# Is there anyway to deal with low dialogue and loud action?



## wil11o6

I noticed that after getting into blu-rays, a lot of them have scenes where dialogue is almost inaudible and I'm scared to turn up the volume because the action sequences just explode with loudness out of nowhere. I live in an apartment so I always have my remote next to me to dial up during talking scenes and dial down during action sequences. I find it rather annoying. I understand if I had a dedicated home theater room, this would benefit as it would have a more theatrical feel, but it's not doing it for me. It's just a minor inconvenience to keep changing volume levels, but if anyone has a simple fix in an option or calibration, that would be great. Though, I am running a budget $200 Yamaha HTR-5930


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## bambino

I know how you feel i have the same problem at times. 
What i'll usually do is a manual adjustment on my surrounds and fronts and possibly turn the center up abit, i know it's inconveniant but that is how i deal with it. For the most part when it's just my wife and i and the twins are away i just let it rip with all levels set the same. The main movie i think of when this was the biggest problem is Dillenger with Johnny Depp, it seemed the dialouge was almost inaudible then when the action started it was just obnoxious.:dontknow:


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## Moonfly

Pretty much as Bambino says here I think,

You can use functions like DRC or late night modes some receivers have, and tweak the centre channel a couple db louder too. Just play with the options till you find a setup that does what you want. Films are designed for explosions to be loud, and shockingly loud, because thats what explosions are. The only way to get away from that is to tweak you setup away from what is considered typical. Turning down your surrounds a couple db, and/or reducing your sub channel a couple db may also prove helpful. 

You might find however, that playing with these settings might reduce your listening pleasure if you use the system for music. It might not, but it'll be a bit of trial and error.


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## Sir Terrence

wil11o6 said:


> I noticed that after getting into blu-rays, a lot of them have scenes where dialogue is almost inaudible and I'm scared to turn up the volume because the action sequences just explode with loudness out of nowhere. I live in an apartment so I always have my remote next to me to dial up during talking scenes and dial down during action sequences. I find it rather annoying. I understand if I had a dedicated home theater room, this would benefit as it would have a more theatrical feel, but it's not doing it for me. It's just a minor inconvenience to keep changing volume levels, but if anyone has a simple fix in an option or calibration, that would be great. Though, I am running a budget $200 Yamaha HTR-5930


What you are experiencing is the full dynamic range of a lossless soundtrack(as designed for a big theater) played back with a smaller speaker system, in a smaller room, with acoustics that are not exactly optimal for proper playback of film soundtracks(high ambient level,s resonances, and dissimilar center channel orientation). 

What you can do to compensate for both your listening volume, and your system, is to engage the dynamic range control in your receiver. Set if for the night mode, and it will reduce the dynamic volume of the soundtrack, and compensate for your smaller room(and possible sound leakage), and keep your neighbors somewhat happy. The bass will be softer, and overall volume will be softer as well. The dialog's volume will remain the same, and it will help with dialog intelligibility in your room(the dialog will be more forward in the overall mix). 

Hope this helps you out.


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## wil11o6

My receiver doesn't have a drc mode, but a night mode. It is a budget yamaha receiver. Is night mode of the same audio quality as a receiver with drc mode? As in would I lose more from the yamahas night mode than one that says drc or is night mode just another name for drc.


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## Moonfly

Late night mode is similar to DRC. Your source may also have a DRC mode as well, so look at that.


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## Sir Terrence

wil11o6 said:


> My receiver doesn't have a drc mode, but a night mode. It is a budget yamaha receiver. Is night mode of the same audio quality as a receiver with drc mode? As in would I lose more from the yamahas night mode than one that says drc or is night mode just another name for drc.


DRC mode, night mode, they are both one in the same. The object of both is to decrease the dynamic volume of the entire soundtrack. It basically optimizes the soundtrack for apartment situations by reducing the highest peaks in the treble and bass range of frequencies, leaving the midrange untouched. You will no longer have to dive for the volume button at volume peaks once you get the volume right for the midrange frequencies.


