Problems with volume on Yamaha 995 receiver (1 Viewer)

[Sean_B]

This never really bothered me before because I didn't have to play movies at lower volumes. I have to now because I'm in an apartment. It seems that when playing DVD movies at a low volume its hard to hear dialogue so I have to turn it up. Then when an action sequence comes on or music starts playing I have to adjust the volume back down. This is so bothersome. I have to constantly have my finger on the volume control to compensate what is on the screen.
Is this the receivers fault? I have paradigm speakers and supposedly one of the best center channels around in the Studio CC. Would dynmaic range compression or midnight mode help this out?
Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[David Judah]

It's not the receiver's fault. It has to do with the wide dynamic range of movie soundtracks on DVD.
Go into the menu and set Dynamic Range to STD(standard) or MIN(minimum) from it's MAX default setting.
It only works on Dolby Digital encoded material which you will most commonly be listening to anyways, and it will compress the soundtrack down, so you won't have the wide swings between the loudest and softest material.
DJ

 

[Sean_B]

Thanks for the reply David! I set it to minimum and it is easier to hear dialogue and I don't have to keep adjusting. I just lose out on a lot of good sound though by not having it on maximum.

 

[Bob_A]

I used to have some of these problems you described...but I was able to remedy the situation.
First, your center should be fully broken in of course.
Second, you should angle your center towards the listening position.
Third, you want to try to isolate the center speaker from the tv. If you must keep your center on the tv, you should move it as far forward as you can (ideally you want the front of the center channel speaker to be sitting a bit in front of the tv so that you can reduce reflections off the tv...so you want a slight "overhang" with the center speaker).
Fourth, make sure that your wires are all uncoiled and secure.
As a final option, on certain dvd's it may be worthwhile to bump up the center channel levels a few db's.
Good luck!
[Edited last by Bob_A on October 23, 2001 at 04:46 PM]

 

[MatthewJ S]

Bob has great advice, these are all things that I did when I first set up my RXV995 in my bedroom to run my Missions! Having to compress dynamic range does suck, but often a neccesary evil

 

[Bob_A]

I just wanted to point out that I still have my dynamic range at "max"...but I also have a very large room and can crank up the volume if I need to.

 

[Pierre Gagne]

I, too, have the RX-V995. When I did some audio tests with THX Optimode or with the DVD Spectacular disc or even with the pink noise on the receiver, I had to raise the center channel by 5db to get the same volume as my mains. Maybe it has to do with my speakers in my case, but I found more practical to only increase the level of the center channel instead of setting down the Dynamic Range (which affects only DD).
Pierre