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        General >> Off Topic Subjects >> sound on dvd,s
        
(Message started by: big_neil on Dec 20^th, 2007, 5:11pm)

Title: sound on dvd,s
Post by big_neil on Dec 20^th, 2007, 5:11pm

have you noticed when watching dvd,s that as the dialogue is centre speakers only, her indoors needs it turned up to hear it , then when it goes back to the blood and thunder , especially when you have an all singing and dancing 7.1 surround sound system it nearly blows the walls off and next door starts knocking on the wall.(just getting my own back on 25yrs of their dog barking i say). the same with the telly and adverts ,sound engineers can,t seem to get it right.

Title: Re: sound on dvd,s
Post by Highlander on Dec 20^th, 2007, 5:54pm

You should be able to adjust the individual speaker outputs though

Title: Re: sound on dvd,s
Post by big_neil on Dec 21^st, 2007, 9:45am

yes i,ve tried that stu,but then it is too quiet when the dialogue starts again.guess i,ll have to just keep on annoying next door,s dog!

Title: Re: sound on dvd,s
Post by mr._floppy on Dec 21^st, 2007, 6:13pm

Home Cinema Sound Systems, maybe the worst invention ever.

Ditch the anti-social loudspeakers, invest in a quality set of headphones and enjoy your silly crash -bang-wallop movies as loud as you want while the rest of us can contemplate domestic peace and quiet.

Oh, and you can't hear the Wife's witterings either :-*

Title: Re: sound on dvd,s
Post by - Mike - on Jan 8^th, 2008, 6:39pm

I too have found that nearly all DVD's require the volume to be exceptionally high in order to hear what people are saying. Too much emphasise is placed on background noise I think during the way they record. There is if it helps a mode on many decoders often referred to as phantom mode, this puts dialogue through the front two speakers rather than the centre therefore increasing the volume level of the dialogue slightly.

Title: Re: sound on dvd,s
Post by peteHull on Jan 9^th, 2008, 6:54am

[]

This is a particular problem for me as I have a high frequency hearing loss due to years of using power tools etc. When watching tv I cannot hear the dialogue properly and so have to turn up the volume, then when the music and sfx happen it is a dive for the control to re-adjust, this really gets me down and I usually end up losing interest in the programme. The main problem I have noticed is that with most programmes today there is the inclusion of the "Dreaded" background music (mostly continuous and totally useless loops) even behind the news programmes etc.

Recently there was a trial done on that Alan Titchmarsh programme using digital technology intended to be introduced with the digital switchover. You could switch off the background by pressing the red button, what a difference that made to the whole program... Roll on the analogue switch over....

pete

Title: Re: sound on dvd,s
Post by mindofitsown on Jan 9^th, 2008, 8:34am

Must agree with pete, I can't hear high frequencies that well any more and the most common daily word I use in conversation these days is 'pardon'. Although people automatically compensate by repeating the message louder (which helps of course) they wouldn't have to if only they formed the words correctly and fully. When it comes to DVD's and ordinary television, it always sounds as if they are mumbling. Distinguishing between background noise and the main conversation is quite difficult at times. It can be such a strain that if someone were to open a crisp packet near me I would turn purple with frustration. The biggest frustration of all is whentv adverts come on during a programme and for some DAFT reason the volume shoots up. This has been going on for decades and drives me insane (can you tell?).

Title: Re: sound on dvd,s
Post by TiberiuS on Jan 9^th, 2008, 5:09pm

You should be able to alter the volume levels and frequency ranges for individual speakers (power output/frequency range of the sattelites is normally pretty limited anyway), but it depends how much of that your AV amp supports. I only went into Dolby surround once, had a top end Pioneer 5.1 receiver (6 and 7 channels hadn't really taken off then) on a set of matching Wharfedale speakers, about £1500 of kit altogether. It was ok for movies but to be honest, I got so peeved (original word censored ;)) with what it lacked when playing normal music that I flogged it on eBay and bought a pair of good Celestion floorstanders and now have a pair of home brew amps complete with preamp/CD/turntable running the Celestions as bi-amp, wouldn't go back to surround sound after that. The only digital thing I'm really sold on are high resolution audio DVDs, now they can be stunning, even as I run them in 2 channels.

You can get high quality surround sound but you need a good system for it. Most surround systems are just a gimmick IMO, you'd get way better audio from spending that money on a better quality 2 channel amp and speakers, it might not have so many toys but the sound quality will likely be way better :)

Regards, Bruce :)