Sound

[flapalms239]

I live in a condo, so obviously I can't have my walls rattling with the movie sound etc...it seems like in all the movies I've bought and rented, the dialogue is very low and the music, gun noises action sequences are all LOUD...I find myself turning up and down the volume constantly...how can I fix this or is there anyway to do that?

[flapalms239]

I can't be the only one with this issue/question. Band of Brothers for instance, if I have the volume up loud enough to hear the talking, when the shooting starts it is extremely loud. I get it that that's obviously more real to life...but I'd rather not have to turn up the volume and turn it right back down over and over again during movies....

[johaen]

If you're using a receiver, it might have a night mode. I've used night mode once on my receiver when I had some company over, and it did a good job of leveling out the volume so I could hear the talking, but the loud parts weren't going to wake up the company.

[JBL4645]

Just use the (audio compressor) (only works on Dolby dts it doesn’t) it’s the simple and turn up the level a tiny bit db that will work for effects and music at moderate level and still make dialogue easy to understand.

Also the benefits help soft effects that would otherwise be hard to hear in too loud background noise, so use it you should get any stick from your unsociable neighbours.

Originally Posted by flapalms239

I can't be the only one with this issue/question. Band of Brothers for instance, if I have the volume up loud enough to hear the talking, when the shooting starts it is extremely loud. I get it that that's obviously more real to life...but I'd rather not have to turn up the volume and turn it right back down over and over again during movies....

If there is one word I don’t like to hear. That’s the word impossible. In this case its…

Impossible! Because a real explosion is impossible! Otherwise the point would be to destroy you, bust out the windows, bust in the door, put large cracks in the walls!

You can try but you’re mostly likely, be stone deaf afterwards in trying.

There are some few effects that you can make real but only as real as the mixers made it to be and they know its impossible.

I prefer an acoustically proximity of the real event, and even an Earthquake is sheer impossible without letting the whole street know about and piss them off at the same time.

If you like gunfire try Heat in an untreated room with no carpet nothing and that hollow like gunfire will sound so shrilly like it was (on the production set) with all the gunfire bouncing off all the buildings and echoing for several seconds afterwards.

It will not be too soon that your develop "tinnitus" and slight desire to top yourself off because it can produce mild depression in most cases.

85db is more acceptable level for an 8 hour period.

Get and SPL db meter and take walk in the real world forget about Bluray, Bluray is fabricated sound. Monitor the level of street level sound on busy day!

[Steve]

Originally Posted by flapalms239

I live in a condo, so obviously I can't have my walls rattling with the movie sound etc...it seems like in all the movies I've bought and rented, the dialogue is very low and the music, gun noises action sequences are all LOUD...I find myself turning up and down the volume constantly...how can I fix this or is there anyway to do that?

Originally Posted by flapalms239

I can't be the only one with this issue/question. Band of Brothers for instance, if I have the volume up loud enough to hear the talking, when the shooting starts it is extremely loud. I get it that that's obviously more real to life...but I'd rather not have to turn up the volume and turn it right back down over and over again during movies....

What's your setup like? Are you using a surround sound system or just the TV speakers?

[flapalms239]

Just tv speakers. I would love surround sound but I don't want my neighbors to be bothered :-)...

Bluray player hooked up with HDMI cable and I just use the tv speakers for sound.

[steve_dave]

Check your television for a "steady sound" option. Some newer televisions offer this and attempt to volume match all the audio so there are no sudden fluctuations.

[Steve]

Also check to see which audio formats are on your blu-rays when you play them. Any time there's a 2.0 channel option (as opposed to 5.1 or 7.1) select that one. It's mixed for the best results using only 2 speakers and may help with dialogue. When you have dialogue mixed in an audio track that's meant for a center channel speaker, but you don't have a center channel speaker the results aren't exactly spectacular.

You should still look into a surround sound setup. Many, many people here on this site are running 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound systems in apartments and condos and manage not to drive their neighbors crazy. Just because you have sound coming from all around you doesn't mean you have to suddenly listen at 5 times the volume.

