Problems with Movie Dialog-Just the normal?


Hi all,

This is my biggest pet peeve with my system and would appreciate any thoughts-

When I setup my system via spl meter, all channels matching levels, the vast majority of movies have very low dialog levels, or specific instances where I can't hear dialog clearly, in the center channel. Drives me absolutely nuts. I keep turning things up until the loud parts hit the neighbors at the end of the block come a knocking. The distance to listening position is equal across the front.

I have tried to setup a balanced system, see system link. Equal power to all channels, the center channel is the same exact driver set as front mains housed in a horizontal array.

I'm torn between "how the director wants things portrayed-THX standards" and feeling "less-than" by flat out turning up the level in the center channel. Sometimes I've tried the late night modes and almost enjoyed these more.

I don't think the center speaker is "broken" in any way, all drivers make noise...:)

Any ideas?

Thanks
Marty
marty9876

Showing 1 response by slappy

Uhm, this is a pretty simple answer, but i things for a living and always look for this simplist answers...

Is your DRC on?

Im pretty sure you know what this is but in case you dont....
Dvd';s are pretty dynamic. Whispers sound quiet and explosions rock the house. Dynamic Range Compression was created to make a balanced level of volume throughout the movie by eliminating spikes in volume. It gets everything at approximatly the same volume.

With DRC on with some players, when an explosion happens, it just reduces the total volume on all channels, and voices can get down to a whisper untill the volume peak subsides then the DRC raises the volume. come players are better than other players at this, and can reduce the spikes in volume without lowering the volume of other sounds which gives it a nore balanced feel and it doesent seem like somone is just flipping down the knob.

Might that be the problem?

If so, maybe you oughtta try borrowing a buddys DVD player and watching the same problematic parts in movies...

or is this more of a freak occurrance? not really specific to any point to a movee and more random?

if this seems to just happen out of the blue, then swap out the dvd player still, and give it a shot. if it keeps happening, i got 10 bucks that says your processor is messed up

hope that helps

slappidy slap