AVR 1602 and DD: voice from the rears? (1 Viewer)

[Chih Jieh Chang]

Not sure if this should go in the receivers forum, but this is a newbie kind o question:

The voice/dialogue for 5.1 movies come out only from the front and center speakers on my Denon 1602 (speakers are Energy Connoiseurs, Take5.x and EXCLs), but the soundtrack and sound effects are coming out of all the speakers.
Is this because DD is doing positional audio for the voices?
We were watching Resident Evil (5.1 DD) and we could barely hear the dialogue, but the soundtrack and effects were blaring out of all the speakers....
is there some setting I need to set on my receiver for voice to come out of the rears?

CJ

 

[ChrisMatson]

I'm not familiar with that model receiver, but you should be able to adjust the speaker level for each of the five speakers. YOu can calibrate each speaker by ear using the receiver's internal test tones. THere should be instructions for this in your owner's manual.

It is highly recommended that you purchase a calibration DVD (like AVia or Video Essentials) and a sound pressure level meter (Radio Shack) to properly calibrate the audio portion of your home theater. AVIA and VE will also alow you to properly calibrate your TV. Once you have your speakers and TV properly adjusted, you will be much happier.

Good luck!

 

[Chih Jieh Chang]

I did the whole Avia thing with the SPL meter already (works great!). I'm not sure if upping the dBs for the rears is the answer because there's no voice coming from the rears anyways.

 

[Jeff Braddock]

I would think that upping the rears is the exact opposite of what you would want to do. The rears are for the soundtrack/ambient sound etc. If the soundtrack is to loud, maybe try reducing the rears.

 

[ChrisMatson]

It may be the way that DVD was recorded that the action scenes overpower the dialogue. One work-around is to bump up the center channel speaker and tone down the others.

 

[Chih Jieh Chang]

Doh, that was what I meant. The fronts are already louder than the rears (since I'm sitting closer to the rears).
Should I just up the fronts even more even though it'll be 'non-Avia'-calibrated anymore?

 

[jacob w k]

The most important thing is that it sounds good to you.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Sometimes you just have to bump the center volume on some movies. Even though your system is calibrated, the center track might be a little low compared to the rest. Just make a note of the calibrated values for the center and adjust it to fit that movie.

Now if the center dialog is too low on several movies, it's your system.

If your center speaker is on top of your TV, try this:

- Pull the speaker forward so it over-hangs the front by 1/2 inch.

- Put something under the center speaker to decouple it from the TV cabinent. Pink rubber erasers, rubber door wedges, even paper-back books work fine.

- Use a laser pointer on the center speaker cabinent to see where it is pointing. Make sure it is fireing right at your head. (The rubber door wedges often give you a nice tilt to fix this).

Hope this helps.

 

[Jacob_R]

This has little to do with your question, but Resident Evil (although it was kinda cool) was a very poorly recorded movie. The dialog was faint, and the action scenes were blaring. I would use a better movie than that to base your speaker placements on. Maybe T2 or Toy Story (1 or 2)

 

[Chih Jieh Chang]

Actually, that explains a lot (that RE isn't too spiffy audio-wise).
I'm trying out Bob's recs regarding adjusting the volume for the center and having it point directly at me (it was pointing straight ahead below my tv). I'm using several movies to test this: Vertigo (5.1), Gladiator (DTS), and Bad Boys (5.1).
I think the C-1s drown out the EXCL center when the soundtrack/effects are blaring. I wanted to get the connoisseur center soooo bad, but adding that would have put me way over budget (i was already a little over budget). Plus the dern thing is so huge it wouldn't fit in the tv stand .
Anyways, thx for all the input!

 

[Brian Johnson]

I have the 1602 and I have the same complaint. Seems the center channel is always low. So I either turn the center up a little or turn the decompression feature on and this will lower the effects so I can turn the volume up more. I also do what others have said & angle the center down towards me.
In comments to your:

is there some setting I need to set on my receiver for voice to come out of the rears?

I dont think you want voices coming out of the rear speakers.