Bram Stoker's Dracula - Dialog

[GreenMotion]

I am watching Bram Stoker's Dracula and I find the dialog via the center channel a bit weak. I can turn up the volume to accaptable levels, but then the surround channels tend to be too loud at times. Has anyone else notices this?

[Manco]

Don't have this title yet so can't comment directly.

But in general, just increase the db on your center, not the volume. I'm always futzing with this on many films because center/dialog often seems to low for my tastes.

But I'm an old guy losing his hearing....so take it for what it's worth.

[DrinkMore]

Your not the only one. The latest BD movies I have received - the volume is either too loud, or not loud enough.

The issue is when people are talking, I have the volume cranked up so I can hear it. However, when the action starts - I get blown away - literally - so I have to turn it down. When I turn it down, I then can not hear the voices again.

So I am constantly adjusting it up and down. Please take note, this is not on a home theatre system. It's just a speaker on the monitor. Either way, it is annoying.

[gvortex7]

As Manco stated earlier, it is the individual channel's DB level that needs to be adjusted accordingly and not the master volume. In this case, increase the center level or decrease the level for the FL or FR.

[davidPS3]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

As Manco stated earlier, it is the individual channel's DB level that needs to be adjusted accordingly and not the master volume. In this case, increase the center level or decrease the level for the FL or FR.

I have had to do the same thing on my system. It works, but a pain to have to do.

[akadkins]

Whatever anybody says, this has been a historic problem with DVD and Blu-Ray (most likely HD-DVD as well). You notice on television shows sometimes too via cable - as everything shifts to 5.1, the movies folks seem to forget that we might want to hear what people are saying rather than be dazzled with blasts and music...

This year has been the worst for me since I can't set up my surrond sound...I'm in military housing and the walls are very thin...I sometimes think I need to turn on the close-captioning to figure out what's going on.

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by davidPS3

I have had to do the same thing on my system. It works, but a pain to have to do.

Yeah, I know. And unfortunately, Dracula isn't the only movie where it seems the dialog just gets lost in the music and the sound effects.

[Rustmonsteru]

I haven't seen Dracula yet but I rented 28 Weeks Later last night and I had issue with the dialogue levels on portions of that and I seem to recall the same with Reservoir Dogs. I've never had that problem with a Sony title yet or with a PCM track though. Hmmmm, mysteries abound.

They need to come up with multi-settings for recievers so you could flip to your second setting with the center db turned up and then change it back for films with better balance.

[DrinkMore]

They need to make it (unless they have it and I am unaware of the feature) so that the sounds stays constant through out the movie.

[GreenMotion]

Originally Posted by DrinkMore

They need to make it (unless they have it and I am unaware of the feature) so that the sounds stays constant through out the movie.

Isnt that what the "late night listening mode" is for?

[DrinkMore]

Originally Posted by GreenMotion

Isnt that what the "late night listening mode" is for?

I dunno, I am not an audiophile. I know how it works, set it up, configure and all that. But as far as "features" and "advanced features" - clueless.

Now, ask me about a PC and IT infastructure and your golden

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by GreenMotion

Isnt that what the "late night listening mode" is for?

Indeed. Dolby calls it Dialogue Normalization.

Since this is a SPHE title, DN on TrueHD is turned off. And you can't do DN using PCM or DTS HDMA. DN affects the dynamic range considerably and is not considered audiophile friendly.

If you can't listen to it loud (or louder), I suggest turning on the subtitles.


fuad

[Deciazulado]

Originally Posted by DrinkMore

They need to make it (unless they have it and I am unaware of the feature) so that the sounds stays constant through out the movie.

no. That's compressing the dynamics/remixing. You do that on your own stereo, not on the disc for everybody's system.

[frank_t]

i have an old sony cd player which let me store a 200+ catalog of CD titles with custom settings for various sound processing options. was really cool as I could just pop in the disc and voila!

if not in the receiver, then an option for us PS3 owners to tweak the sound to our liking on a per-title basis. would be really sweet.

anyway -- not too bad right now with how I've mapped my remote to receiver settings to tweak the center as needed. the kids tend to mess with things enough anyway that I like to re-calibrate at least once a month.

[frank_t]

Originally Posted by Manco

Don't have this title yet so can't comment directly.

But in general, just increase the db on your center, not the volume. I'm always futzing with this on many films because center/dialog often seems to low for my tastes.

But I'm an old guy losing his hearing....so take it for what it's worth.

me too (futzing w/center DB, I'm not that old yet, though I'm listening to Renaissance on my PS3 right now. most would not know who they were) anyway, was watching underworld last night and the center was too low compared to the rest.