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## wil11o6

Ah, thanks a bunch. I never really thought of turning it on as I always thought it took away the quality of what I am watching. I just thought it just makes everything quieter, not leaving the midrange untouched. I will test it out wen I get a chance.


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## tonyvdb

Check the BluRay players audio menu, it may also have DRC and may work better than the receivers night mode.


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## mdrake

Honestly I think the easy way to fix the problem is to turn your center channel up by a few db.


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## lsiberian

mdrake said:


> Honestly I think the easy way to fix the problem is to turn your center channel up by a few db.


Agree crank up the Center Channel 4 db at least. Then try it again. I doubt you will disturb the neighbors. You need a sub to disturb the neighbors. :R


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## Moonfly

Should I quote my initial post now then, seeing as we are repeating it and all


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## lsiberian

Moonfly said:


> Should I quote my initial post now then, seeing as we are repeating it and all


No just crank up your center channel a bit and you will be cool. :rofl2:


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## Moonfly

:rofl:


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## Sir Terrence

Cranking up the center channel is not a way to deal with this issue. By doing so, you are just pushing the dialog forward at the expense of the balance between the L/R mains and center channel. 

The best way to handle this kind of situation is to engage the night mode or DRC in the player or receiver. This way the the loudest peaks, and low level information are altered in ALL channels. Turning up the center 4db will just make the center channel more in your face, without actually dealing with the real problem...excessive dynamic range.


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## wil11o6

I have tried turning up my center a few DB, but having all other channels at a lower volume, it doesn't sound that balanced to me. I normally do turn my center up a couple DBs so turning it up even more makes too much of the audio focus into my center channel.


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## Moonfly

I would never go more than 3db hot on any channel anyway personally. Have you had any luck with DRC on your source (BR player etc) or the night mode or both?


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## tonyvdb

The other issue with increasing the centre channels level too much is if you push it to hard you may introduce distortion due to overloading the speaker or the amp. You will get a much more balanced sound if you use DRC


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## tcarcio

I usually run my center 3-4db hot especially since I got a reciever with Audyssey. I also turn down the surrounds about the same just to get a more even sound. I have only had to do this since Audyssey has been involved since I never needed to with Mcacc with my old Pioneer.


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## lsiberian

Sir Terrence said:


> Cranking up the center channel is not a way to deal with this issue. By doing so, you are just pushing the dialog forward at the expense of the balance between the L/R mains and center channel.
> 
> The best way to handle this kind of situation is to engage the night mode or DRC in the player or receiver. This way the the loudest peaks, and low level information are altered in ALL channels. Turning up the center 4db will just make the center channel more in your face, without actually dealing with the real problem...excessive dynamic range.


I do suggest verifying all levels with your ears or an SPL meter too. I've seen the center too low in setups before.


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## Sir Terrence

lsiberian said:


> I do suggest verifying all levels with your ears or an SPL meter too. I've seen the center too low in setups before.


If the center was too low, then the system wasn't properly calibrated in the first place. Personally, I would never calibrate by ear as it does not recognize 75db from 73db. 

If you have fully balanced your system, and still have to ride the volume control with soundtracks, DRC is the only way to tackle that issue. Increasing the center alone will just lead to the soundtrack being out of balancing, and potentially overloading as well. 

There is a difference between a channel being out of balance, and extreme dynamic range in current soundtracks. A single cure won't deal with both issues.


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## Sir Terrence

tcarcio said:


> I usually run my center 3-4db hot especially since I got a reciever with Audyssey. I also turn down the surrounds about the same just to get a more even sound. I have only had to do this since Audyssey has been involved since I never needed to with Mcacc with my old Pioneer.


Are you sure you center channel is actually hot, or is Audyssey just properly setting the channel in balance with the rest. Your response is confusing, as you are mentioning two different auto calibration processes.


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## Binary

i have a pioneer receiver and the MCACC is good, the eq for it is great, but the levels are nowhere near accurate. i always have to adjust my center, and my surrounds. they seem to think my sub should be at -10, and that everything else should be in the - ranges as well... it doesn't make sense to turn all the channels down does it??

