Why is SPL calibration important?
Recorded sound material is mixed to certain standards. During the mastering process, a Sound Engineer adjusts the sound level of every sound that goes into the recording. When played back on a home audio system, the sound pressure levels of those same sounds will vary from how they were heard by the Sound Engineer due to many factors. For example: A Sound Engineer may sit at a distance of 5 feet from each speaker during recording. The studio audio system is setup to make sure that the volume level of each channel is the same for every speaker at the position of the Sound Engineer. In your living room, you may sit 5 feet from the surrounds, 10 feet from the center, 9 feet from the front left and right, and 6 feet from the subwoofer. Since the speakers are at different distances from you, all of the speakers will have different volume levels relative to your position when sound is played back through them. Proper calibration ensures that you hear everything with the same intensity as the
