SPA25 Prisma User Guide

  • Contents

    • Setting up speakers

    After connecting up your loudspeakers, to get the correct balance of sound from your surround system you need to configure the settings in the three submenus on the Speaker Settings menu.

    Speaker Settings


    The procedure for setting up the surround system is as follows:

    Speaker Setup

    Specifies which speakers you have in your surround system, and how they are connected to the SPA25.

    Crossover

    Allows you to specify the crossover characteristics to be applied to each speaker.

    Distance

    Measure the distance from the listening position to the treble unit of each speaker and enter it in the Distance menu.

    Level

    Using either an audio source, or the test tone, proceed through each of the speakers in your setup, and adjust the level in the Level menu to achieve a balanced sound.

    Presets

    The speaker presets make it easy to save your settings as a single, named configuration. You can define up to five presets, initially called Preset 1 to Preset 5, but you can give them names using the Alias option. You can access the speaker presets from each of the Speaker Setup, Crossover, Distance, and Level menus.

    You only need to define one preset, but having more than one allows you to experiment with different configurations of your surround system. For example, you could have one preset optimised for solitary listening, and another which is ideal for watching movies with a crowd of friends.

    Speaker Setup

    The Speaker Setup menu allows you to define speaker presets, which configure the assignment of loudspeakers to the surround system.

    Preset

    Lets you select which loudspeaker preset you are configuring. To specify the preset:

    • Press SELECT on the PRISMA remote.
    • Press  or  on the PRISMA remote to step to the preset you want to edit.
    • Press SELECT to select it.

    Alias

    Allows you to give the loudspeaker preset a memorable name. See Configuring the SPA25: Editing an alias for details of entering an alias.

    Dirac filter

    Choose None (the default) if you are not using Dirac, or Slot 1 to Slot 4 to specify which Dirac configuration you want to use.

    Front L&R

    Allows you to reassign the Front Left and Right loudspeaker outputs to other loudspeakers in the surround system.

    Choose Front (the default) to use the outputs for the main Front Left and Right loudspeakers, or Top Rear to use the outputs for Top Rear Left and Right speakers.

    Center

    Choose ON (the default) if you have a loudspeaker connected to the Centre output, or OFF if there is no Centre loudspeaker.

    Surround L&R

    Choose ON (the default) if you have loudspeakers connected to the Surround Left and Right outputs, or OFF if there are no Surround Left and Right loudspeakers in the system.

    Subwoofer

    Choose ON (the default) if you have a subwoofer connected to the SUB 1 analogue output, or OFF if there is no subwoofer in the system.

    Surr. Back L&R

    Allows you to reassign the Surround Back Left and Right loudspeaker outputs to other loudspeakers in the surround system.

    Choose OFF if you are not using these outputs, Surr. Back (the default) to use the outputs for the Surround Back Left and Right loudspeakers, or Top Rear to use the outputs for Top Rear Left and Right speakers.

    Height L&R

    Allows you to reassign the Height Left and Right loudspeaker outputs to other loudspeakers in the surround system.

    Choose OFF if you are not using these outputs, Top Middle (the default) to use the outputs for the Height Left and Right loudspeakers, or Top Front to use the outputs for Top Front Left and Right speakers, or Bi-Amp Front.

    Height Type

    Choose Overhead (the default) if the height speakers are ceiling mounted, pointing down into the room, or Upward Firing if they are pointing at the ceiling.

    When the Height Type is set to Upward Firing the SPA25 Height outputs are set as Dolby Atmos enabled speakers. When the Height Type is set to Overhead the SPA25 Height outputs are set as normal speakers.

    Crossover

    Allows you to specify the crossover characteristics.

    Preset

    Lets you select which crossover preset you are configuring. To specify the preset:

    • Press SELECT on the PRISMA remote.
    • Press  or  on the PRISMA remote to step to the preset you want to edit.
    • Press SELECT to select it.

    Alias

    Allows you to give the speaker preset a memorable name. See Configuring the SPA25: Editing an alias for details of entering an alias.

    Dirac filter

    Choose None (the default) if you are not using Dirac, or Slot 1 to Slot 4 to specify which Dirac configuration you want to use.

    Front L&R, Center, Surround L&R, Surround Back L&R, Height L&R, Height Rear L&R, LFE

    These menus allow you to specify the crossover frequency for each speaker or pair of speakers.

    You can choose Full Range, or a crossover frequency from 40 Hz to 200 Hz in steps of 10 Hz. By default all speakers are Full Range, and the LFE is 200 Hz.