You'd figure they'd take the lowest channel, set it down, and then the highest level would be 0, worst case scenario. but it doesnt work that way. And i've never seen it come out with a positive value after the Auto MCACC. Its moo annoying. i'd rather just use an spl meter and connect each speaker one at a time. and check my levels that way. It takes longer, but at least my levels arent all negatives. the subwoofer also get set so low that i have to turn the mains down futher, or i have to raise the subwoofer after the auto-eq.

I chalk it all up to the fact that i beleive the MCACC is set for speakers with roughly 88db sensitivity, my lowest sensitivity speakers are 92, mains are 96, and center is 95. so i am a bit "hot" in general.

I end up running my center channel up a few dbs just so i don't have to ride the volume control. its kinda lame, but it solves the problems.


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## mdrake

I agree that the speakers should be ballanced but if dialog is low then my guess is the front and center speakets are not ballanced properly. A cheap spl would verify ths. To my ears I prefer to have the center up a couple of db but that is up to personal tastes. 

Matt


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## tonyvdb

I think its important to remember here that it depends allot of what centre channel speaker you are using. If its not a close match to the mains or not large enough it will not blend properly and that could be very much what is the problem not so much level.


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## lsiberian

Sir Terrence said:


> If the center was too low, then the system wasn't properly calibrated in the first place. Personally, I would never calibrate by ear as it does not recognize 75db from 73db.
> 
> If you have fully balanced your system, and still have to ride the volume control with soundtracks, DRC is the only way to tackle that issue. Increasing the center alone will just lead to the soundtrack being out of balancing, and potentially overloading as well.
> 
> There is a difference between a channel being out of balance, and extreme dynamic range in current soundtracks. A single cure won't deal with both issues.


I realize that you prefer DRC, but I do not. I would much rather have a hot center and greater dynamic performance. You can see in the thread that many others share this preference. Saying DRC is the only way to tackle the issue is incorrect. It is your preferred way of handling the issue, but certainly not the only way. Let's not forget Audio is full of personal preference. I also prefer using my ears to match the Center to the system because sound does hit the ears at a slightly different angle than the LR channels.


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## Sir Terrence

lsiberian said:


> I realize that you prefer DRC, but I do not. I would much rather have a hot center and greater dynamic performance.


It does not seem to me that you are addressing the issue here. The OP describes his problem as low dialog and loud effects. Since it is well established that all elements are properly balanced before it is stamped into the disc, this would describe a "dynamics" issue, not a balancing issue if the system is already properly calibrated. So you already have "greater" dynamics already built in, and the object is to decrease the dynamics so you don't have to ride the volume control. The only thing increasing the center will do, is just make things louder, not deal with the dynamics. 




> You can see in the thread that many others share this preference.


I have never been under the belief that just because everyone else shares a preference, that it is actually the right solution for the problem. 



> Saying DRC is the only way to tackle the issue is incorrect. It is your preferred way of handling the issue, but certainly not the only way.


The perception of soft dialog and loud effects is an issue of dynamic range between the softest and loudest portion of the soundtrack(if the system is properly calibrated and balanced). DRC narrows the difference between the loudest and softer sounds, which effectively tackles the problem the OP describes. Just raising the center speaker does nothing to tackle the issue of dynamics, it just makes the center speaker louder, which acerbates the problem, not cure it. The cure is to narrow the difference between the soft dialog, and the loud effects, and only DRC does this. This is not a matter of personal preference(I don't use DRC in any of my systems), but a matter of using the right tools to correct a bad situation. 



> Let's not forget Audio is full of personal preference.


I guess if one was to make that argument, then perhaps we should just throw ITU-775 out the window. Or SPL meters, RTA's, ITU-R, video calibration tools, and anything else that was designed to accurately translate audio and video sound and images from dubbing stages and editing rooms to home theaters. Personal preference should come after everything has been properly calibrated(both audio and video), and a person just wants to add a little salt and pepper to the mix. If you don't start off with an accurate foundation, you are destined for inaccurate results. Venture too far from standards, and you have a video and audio mess.



