Is it possible to increase dialog volume without a center speaker?

[yonyz]

Hi,

I have a 2.1 setup, so no center channel. The audio is fine in every regard, it's just that I'm not a native English speaker so it's a bit hard to understand dialogues during busy scenes that have lots of background noises (imagine an office setting).

With a center speaker, I'd just increase the volume of that speaker, since the background chatter is probably coming through the LR speakers. However, I do not have one, so my receiver won't show me the "center volume" setting.

I tried setting JRiver as if I have a 5.1 system and I used its own mixer to increase the volume of the center channel, but it did nothing.

I wonder what my other options are (I'm unable and not interested in adding a center speaker).

Thanks.

 

[lovinthehd]

With jriver have you tried a different eq scheme to emphasize the vocal range? With some soundtracks even having a center won't clarify the way they record some dialog these days....is your experience very general over a wide variety of material? Why not simply employ a center? I've tried the phantom center thing, not for me.

 

[yonyz]

With jriver have you tried a different eq scheme to emphasize the vocal range? With some soundtracks even having a center won't clarify the way they record some dialog these days....is your experience very general over a wide variety of material? Why not simply employ a center? I've tried the phantom center thing, not for me.

I don't really want to mess with EQ, and I can't add a center speaker.

 

[slipperybidness]

I don't really want to mess with EQ, and I can't add a center speaker.

Then you don't have many options!

Some AVRs (if you are using an AVR) have a "dialogue" DSP mode. Try that. I do find that it helps for some poor audio, especially from streamed sources.

A phantom center can work quite well. I have no problems using my speakers as a phantom center, but I do have a center channel too.

If you can't add a center and you don't have an AVR with some DSP modes, then you have 2 options:

1) Try to mess around with the EQ to see if you can get it better.
2) Try to re-position the speakers for optimal performance. Choose a few minute long dialogue that is difficult to hear, then make a small change with placement and/or toe-in, then re-listen to the same passage to see if it improved.

If you have not done #2 yet, then start there.

 

[yonyz]

Then you don't have many options!

Some AVRs (if you are using an AVR) have a "dialogue" DSP mode. Try that. I do find that it helps for some poor audio, especially from streamed sources.

A phantom center can work quite well. I have no problems using my speakers as a phantom center, but I do have a center channel too.

If you can't add a center and you don't have an AVR with some DSP modes, then you have 2 options:

1) Try to mess around with the EQ to see if you can get it better.
2) Try to re-position the speakers for optimal performance. Choose a few minute long dialogue that is difficult to hear, then make a small change with placement and/or toe-in, then re-listen to the same passage to see if it improved.

If you have not done #2 yet, then start there.

I think most movies are fine. I just watched the first scene from The Dark Knight Rises and dialogues were crystal clear, but that's because the sound mixing guys just did a good job and almost silenced the background noises whenever they talk. When movies aren't done this way... well, their dialogues are a lot harder to understand then.

 

[lovinthehd]

YMMV as many complain about the dialog in TDKR....

 

[vsound5150]

My wife is not a native english speaker as well and prefers the TV volume very loud. I never understood why until I asked her and she said it's easier to understand dialog.

I tried different options including moving the tower speakers closer but increasing the volume seems to be the best option. It's even worse when she uses the noisy treadmill I told her the neighbors will call the cops so I got her wireless headphones for that. I also set the AVR volume option to a fixed level so it's not blasting at every power on.

Not sure how you would do it to only the mains in your case other than what others said, maybe you can lower speaker impedance for only main speakers if the AVR will support it.

 

[rojo]

@yonyz http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=187537 might offer a possible solution (specifically post #4) if you're open to replacing JRiver with Kodi.

 

[yonyz]

@yonyz http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=187537 might offer a possible solution (specifically post #4) if you're open to replacing JRiver with Kodi.

I thought there would be a simple fix, like simply moving a volume slider. I don't really understand why media players cannot send a "stronger" signal for the center (and then the receiver would downmix to 2.1, but the center channel content would be louder).

Anyhow, my experience with Kodi, which I've tried 4 times by now, has always been terrible. It just never worked more than once after the installation. It also doesn't support madVR, which is needed for the screen calibration to work.

 

[vsound5150]

Maybe some type of attenuator will do the job if there is such devices for AVR's. Like putting a fake inductive/impedance load on the center channel as if a speaker was present.

Similar to attenuators used by guitarists like Marshall's powerbrake or the THD hot plate. Guitarists use these in smaller clubs it allows them to crank up large power amps to get great sound and tone at the same time keeping volume down at the speaker cabinets.

 

[yonyz]

Maybe some type of attenuator will do the job if there is such devices for AVR's. Like putting a fake inductive/impedance load on the center channel as if a speaker was present.

Similar to attenuators used by guitarists like Marshall's powerbrake or the THD hot plate. Guitarists use these in smaller clubs it allows them to crank up large power amps to get great sound and tone at the same time keeping volume down at the speaker cabinets.

Thanks. I think I can manually configure my receiver to 5.1, but then the center channel content will not be heard at all.