Yamaha Night Listening Enhancer

[jake5717]

How well does this really work? I live in an apt and I hate when I have to constantly adjust the volume between dialog and action. Do most new revivers have a feature similar?

 

[Bassman2]

I don't know if it works that way on movies but it does bring up lower level instruments on audio disks so they don't get lost when I'm listening at near whisper volumes. I have it on a RX-V 659 and to be honest it's nice but the receiver sounds so good at low volumes I don't always use it. I've only had the thing for a couple of weeks and havent tried it on movies yet, but I'm sure someone who knows more will be along soon. What unit are you looking at?

 

[MDS]

This feature is known as 'dynamic range compression' and yes nearly all receivers that have Dolby Digital decoders offer the feature. It only works on Dolby Digital.

It reduces the dynamic range (difference between the softest and loudest parts), which brings up the average level. Movies often have a large dynamic range from barely audible dialog all the way to thunderous explosions. With compression on, the loudest parts are not as loud and because the average level has increased, the low level parts are easier to hear. I use it extensively, although I have an Onkyo receiver, not Yamaha.

 

[jake5717]

Im looking at getting a Yamaha 661.

Im really excited to hear that this feature works well. I would love to have loud explosions however Im sure my neighbors feel otherwise.

maybe a bit off topic:
When I have my current receiver connected with the fiber cable and I go from an HD program (dolby digital) on one channel to an SD program (PLII) on a different channel there is a major volume difference. Do you guys experence this with newer AVR's?

Current AVR, RCA HTIB is about 5+ years old.

 

[Cygnus]

It only works on Dolby Digital.

Not in Yamahas case, the Night listening mode can be applied to any source, no matter what type.

 

[MDS]

Not in Yamahas case, the Night listening mode can be applied to any source, no matter what type.

Maybe Yamaha implemented their own compression algorithm rather than relying on Dolby. I'd very much like to have the compression apply to all sources on my receiver.

 

[bongobob]

Actually my RX V2500 has both. Dynamic compression is applied in the set up menu while the night listening mode is a convienient button on the remote.

 

[Bassman2]

Maybe Yamaha implemented their own compression algorithm rather than relying on Dolby. I'd very much like to have the compression apply to all sources on my receiver.

It's pretty good. I can listen to the radio at night even, really softly with the wife sleeping in the same room and not lose much detail or wake her. It has a movie/music switch and a min/ mid/ max switch, and can be used in conjunction with the various digital options. I really love this thing. (RX-V659)

Another cool feature is the compressed music enhancer for music files. I've never used it as such but right now I'm listening to an old store bought Mountain CD that sounds awful, like it was recorded from an old worn out record, onto a cassette tape! and then burned to CD. So I threw on the enhancer and Bam! it sounds much better, I'm not sure why.