> I also prefer using my ears to match the Center to the system because sound does hit the ears at a slightly different angle than the LR channels.


How the sound hits your ears is irrelevant to getting the proper balancing between the center and L/R mains. Can your ears tell you that your center is 75db, and the L/R channels are at 72db? No, because they are not that sensitive as measurement devices. They can tell you one is louder than the other, but not by how much. All of your channels should be equal in volume, and the ears are too insensitive to tell you this. Sounds coming from the front of you will sound softer than sounds coming from the sides of you, as the pathway from the sides of you are more directed to the ear canal. 

RTA's and SPL meters can tell you exact decibels, which aids in getting all of the speakers equal in volume, you ears cannot do this. This is why measurement devices are far better for calibration than your ears are.


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## Binary

Don't take this the wrong way terrence, but that was a whole lot to say, to say that you feel that DRC IS the best solution. You didn't need to take a round out of everyone who has settled for a different solution. 

What you forget is that the center channel hosts 90% of all dialog from movies, and very little of the "effects" so by turning this channel up, yes you are making things louder, but mostly just the dialogue, everything else is quiet enough to be acceptable during the louder parts, and it stops you from riding the volume control.

I've tried DRC or midnight mode, and honestly, it really does change the overall tone of the track. Raising the center channel makes the voices more forward, and doesnt really alter anything else.

P.S. If you have to use 5 different quotes in a post, chances are, you're trolling.


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## Sir Terrence

Binary said:


> Don't take this the wrong way terrence, but that was a whole lot to say, to say that you feel that DRC IS the best solution. You didn't need to take a round out of everyone who has settled for a different solution.


Hey, I am just putting the information out there, people can still do exactly what they desire with their equipment...right?



> What you forget is that the center channel hosts 90% of all dialog from movies, and very little of the "effects" so by turning this channel up, yes you are making things louder, but mostly just the dialogue, everything else is quiet enough to be acceptable during the louder parts, and it stops you from riding the volume control.


As a person who creates soundtracks for films as a living, your information is not correct. Dialog is NOT the only thing in the center channel, and your 90% quote(which is closer to 80% by the way) supports this. Explosions, music, dialog etc. all come from the center channel. So when you just increase it, you increase all of these elements as well, which now makes the center out of balance with the L/R mains. Low dialog, loud effects are a dynamic issue, not a balance issue(is that short enough?)



> I've tried DRC or midnight mode, and honestly, it really does change the overall tone of the track. Raising the center channel makes the voices more forward, and doesnt really alter anything else.


It is supposed to change the dynamics of the track, not its tonality. That is how it operates. All raising the center volume does is destroy the balance across the front sound stage, something that is achieved in the dubbing stage. A little logic here; all sound tracks are carefully balanced on the dubbing stage. Nobody complains about low dialog and sound effects too high in theaters. It is only when you get these sound tracks(that are created in much larger rooms) in your home that the issue of track dynamics comes up. The translation of a sound track created in a larger room translated into a smaller room causes this problem. This is why DRC was created in the first place, to address that issue. 

This does not happen when sound tracks are optimized for smaller rooms, in smaller rooms. (Disney's approach)



> P.S. If you have to use 5 different quotes in a post, chances are, you're trolling.


And when a person tries to label an opposing response as trolling, they are attempting to shut down another's perspective. I am too smart to fall for that. :nono: Everyone has their own way of responding to a post, you have yours, I have mine..correct?

This issue is rather complex, and does not lend itself to a post bite.(like many things audio related).


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## Sonnie

Hey guys... it sounds like the OP has some options now, so let's move on past the bickering... :T


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## tcarcio

Sir Terrence said:


> Are you sure you center channel is actually hot, or is Audyssey just properly setting the channel in balance with the rest. Your response is confusing, as you are mentioning two different auto calibration processes.


Sorry for the confusion. What I meant was after calibrating with Audyssey, more times then I can count it seems, It always seem to set the center channel lower and in order for it to sound right to me I would have to bump the center up 3-4db's. I mentioned Pioneers Mcacc because when I had that system it never seemed to be a problem. Audyssey also had the surrounds to loud and I have to adjust them down in order to make the system sound balanced. Hope that made more sense.