[flapalms239]

"Just because you have sound coming from all around you doesn't mean you have to suddenly listen at 5 times the volume."

I literally laughed at this statement...it's so true...

Anyway...I'll look into it...I'm horrible with setting up stuff like that so I'm not sure how much I want to get into the audio and whatnot. Maybe a small out of the box set up or something...I'd have no idea how to set it up regardless...

Just noticed you're from Florida also:-) (Fireman325)

[Steve]

A system is not terribly difficult to set up. It's usually just a list (which can sometimes be a little lengthy) of basic steps that you have to follow. I recommend avoiding HTiBs, because for the price you can usually do better by buying separate components. If it's something you ever decide to pursue, come back here and let us know what your budget is and the members here can get you pointed in the right direction. If you know anyone who has a surround sound setup see if you can go over there and watch a movie some time. I bet you'll be sold on the idea then.

I'm in Jacksonville, by the way, which is NE Florida. Where are you?

[flapalms239]

I just recently moved down here (Fort Myers, SW fla) so as far as friends go I don't have any...other than work.

I have a friend back home that is really into audio and car audio and all of that stuff. He had a really nice set up in his house so I know how nice they can be. My parents had recently bought a Bose system, 2 speakers and a sub that was "ok"...they paid over 500 bucks for it though.

I appreciate the offer for help. I would need to start saving if I'm actually going to consider it. Can you get ones that are on stands that don't have to be hooked up to the walls or anything? I'm renting this condo and I'd rather not have to have more holes to patch if and when I leave someday.

[Steve]

The first bit of help I can give you is to tell you to avoid those Bose systems like your parents have.

You don't have to get speakers that go on the walls. You can get towers that stand on the floor, or you can get bookshelf speakers which sit up on speaker stands or on your TV stand if there's enough room. Many, many people use bookshelf speakers as surrounds as well and have them sitting on stands. I understand your desire not to wall-mount anything in an apartment, and rest assured you don't have to. I think just about every speaker manufacturer out there makes bookshelf speakers.

[MaCruz]

Hey flapalms239,

Make sure you listen to fireman325. He's the one who help me set my stuff up as I had no freakin idea where to start since I too started out with TV speakers and never thought about getting a sound system.

[flapalms239]

MaCruz: He seems like a nice enough guy :-) Has yet to flame me for my home theater stupidity :-P

Fireman: What is so bad about the out of box bose system other than it's RIDICULOUS price?

Can you give me some ideas so I can start researching and saving? What I think I want as of now is something with a stand, the furniture my tv is on isn't large enough for speakers.

I appreciate it Fireman :-)

Hope you're having a great day!

[MaCruz]

Nah, He's not going to flame you. Whatever help you need he'll let you know via PM

[flapalms239]

You both are from Jax....crazy...(sorry ADD over here)

Anyway thanks for the heads up!

[Steve]

Originally Posted by flapalms239

MaCruz: He seems like a nice enough guy :-) Has yet to flame me for my home theater stupidity :-P

Fireman: What is so bad about the out of box bose system other than it's RIDICULOUS price?

Can you give me some ideas so I can start researching and saving? What I think I want as of now is something with a stand, the furniture my tv is on isn't large enough for speakers.

I appreciate it Fireman :-)

Hope you're having a great day!

I won't say all Bose products are bad because I haven't heard them all and I've heard on a few occasions that some of their separate speakers are pretty decent. However, there are a few problems. First you should note that it's very difficult to find specs on Bose speakers and systems. That's because they don't stand up well to other brands that cost half the price. Bose's box systems are basically entry-level at best, but they have a marketing campaign that's fooled many, many people into thinking they're high-end. For more on that read here.

