 3. The process begins with evaluating the condition of the system i.e. “l(fā)ook before you leap”. The Evaluation phase marks a point in time to use your professional listening skills to identify sonic problems and look to the design or calibration issues that could be the cause.An Integrator might identify “built in” issues that require more than calibration to solve.In addition， measurements are taken which can further expose the source of sonic issues. This initial step alerts us to sonic problems but further analysis is required to reveal the solutions.

HAA的循環(huán)調(diào)校過程如圖3所示。這個過程從評估系統(tǒng)的狀態(tài)開始，即“三思而后行”。評估階段標志需要標志一個時間點，使用你的專業(yè)聽力技能來識別聲音問題，并尋找可能導致的設計或調(diào)校問題。一個集成工程師可能會識別出“內(nèi)部”問題需要更多的調(diào)校以解決問題。另外，測量可以進一步暴露聲源問題。這一初始步驟提醒我們注意聲音問題，但還需要進一步的分析來揭示解決方案。

Further analysis must include a thorough examination of the functionality of each component， the setup of key AVR menus and equalizers， and the general working order of the system and installation. This phase is called Verification.If you are looking for the key to great sound from me， I can’t emphasize the importance of verifying the system is working correctly.An analytical approach is required and many make the mistake of assuming that all is well. Each component must be systematically checked. Some problems are not obvious， as in a speaker wired out of polarity at the factory or a tweeter with a different response than others. These are items that often go unnoticed yet are pivotal in the process of creating amazing sound quality. It’s rare that an HT2 or HT3 class goes by without uncovering some hidden equipment problem. This phase is not optional if your quest is for amazing sound.Once you’re sure the system is properly connected， menus are correct， and everything is functioning optimally， we can begin to find correctable design problems we might have heard during the evaluation phase.

進一步的分析必須包括對每個組成部分的徹底檢查，關(guān)鍵的AV放大器菜單和均衡器設置，以及系統(tǒng)的一般運行順序和安裝。這個階段稱為驗證。如果你想從我這里找到開啟美妙聲音的鑰匙，我無法強調(diào)驗證系統(tǒng)正常工作的重要生。這需要分析方法，而很多人都錯誤地假設一切都很好。每一個組成部分都需要被系統(tǒng)地檢查。有些問題是不明顯的，例如音箱的極生在工廠里接錯了或是某個高音的頻響和其它不一樣。這些問題常常被忽視，但對于創(chuàng)造杰出音質(zhì)是至關(guān)重要的。很少有HT2或HT3課程沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)的隱藏設備問題。如果你的任務是尋找美妙的聲音，這個階段是不可以被跳過的。一旦你確定系統(tǒng)是正確連接，菜單設置正確，一切都運行妥當，那么我們可以開始找到在評估階段聽到的可糾正的設計問題。

一般來說，關(guān)鍵性的設計元素，例如音箱的擺位、低音炮的擺位、聲學處理等等，都是可變的，我們可以通過調(diào)整這些元素，解決聽到的大部分問題

Ok， so we are talking about calibrating a system. Why is there a Design phase in the process circle? This phase is not intended for the Integrator to redesign the system. Often critical design elements like speaker position， sub position， acoustical treatment， etc. are not changeable.However， in many systems certain elements are adjustable to a limit. For those systems where a pre-calibration design review （ADR）was not completed， this may be the time to note issues that require further work beyond the scope of a calibration. A good Integrator will advise their customer as to what changes are required to make the system easier to calibrate amazing sound.In the HT3 class we have the luxury of moving speakers almost anywhere. We can play with acoustical treatment and listen to the changes. In a room with movable speakers， subs， and seats we can solve many if not most of the problems we are hearing. In a custom room where everything is tied down， we have the responsibility to identify where the design failed and offer recommendations for improvement.The goal is to make the system easier to calibrate. To make the system calibratable.

接下來，我們來討論調(diào)校一個系統(tǒng)。為什么在循環(huán)過程中有一個設計階段？這個階段不是為集成商重新設計系統(tǒng)準備的。一般來說，關(guān)鍵生的設計元素，例如音箱的擺位、低音炮的擺位、聲學處理等等，都是可變的。然而，在很多系統(tǒng)中，某些元素的調(diào)整是受限的。對于那些沒有完成ADR的系統(tǒng)，可能需要在調(diào)校范圍之外做進一步工作。一個好的集成商會告訴他們的客戶，為了使系統(tǒng)更容易調(diào)校需要做哪些改變。在HT3課程中，我們幾乎可以把音箱移動到任何地方。我們可以做聲學處理然后聽聲音的變化。如果一個房間中的音箱、低音炮和座椅是可移動的，我們可以解決聽到的大部分問題。而在一個所有東西都被捆綁在一起的定制房間里，我們有責任找出設計失敗的地方，并提出改進建議。目標是使系統(tǒng)更容易調(diào)校，或者說使系統(tǒng)可調(diào)校。

The final phase is often referred to as the “Basic Cal” in HAA circles. The Calibration phase includes the expected adjustment of time delays and speaker levels， but there is more. If an equalizer is present in the system， we’ll start with the subs and smooth out the bass. Our goal here is eliminating the blurring effect of resonance. Hopefully， we were able to make great strides on this problem during the design phase by adjusting subwoofer position and moving seats to proper areas in the room. Once completed， we can equalize the LCR speakers.

