Regulating volume for films
Discussion
My hifi is mostly for listening to music, but I watch Netflix through it too as TV speakers are on the whole crap (maybe not on high end TVs, but I haven't got one of those).
The problem I have is the difference in volume between speech and music/explosions when watching films. The amount I have to turn it up to hear when people are talking quietly means that when theres a bit of action its far too loud, for neighbourly relations more than anything else!
My idea to potentially sort it is quite complicated -
Optical out from the TV to a DAC, then to a compressor/limiter (through an Alice Soundtech balancing convertor if needs be) then to the amp.
This would work right? And if so what sort of settings would I be wanting to use on the compressor?
Is there an easier way that I haven't thought of?
The problem I have is the difference in volume between speech and music/explosions when watching films. The amount I have to turn it up to hear when people are talking quietly means that when theres a bit of action its far too loud, for neighbourly relations more than anything else!
My idea to potentially sort it is quite complicated -
Optical out from the TV to a DAC, then to a compressor/limiter (through an Alice Soundtech balancing convertor if needs be) then to the amp.
This would work right? And if so what sort of settings would I be wanting to use on the compressor?
Is there an easier way that I haven't thought of?
I guess it would work, no idea what settings you'd need though. I use compression on my Tascam multitracker when mastering my own recordings, but most of the settings are pre-set so I just try a few until I find one that seems to suit what I want. Would be more compression than limiter style settings I think otherwise that's just going to stop the very loudest peaks coming through and not necessarily help bring up the quieter bits.
Some AVRs have a built in 'night mode' which can help, so you're just doing a similar thing to that just in a more manual way.
I have found that having a fully matched LCR speaker set up helps with this issue. I appreciate that you are just using stereo speakers, which may also be part of the problem: In my conservatory I have a more basic AVR set up which only uses left and right front speakers, plus two surrounds. I tend to suffer more from your problem with loud explosions and music than I do with my main system which has 3 identical speakers across the front.
Some AVRs have a built in 'night mode' which can help, so you're just doing a similar thing to that just in a more manual way.
I have found that having a fully matched LCR speaker set up helps with this issue. I appreciate that you are just using stereo speakers, which may also be part of the problem: In my conservatory I have a more basic AVR set up which only uses left and right front speakers, plus two surrounds. I tend to suffer more from your problem with loud explosions and music than I do with my main system which has 3 identical speakers across the front.
Thanks for your reply, what you say about using compression more than limiting makes a lot of sense. I had considered a centre speaker, but there isn't anywhere I could put it (600 year old house with awkwardly placed fireplace and no other way round that the room would work) hence trying to come up with a different solution 
Road2Ruin said:
Check the sound output on the TV. Make sure it is set to stereo and not some fancy surround setting.
Currently using an old tv as a screen for my mac which is how I watch films, so sound currently goes through an interface and into the amp. Have bought a much bigger smart TV which isn't set up yet and only has optical out. So no settings to change on this TV, just audio from the mac. hucumber said:
Currently using an old tv as a screen for my mac which is how I watch films, so sound currently goes through an interface and into the amp. Have bought a much bigger smart TV which isn't set up yet and only has optical out. So no settings to change on this TV, just audio from the mac.
Then check the audio from the Mac is set to stereo. Don't know Macs but PCs certainly have this. Nope, just tone controls. Nowt in the mac settings either! It did the same running from a different TV at the inlaws when we were staying there temporarily, and that was straight from TV to digital input on the amp. That was also a different pair of speakers, I suppose the only other thing would be to try a different amp, then thats every bit of hardware changed!
hucumber said:
Thanks for your reply, what you say about using compression more than limiting makes a lot of sense. I had considered a centre speaker, but there isn't anywhere I could put it (600 year old house with awkwardly placed fireplace and no other way round that the room would work) hence trying to come up with a different solution
To be honest, putting a badly matched and/or poorly positioned centre speaker is often the cause of the problem you have, so could be out of the frying pan and into the fire anyway. If you've got the gear anyway no harm in giving it a try and seeing if tweaking any settings can help. If you have something recorded (off disc or if you have a PVR) then you can go over the same sections to see what settings give the best result, otherwise it could be a bit frustrating trying it and waiting for suitable bits in a film to see if it works.hucumber said:
My hifi is mostly for listening to music, but I watch Netflix through it too as TV speakers are on the whole crap (maybe not on high end TVs, but I haven't got one of those).
The problem I have is the difference in volume between speech and music/explosions when watching films. The amount I have to turn it up to hear when people are talking quietly means that when theres a bit of action its far too loud, for neighbourly relations more than anything else!
My idea to potentially sort it is quite complicated -
Optical out from the TV to a DAC, then to a compressor/limiter (through an Alice Soundtech balancing convertor if needs be) then to the amp.
