Advice for a complete newbie

[admin_exported]

Hi all,

Its my first post here but I buy the magazine every month. I would like some basic advice about home cinema please. Having had a number of 5.1 systems (cinema in a box) and recently an Onkyo 2.1 system I am little fed up with the loudness and clarity of the dialogue through these systems. Im sure you are all aware of this but when I increase the volume to compensate it blows the kids out of bed and the wife moans at the next action scene. 

What system would allow mean to increase the voice only to make movie watching more enjoyable?

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[Anonymous]

Anyone help?

 

[ElectroMan]

Virtually all AV amps (i.e.5.1 or 7.1 channels) will let you alter the levels of individual speakers, so that you can increase the centre speaker (dialogue) as you wish.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the reply.ÿ

 

[Gimp67]

Something else to consider is that some cinema receivers offer some kind on 'dynamic sound control' to address this issue that can either amplify the spoken word, or reduce extreme volume levels to a flatter volume range. I know my Denon receiver has this option, but to be honest I have never used it. Maybe I should, as I get the same comments from my wife/kids!

 

[professorhat]

Indeed, the Onkyo 905 (and thus I'm sure many AV receivers since) has the option of a Late Night Mode - admittedly this only works on Dolby Digital / Dolby TrueHD soundtracks on the 905, but it's effective in keeping dialogue volume high while preventing loud volumes from the rest of the soundtrack as a result.

Personally I hate it as it robs the soundtrack completely of the dynamics it should have, but I can see why others may find it useful!

 

[Big Chris]

professorhat:
Indeed, the Onkyo 905 (and thus I'm sure many AV receivers since) has the option of a Late Night Mode - admittedly this only works on Dolby Digital / Dolby TrueHD soundtracks on the 905, but it's effective in keeping dialogue volume high while preventing loud volumes from the rest of the soundtrack as a result.

Personally I hate it as it robs the soundtrack completely of the dynamics it should have, but I can see why others may find it useful!

I did wonder why it says unavailable sometimes, but allows either 'low' or 'high' other times. I don't think it works on BD at all, only DVD.

It is handy to have when it's late and you don't want to wake the neighbours when something blows up!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks all, some food for thought. Maybe we should never get married, imagune the system then!!??