Functional "Night Mode" for being considerate to neighbors

[jsabatke]

My Pioneer VSZx-1120-K was advertised with a "Night Mode" to compress the sound to avoid annoying neighbors. I'm a bit hard of hearing, so I both use closed captioning (where available) and turn the volume up a bit. I've never like the sound of unnaturally loud music, and I find that special effects go way overboard (IMHO) with volume. That is the crux of the problem. Listening to dialog at natural volumes puts music and effects into room-shaking SPLs and I'm moving to an apartment building where that ill not do. I also simply don't want to annoy neighbors.

Can anyone recommend a receiver that actually does compress the sound so I'm not shaking the walls?

Also, advertisements often often are so loud compared to the shows I watch that I have to scramble for the remote and hit "mute" until they are over. I've read some receivers compress commercials also. Can you recommend one, along with meeting the above needs, that actually works?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum, Jim!

Your VSX-1120 is a good receiver, and it has a few different options that might get you what you want. A lot of the options for enhancing dialogue and reducing the delta between quiet and loud sounds require a digital audio source - what do you have connected to the Pioneer (e.g. disc player, cable box, turntable)? Below are the options on that Pioneer that caught my attention:

• "Midnight" mode, the one that you mentioned, is a form of dynamic range control (DRC) (sometimes called "dynamic range compression") that reduces the range between quiet noises (like whispers) and loud noises (like explosions). I don't know the level of compression that it does, though. It also adjusts the subwoofer and surround levels
• "Dialogue Enhancement" will localize dialogue into the center channel to make it stand out. There six different settings available (including "Off")
• DRC ("Dynamic Range Contol") gives you control over the dynamic range (again, the difference between quiet and loud sounds) for digital audio encoded using the various Dolby Digital and DTS sound modes. You can choose between Off, Min, and Max. You didn't say what exactly you didn't like about the Midnight mode, but this option will likely compress the difference between loud and quiet even further and might suit your needs
• ALC ("Auto Level Control") is one of the sound mode choices that, in theory, will help with cutting down the offset between TV programs and commercials

Also, have you run the MCACC auto calibration routine? I also own a Pioneer, and I think that system works great.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Jim, I think we have several aspects here:
a) My guess is with your current system Human speech is hard to understand at lower volumes - Yes, you have mentioned hearing issues, but I think many people's system suffer same issue due to room acoustics. There is a solution for that and it's a two steps:

a) Consult with company which specialize with Room acoustics treatments like ATS Acoustics
Acoustic Panels by ATS Acoustics

b) Re-Run automatic room correction which in case of Pioneer is MCACC

What you should for in next receiver is features like Dynamic Volume - it should help alleviate some of issues with loud commercials

 

[tvrgeek]

Only guarantee: Use cans. I just stop my serious movie watching by 9:00.
If you don't live in a single-family home, you have no business with a sub in the first place. 60Hz max.

It was not exactly high fidelity, but the old DBX 119, circa 1975, did what you want. I am sure there are plenty of "pro-sound" compressors out there. I can guarantee you are listening to one right now.

I gave up on the Marantz AV preamp before I evaluated their various level-compensating functions. I think it had compression, some level based eq and some frequency shifting fake you out night mode. I have read so many manuals this week, I don't know which is which. Anthem? Denon?

 

[jsabatke]

A quick reply to everyone. First, for me, the Pioneer documentation kind of sucks. It has loads of info, but is missing key pieces on how to use certain functions, like "Midnight Mode". After about 2-3 hours of experimenting, I have a compressed sound that should keep me from annoying neighbors. I think commercials are going to be an issue yet, but maybe I haven't found the solution. I read some time ago that congress was considering a law prohibiting commercials playing so many decibels louder than shows, but I don't think anything will come of that. I can't believe how a normal conversation level show absolutely shakes the walls for some commercials.

I also agree that it probably isn't a great idea to use a sub-woofer in an apartment, and if I were to do it over again, I probably would have saved a lot of money using Definitive Tech monitors instead of their really nice towers with subwoofers. I've turned down the low freq levels quite a few decibels and it still has enough kick to hear in the room, but shouldn't be annoying. Like others here, I actually don't like loud music, and I think movies really overdo the sound effects pretty drastically. It hurts my ears to go to the better theaters with "good" sound systems that don't have the qualities that I like in my setup. I like quality over quantity. I may buy another receiver in the near future and relegate the Pioneer to the bedroom TV. I would love recommendations for an extremely inexpensive receiver, with lots of inputs, that has no distortion, enough power to meet my needs and complete tailoring of all of the sound for being a good neighbor. Actually, I would like recommendations for appropriate receivers.

While we are on the subject of surround, I have two Definitive Tech BPVX rear speakers. Would it make a big difference to add two more in the rear for 7.1 sound? Also, if you are familiar with DT's line, would any less expensive surround speakers of theirs make good rear center speakers? I can get two BPVXs for about $800 and I know they are some of the best I've ever heard.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[JonnyFive23517]

Has anyone experimented with Audysseys new low frequency containment (LFC)? It supposedly reduces frequencies which penetrate your walls but without degrading the sound too much. Supposedly, I haven't heard it in practice. Alternatively, go into your neighbors apartment while playing test tones really loud on your receiver. Note the ones that are most offensive, put a PEQ at those frequencies. Lol. This would probably sound terrible, but might help?