The “Magic” of Proper Calibration and Design恰当调校和设计的“魔法”

文_Gerry Lemay / 编译_杜晓文

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.

在这篇文章中，我将尝试解释构建令人惊奇的声音系统的秘密组成部分。对于那些参加过HAA HT3或早期的HAA Level II培训的人，我不需要在我对“魔法”的定义中添加夸张的成分。然而，如果你没有参加过这些课程，允许我解释一下，“魔法”意味着我们的结果通常是惊人的。这涉及到各种各样的器材组合和房间。事实上，最神奇的时刻已经在某些看上去不像样、设备简陋的房间出现过了。

Design Process设计过程

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.

允许我解释一下HAA的设计过程。必须理解的是，简单地对房间进行调校是不够的，需要掌握恰当设计的理论和原则。HAA已将声学设计审查（ADR）作为一种详尽的方法，用于在实际调校之前识别设计问题。在课堂上，我们从一个设计很差的房间开始，逐步改进设计的各个方面，以达到培训的目的。而在真实世界中，这是不实际的。ADR被设计用于调校前，甚至在房间建造前，这样，房间在安装后可以马上进行最后的调校。

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覆盖了布局的所有方面，并放大了许多看似微小的偏差。没有房间是完美的。有些布局并不适用于给定场景。对于这些情况，我们依赖于对设计缺陷中存在的声学问题的解释，并找出减轻这些问题的方法。然而，事实上大多数房间都可以有一个完美的状态，而真正的技巧是创造一个实用的方式让设计完善。可惜的是通常情况下，系统设计是存在缺陷的，并错误地假设影响很小。真正的“魔法”是我们需要以一种融入房间的方式来解决布局和声学问题。而好设计的关键是什么呢？

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.

我不打算在这里完整地解释ADR。这是我们的课堂上的任务。真正的关键是设计一间容易调校的房间。系统的“调校”是势在必行的。你看，如果某样东西很容易被调校，那么它更有可能被调校且得到正确调校。最佳例子是低音炮的摆位。低音炮的布局有很多技巧。最优的方案允许设计师保持房间整洁，同时将低音炮放置在最有利的位置。两只低音炮比单只低音炮更容易调校。大多数时候，我们看到所有的努力都是为了得到一个平滑的频率响应。这里忽略了座位与座位一致生的问题。我在前面的文章中已经讨论了座位的摆放问题。

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.

其它关键元素是前置左中右音箱的摆位。在HT3课程中，我们使用发烧友风格的参考材料。我们不仅在听乐器在声场中的位置，也在听准确再现所录事件相一致的三维声场。忽略系统重建复杂声场的能力，会让我们的听众失去另一种丰富的声音。一旦我们组里的发烧友高兴，我们就知道系统将轻松地再现电影原声。

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.

我可以继续讨论构成ADR的各种元素，但这里真正的信息是注意细节。系统的每一个元素都对结果的完善起着作用。任何接近但不完全正确的事物都是实现“魔法”的潜在失败点。

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课程中，每一个设计元素都会被单独改变，然后聆听结果。我们在听改变对声音质量的影响，以及这种改变如何影响早期设计。这种因果联系的过程是创造一个接近完美的整体设计的关键。同样，这种增量式的系统设计方式仅会在动手实验课堂上适用。这一课程的价值在于严格遵循正确的设计原则以及理解偏离这些原则的后果。

希望在设计阶段，我们能够通过调整低音炮的位置和将座椅移动到房间合适的位置，来让低音的频响曲线趋于平整

Calibration Process调校过程

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.

调校依赖于出色的系统设计。后者能让系统更容易被调校。即使有均衡器，依赖最终的调校来解决设计难题，也很容易误入歧途。调校会变得更难，就算用上自动化工具，正确完成的几率也很小。

The HAA calibration process circle is shown in figure 3. The process begins with evaluating the condition of the system i.e. “look 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的循环调校过程如图3所示。这个过程从评估系统的状态开始，即“三思而后行”。评估阶段标志需要标志一个时间点，使用你的专业听力技能来识别声音问题，并寻找可能导致的设计或调校问题。一个集成工程师可能会识别出“内部”问题需要更多的调校以解决问题。另外，测量可以进一步暴露声源问题。这一初始步骤提醒我们注意声音问题，但还需要进一步的分析来揭示解决方案。

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.

