Surround sound volume issues.

ThundyCat

ThundyCat

ThundyCat

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Down under mate!
Currently have a 5.1 setup using a Sony DA1200ES amp. The main issue I have is when I watch Blu rays/Dvds. I have the volume at about 25% to clearly hear speech, but when the action starts music/sound-effects etc the volume is too loud. I spend the entire time with the remote control in my hand adjusting the volume up and down. :( depending on what is happening in the film.

I presume there is something wrong with my setup whether it be some setting on my blu ray player or on the amp.

Any help would be appreciated.:)
 
It's partly how the disc soundtracks are mixed and partly down to bass levels. You can also play around with the dynamics settings on the amp. If you've got a smaller centre speaker with larger fronts then that won't help either. They'll all produce the required SPL in isolation, but the centre won't get there quite as easily as the fronts.

Try manually adjusting the speaker levels. Run the centre at +1.5dB higher than its current setting.

Have a listen to the bass. In most rooms it's just overpowering. Scale that back a little. You want bass to rumble, not to boom.

Set the amp Dynamic Range control to Standard or even compressed. Don't set it for extended/enhanced or whatever their name for "more" is. That makes the situation worse rather than better.
 
Welcome to a proper dynamic range!

The majority of the media we consume have most of the dynamics squashed out of them, i.e. the difference between the quiet and loud bits. Music of the last 20 years especially so, TV as well. As such our ears have become accustomed to hearing sound in this way, but the long and short of it is it's not actually very realistic. A huge explosion isn't the same volume as someone chatting to their mate...

So why reduce dynamic range? Because most TVs and cheaper audio systems can't handle it for a start. As you say, you set your system to a sensible level to hear the quiet bits and then find the action bits cause speakers to distort etc. Mission Impossible 4 actually caused damage to a few people's systems (the bit in the back of the SUV).

If it's really causing you problems your best bet is to look at the dynamic range controls on the receiver. If memory serves the STR1200 has a 'Night Mode'. Try enabling that then giving a blu ray a whirl. You should find that you don't have to ride the volume and I think this will sort your issue - but bare in mind it's not actually a 'proper' presentation as the audio mixer intended because you're flattening the loud bits and raising the level of the quiet bits.

Hope that helps :)
 
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