Levelling out volume from various sources (1 Viewer)

[RobertCharlotte]

I have the Kenwood VR-507 and I notice that as I switch from one source to another, there are significant differences in volume. For example, when I watch TV, I usually keep the volume setting at about -45 dB, but for FM, I have to turn the volume down to about -55 dB.

Do others of you have this issue, and if so, how is it best dealt with? Have I missed a setting somewhere that will let me adjust the volume of each source separately? Would a preprocessor allow me to set separate volume levels for different sources to make them a little more even?

 

[Ted Lee]

i don't think your situation is unusual. i have the same problem between a couple of my inputs. i find the greatest discrepancy from my cable box. all the channels broadcast at different levels and sometimes i have to crank up the receiver to hear anything. then when i change channels or switch to a different input, i'll have to adjust my volume.

i think some components let you trim the line-level output, but i don't have anything like that. i suspect some receivers or prepros may also have a similar feature.

in any case, it's not a big deal to me...

 

[RobertCharlotte]

The time it annoys me the most is first thing in the morning when I listen to the radio while I read the paper and eat breakfast. The volume's still set from watching TV the night before, so I turn on the receiver and switch it to Tuner only to hear Bob Edwards yelling at me about trouble in the Middle East.

I guess I should just remember to turn the volume down before I switch it to Tuner, but jeez, it's first thing in the morning, y'know?

 

[Ted Lee]

hmm...just thought of something...

are you running the audio out from the tv to the receiver? if so, is the signal fixed or variable? if it's variable, you can lower the volume of the tv - which will lower the signal going to the receiver.

 

[RobertCharlotte]

No, the receiver gets TV audio directly from the CATV converter box. Two ways, actually, since I have digital cable (I have a digital coax for the channels that support it and analog red & whites for those that don't).

Yes, I could turn the volume up on the cable box, but that opens up other problems.

Good thinking, though.

 

[Harold_C]

No, the receiver gets TV audio directly from the CATV converter box. Two ways, actually, since I have digital cable (I have a digital coax for the channels that support it and analog red & whites for those that don't).

You may be able to get the same level from all of your TV channels by using the "high" or "max" compression setting on you digital cable box. It's buried under the advanced set-up options on your cable box.

The "high" compression setting is designed to match the limited dynamic range of a normal analog TV signal. At least when you are using the RCA audio outs for everything, the high compression setting makes all the channels about the same volume.

The "high compression" setting is supposed to be accompanied by an 11 dB boost in the analog domain (after the DD decoder) -- the idea being that since there are no longer any dynamic peaks, the entire signal can be increased in volume -- that's the way normal analog TV audio is handled (no dynamic range, make everything loud).

It may not work with the digital audio cable. I can't get a digital out box from AT&T to find out.

 

[RobertCharlotte]

That's good info, Harold, but I don't really have a complaint about the differences in volume from one TV channel to the next. It's when I switch from one source to another on my receiver (Video 1, Video 2, Tuner, DVD, etc.) that I have this little annoyance.