进一步的分析必须包括对每个组成部分的彻底检查，关键的AV放大器菜单和均衡器设置，以及系统的一般运行顺序和安装。这个阶段称为验证。如果你想从我这里找到开启美妙声音的钥匙，我无法强调验证系统正常工作的重要生。这需要分析方法，而很多人都错误地假设一切都很好。每一个组成部分都需要被系统地检查。有些问题是不明显的，例如音箱的极生在工厂里接错了或是某个高音的频响和其它不一样。这些问题常常被忽视，但对于创造杰出音质是至关重要的。很少有HT2或HT3课程没有发现的隐藏设备问题。如果你的任务是寻找美妙的声音，这个阶段是不可以被跳过的。一旦你确定系统是正确连接，菜单设置正确，一切都运行妥当，那么我们可以开始找到在评估阶段听到的可纠正的设计问题。

一般来说，关键性的设计元素，例如音箱的摆位、低音炮的摆位、声学处理等等，都是可变的，我们可以通过调整这些元素，解决听到的大部分问题

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.

接下来，我们来讨论调校一个系统。为什么在循环过程中有一个设计阶段？这个阶段不是为集成商重新设计系统准备的。一般来说，关键生的设计元素，例如音箱的摆位、低音炮的摆位、声学处理等等，都是可变的。然而，在很多系统中，某些元素的调整是受限的。对于那些没有完成ADR的系统，可能需要在调校范围之外做进一步工作。一个好的集成商会告诉他们的客户，为了使系统更容易调校需要做哪些改变。在HT3课程中，我们几乎可以把音箱移动到任何地方。我们可以做声学处理然后听声音的变化。如果一个房间中的音箱、低音炮和座椅是可移动的，我们可以解决听到的大部分问题。而在一个所有东西都被捆绑在一起的定制房间里，我们有责任找出设计失败的地方，并提出改进建议。目标是使系统更容易调校，或者说使系统可调校。

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的循环调校过程里，最后一个阶段通常被称为“基础的调校”。调校包括预期的延时和音箱声压的调整，但还有更多。如果系统中自带均衡器，我们将从低音炮开始，让低音的频响曲线趋于平整。目标是消除共振的模糊效应。希望在设计阶段，我们能够通过调整低音炮的位置和将座椅移动到房间合适的位置，来在这个问题上取得重大进展。一旦完成，我们就可以调整前置左中右音箱。

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?

对于前置左中右音箱，我们需要双管齐下的方法。主音箱的低频部分也容易产生共振，因此我们对它们的处理与高频部分不同。150Hz以下的频率主要导致的声学问题是共振。如果我们独立地均衡每只音箱，会经常发现音箱的综合频响似乎到了一种明显不均衡的状态。你看，两只音箱的低频响应和单只音箱是不一样的。所以，我们必须将左中右主音箱包括低音炮（在进行低音炮EQ处理之后）组合起来之后再均衡低频响应。高于150Hz的频率（一般来说），我们可以独立调整每只音箱的均衡器。我们更大范围的目标是让每只音箱的频响和其它的相匹配。当然，我们也可以对剩下的环绕音箱采取同样的方法，但效果可能没那么好。对这些音箱而言，匹配频响一般就足够了。提醒一句，声音失真通常仅限于较低的频率。均衡300-500Hz的频响一般没什么价值。这个限制被称为过渡频率。除高频倾斜外，非EQ测量的响应与音箱的实际响应非常相似。如果它没有问题，为什么要进行EQ均衡呢？

如果系统中自带均衡器，我们将从低音炮开始，让低音的频响曲线趋于平整

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.

我应该补充说，上面提到的策略纯粹是一种“小房间”策略，像大多数家庭影院那样的小房间。HAA课程所处理的是小房间的声学问题。

我们可以独立调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.

对于有足够耐心阅读完这整篇文章的人来说，你一定想知道“魔法”在哪里。我们如何能得到惊人的声音效果？答案很简单。遵循规则，对每一个细节都要进行分析。不要假设、验证，最重要的是倾听。事实上并没有魔法，它和信任规则和检查每个细节有关。我们将继续发表解释规则的文章，但没有什么可以替代聆听。系统地去学习能让声音变得出色的声学原理吧。