Poor Audible Voices with 5.1 or DTS ?

[kdrives]

Hi All!
I'd like to run this thread here also if I may...
I have a problem that I can't solve... I have for a long time now had trouble getting "consistent" voice levels from anything (DVD or VHS or Sat) if it's either 5.1 or DTS. My receiver is a JVC DTS/5.1 (aprrox $300), with Polk SDA's, 400i Center, and 25i Rear. If I listen to a stereo broadcast or CD, and set my receiver to Pro-Logic or Theatre, my center channel sounds fine and actually has to be backed off, cause it's so "present", so I know the speaker works great, and the receiver is capable of putting out a signal to the center using Dolby Pro Logic. Yet once I go to a 5.1 or DTS source (usually a DVD), I lose the voices in almost 99% of whatever movie I watch. The special effects come screaming through the center, yet low voice/conversation track??
I've gone though every setting adjustment possible with no positive results.

Last night watched Boston Public using ProLogic - great/perfect voice presence at #37 on volume - but on a DVD with 5.1 or DTS, I'd be at 50 to hear people talk, but have to turn it down every time a special effect hit due to too much volume...

Anybody ever heard of this, and can you help? Do I need a better receiver?

I can't believe the whole world is putting up with this at home, so it's got to be something like me room(yet as said, stereo or Dolby Surround come through fine), or a bad/cheap 5.1/DTS prosessor in the JVC receiver??

Thanks in advance
Dave

[Xzuluns]

This is a tough one. I too have noticed some difference in voice/effects on certain dvd's but not all. It could be your dvd player setup. My HK AVR 7000 has an adjustment for almost every setting you can imagine and still I have to crank up the volume for voices in some cases and then down to keep from being blasted out of the room by special effects. The theater's turn up the volume to the point of hearing damage on most movies nowday's. Have you tried adjusting the tone controls ? Does this make any difference? Do you have any hearing loss. No offence but ability to hear voices is usually the first thing to go. My feeling is that the dynamic balance between voices and effects is way off in many DVD's, in favor of effects. Does your JVC allow seperate tuning of the DB levels for each mode you are in like My HK? I can customize each speaker for large/small and plus/minus DB output for every mode. Are you using an optical cable to connect the DVD to the JVC? It is the best connection and provides all the 5.1 channels with one cord. Also consuming more than a couple of brews/drinks causes the earis deafis effect. Voices are the first to go. Be sure that the polarity's of all your speakers are correct. Do any of your friends have the same complaints when listening to your system?

[meestercleef]

pg 20 of print edition--this is the issue w/Spiderman on cover.

The reply from S&V is: "Having to turn the volume up is often an indication that a recording has superior (wider) dynamic range. In order to keep the peaks from clipping (distorting), the AVERAGE level has to be kept lower than usual."

This is fyi, no idea if it explains your situation.

[danger boy]

what dvd player are you using? Some players have a two or three position setting to "enhance" the center channel dialog. i know my Toshiba 4700 has that. does yours? check to see if it's set to off or mimimal or something.

Otherwise, it doesn't seem that there is anything wrong with the receiver or your hook up.

I'd also check to see if you center is set to small or large or off for DD and DTS.
my center and other speaker settings change with whatever i'm listening to.
if i listen to DD, then switch to DTS or pro logic.. the receiver will remeber those settings.

if all else fails.. crank up the center while watching a dvd. or if you don't have one already.

*Get a SPL and set all your speakers to that. that is the prefrred way. Doing it by ear or setting all your speakers to -3 or whatever just doesn't cut it.

[gidrah]

I also would change the large/small setting and see if this makes a difference.

I too have a 5.1 JVC receiver and don't have a problem with the dialog. My center is different, but yours is pretty much "better" than mine.

[mtnmack]

I also have a JVC receiver and a setup similar to yours. On my receiver I usually consider 50 to be the minimal volume for watching movies and often am at 55-65. 78 is about as loud as I can handle it. Also on my receiver there is a dynamice compression setting, which basically narrows the dynamic range of the soundtrack. On other recievers it might go by "nightime mode". The default is set for "mid". the other choices are high and none. This might help bring the voices and effects into a better balance for your listening tastes. Unfortunately, the D. Comp. doesn't work in DTS or the DVD multi pass through. Hope this info might help.

[jdavy]

We do not know what SDA model you are using but, I know that I had trouble with my SRS's. That is why I decided to maintain two systems. The SDA's with their numerous drivers can dominate a surround system.

My 2 cents.