I have rediscovered my Yamaha HS8 after reading the manual

[Horizon7777]

Hello,

I want to share my experience about a proper calibration of the Yamaha HS8 and HS8S.

For Months I‘ve listened to wrong calibrated hardware due to wrong explanations of my audio interface brand and other interface brands.

The way I‘ve done it before:

Audient iD14 output knob always -20
Monitors turned up until a pleasuring audio level was reached

The bass was very distorted and not reproduced correctly with drum hits etc. The punch was completely disappeared.

My new settings from the Yamaha manual:

Monitor levels +4 dB (12 o‘clock position)
High trim and room control 0
Subwoofer level 12 o‘clock too
High-cut and low-cut 100 (12 o‘clock)
Basically everything to 12 o‘clock
Switch the low-cut filter in the subwoofer on!

Result: Wow! Perfect bass! Very punchy and not like "water" smeared all over the sound!!

Of course you can do little adjustments with the cut filters for your room, but this is just perfect for me. I think this is important to know, because this will increase the listening experience drastically and this is how it‘s properly done.

Note: +4 dB is for balanced inputs (XLR). If you have got unbalanced cables, use -10 dB. You can always turn the audio interface knob how you want to. It is not altering the stereo image or dynamic range.

What do you think?

[imrae]

Good pointer. Gain staging is not just for recording!

[Horizon7777]

I think a lot of people need to understand this, because I‘m so damn sure that most of the home studios are adjusted wrong and then I read about people complaining about bad sound and they are not satisfied with their monitors, simply because nobody reads manuals (I‘m glad I did. ). But I‘ve noticed there was something wrong all the time.

[BertKoor]

If only Yamaha had put a video on youtube to explain these things instead of relying on people reading the printed material shipped with their products.

[resynthesis]

If only Yamaha had put a video on youtube to explain these things instead of relying on people reading the printed material shipped with their products.

[raunoy]

To me its quite old school to force users read the manual instead of making east to understand tutorials but its good to know that you found the perfect solution ultimately.

[Horizon7777]

If only Yamaha had put a video on youtube to explain these things instead of relying on people reading the printed material shipped with their products.

This. It must be a tradition, because music production wasn‘t that mainstream back then and people actually used to read such stuff I believe.

Gain staging

Interesting term. I‘ll learn more about it.

[imrae]

If only Yamaha had put a video on youtube to explain these things instead of relying on people reading the printed material shipped with their products.

Sounds like a good niche! Get some pro lighting set up, "unbox" the manual and then skim read it aloud along with "helpful" clarifications.

"It says it takes a balanced signal on a 'truss' jack, so watch your bass levels and be sure to use a stereo signal, like a headphone output. Don't forget to like and subscribe!"

[rasmusklump]

I have my HS8 together with the sub since they came out and still love them