Hi TIA,
Me think that YPAO from Yamaha and also Advanced MCACC from Pioneer are two great systems with a lot of manual parameter adjustments available for the owners.
Those are from the Parametric EQ variety, with a certain number of predetermined audio frequencies. Approximatively ten or so, with very limited EQ in the BASS where it counts most!
Also they are more for only ONE listener.
Audyssey on the other side does not allow you to manually adjust his EQ (only with Audyssey MultEQ Pro you have some more flexibility to adjust to taste the reference curve).
But where Audyssey tromps the other systems is in its multitude of digital EQ filters that act both in the audio Frequency range (10 Hz to 24 Khz) and also the Time domain (taking into consideration your own room's acoustics; the first primary reflections).
Audyssey MultEQ XT has hundreds of FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filters (512 of them).
Audyssey MultEQ XT32 has over 10,000 of them!
And Audyssey Sub EQ HT is great for the calibration of multiple subwoofers.
And Audyssey DSX with the front Width & Height channels adds another expanded dimension in your room.
And Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume add to the overall enjoyment when listening below the Reference level, and watching TV from various channels with their volume levels all over the map!
And because of the incredible number of digital EQ filters Audyssey does a much better job in the low audio frequencies (Bass) where it counts the most!
And Audyssey takes an overall average of the listening area in your room by taking measurements of up to eight listening positions! (Up to 32 with Audyssey MultEQ Pro.)
So it is more broad, over a larger listening area.
The tweaks with Audyssey are in the mic positioning various positions and techniques. By experimenting with those you can tailor your sound to personal preference. That is what I found personally, as well several other people.
{Microphone height variations (just a couple inches can have an effect), the distance from one mic position to the next (from 6 inches to 24 inches), the size of the overall covered area; that could include one or two or three row of seats, and other techniques of that sort...}
You also have the choice of three target curves (two with Onkyo/Integra): "Flat", "Audyssey", and "Front L/R Bypass". And "Off" of course.
Plus you also have an additional Manual EQ (a Graphic Equalizer, with a minimum of seven and up to fifteen bands across the audio range).
And that Manual EQ (Graphic) is for each channel, or each pair of speakers, and also one for the separate Center channel, and finally another one for the individual Subwoofer channel!
But Audyssey is MUCH BETTER IMHO! And with Audyssey you can also access your Bass and Treble Tone controls! They are there at your Manual disposition!
* All Automatic Room Calibration & EQ systems require
Experimentation to sound their very best in your own room!
And one is not easier than another one. It has as much to do with you in your own room than in the system itself. I think!
Some people prefer YPAO and MCACC for the manual adjustments of their Parametric EQs (Graphic ones in some models). But it is an Art and it requires experience with instrumentation to do a good job at it.
You simply CANNOT manually adjust a Parametric EQ without the right instrumentation!
It is much too hard to exactly dial in the right audio 'Frequency' and separate 'Q' for each band, and to do this for each speaker in your room, by EAR only! Plus you only have very restricted control with only very few EQ bands (7, 9, or 10, depending on the receiver's or pre-amp's model number).
>>> And you DON'T have the summed EQualized bass like with Audyssey!
Audyssey is dismissed by some people because of its lack of manual adjustments for its EQs.
But, because what I just said here above, me think that you have an overall much superior Auto Room Calibration & EQ system with Audyssey!
I read extensively from people all over and found that Audyssey, in particular any flavor with Audyssey MultEQ and above, are much more sophisticated and advanced systems, and in their overall performance!
The three valid and highly desirable flavors of Audyssey (excluding MultEQ Pro) are:
* Audyssey MultEQ (6 mic positions) => Over 100 filters.
* Audyssey MultEQ XT (8 mic positions) => Hundreds of filters (512).
* Audyssey MultEQ XT32 (8 mic positions) => Over 10,000 filters!
{Audyssey 2EQ (3 mic positions) does not apply any digital filters in the Satellite channels, only in the Subwoofer channel; which is the most important one.}
Over at AVS I started a thread 2 years ago or so, on this very subject about all the various Auto Room Calibration & EQ systems out there, including those three here just above and ALL the other ones too; like Trinnov, ARC, EzSet EQ, etc.
But that thread unfortunately never took off!
> Trinnov (adds 3D Remap in the horizontal and vertical planes) is to be watch in the near future... This system also works in the Audio Frequency range as well in the Time domain, like Audyssey.
ARC is better implemented in the high end pre/pro, the Anthem Statement D2v/ARC1.
{The D2v/ARC1 pre/pro uses a combination of both FIR & IIR (Infinite Impulse Response) filters.}
Their receivers have a 'different' implementation of it, not as sophisticated as in the D2v/ARC1 pre/pro!
And all those systems have various opinions from the owners and also the professional reviewers.
In particular when it comes to two-channel Stereo music listening!
Any digital filter applied to an audio signal has an effect! And some people, like me, don't like that effect!
For Movies it's OK. It works good in the overall sound distribution in your room coming from all directions, and it does a very good job in the Subwoofer channel.
For me, as for other people, and professional reviewers; Audyssey MultEQ XT32, as well Audyssey MultEQ pro, are the way to go!
~ And that is only for those Auto Room Calibration & EQ systems that you inquired about! They don't include other separate digital EQs that you can add to further perfectioning your sound.
And in the Bass (from 10 Hz to about 120 Hz) is the audio range that makes the most benificial difference!
And Audyssey with its much higher number of digital DSP filters will take care on that very important audio range, as well up to 250/300 Hz or so (upper bass); and then to the rest of the audio range up to 24 Khz.
And that's what I think! And that's what also I'm satisfy with!
Movies! ...With Music I'm not quite there yet! So I use the "PURE" audio mode, with less alteration as possible.
-> I manually EQ my front main speakers by careful and calculated positioning, the right toing, the right height, the right width, the right distance, the right triangulation, the right angles, and with some room's acoustic treatments.
And I use my own set of ears as my measuring and listening tool.
Ti-li-dam...
Bob
...And If I would have that chance, Anthem will do very good good business coming from a Canadian as I. 