Can you individually adjust speaker volumes with surround sound?

[Dean1234]

Hi there!

Can anyone tell me if technology has moved on with surround sound in a home theatre situation, to allow me to individually raise or lower speaker volumes and immediately hear the speaker go up or down whilst I am making the adjustment to a specific speaker?

In other words, I can turn on a movie and bring up the front left speaker until it is at the right volume, then back off the sub speaker, then lower the volume of the back left speaker (or whatever) and immediately hear the particular speakers go up or down. What amplifier/s (or system) have that capability?

Here’s my reason for asking.
I bought a surround sound system some years ago. I specifically requested that I be able to adjust speaker volumes in real time. The result was this HORRIBLE scenario where you would move a virtual chair around your room and that would adjust the volumes. Absolute waste of time.

Why? Let’s say I wanted the front left speaker brought up in volume. I would go into a mode where I would not be able to hear the result of my adjustment. So, in silence, I would do an adjustment that may take two minutes. Finally, I get to hear the result of my adjustment. Invariably it was wrong.

Ten tries later, let’s say I get it right. I play another home movie and that particular mix is now wrong say. So now I have to bring up the rear speaker or speakers. Ten minutes later, I get it right.

Phew! HORRIBL! I haven’t used the system since I bought it.

Preferably, I would also like to control EQ if the speakers as well. I am a musician and know I can set up say seven separate amplifiers and solve my problem. The downside is all the bloody leads. I am hoping that as I have given up on my quest for years, that perhaps technology has moved on and there are now surround sound systems that

 

[Verdinut]

Hi there!

Can anyone tell me if technology has moved on with surround sound in a home theatre situation, to allow me to individually raise or lower speaker volumes and immediately hear the speaker go up or down whilst I am making the adjustment to a specific speaker?

In other words, I can turn on a movie and bring up the front left speaker until it is at the right volume, then back off the sub speaker, then lower the volume of the back left speaker (or whatever) and immediately hear the particular speakers go up or down. What amplifier/s (or system) have that capability?

Here’s my reason for asking.
I bought a surround sound system some years ago. I specifically requested that I be able to adjust speaker volumes in real time. The result was this HORRIBLE scenario where you would move a virtual chair around your room and that would adjust the volumes. Absolute waste of time.

Why? Let’s say I wanted the front left speaker brought up in volume. I would go into a mode where I would not be able to hear the result of my adjustment. So, in silence, I would do an adjustment that may take two minutes. Finally, I get to hear the result of my adjustment. Invariably it was wrong.

Ten tries later, let’s say I get it right. I play another home movie and that particular mix is now wrong say. So now I have to bring up the rear speaker or speakers. Ten minutes later, I get it right.

Phew! HORRIBL! I haven’t used the system since I bought it.

Preferably, I would also like to control EQ if the speakers as well. I am a musician and know I can set up say seven separate amplifiers and solve my problem. The downside is all the bloody leads. I am hoping that as I have given up on my quest for years, that perhaps technology has moved on and there are now surround sound systems that

With the new equipment that is not the home theater in a box type, you can adjust the volume of all speakers connected to the receiver individually. Most current receivers feature some EQ possibility as well.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Sorry, but I doubt that technology has improved to your satisfaction. Individual channel adjustments require you to go into the AVR’s menu. Typically increments are in 0.5 or 1 dB increments, so at least that should take the guesswork out of it (you should hopefully have some idea of how many dB of adjustment you need). You may be able to do that in real time (I’ve never tried), but the menu screen will overlay the source picture, which means you’re no longer watching the movie but the menu screen. You may or may not like that.

EQ will be the same way: in the menu. However, it’s not like a stand-alone EQ where you just grab the desired slider and push. You have to select the desired frequency, bandwidth, then amount of gain. IOW, a lot of button pushing.

Really, outboard amplification and equalizers are the only way to do what you want. Unlike setting up and tearing down all your musical equipment for a gig, once all the connections have been made it doesn’t have to be messed with again.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[VMPS-TIII]

In other words, I can turn on a movie and bring up the front left speaker until it is at the right volume, then back off the sub speaker, then lower the volume of the back left speaker (or whatever) and immediately hear the particular speakers go up or down. What amplifier/s (or system) have that capability?

On my Denon 4500 you go to the Speaker Menu, then select Levels. Each speaker can be individually raised or lowered in volume in real time. While this feature will not allow you to completely turn off a speaker, it does offer significant volume control (+12db to -12db). There is a Denon built-in web application that allows me to easily make these changes from a notebook or I can use an app on the iPad. It's easy to make these changes right from your listening seat.

On another note: If you use Odyssey to setup the speakers initially you are less likely to require this feature as it measures polarity, distance and matches volumes automatically for all speakers. As a result, needing to change levels is usually the exception and not the rule.

 

[MalVeauX]

Hi there!

Can anyone tell me if technology has moved on with surround sound in a home theatre situation, to allow me to individually raise or lower speaker volumes and immediately hear the speaker go up or down whilst I am making the adjustment to a specific speaker?

In other words, I can turn on a movie and bring up the front left speaker until it is at the right volume, then back off the sub speaker, then lower the volume of the back left speaker (or whatever) and immediately hear the particular speakers go up or down. What amplifier/s (or system) have that capability?

Here’s my reason for asking.
I bought a surround sound system some years ago. I specifically requested that I be able to adjust speaker volumes in real time. The result was this HORRIBLE scenario where you would move a virtual chair around your room and that would adjust the volumes. Absolute waste of time.

Why? Let’s say I wanted the front left speaker brought up in volume. I would go into a mode where I would not be able to hear the result of my adjustment. So, in silence, I would do an adjustment that may take two minutes. Finally, I get to hear the result of my adjustment. Invariably it was wrong.

Ten tries later, let’s say I get it right. I play another home movie and that particular mix is now wrong say. So now I have to bring up the rear speaker or speakers. Ten minutes later, I get it right.

Phew! HORRIBL! I haven’t used the system since I bought it.

Preferably, I would also like to control EQ if the speakers as well. I am a musician and know I can set up say seven separate amplifiers and solve my problem. The downside is all the bloody leads. I am hoping that as I have given up on my quest for years, that perhaps technology has moved on and there are now surround sound systems that

Hi Dean,

Pretty much every modern AVR that is multi-channel can do this these days, even entry models. You can adjust every channel with +/- db manually to your whim.

Very best,

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Maybe I missed it, but why would you ever want to do that?

I think a small investment in an spl meter so you know the channels are leveled properly and you would be set.

 

[lovinthehd]

My oldest (and cheapest) avr has individual speaker level control for L/R/C but adjust surrounds as a channel. With the other three they all have individual speaker control but the level controls are combined with test tones rather than simply using current source content. I don't want to change levels during play so no problem for me.