Problems with Movie Dialog-Just the normal?

Many movies have a lot of dynamic range. If you play your dialog back at a reasonable level (say 70dB), the peaks can be very loud (up to 107dB from the LFE channel using the default encoder settings0.

Reduce the dynamic range via compression (this may only work on Dolby Digital tracks) aka "midnight mode" if you don't want the loud peaks.

Or improve intelligibility at lower volumes through speaker choice and placement (placement atop a TV is not a good idea).

Neither the movies nor TV gives much of a damn about audio clarity these days. That may not be the whole problem, but it's at least part of it. Listen to a film from the 40s or 50s - you can hear every word, center channel or no.

This is fairly normal. Trust your ears.

Heres why....

1) The actual processor may be less than perfect for your amplification/speaker setup. I personally feel there is always something to give or take in HT setups. e.g. I replaced a $1200.00 Rotel recently with a $4600.00 Bryston and I actaually prefer, at this stage, the Rotel. I am talking movies only , yes the Bryston is nice, and I am sure that I will tweak it and get it right.

2) Also, the acoustic properties of your specific room (drapes, carpet, walls, room shape, ceiling, etc.) are having some absorptive effect in the "vocals" spectrum of the frequency range.

3) Finally and most importantly, I am betting you used a white noise generator along with that SPL meter right? That white noise is probably level across the channels just for that reason. I will bet you dollars to doughnuts that the encoding of the Dolby Digital/DTS isnt. The DD/DTS engineer "mixed" what sounded best in his/her enviroment and for the greatest impact or sound quality. Certainly not best clarity or vocalisation from YOUR center channel.

Go ahead and turn up that center, use that "night" mode, and find YOUR sweet spot. I know I do.

Uhm, this is a pretty simple answer, but i things for a living and always look for this simplist answers...

Is your DRC on?

Im pretty sure you know what this is but in case you dont....
Dvd';s are pretty dynamic. Whispers sound quiet and explosions rock the house. Dynamic Range Compression was created to make a balanced level of volume throughout the movie by eliminating spikes in volume. It gets everything at approximatly the same volume.

With DRC on with some players, when an explosion happens, it just reduces the total volume on all channels, and voices can get down to a whisper untill the volume peak subsides then the DRC raises the volume. come players are better than other players at this, and can reduce the spikes in volume without lowering the volume of other sounds which gives it a nore balanced feel and it doesent seem like somone is just flipping down the knob.

Might that be the problem?

If so, maybe you oughtta try borrowing a buddys DVD player and watching the same problematic parts in movies...

or is this more of a freak occurrance? not really specific to any point to a movee and more random?

if this seems to just happen out of the blue, then swap out the dvd player still, and give it a shot. if it keeps happening, i got 10 bucks that says your processor is messed up

hope that helps

slappidy slap

Yeah this is a common problem, but at least you have a multichannel amp with speakers by the same manufacture.

1)Buy the AVIA DVD, and crank the volume up to the level you like movies at, and run their sound tests with your sound pressure not the processors... since this is at the same level it will be accurate no matter what the difference sensitivies of the speakers are.

1.5)Check the speaker size it might be set to small and crossed over at 100hz, when it can handle large with the bass being crossed over at 100hz to the SUB. This will cripple your center channel output, but becareful with your first movie, listen at a lower volume to make sure you don't bottom out the center or damage your system.

2)Use the Phase check Avia Provides, you might have your center channel out of phase (wired or you processor might invert phase for you on your left/right speakers) this would cause the sucking out of the vocals big time!

3)Adjust the angle of your center channel if it is just sitting on the Big screen or sitting on a shelf below a projection, then the highs are being cut off... use a couple of rubber door stops and slide it from behind until the vocals snap into focus! This is really critical or buy a Sound Anchors Center Channel stand that allows you to adjust the angle/height of the center channel (I have this and it rocks!) If it is on top of the big screen move it forward to the edge of the TV to minimize the reflections and allow for the correct radiating pattern from the drivers(would you push your speakers to the side wall and expect them to image, same idea).

4)Lastly try to make sure you have the same interconnects and speaker cable on the center as the left and rights.

5)Remove the speaker grill on the center