在HAA的循環(huán)調(diào)校過程里，最后一個階段通常被稱為“基礎的調(diào)?！薄Ｕ{(diào)校包括預期的延時和音箱聲壓的調(diào)整，但還有更多。如果系統(tǒng)中自帶均衡器，我們將從低音炮開始，讓低音的頻響曲線趨于平整。目標是消除共振的模糊效應。希望在設計階段，我們能夠通過調(diào)整低音炮的位置和將座椅移動到房間合適的位置，來在這個問題上取得重大進展。一旦完成，我們就可以調(diào)整前置左中右音箱。

For the LCRs we need a two-pronged approach. The low frequencies of the main speakers are also prone to resonance so we deal with them differently than higher frequencies. Below ～150 Hz the dominant acoustical issue is resonance. If we equalize each speaker independently we often find that the combined response of the speakers seems to revert to an apparently non-equalized state. You see， the low frequency response of two speakers is different than each speaker individually. Therefore， we must equalize the low frequencies of the combined LCRs simultaneously with the sub （after sub EQ）.Above 150 Hz （generally） we can equalize the speakers individually. Our goal in the higher range is to make each speaker’s response match the others. We can take the same approach to the remaining surround speakers but the dividends are not as great. For these speakers， matching response is usually sufficient. One word of caution. It’s important to note that acoustical distortion is generally limited to lower frequencies. Typically， we see little value in equalizing response above 300 to 500 Hz. This limit is called the transition frequency. Except for the sloping of the high frequencies， the non-EQ’d measured response is very similar to the actual response of the speaker. Why EQ it if it’s not broken?

對于前置左中右音箱，我們需要雙管齊下的方法。主音箱的低頻部分也容易產(chǎn)生共振，因此我們對它們的處理與高頻部分不同。150Hz以下的頻率主要導致的聲學問題是共振。如果我們獨立地均衡每只音箱，會經(jīng)常發(fā)現(xiàn)音箱的綜合頻響似乎到了一種明顯不均衡的狀態(tài)。你看，兩只音箱的低頻響應和單只音箱是不一樣的。所以，我們必須將左中右主音箱包括低音炮（在進行低音炮EQ處理之后）組合起來之后再均衡低頻響應。高于150Hz的頻率（一般來說），我們可以獨立調(diào)整每只音箱的均衡器。我們更大范圍的目標是讓每只音箱的頻響和其它的相匹配。當然，我們也可以對剩下的環(huán)繞音箱采取同樣的方法，但效果可能沒那么好。對這些音箱而言，匹配頻響一般就足夠了。提醒一句，聲音失真通常僅限于較低的頻率。均衡300-500Hz的頻響一般沒什么價值。這個限制被稱為過渡頻率。除高頻傾斜外，非EQ測量的響應與音箱的實際響應非常相似。如果它沒有問題，為什么要進行EQ均衡呢？

如果系統(tǒng)中自帶均衡器，我們將從低音炮開始，讓低音的頻響曲線趨于平整

I should add that the strategy related above is a purely “small room” approach.Small room as in most home theaters.Small room acoustics is what we do in the HAA.

我應該補充說，上面提到的策略純粹是一種“小房間”策略，像大多數(shù)家庭影院那樣的小房間。HAA課程所處理的是小房間的聲學問題。

我們可以獨立調(diào)整每只音箱的均衡器

For those patient enough to read this entire article on the “Magic” of proper calibration and design， you are doubtless wondering where the magic is. How do we achieve such amazing results? The answer is simple. Follow the rules and be “anal” err analytical about every detail. Don’t assume，verify. Most importantly listen. There really is no magic. It’s about trusting the rule book and examining every detail. We’ll continue to try to present articles that explain the rules， but there’s no substitute for listening.Be systematic and learn the acoustical reasons for why some systems sound amazing.

對于有足夠耐心閱讀完這整篇文章的人來說，你一定想知道“魔法”在哪里。我們?nèi)绾文艿玫襟@人的聲音效果？答案很簡單。遵循規(guī)則，對每一個細節(jié)都要進行分析。不要假設、驗證，最重要的是傾聽。事實上并沒有魔法，它和信任規(guī)則和檢查每個細節(jié)有關(guān)。我們將繼續(xù)發(fā)表解釋規(guī)則的文章，但沒有什么可以替代聆聽。系統(tǒng)地去學習能讓聲音變得出色的聲學原理吧。