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## Jungle Jack

Hello,
I have found that Dolby Volume in my particular Setup provided the most clear and vivid Dialogue I have ever experienced with my Martin Logan Stage. It was startling just how much more prominent the Center Channel sounded in the mix.

That being said, the loss of Audyssey (Audyssey automatically Defeats when DV is Engaged) and compromised Dynamic Range cause me not to use it. 

In the first few weeks I owned my TX-NR3007, I used DV almost nonstop as I could not believe just how good my CC sounded, but when I turned Audyssey MultEQ XT back on and turned off all other options that normalize the Volume, I realized I had really been missing out on a great deal of Bass. An amazing amount actually.

All I can say if one has the option of Dolby Volume to try it out. Just thinking about it, next time I watch a 2.0 Encoded Source, I am going to put it back on. Also, I agree about Audyssey not coming close to 75 db's on any Calibration that I have ever run with it. It has always been 4-5 db's lower than it should be.
Cheers,
JJ


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## Dale Rasco

I have started to have this happen somewhat over the past couple of weeks, but I know it is because I lowered my center channel a good 8 inches. I haven't had a lot of time to go back and tweak the system since lowering it other than running Audyssey, but I am sure it can be worked out.


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## eugovector

Has any put a level meter to a system after an audyssey config to verify that it's not properly setting channel levels? I won't be back in front of my system until the 1st, so I'll check then.


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## vann_d

Binary said:


> I've tried DRC or midnight mode, and honestly, it really does change the overall tone of the track. Raising the center channel makes the voices more forward, and doesnt really alter anything else.


For me, night mode works excellently. I don't notice a change in tone at all. I have to turn the volume control up but that is expected as I'm reducing the overly loud content. But on the other hand quite sounds are quite intelligible.

The problem with my system is that I have an older receiver and night mode only works on Dolby Digital tracks. That was fine for DVD when every disk had DD. Also great for TV. With blu-ray and the omnipresent DTS, my night mode doesn't work. I do have DRC on my player (BDP-80) but it doesn't seem to work as well. (still trying it out though)


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## tcarcio

eugovector said:


> Has any put a level meter to a system after an audyssey config to verify that it's not properly setting channel levels? I won't be back in front of my system until the 1st, so I'll check then.


I did and it sets my center to low and my surrounds too hot as I said in my other post even after multiple cals it is always the same. I thought I had a mic problem but the tech at Marantz say's it is normal for that to happen with some setups and to just use my spl meter to adjust it.


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## Sir Terrence

tcarcio said:


> I did and it sets my center to low and my surrounds too hot as I said in my other post even after multiple cals it is always the same. I thought I had a mic problem but the tech at Marantz say's it is normal for that to happen with some setups and to just use my spl meter to adjust it.


This is the very reason I went from receiver based Audyssey to the stand alone boxes. It is a little more difficult to work with(but so was my RTA), but it is dead accurate. 

It seems to me that there is not enough processing horsepower included in receivers to make this excellent set up program accurate. I say this because the stand alone Audyssey boxes I have both in my studio systems, in four of my home theater systems, along with the ones we installed at Disney's dubbing stages, and in my church sound system have all yielded dead accurate results, and the receiver based ones have been consistently wrong every time I used it. I may be wrong on this, but it has certainly been my experience.


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## Dale Rasco

Sir Terrence said:


> This is the very reason I went from receiver based Audyssey to the stand alone boxes. It is a little more difficult to work with(but so was my RTA), but it is dead accurate.
> 
> It seems to me that there is not enough processing horsepower included in receivers to make this excellent set up program accurate. I say this because the stand alone Audyssey boxes I have both in my studio systems, in four of my home theater systems, along with the ones we installed at Disney's dubbing stages, and in my church sound system have all yielded dead accurate results, and the receiver based ones have been consistently wrong every time I used it. I may be wrong on this, but it has certainly been my experience.


