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Start with Room Acoustics in the StreamMagic app, not the Equaliser. Enter the room length and the distance from each speaker to the wall behind it, listen to familiar music, and then make small placement changes if bass is excessive. Cambridge Audio recommends this order because room correction gives you a sound foundation before personal tonal adjustments.
After Room Acoustics, use the seven-band Equaliser for taste, DynamEQ for low-volume listening, surface compensation only when the room is noticeably bright or dull, and the subwoofer controls only if you have connected a subwoofer.
The best adjustment order at a glance
The L/R X is an active stereo streaming speaker system. Its audio customisation controls are in StreamMagic rather than on a traditional amplifier front panel. The current L/R X user manual (published June 15, 2026, revision reported September 3, 2026) documents this control set.
| Order | Setting | What it changes | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Room Acoustics | Compensates for room dimensions and speaker-to-wall distance | Always start here |
| 2 | Speaker placement | Changes how walls, corners and furniture reinforce bass | Bass remains heavy or uneven |
| 3 | Equaliser | Seven frequency bands and factory presets | You want a personal tonal balance |
| 4 | DynamEQ | Restores perceived bass and treble lost at low volume | The balance changes when listening quietly |
| 5 | Surface compensation | Addresses a room that sounds too bright or too dull | Room surfaces dominate the tone |
| 6 | Subwoofer controls | Sub level, phase and main-speaker high-pass cutoff | A subwoofer is connected |
Changing controls in this sequence keeps room problems separate from taste adjustments. It also gives you a reliable way to undo a change: return the last setting to its previous value rather than compensating for several changes at once.
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Before changing anything: connect the L/R X to your network
The L/R X is a network player and requires a network connection for source selection and StreamMagic control. The manual explicitly states that “The L/R X’s EQ and audio customisation settings are accessed via the StreamMagic app.” If the speakers do not appear in the app, solve the network connection first rather than trying to adjust sound from another device.
- Connect the speakers to the same local network used by your phone or tablet. Cambridge Audio’s network setup guide covers the initial connection for L/R M and L/R X.
- Open StreamMagic and select the L/R X system.
- Play a familiar, well-recorded track at a moderate level. Use the same track after every major change so that memory of the original sound does not influence the comparison.
- Open the app’s audio controls. Menu wording can change with app releases, but Room Acoustics is under Audio Settings.
1. Set up Room Acoustics first
Room Acoustics is the manufacturer’s first adjustment because the room can add or remove bass independently of the speaker’s voicing. Cambridge Audio’s support FAQ says: “Yes , we recommend setting up Room Acoustics first. It corrects how your room affects the sound, giving you a better foundation before making any personal adjustments with the Equaliser.” The unusual space before the comma is retained from the official wording in Cambridge Audio’s Room Acoustics FAQ.
Enter the two measurements
- In StreamMagic, go to Audio Settings → Room Acoustics.
- Measure the room length in the direction the speakers face. Enter that value in the room-length field.
- Measure the distance from the speakers to the wall directly behind them, not to a side wall or the listening seat. Enter that distance.
- Apply the settings, then replay your reference track.
The measurements do not need to be presented as laboratory data. A careful tape measurement is more useful than a guessed value, especially in a room where the speakers sit close to a rear wall.
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Fine-tune by listening
Room Acoustics is a starting correction, not a guarantee that every seat will sound identical. Listen for the bass notes that previously boomed, masked vocals or lingered after the beat. If those problems remain, adjust the app’s correction sliders in small increments and listen again. Change one slider at a time and keep notes of the value that sounded most natural.
2. Treat speaker placement as part of the correction
If the L/R X still sounds bass-heavy, do not immediately cut large amounts of low frequency in the Equaliser. Cambridge Audio identifies walls, corners, furniture and the listening position as contributors to excess bass in its support answer, “My L/R X speakers sound quite bass-heavy out of the box – is that normal?”
Make controlled placement changes
- Leave the Room Acoustics correction active.
- Move both speakers a small, equal distance farther from the rear wall if the layout allows it. Keep the left/right spacing and toe-in consistent.
- Replay the same bass-rich passage from your reference track.
- If the sound becomes lean, move the speakers back partway. If it remains thick, try another small change rather than a dramatic relocation.
- Check whether one speaker is much closer to a corner or large piece of furniture. Correcting that asymmetry can be more effective than changing a frequency band.
There is no single “correct” wall distance in the documented guidance. The useful result is the position that produces even bass at your normal listening seat without forcing an extreme EQ cut.
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3. Use the seven-band Equaliser for personal tonal preference
Once the room and placement are under control, the Equaliser is the right tool for a deliberate preference such as slightly less warmth or more presence. The manual documents seven adjustable frequency bands and built-in presets. It does not establish one universal curve for every L/R X owner, room or music genre.
A safe Equaliser workflow
- Start from the flat or default state, or record the current values before selecting a preset.
- Change one band by a small amount.
- Use several recordings, including speech or vocals, acoustic instruments and bass-heavy material. A change that flatters one track can make another sound unnatural.
- Compare at the same volume and return to the previous value if the change merely makes the sound louder or harsher.
Large boosts can consume headroom and make the system sound strained. If bass is still a room-specific boom, go back to Room Acoustics or placement instead of building a deep notch into the EQ. The available presets are starting points, not measurements of your room.