When it comes to an HT setup, you need a few things. First you'll need an audio video receiver. You can get into nice entry level models for $300 and up. My advice is to look for one that has a full set of pre-outs. This gives you the option of adding a separate amp later if you want to. Alot of people here will recommend you buy the Onkyo 606 or 607. They're nice receivers, and my first receiver was an Onkyo 605 (predecessor to the 606 and 607), but they don't have pre-outs. By the time I upgraded my speakers and wanted more power I had to buy a whole new receiver. If my first model had pre-outs, I could have saved a few hundred $$$ and bought an Emotiva amp.

With the receiver you'll need speakers. Speakers fall in every price range you can imagine. The most important speakers to your HT experience are the front stage. These are your mains (front left and right) and the center. The center is where almost all movie dialogue comes from and is therefore probably the single most important speaker in your entire setup. It's also important for all three of your front speakers to match. That way they'll all sound the same and as sound moves across from side to side it should sound seamless. Ideally you would use 3 of the exact same speakers, but if you can't accommodate 3 identical tower or bookshelf speakers (which many of us can't) you can use a horizontal center speaker, but it needs to be from the same brand and series as the mains.

Next you'll want to add a subwoofer, and finally your surrounds. For a standard 5.1 setup you'll have 2 mains, 1 center, 2 surrounds (on the sides) and 1 subwoofer. For a standard 7.1 setup you'll use the 5.1 setup and add 2 surround back speakers. Recently some variations have come out that allow for the addition of front wide speakers and/or front height speakers. This hasn't caught on really well yet, but just be aware it's out there. Movies are recorded in standard 5.1 or 7.1.

Well I think that covers some of the very basics to help bring you up to speed and get you started. There's also a great thread for 'home theater virgins' that you should start reading through which would be a huge help.

Originally Posted by MaCruz

Nah, He's not going to flame you. Whatever help you need he'll let you know via PM

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by fireman325

I won't say all Bose products are bad because I haven't heard them all and I've heard on a few occasions that some of their separate speakers are pretty decent. However, there are a few problems. First you should note that it's very difficult to find specs on Bose speakers and systems. That's because they don't stand up well to other brands that cost half the price. Bose's box systems are basically entry-level at best, but they have a marketing campaign that's fooled many, many people into thinking they're high-end. For more on that read here.

When it comes to an HT setup, you need a few things. First you'll need an audio video receiver. You can get into nice entry level models for $300 and up. My advice is to look for one that has a full set of pre-outs. This gives you the option of adding a separate amp later if you want to. Alot of people here will recommend you buy the Onkyo 606 or 607. They're nice receivers, and my first receiver was an Onkyo 605 (predecessor to the 606 and 607), but they don't have pre-outs. By the time I upgraded my speakers and wanted more power I had to buy a whole new receiver. If my first model had pre-outs, I could have saved a few hundred $$$ and bought an Emotiva amp.

With the receiver you'll need speakers. Speakers fall in every price range you can imagine. The most important speakers to your HT experience are the front stage. These are your mains (front left and right) and the center. The center is where almost all movie dialogue comes from and is therefore probably the single most important speaker in your entire setup. It's also important for all three of your front speakers to match. That way they'll all sound the same and as sound moves across from side to side it should sound seamless. Ideally you would use 3 of the exact same speakers, but if you can't accommodate 3 identical tower or bookshelf speakers (which many of us can't) you can use a horizontal center speaker, but it needs to be from the same brand and series as the mains.

Next you'll want to add a subwoofer, and finally your surrounds. For a standard 5.1 setup you'll have 2 mains, 1 center, 2 surrounds (on the sides) and 1 subwoofer. For a standard 7.1 setup you'll use the 5.1 setup and add 2 surround back speakers. Recently some variations have come out that allow for the addition of front wide speakers and/or front height speakers. This hasn't caught on really well yet, but just be aware it's out there. Movies are recorded in standard 5.1 or 7.1.

Well I think that covers some of the very basics to help bring you up to speed and get you started. There's also a great thread for 'home theater virgins' that you should start reading through which would be a huge help.


Thanks for the vote of confidence.

That was a very good post fireman!!

[Steve]

Originally Posted by forsberg21

That was a very good post fireman!!

Thanks.