Aren't the stand alone units like $2,500 - $5,000?


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## Sir Terrence

Dale Rasco said:


> Aren't the stand alone units like $2,500 - $5,000?


Yep, thats about right!


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## Andre

I currently don't have Audyseey (or any of its variants). I use ears to find "my" settings, and an SPL meter to find everyone elses. 

I have very loud high frequency tinnitus (24/7), I find that if I play a movie at reference levels I don't enjoy it, I can't hear certain things, dialog being the most prevalent, surround info second. 

Half the time I am watch a movie alone so I have tuned it to what most would call significantly unbalanced. However I seem to enjoy the movie more and that is what is important.


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## tcarcio

Andre said:


> I have very loud high frequency tinnitus (24/7), I find that if I play a movie at reference levels I don't enjoy it, I can't hear certain things, dialog being the most prevalent, surround info second.
> 
> Have you tried....http://www.quietrelief.com/index.php


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## Andre

Whatever is in it I have probably tired it (and not paid $100/bottle). Sadly, there is no cure for chronic tinnitus, if someone actually found a real cure they would be a billionaire and beloved by millions. There are also many different reasons for tinnitus (exposure to loud noices, drug interactions, nerve damage, inner ear infections, blockages to capilary blood vecals near the inner ear..etc etc.


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## gsmollin

Yamaha receivers have a "night listening" mode, where compression is applied to the soundtrack. One can set the compression level also.


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## wil11o6

Alright, I got a newer receiver, Denon 1611. It is a huge upgrade from my budget Yamaha mainly because it has Audyssey. My problem has been fixed and much better than what I would have thought. I leave Dynamic Volume on almost all the time, whether its day time or night time because I live in a small apartment. Dialogue, surround, and LFE all remain intact at all volumes compared to Yamahas night mode which just seem to cut off the LFE almost making my sub nonexistant. It is much more balanced using Audysseys multeq and dynamic volume.


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## Jungle Jack

Hello,
Congratulations on your new AVR. I hope it provides you with many years of sonic satisfaction. Denon makes an excellent AVR and Dynamic Volume is quite handy in applications where Neighbors are in the equation.
Cheers,
JJ


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## lsiberian

wil11o6 said:


> Alright, I got a newer receiver, Denon 1611. It is a huge upgrade from my budget Yamaha mainly because it has Audyssey. My problem has been fixed and much better than what I would have thought. I leave Dynamic Volume on almost all the time, whether its day time or night time because I live in a small apartment. Dialogue, surround, and LFE all remain intact at all volumes compared to Yamahas night mode which just seem to cut off the LFE almost making my sub nonexistant. It is much more balanced using Audysseys multeq and dynamic volume.


Well surrounds usually don't transmit to other rooms, but LFE certainly does especially if you have a beast for a sub.


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## wil11o6

I meant that surround sound volumes are louder with Dynamic Volume on at a lower volume. I do not need to turn up the volume at higher levels to hear the SL and SR. I could just +db my SL and SR but the balance is not there because it would just be louder, whereas turning on Dynamic Volume seems to fix that and it is more balanced with the overall movie experience from the front soundstage.


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## spamreef

I have this same issue sometimes,does anybody know if my dennon avr2105 has a night time mode of sorts?


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## bambino

spamreef said:


> I have this same issue sometimes,does anybody know if my dennon avr2105 has a night time mode of sorts?


I have the 3808 and it has night mode, double check your manual or your setup menu. My guess is that it does.:T


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## Drudge

Sir Terrence said:


> This is the very reason I went from receiver based Audyssey to the stand alone boxes. It is a little more difficult to work with(but so was my RTA), but it is dead accurate.
> 
> It seems to me that there is not enough processing horsepower included in receivers to make this excellent set up program accurate. I say this because the stand alone Audyssey boxes I have both in my studio systems, in four of my home theater systems, along with the ones we installed at Disney's dubbing stages, and in my church sound system have all yielded dead accurate results, and the receiver based ones have been consistently wrong every time I used it. I may be wrong on this, but it has certainly been my experience.