    You can hold down  or  on the PRISMA remote to change the setting rapidly, and you will hear the effect in the current source you are listening to.

    If you don’t have a subwoofer in your system, at least one pair of loudspeakers should be set to Full Range to handle the bass in the surround system.

    If one or more speakers are defined as Full Range, the subwoofer receives the LFE signal (when available). You can also choose to send the subwoofer(s) a copy of the bass from the Full Range speakers by setting Double Bass to ON; see Setting up sources: Audio settings.

    If no speakers are defined as Full Range, the subwoofer receives the LFE signal (when available), plus the bass from each channel. 

    Distance

    Allows you to specify the distance of each loudspeaker from the listening position.

    Preset

    Lets you select which distance preset you are configuring. To specify the preset:

    • Press SELECT on the PRISMA remote.
    • Press  or  on the PRISMA remote to step to the preset you want to edit.
    • Press SELECT to select it.

    Alias

    Allows you to give the speaker preset a memorable name. See Configuring the SPA25: Editing an alias for details of entering an alias.

    Dirac filter

    Choose None (the default) if you are not using Dirac, or Slot 1 to Slot 4 to specify which Dirac configuration you want to use.

    Unit

    Choose Meter (the default) to measure distances in meters, Feet to measure distances in feet, or ms to measure according to the equivalent time delay.

    Front Left, Center, Front Right, Surround Right, Surr. Back Right, Surr. Back Left, Surround Left, Subwoofer, Height Right, Height Left, Height Rear Right, Height Rear Left

    These menus allow you to specify the distance of each speaker from the listening position.

    The speakers go in order clockwise around the layout, starting from Front Left. In this menu you can specify the left and right speakers in each pair individually, because they may not be exactly the same distance from the listening position.

    The range of options is as follows:

    Unit Range
    Meter 0.00 m to 12.00 m in steps of 0.10 m
    Feet 0.00 ft to 39.36 ft in steps of about 0.32 ft

    You can hold down  or  on the PRISMA remote to change the setting rapidly, and you will hear the effect in the current source you are listening to.

    Level

    Allows you to adjust the relative level of each loudspeaker.

    Preset

    Lets you select which level preset you are configuring. To specify the preset:

    • Press SELECT on the PRISMA remote.
    • Press  or  on the PRISMA remote to step to the preset you want to edit.
    • Press SELECT to select it.

    Alias

    Allows you to give the speaker preset a memorable name. See Configuring the SPA25: Editing an alias for details of entering an alias.

    Dirac filter

    Choose None (the default) if you are not using Dirac, or Slot 1 to Slot 4 to specify which Dirac configuration you want to use.

    Test Tone

    Plays a test tone instead of the current source.

    Front Left, Center, Front Right, Surround Right, Surr. Back Right, Surr. Back Left, Surround Left, Subwoofer, Height Right, Height Left, Height Rear Right, Height Rear Left

    These menus allow you to adjust the level of each loudspeaker, from -12.0 dB (quieter), to 0.0 dB (the default), to +12.0 dB (louder).

    The speakers go in order clockwise around the layout, starting from Front Left. In this menu you can specify the left and right speakers in each pair individually, because they may not sound equally loud at the listening position. 

    You can hold down  or  on the PRISMA remote to change the setting rapidly, and you will hear the effect in the current source you are listening to, or the test tone if you have chosen that.

    Dirac Live

    The interaction between your Primare system and the physical layout of your room has a huge impact on sound quality. With Dirac Live® Room Correction you can apply state-of-the-art, patented algorithms to analyse and digitally reduce room impact and enhance speaker performance through your Primare system. Dirac Live delivers a larger sweet spot, accurate staging, clarity, voice intelligibility, and a deeper, tighter bass not otherwise possible.

    Key Benefits

    With Dirac Live Room Correction you will experience three key benefits:

    1. Improved localisation of sound events, so called staging.

    2. Better clarity and intelligibility in music and speech.

    3. A deeper and tighter bass free of resonances throughout the entire listening area.

    For more information see https://primare.net/dirac/

    Dirac Live Quick Start Guide

    1. Download Dirac Live.
    2. Create a Dirac account.
    3. If needed, buy a license for your device and follow activation instructions.
    4. Log in to Dirac Live on your device.
    5. Calibrate and enjoy!

    Note: Limited Bandwidth Dirac Live subscription tier is included with the SPA25. Alternatively, you can order the Full Bandwidth Dirac Live subscription directly from Dirac on their website.

     

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