(Note: For more info on this topic, check out HGTVPro's feature on Home Theaters and Home Automation.)

It used to be whenever I was evaluating a new audio video receiver that I spent an hour or two adjusting levels, delays and other setting trying to get the best possible sound in the room. But many folks either didn't know how to do this or didn't take the time to get a good sound in the room. Too many setups just didn't sound that good.

A few years ago several companies started to include automatic room calibration in their av receivers. Though the technology involved varies, they all had the same basic process. After you installed the receiver, the set up process includes:
- connect the microphone (included) to the receiver,
- place the microphone in the primary listening position,
- with the remote, you selected the 'auto room calibration mode'.

The receiver then send various test tones to the speakers in the system and the microphone would pick up the sounds after they bounced off of the walls, ceiling, floor and furnishings in the room. The receiver would then anilyse and correct the various setting try to optimize the sound for room.

When this feature was introduced on a few receivers several years ago, the results were OK. The sound was better than if you did nothing, or only spent a few minutes trying to adjust the system, but usually fell well short of getting the set up truly dialed in.

Recently I have had the opportunity to try two receivers with much improved automatic room calibration - the Yamaha RX-V3800 (since replaced by the RX-V3900) and the Marantz SR-8003. The 3800 uses their proprietary Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer - YPAO, while the Marantz uses Audyssy's calibration technology.

When I was setting up each of the receivers I went through my set up with test tones and a sound pressure level meter. When I got the settings to my liking, I then stored them in the receivers memory. Next I did the auto room calibration and stored it. In both situations the auto set up sounded as good or better than my set up that took at least an hour.

Now it is easy for anyone to properly set up their receiver. Have you tried a receiver with automatic room calibration? What do you think?

(Note: Audyssy is auto calibration is available on Denon, Onkyo, NAD and Marantz products. Pioneer also has a proprietary auto calibration system MCACC, but I have not had the opportunity to test it)