Dialogue too quiet in 2 channel system - any advice?

[admin_exported]

I mainly use my system for music, but occassionally use it for watching movies. Whilst excellent for music, for movies often the dialogue is too quiet (relative to other sound effects) - anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this?

My setup is:

* Beresford Caiman
* Apple MacBook Pro (connected to Beresford Caiman via Airport Express)
* Dynaudio MC-15 active speakers (using Beresford Caiman as preamp)
* Cheap DVD player: Promac DVDG-300 (or using the Apple's DVD drive), both connected via optical cable.

Would a better DVD player help? Though I thought the Beresford would bypass it.

A related beginner's question: if eventually I buy a Blu-Ray player would HD audio actually work within this system?

Thanks for any advice you have on this.

 

[The_Lhc]

chrisdj:
I mainly use my system for music, but occassionally use it for watching
movies. Whilst excellent for music, for movies often the dialogue is
too quiet (relative to other sound effects) - anyone have any
suggestions on how to fix this?

Presumably you've told the DVD player to downmix aduio to stereo when using the optical output? You must have done otherwise the DAC wouldn't be able to handle the signal (it's two-channel only).

My setup is:

* Beresford Caiman

* Apple MacBook Pro (connected to Beresford Caiman via Airport Express)

* Dynaudio MC-15 active speakers (using Beresford Caiman as preamp)

* Cheap DVD player: Promac DVDG-300 (or using the Apple's DVD drive), both connected via optical cable.

Would a better DVD player help? Though I thought the Beresford would bypass it.

Possibly, the cheap DVD player may not be very accomplished at downmixing 5.1 channels to stereo.

What soundtrack do you choose when watching DVDs? I think most have the option of a stereo soundtrack instead of the 5.1, is that what you're using?

A related beginner's question: if eventually I buy a Blu-Ray player would HD audio actually work within this system?

No it wouldn't, you need to connect via HDMI for HD audio (or multi-channel analogue outputs but you don't have that option), connecting via optical or coaxial will just give you the standard audio, again downmixed to stereo as you're only running a two channel system.

 

[manicm]

There is most likely nothing wrong with your equipment or your setup. This is unfortunately just the nature of downsizing AV to stereo - as I have for the past 8 years.

And it is worse with Blu-ray. Remember, when producers direct a movie they dedicate a single channel for the main dialogue only. So this is lost in a stereo setup.

The only solution is the brutal solution - crank your volume up.

Another thing that helps - since I don't have my Samsung LCD connected to my hifi - and it is a real pain in the posterior to mute it's internal speakers, I've decided to leave it's internal speakers permanently on - and this boosts dialogue! (HDMI still sends audio to the telly - no matter how I setup telly or BR player). And does not seem to affect my main output - stereo from BR player to hifi.

Enjoy!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for good advice/info..

the_lhc - yep I've got the DVD player to downmix audio to stereo when using optical. as for soundtrack, the few DVDs I've got don't have options for stereo V 5.1 soundtracks (i find the movies' dialogue sound too quiet but the sitcoms' dialogue sound fine). thanks also for info on HDMI - I'll bear that in mind when I eventually think about going down the blu-ray route.

manicm - interesting to learn re: producers and only a single channel for main dialogue. i'll also try your tip of leaving my (old, not HDMI) TV's internal speakers plugged in!

 

[ear]

also had the same problem when i chaned from 5.1 to 2.1. voices seemed to be very low volume.actually the tv produced better sound.

 

[Anonymous]

Same with me.

I have 2 channel stereo from my DVD via Amp to my Speakers, but Dialogue suffers, so I leave the TV volume on at 1/2 the usual amount and the blend works perfectly.

The TV by itself has no Bass weight, sounding thin however voices are clear,

 

[The_Lhc]

chrisdj:the_lhc - yep I've got the DVD player to downmix audio to stereo when using optical. as for soundtrack, the few DVDs I've got don't have options for stereo V 5.1 soundtracks (i find the movies' dialogue sound too quiet but the sitcoms' dialogue sound fine).

Hmmm, it's been a while since I watched a DVD but I'm reasonably sure most of my films have a stereo soundtrack option.

The reason why the sitcoms sound good is because they're probably recorded in stereo in the first place, so there's no downmixing going on and the levels are all correct, which would seem to bear out the initial thoughts that that's what the problem is.

manicm - interesting to learn re: producers and only a single channel for main dialogue.

Well that's kind of the point of 5.1 soundtracks, the centre channel handles all of the dialogue (unless a speaking character is offscreen), so that it appears to be coming from the people on the screen, the rest of the speakers are for effects placement.