This would work right? And if so what sort of settings would I be wanting to use on the compressor?
Is there an easier way that I haven't thought of?
It is simply the dynamic range on films. The problem I have is the difference in volume between speech and music/explosions when watching films. The amount I have to turn it up to hear when people are talking quietly means that when theres a bit of action its far too loud, for neighbourly relations more than anything else!
My idea to potentially sort it is quite complicated -
Optical out from the TV to a DAC, then to a compressor/limiter (through an Alice Soundtech balancing convertor if needs be) then to the amp.
This would work right? And if so what sort of settings would I be wanting to use on the compressor?
Is there an easier way that I haven't thought of?
Most TVs have a sound compression function, full range, reduced range, nightime. Or something similar which will compress the range for night time listening.
Changing the output won't make any difference at all.
gizlaroc said:
It is simply the dynamic range on films.
Most TVs have a sound compression function, full range, reduced range, nightime. Or something similar which will compress the range for night time listening.
Changing the output won't make any difference at all.
An external compressor will reduce the dynamic range, so it should make a difference. Whether it's easy to set and forget is another matter, but I'd be giving it a try in the OP's position. The TV 'nightime' function probably won't work over Optical output, more likely just it's own speakers. Most TVs have a sound compression function, full range, reduced range, nightime. Or something similar which will compress the range for night time listening.
Changing the output won't make any difference at all.
At the moment it isn't, all the audio is going straight from the Mac via USB to an interface then into the analogue input of the amp.
I am currently watching Indiana Jones, had the volume set just right to hear speech and all of a sudden a fight has broken out and the change in volume is huge, I personally don't care but I worry about upsetting the neighbours, and thats without the sub being used! I'm moments away from buying one of these
as constantly turning it up and down is driving me nuts
I am currently watching Indiana Jones, had the volume set just right to hear speech and all of a sudden a fight has broken out and the change in volume is huge, I personally don't care but I worry about upsetting the neighbours, and thats without the sub being used! I'm moments away from buying one of these
as constantly turning it up and down is driving me nuts
Road2Ruin said:
You really are trying to use a sledge hammer to crack a nut. The issue is that whatever you are using to produce the sound is doing it in 5.1 or some other surround sound, maybe netflix itself is doing it. This needs to be turned to stereo. The sound will then be normal.
It definitely isn't. There's no settings on Netflix or Amazon to change for audio, and the interface isn't 5.1, and none of the settings on the mac are 5.1, and the amp is stereo onlyhucumber said:
Road2Ruin said:
You really are trying to use a sledge hammer to crack a nut. The issue is that whatever you are using to produce the sound is doing it in 5.1 or some other surround sound, maybe netflix itself is doing it. This needs to be turned to stereo. The sound will then be normal.
It definitely isn't. There's no settings on Netflix or Amazon to change for audio, and the interface isn't 5.1, and none of the settings on the mac are 5.1, and the amp is stereo onlyIf it's outputting 5.1 but the rest of the chain is stereo only, that could be your issue.
Good luck with it. If you need some help with compression settings I can check on my Tascam and see what the various preset ones have in terms of ratio, attack/decay and threshold.
For the price I guess it's worth a shot, though you might find too much compression will highlight noise: I find that happens if I set my guitar pedal compressor too high and it picks up noise from the chain in front of it. Like a lot of things it's about finding a suitable compromise that works best for you.
You will probably need to set both channels to be linked otherwise the stereo image will jump from side to side and possibly be as distracting as the initial problem.
Since you've checked all the sound options then it's got to be worth a try, but be prepared for a bit of trial and error getting the settings right: Guitarists use compression as an 'effect' as it can add a sort of 'punch' to the start of a note, but that could be overbearing on a full stereo signal for example.
For the price I guess it's worth a shot, though you might find too much compression will highlight noise: I find that happens if I set my guitar pedal compressor too high and it picks up noise from the chain in front of it. Like a lot of things it's about finding a suitable compromise that works best for you.
You will probably need to set both channels to be linked otherwise the stereo image will jump from side to side and possibly be as distracting as the initial problem.
Since you've checked all the sound options then it's got to be worth a try, but be prepared for a bit of trial and error getting the settings right: Guitarists use compression as an 'effect' as it can add a sort of 'punch' to the start of a note, but that could be overbearing on a full stereo signal for example.
hucumber said:
I've just had a look through, all I seem to be able to change in those settings is language of the audio.
I give up, have ordered the sledgehammer and am looking forward forward to smashing my nut with it
Under audio do you have more than one option for "English"? One with 5.1 next to it and one without?I give up, have ordered the sledgehammer and am looking forward forward to smashing my nut with it
https://hometheateracademy.com/watch-netflix-surro...
(Note I'm not using Netflix at the moment - never find enough on it to warrant the subs).
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