 Hey Sir Terrence,

Speaking of the Audyssey stand alone,(which I own as well)the new XT32 algo,I believe was written to be more efficient so the onboard processing on revievers and pre-pros could run the full audyssey correction resolution,but the Pro kit and software allows more accurate measurements than the supplied mic and auto set-up built within those units according to Audyssey.

By the way your equipment list shows that you have an Audyssey XT32 equipped Sound Equalizer vs.XT(Which is all us civilians with the Sound Equalizer are allowed to have)how did you manage that:scratch:?Is that one of the perks of being in the Pro world?

All of us on the Audyssey forum on AVS with these units have been asking about an XT32 upgrade for the Sound Equalizer,but they won't let us have it:hissyfit:!


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## Sir Terrence

Drudge said:


> Hey Sir Terrence,
> 
> Speaking of the Audyssey stand alone,(which I own as well)the new XT32 algo,I believe was written to be more efficient so the onboard processing on revievers and pre-pros could run the full audyssey correction resolution,but the Pro kit and software allows more accurate measurements than the supplied mic and auto set-up built within those units according to Audyssey.


I have the pro kit and software as well, and use it for two of my home theaters. And you are right, it has a more accurate calibration than even the XT32 has. 



> By the way your equipment list shows that you have an Audyssey XT32 equipped Sound Equalizer vs.XT(Which is all us civilians with the Sound Equalizer are allowed to have)how did you manage that:scratch:?Is that one of the perks of being in the Pro world?


Yep, I got it through Disney's connection with Audyssey. I got the Audyssey Pro the same way. 



> All of us on the Audyssey forum on AVS with these units have been asking about an XT32 upgrade for the Sound Equalizer,but they won't let us have it:hissyfit:!


Yeah, I read the thread, and fully understand why they won't do it. There is not enough money to go back and re-program all of those XT's in the field.


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## Drudge

Thanks for the reply on the same question in both threads Sir T.

That's a shame I was still holding out for Audyssey to eventually change their mind and let us have it,I'd pay for it,no need for it to be free!

It just stinks that you pay $2500 on a device that was supposed to be update able and then all the improvements go to every other device,but it:scratch:.

Enough ranting:R can't do anything about it.


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## viccmw

Just want to seek confirmation - I use Audyssey Dynamic Volume to address the inequality between dialogue and loud surround, not changing my center channel level. There are so many choices on my AVR - Onkyo SR608 eg. Audyssey Dynamic Volume, THX Loudness Plus and Late Night. Which of his invokes DRC? Or they are all some form of DRC, just different implementation of it by Audyssey, THX and Dolby, respectively?

Thanks


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## Sir Terrence

viccmw said:


> Just want to seek confirmation - I use Audyssey Dynamic Volume to address the inequality between dialogue and loud surround, not changing my center channel level. There are so many choices on my AVR - Onkyo SR608 eg. Audyssey Dynamic Volume, THX Loudness Plus and Late Night. Which of his invokes DRC? Or they are all some form of DRC, just different implementation of it by Audyssey, THX and Dolby, respectively?
> 
> Thanks


All of these are forms of dynamic range control processing. Basic DRC just compresses the peak signals, and brings up the level of the softest signals. The others dynamically compress in real time using slices of bandwidth, and scientific listening models. Their results are better than basic DRC, because it is dynamically adjusting in real time to the program material.


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## Magyar

vann_d said:


> For me, night mode works excellently. I don't notice a change in tone at all. I have to turn the volume control up but that is expected as I'm reducing the overly loud content. But on the other hand quite sounds are quite intelligible.
> 
> The problem with my system is that I have an older receiver and night mode only works on Dolby Digital tracks. That was fine for DVD when every disk had DD. Also great for TV. With blu-ray and the omnipresent DTS, my night mode doesn't work. I do have DRC on my player (BDP-80) but it doesn't seem to work as well. (still trying it out though)


DRC is only available with Dolby Digital, True HD, and Plus. The reason is because this is the only format that seems to come encoded with the necessary metadata that has the value of the amount of DRC which your decoder will apply. While DTS has the ability to carry similar metadata, some reason it never comes encoded as such, so your receiver will display the "Not available" message. Same goes for MCH PCM which doesn't even have any provision to carry any metadata. So it doesn't matter if you're upgrading to a new receiver, unless the encoding houses start to encode DTS HD MA soundtracks on BR with the necessary metadata, DRC won't be available on the majority of BR's.


