Canton DM50 clear voice problems

[knyckis]

I just bought a Canton DM50 soundbase, and generally speaking, it sounds great. But I have not managed to get it to solve my basic problem: clear voice in video streamed from my NAS or from DVDs/Bluray. If I calibrate the sound level so that the dialogue is good enough, the music, explosions or similar high- or low frequency stuff is way too loud for the general evening viewing which is the standard case. I wonder if there is an optimal tweaking for clear voice which any of you knowledgeable people out there may reveale to me, so that I have exhausted all options before retuning it to the store (getting clear voice out of the box is top priority). Here is what I have tried so far:

- I have found the 'hidden' (lousy manual on this thing) DRC settings, which seems to be a binary, on-off deal, but to no avail. I notice not difference whatsoever, or at least not sufficiently.

- I have played around with the bass & tremble setting, in effect turning them all the way down (figuring that this will be the closest equivalent to having the option of boosting the center channel); also to no noticeable effect.

I am not much of an expert in these matters, so perhaps I have not found the optimal solition here; so please help, a soundbase is pretty much the only fitting option for where our TV is placed (and changing that is a no-go for my partner), and this seems to be the best one out there, pretty much. All suggestions welcome!

 

[Clare Newsome]

Hopefully I can get Canton to help with this one, but first a few follow-up questions:

1) Is this a case in stereo mode as well as surround mode?

2) With DVDs/Blu-ray, are you getting your player to do the decoding, or the Canton?

If you could let me know, that'd be great - i'll alert Canton and get a response for you.

The DM50's dialogue performance has been widely praised in a range of reviews; we need to ensure we can get you hearing the same benefits in your set-up!

 

[knyckis]

Thanks a lot for taking this on -- I really like the DM50 in all other respects, so if this could be helped, it would be terrific. On to your follow-ups:

1) I find stereo mode to improve the dialogue, so that is the setting we are working on at the moment.

2) Here I must admit that I am not sure: I play from my PS3, which is hooked up to the TV (hdmi) which in turn is hooked up to the DM50 via optical cable. I would guess that it means that the PS3 is doing the decoding, but I am honestly not sure.

I am happy to hear that the dialogue performance has been widely praised -- I knew it was praised in general, of course (that's why I bought it) but I had missed the specifics about voice clarity. Again, thanks for taking this on!

 

[Frank Harvey]

And is this happening on everything you watch? Some films are a lost cause with regards to dialogue quality, so if it is the odd film, I wouldn't worry too much. If it is everything you watch though, 'as you were'

 

[Clare Newsome]

Thanks a lot for taking this on -- I really like the DM50 in all other respects, so if this could be helped, it would be terrific. On to your follow-ups:

1) I find stereo mode to improve the dialogue, so that is the setting we are working on at the moment.

2) Here I must admit that I am not sure: I play from my PS3, which is hooked up to the TV (hdmi) which in turn is hooked up to the DM50 via optical cable. I would guess that it means that the PS3 is doing the decoding, but I am honestly not sure.

I am happy to hear that the dialogue performance has been widely praised -- I knew it was praised in general, of course (that's why I bought it) but I had missed the specifics about voice clarity. Again, thanks for taking this on!

Thanks for the info. As an experiment, can you try plugging it straight from the PS3 into the Canton (bypassing the TV) and seeing if that makes a difference?

 

[knyckis]

@David: Well, it varies, but the main problem is with films watched from other sources than TV broadcasts. My guess is that they compress the sound much more in regular broadcasts, and it is only when you get the full (or fuller) range my problem occurs. So basically what I need, I think, is to find the best way to amplify the center channel (where the voice is located) in relation to the bass and treble. So I need to figure out how to do that on the DM50. @Clare: Thanks. My impression is that it improves the audio in general (so i will definitely stick to that), but although somewhat lessened the problem is still there, I'm afraid.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Ok - i've got Canton on the case and will be back with an answer

 

[knyckis]

Any word from our German friends?

 

[Clare Newsome]

I'll give them another chase. They were all at the IFA show in Berlin until Thursday, so I think they're in recovery! Will get back to you ASAP

 

[Glacialpath]

Hi there.

If you go into the PS3 video settings and see if the audio is set to PCM or Bitstream.

If it's set to PCM then the PS3 is doing the decoding

If it's set to Bitstream then what you send the audio to is doing the decoding.

Also which PS3 do you have and what outputs does it have on the back?

 

[Clare Newsome]

Advice from Canton is also to experiment with the settings on the PS3, to see what you prefer. You've already seen with plugging it direct into the Canton (rather than via the TV) how decoding can make a real difference.

Canton also suggests reducing the bass to -6dB, and dialling back the treble slightly, too - but again, this will be a matter of personal taste.

Let me know how you get on!

 

[Glacialpath]

Advice from Canton is also to experiment with the settings on the PS3, to see what you prefer. You've already seen with plugging it direct into the Canton (rather than via the TV) how decoding can make a real difference.

Canton also suggests reducing the bass to -6dB, and dialling back the treble slightly, too - but again, this will be a matter of personal taste.

Let me know how you get on!

Hi Clare.

FYI and for your friends at Canton. If a PS3 or any other player for that matter is set to PCM then the player/PS3 will be doing the decoding not matter if it is connected directly to the Canton.

For the Canton to be doing the decoding any source has to be set to Bitstream.

Sorry if you already know this.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Thanks - did know that

But good explanation all the same! Appreciate your input on this thread - advice from all areas always welcome, as everyone has different experiences of varying combinations of kit/set-up.

 

[knyckis]

Thanks, that PS3 info was news to me (even if not to Clare . The big problem, though, is streamed content from the NAS. And thanks for relaying the Canton suggestion about bass and treble, Clare, which pretty much seemed to be what I am already doing (see #1). Still, good to know that I have exhausted the control possibilities on the soundbase end. Actually, since asking the question I have experienced with software solutions, and a pretty good remedy to my problem has been installing XBMC on my NAS (which now does double duty as media player). Using the 'volume amplification' setting I can pretty much crank up the compression as much as I need. It is perhaps a little more 'dirty' than a good DCR on the receiver end, but it does the trick. And this was a hapy solution for me, since now my gf let me keep the Canton DM50, which in all other respects is just great!

Thanks for all the input and clarification, Clare et. al.!

 

[Clare Newsome]

All's well that ends well!