OK, maybe I'm picky, but I'm curious if the rest of you find yourself adjusting the volume up/down on various movies? My 6 yr old is a die hard Star Wars fan, kinda like I was back in the late 70's-80's, and we were watching "The Phantom Menace" tonight. I found myself adjusting the volume up/down during various parts of the movie to hear the voices out of the center. I would turn it up to hear softer spoken scenes, and then back down when it would switch to a space battle scene. I would say the range was from -32dB to -20dB. I've also noticed this with other movies, but not all. Is this just a recording level issue?

My parents DVD player was like this... the one I have now (not overly new either) not so much... I boosted the center channel a bit (because we're nerds, we can do that kind of thing!)...

I don't really find myself adjusting a lot... I think it's also mental. With a normal TV you're used to the movie being relatively the same volume... whereas with HT the quiet parts are supposed to be quiet, and LOUD BIG EXPLOSIONS are supposed to be loud and wonderous... I watched Italian Job and it was really quiet during the intro, then BOOOOOOOOM !!!!!!! A massive explosion... that's just the way HT is

- D

I find myself doing this but not because action scenes are too loud when properly set for dialog, but because I live in a townhouse with one shared wall, and I don't want to disturb. If I had no neighbor, I wouldn't be doing this as much as I do.

Two options. Either boost the center channel a little, or check in your receiver's menus for something like "Late Night," or "Night Mode." This can help narrow, or lower, the dynamic range so the quiet passages are not so quiet, and the loud passages are not so loud. In my receiver this only works on Dolby Digital, and not on DSP modes or stereo.

Not attempting to hijack Randy's thread, but rather add to it:

It seems that I've been more aware of late of dialog in TV shows not being clear. I'm not being facetious, but have literally had my hearing checked recently. I've noticed it on shows like ER & Third Watch where it seems some of the talent mumbles, and I've seen it on, for instance, Joan of Arcadia where the mix of background music (especially in shots in the high school) seems as though it's mixed too hot in comparison to the dialog. I think it's a matter of letting the dialog be more "gritty"... the audio equivalent of "shaky cam". But I don't know- maybe it's me?

I've also been happy with my VP150 as I've listened in careful, controlled situations to test it. I've raised the center level a couple of db already and it's helped, but wonder if anyone else has noticed the same?

I do this all the time. Right now, my movie viewing is upstairs in the living room, which is adjacent to my infant daughter's room. So, I have to make sure she doesn't get woken up by a big boom. When I finally get to the point of watching movies in my theater, which is just about finished, I shouldn't have to do this as much.....fingers crossed.

I've noticed it also. The programs with the worst sounding dialog come from network stations. The West Wing is almost uninteligable. It seems like everyone is mumbling, especially the Donna character.

As far as having to adjust the volume for dialog, I used to do this constantly when I used a center channel speaker (I've had several different brands). Since I've taken the phantom center route, I don't feel the need to constantly adjust the volume for dialog.

i know someone already mentioned it, but i will repeat. my wife has a problem with hearing the dialogue a lot of the times on movies, and TV shows. i have just boosted the volume on the center channel an extra db or 2, so that the words are slightly louder than the rest of the mix. now, i know this goes against the whole "calibrating everything til its level" theory, but, in this case, its the best fix.

just my opinion..

bigjohn

BJ,

Are you sure it's not somehow related to your custom pink speaker grilles?
Maybe they are adding "pink noise" to the mix.
hee hee

LT

That was so bad it was funny

Gee, HAHA.. that so funny, i forgot to laugh...

i knew i would never live down the pink grill comment....i never learn!

once i figure out how to use photo-shop a little better, i am gonna fix my 'grill' problem.. you will see!! {rubbing palms together in a sinister way}

bigjohn

Pink grills in West Texas?? That must be a hit.

Where are you Bigjohn? I'm in San Antonio. One of my colleagues is from Odessa. If he saw your pink grills he would say "You're not from 'round here - are yoo?"

Also, I agree with you, Bigjohn, on the "turn up the center channel" fix. I had to do it for my wife after I had just calibrated based on how I liked the sound. Unfortunately, she has a much better ear than I - and when I got my Avia disc and SPL meter, she was spot on. Did you try just calibrating for her seat? I haven't tried that yet because she doesn't care that much about the surround effects - she just wants to hear the dialogue.

The Star Wars episodes I and II do seem to be mixed very loud in all the speakers except the center...

all this time you been in san antonio and i didnt even know it...now that aint being texas friendly?
i live in san angelo.. odessa is about 2 1/2 hours west of here.. my wife's family lives out there.. its an ugly town. i might be coming to san antonio here in a few months.. there are some concerts i am interested in seeing there, i just gotta convince my wife to let me go.. we will see what happens with that.

on the center, i calibrated everytihng to my listening position, then just boosted the center up 2db's. shannon can hear it good, and i actually think i like it better myself..

bigjohn