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Do You Change Your Speaker Vol. Levels? (1 Viewer)

Daniel_M

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 15, 2001
Messages
60
I'm constantly changing my speaker volume

levels, mostly the center and surrounds

to get a particular movie to sound better.

Sometimes it's low dialogue, or surround

efx that I know are there, but I can't

hear. I take it there is some kind of

standard level the audio guys on the film

are working to when they do a final mixdown

and when the DVD is made, but every film

seems to have different levels. Maybe they

should put bars and tone on the DVD before

the film starts.

I have a B&K 4090 which was set up using Video

Essentials and a sound pressure meter. My speakers

are Paradigms, all matched.

Anybody elese find themselves adjusting individual

speaker volume from film to film?
 

Mike LS

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 29, 2000
Messages
838
Normally I only adjust the sub during a movie, but from time to time I find myself changing the center to make up for dialog differences.
 

John Garcia

Senior HTF Member
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Jun 24, 1999
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IMO, a properly set up system should require little or no tweaking, especially not to the level you are talking about. I have never changed my settings from movie to movie, though I do occasionally run across a movie or two with soft dialoge also (I turn the volume up, not just one speaker).

Which Paradigms in particular? I also have all Paradigm.
 

Daniel_M

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 15, 2001
Messages
60
Hi John,

I have the Reference Studio 100's for

L&R the LCR 450 center and the

ADP 450 srrounds with Paradigm's Servo 15

sub.

I did research for over a year

and found the Pradigms to be by

far the best speaker in their

price range. I'm very happy with

them althought the big L&R's suck

a lot of power from my amp and sometimes

cause it to clip when I've got the

music up loud. I'm currently shopping

for an amp with more power. If you like

to rock, the Studio 100's need at least

200 watts per channel.

Dan
 

Steve_Ma

Second Unit
Joined
May 7, 2001
Messages
420
I used to mess with my center and sub volume all the time when I first got my setup. After calibrating with the SPL meter, I find this is no longer needed and never mess with my levels.

Lke the other poster, I do, occasionally, have to play with my master volume once in awhile on some movies for alittle more dialogue. I guess it's unfortunate that all sound engineers can't mix the soundtracks to suit my speakers and room acoustics. lol.

--S
 

JohnDG

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jul 15, 2000
Messages
238
I'll (and especially my better half) will adjust the CC pretty frequently.

For unintelligable dialog, for movies, try Ladyhawke; for TV, try X-Files. :)

jdg
 

Clinton McClure

Rocket Science Department
Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 28, 1999
Messages
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Location
Central Arkansas
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I also use all Paradigm speakers, but I never have to adjust my individual speaker levels. Volume control is all that's needed.
 

Ron-P

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2000
Messages
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Real Name
Ron
I have Polks all around and once calibrated with AVIA everything sounds well balence and I've had no need to go back and adjust individual speaker volumes after doing so.
I will adjust the subs level depending on if it is a dd or dts track, but that's about it.
Peace Out~:D
 

Greg_R

Screenwriter
Joined
Apr 9, 2000
Messages
1,996
Location
Portland, OR
Real Name
Greg
I have a Paradigm ref. based system and haven't had to change any settings after calibration. Where is your center channel located? Perhaps something is muffling the dialog? Are the speakers in phase with each other?
 

Jeremy Anderson

Screenwriter
Joined
Nov 23, 1999
Messages
1,049
On a properly calibrated system, you should almost never have to adjust individual channel levels. The problem is that most people don't go to the trouble of properly calibrating their system. Going through the test tones with an SPL meter is all good and fine, but if your speakers/sub are out of phase or if you have time alignment problems, you can set all levels to the same dB level all day long and it'll still sound out-of-whack. Plus, if you're using your receiver's internal test tones to calibrate, the results will often be dramatically different than a calibration disc which takes the signal path into account. Most often (in my experience), internal tones run the surrounds slightly too strong and sometimes the center a little too weak.

So it's time to tweak, my friend! Grab Avia or VE and get really anal about setting your system up, and you may find that the days of tweaking individual channels for each movie will come to an end.
 

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