help my centre speaker has made things crazy

[snappy_snoopy]

hi every one,
i have a problem, i just got a center speaker and it has made things worse instead of better, my front speakers have gone quieter and when watching movies the dialog still comes from the left and right speakers and hardly from the center one. I think that something is wrong with my settings on my receiver.

Here is the model i have (not the flashest) pioneer vsx-517s, i can choose between different surround modes, i have selected rock and pop as i find it has the best dynamic range and sounds good for both cd's and movies.

I have tried to set the speaker distances form the listening position the best i can. AT this stage i should probably also write i am only starting out and have a 3.1 system.

I can also set the effect/channel and this allows me to add +-10dB onto the channels individually. oh and i dont have a spl meter so i need to do all this by ear but the centre speaker has made things a bit nuts and thought i could get it to bring out the movie dialog alot more.

Thanks in advance

 

[bandphan]

Did you level match them to your mains? Depending on the processing your mains might sound soft. Also alot of auto eq programs run the center a liitle hot

 

[snappy_snoopy]

Did you level match them to your mains? Depending on the processing your mains might sound soft. Also alot of auto eq programs run the center a liitle hot

currently i have my mains set to small (as they are bookshelves and let the sub handles the low stuff and it sounds really bad ***)

the following is what i have them set to
L = R = +10dB
C = +4.5dB
Sub = +10dB
effect = 90,

could you please explain to me what the effect does and what a good setup should be like,

i am in a apartment and there is about 1m between mains and center speaker, sub sits between the right main and center speaker.

 

[snappy_snoopy]

oh and another thing, should i use the "DRC" settings i have it currently deactivated on my dvd player and on the receiver, also i have a option for virtual surround on the dvd player which i have enabled. Could these things also be affecting it

 

[bandphan]

the following is what i have them set to
L = R = +10dB
C = +4.5dB
Sub = +10dB
effect = 90,

could you please explain to me what the effect does and what a good setup should be like,

what avr do you have? something doesnt seem right , if you do not have rear channels(effects?) set them to none

oh and another thing, should i use the "DRC" settings i have it currently deactivated on my dvd player and on the receiver, also i have a option for virtual surround on the dvd player which i have enabled. Could these things also be affecting it

yes it will affect the sound, but only you can determine if it is bad

 

[snappy_snoopy]

what avr do you have? something doesnt seem right , if you do not have rear channels(effects?) set them to none



yes it will affect the sound, but only you can determine if it is bad

i think i have made it a bit better by turning drc off, i get much higher volume vocals now from dialogue. I do not have surrounds they are set to off, i have the pioneer vsx517s. Have the center channel set to 5dB now and there is a bit more audio coming out.

Thanks for your help i think i managed to get it right

 

[bandphan]

your mains and sub seem hot, im down 3.5dbs, plus 10 seem a little sideways, did you calibrate with a spl meter?

 

[snappy_snoopy]

your mains and sub seem hot, im down 3.5dbs, plus 10 seem a little sideways, did you calibrate with a spl meter?

do i did not as i dont have a spl meter. Is there anything i can do, i noticed if i turn the DRC off on the dvd player the movie dialogue comes through really well but if i play cds it sound really bad with it on, why is this ??

 

[3db]

do i did not as i dont have a spl meter. Is there anything i can do, i noticed if i turn the DRC off on the dvd player the movie dialogue comes through really well but if i play cds it sound really bad with it on, why is this ??

Its time to hit the manuals. I hate that myself but if you want to get on top of your system, you have to understand what you are playing with. Good luck man.

 

[Alex2507]

Its time to hit the manuals. I hate that myself but if you want to get on top of your system, you have to understand what you are playing with. Good luck man.

That's great advice. You must calibrate your system. Bandphan is 100% right. Until you get a meter you might try running everything at 0 and making adjustments from there. Right now your mains and your sub are probably drowning out the center. Just as an experiment, set your center to +5 and run everything else at 0. You'll hear plenty of dialog.

 

[snappy_snoopy]

That's great advice. You must calibrate your system. Bandphan is 100% right. Until you get a meter you might try running everything at 0 and making adjustments from there. Right now your mains and your sub are probably drowning out the center. Just as an experiment, set your center to +5 and run everything else at 0. You'll hear plenty of dialog.

thanks for all the advice guys, it truns out i had dialogue enhancement turned on and as a result the center speaker was hardly being used and the center channel data was being distributed between the left and right speakers my mistake i got it all sussed out now, the sound is how i want it now. Center channel has made such a big difference when you get the settings right.

 

[bandphan]

thanks for all the advice guys, it truns out i had dialogue enhancement turned on and as a result the center speaker was hardly being used and the center channel data was being distributed between the left and right speakers my mistake i got it all sussed out now, the sound is how i want it now. Center channel has made such a big difference when you get the settings right.

imo you should still calibrate your setup