4. Try DynamEQ when the balance changes at low volume
DynamEQ has a different purpose from the Equaliser. The manual describes it as compensation for the reduced perception of bass and treble at lower listening levels. In practical terms, a mix that sounds balanced at a normal level may seem thin when you turn it down; DynamEQ can restore some of that subjective weight.
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Adjust intensity for your listening level
- Set your usual quiet listening volume.
- Enable DynamEQ and listen to a familiar track.
- Increase or decrease its intensity until bass and treble sound proportionate, without making kick drums or cymbals dominate.
- Turn it off briefly at the same volume to confirm that it is solving a low-volume problem rather than adding coloration you do not want.
DynamEQ is not a substitute for Room Acoustics. If the bass is boomy at every volume, correct the room and placement first.
5. Use surface compensation only for a bright or dull room
Surface compensation is optional. The manual says it can help when the room sounds too bright or too dull, which can happen when reflective or absorbent surfaces dominate the direct sound. It is a broad room-character adjustment, not a replacement for fixing an obvious speaker position problem.
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- Too bright: vocals, strings or cymbals remain edgy even after sensible placement and Room Acoustics setup.
- Too dull: detail and vocal articulation seem consistently muted, particularly in a heavily furnished or acoustically absorbent room.
- Neither: leave surface compensation unchanged; adding it without a clear symptom makes later troubleshooting harder.
Make one change, listen from the primary seat, and check several recordings. Room treatments, curtains, shelves and furniture can alter the result, so a setting that works after a room rearrangement may no longer be appropriate.
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6. Configure the subwoofer only when one is connected
The L/R X’s subwoofer menu matters only if you use its RCA subwoofer output. Cambridge Audio’s product page identifies that output on the L/R X product specification. With subwoofer output disabled, the main speakers play the full frequency range. When it is enabled, the app exposes subwoofer level, phase and a high-pass cutoff for the main speakers.
| Control | Documented range or choices | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Subwoofer level | -10 dB to +10 dB | Start near the middle or a modest level, then match bass to the main speakers rather than maximising it. |
| Phase | Phase control, including inversion | Try the opposite phase if bass at the listening seat sounds thin, hollow or partly cancelled. |
| Main-speaker high-pass cutoff | 20 Hz to 250 Hz | Raise it gradually only when you want the subwoofer to take over more low-frequency work. |
Integrate the subwoofer methodically
- Enable subwoofer output and set the sub level conservatively.
- Play a bass line that is easy to follow. Adjust level until the sub fills in the bottom octave without drawing attention to its location.
- Compare the available phase settings. Choose the one that gives the strongest, most even bass at the seat; if one setting sounds hollow, use the other.
- Change the high-pass cutoff in small steps only if the hand-off between the L/R X and subwoofer is uneven. The documented range is 20 Hz–250 Hz, not a recommendation to use either endpoint.
- Recheck the result from a second seat if more than one person listens regularly.
If you disconnect the subwoofer, disable its output and reassess the full-range main speakers before touching the Equaliser again.
A troubleshooting path for common symptoms
Bass is heavy on every recording
- Verify the room length and rear-wall distance in Room Acoustics.
- Move the speakers slightly away from the rear wall or out of a corner, keeping both sides symmetrical.
- Only then consider a small low-frequency EQ reduction.
Bass is weak or hollow with a subwoofer
- Check the RCA connection and confirm that subwoofer output is enabled.
- Compare phase settings; inversion can cure cancellation at the listening position.
- Adjust level and cutoff gradually rather than adding a large EQ boost.
The system sounds thin only when quiet
- Leave Room Acoustics and placement unchanged if they sound correct at normal volume.
- Enable DynamEQ and set its intensity for the quiet level you actually use.
Vocals or cymbals sound harsh
- Check for reflective surfaces and try surface compensation only if the whole room is bright.
- Reduce any high-frequency EQ boost or return to the flat setting.
- Compare at matched volume; louder often sounds subjectively brighter.
Settings mistakes that make diagnosis harder
- Changing several controls at once: you cannot tell whether the improvement came from room correction, EQ or placement. Change one variable and keep a note.
- Using EQ to fix a corner problem: a large bass cut may make the rest of the room too thin. Correct the physical setup first.
- Judging from one song: use contrasting recordings and a consistent listening level.
- Maxing out the subwoofer: the documented +10 dB limit is a control range, not a target.
- Ignoring the network requirement: source selection and customisation depend on the L/R X being reachable through the network and StreamMagic.
A repeatable final checklist
- Confirm the L/R X is online and visible in StreamMagic.
- Enter room length and rear-wall distance under Audio Settings → Room Acoustics.
- Listen to familiar tracks and make small correction-slider changes.
- Experiment with equal, small speaker-placement moves if bass remains excessive.
- Use the seven-band Equaliser or a preset only for a remaining personal preference.
- Enable and tune DynamEQ only for a low-volume balance problem.
- Apply surface compensation only when the room consistently sounds bright or dull.
- If a subwoofer is connected, integrate level, phase and high-pass cutoff separately.
- Save the values that work and change only one setting when a new problem appears.
This order follows Cambridge Audio’s documented guidance while leaving room for your actual room, seating position and listening habits. It avoids claiming a universal EQ recipe where none is established, and it keeps the most powerful correction—room and placement—before the optional tonal controls.
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