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## Gregr

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned several other possibilities. First of what I have found is the neighbors will complain if they hear sound but what they are hearing is bass mostly. The base frequencies travel thru walls very easily the sound may become muddled but much of the original energy remains in the signal even thru double walls (without insulation). 

I got complaints from the neighbors until I turned the sub off and turned the crossover freq's to 100hz at the receiver and computer soundcard (much easier to simply turn on the sub for other times). since turning of the sub at night I have had no complaints. 

There have been times I have wanted to boost the digital EQ I believe 500hz ++ will boost male voices. I haven't had to use the EQ even when I forget and leave the volume up through explosions or chase scenes or just loud music. With the sub off I haven't had an issue. If I remember to turn the sub off.

Greg


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## gdstupak

Gregr said:


> There have been times I have wanted to boost the digital EQ I believe 500hz ++ will boost male voices. Greg


Male voice is 100hz-900hz

Check out this cool frequency chart:
http://www.independentrecording.net/irn/resources/freqchart/main_display.htm


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## gdstupak

Personally I would not boost any freq. I'm kind of a nut for flat response.
If you boost 500hz, it's not just boosting male voice, it's boosting all sound in that range.
Center speakers are already bad for sounding different than the mains, boosting a freq range for the center will make it worse.
And boosting all speakers at 500hz will throw off the freq response for the whole system.

Using electronic calibration like 'Night Mode' which limits the loudest signals (and bass) is the best solution.


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## Jungle Jack

Hello,
I engaged Dolby Volume for an evening and am even more steadfast in my belief that it is fantastic for dialog. At least in my setup, DV does something magical to the Center Channel.

However, the combination of the loss of Audyssey and compression of the Subwoofer makes it not ideal for my HT. Nonetheless, if I lived in an Apartment or had a Wife with a low threshold for room shaking bass, Dolby Volume would be ideal.

Unfortunately, Dolby Volume is not offered in a wide variety of AVR's. Rather, it seems predominantly offered on 1000 Dollar plus AVR's. I do recommend for those who have it to try it and see what you think. For me, I have never heard better dialog even at -40 it sounds clear.
Cheers,
JJ


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## recruit

Yes Dolby Volume is the answer to your prayers as it plays Dialogue brilliantly while maintaining the volume of other other effects intact and only when there is big explosions or a quick jump in dynamics does it suppress the sound, it just keeps an even tonal balance across all speakers, I could not live without it.


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## Gregr

Thanks for the Frequency Interactive Chart. That's great! More and more I've been wondering exactly where or at what frequency should a sub play down to and it looks like except for a pipe organ and few other instruments reaching way down to 25hz a stringed bass fiddle/guitar bottoms out at 41hz. 

So except for movies containing a chest thump 20-35hz or a Howitzer @18hz (Star Spangled Banner I think) I am not missing much if my sub will play down to 35hz.

Thank you 

Greg


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## vann_d

Magyar said:


> DRC is only available with Dolby Digital, True HD, and Plus. The reason is because this is the only format that seems to come encoded with the necessary metadata that has the value of the amount of DRC which your decoder will apply. While DTS has the ability to carry similar metadata, some reason it never comes encoded as such, so your receiver will display the "Not available" message. Same goes for MCH PCM which doesn't even have any provision to carry any metadata. So it doesn't matter if you're upgrading to a new receiver, unless the encoding houses start to encode DTS HD MA soundtracks on BR with the necessary metadata, DRC won't be available on the majority of BR's.


Thanks for the info. No wonder I thought the player's DRC wasn't doing much. It wasn't doing anything!

Does Dolby volume work with dts tracks? 

I would think something could be done that doesn't rely on metadata.


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