"Peaking Out" During Movies/Games

[SopRage1]

Hey guys,

I recently got into the home theater scene, and finally got some quality gear.

Unfortunately, I'm getting a weird sound from movies/games during dialogue. Whenever a character suddenly yells, or sometimes for sections of dialogue, I'll get a sound that sounds much like the dialogue is "peaking out," and gets very hard for a brief bit. Very bright, like they're too close to the microphone kind of thing, if you know what I mean.

I know this sounds like clipping, but I don't believe it is. First of all, the sound seems to occur regardless of volume. Secondly, I'm not listening at a high volume by any stretch of the imagination (-20 dB, calibrated with DVE, sitting only 6 feet from the L/C/R). Thirdly, I don't get this sound when listening to music (at much higher levels).

Here's my gear, if that helps. All purchased within the last 6 weeks:

Ascend HTM-200 Center
Ascend CTM-340 Mains
Ascend HTM-200 Surrounds
HSU VTF-2 MK 3 Sub
Yamaha RX-V663 Receiver

Am I correct that clipping would be very unlikely? Any thoughts on what might be causing this annoying harshness in the dialogue?

Thanks so much for your help!

- Jared

 

[TLS Guy]

Hey guys,

I recently got into the home theater scene, and finally got some quality gear.

Unfortunately, I'm getting a weird sound from movies/games during dialogue. Whenever a character suddenly yells, or sometimes for sections of dialogue, I'll get a sound that sounds much like the dialogue is "peaking out," and gets very hard for a brief bit. Very bright, like they're too close to the microphone kind of thing, if you know what I mean.

I know this sounds like clipping, but I don't believe it is. First of all, the sound seems to occur regardless of volume. Secondly, I'm not listening at a high volume by any stretch of the imagination (-20 dB, calibrated with DVE, sitting only 6 feet from the L/C/R). Thirdly, I don't get this sound when listening to music (at much higher levels).

Here's my gear, if that helps. All purchased within the last 6 weeks:

Ascend HTM-200 Center
Ascend CTM-340 Mains
Ascend HTM-200 Surrounds
HSU VTF-2 MK 3 Sub
Yamaha RX-V663 Receiver

Am I correct that clipping would be very unlikely? Any thoughts on what might be causing this annoying harshness in the dialogue?

Thanks so much for your help!

- Jared

Have you used some ridiculous auto Eq like Yapo?

 

[SopRage1]

I've got it set on "natural." Ought I disengage the EQ?

 

[TLS Guy]

I've got it set on "natural." Ought I disengage the EQ?

Yes, set it up flat. It sounds as if the auto Eq has done something ridiculous and sent a strange Eq to the center channel, possibly overloading a driver.

The other thing, is do you use your center channel for playing music? If you listen to music in stereo, then there might be something wrong with the center channel amp or your center channel speaker. The dialog is sent to the center channel.

If setting it flat does not do the trick, then for a test, connect your center speaker to a left or right channel and see if you get the distortion. That will test the speaker.

If the speaker is OK, set your speaker system, to center channel no. Then the dialog will go to the left and right speakers. If that cures the problem, then there is likely something wrong with the center channel amp.

 

[rnatalli]

I agree that turning off the EQ will probably correct the issue. Nice simple setup by the way.

 

[SopRage1]

Thanks for the help so far, guys.

I turned off the EQ and tried putting dialogue through the L/Rs, and still found the same issue.

The "Mr. DNA" section of Jurassic Park is where I really noticed this issue, and that section of the movie sounds AWFUL.

Is it possibly the source? Is it my DVD player (I'm using my Xbox 360)? Again, it's not all the time, just with sudden dynamic shifts in the dialogue, yelling, etc. (or, in the case of the Mr. DNA sequence, for an extended period of time). I don't hear it during "loud" parts (explosions, etc).

Very frustrating!

Thanks again,

- Jared

 

[j_garcia]

You can figure out if it is the source very easily - if it doesn't do it when the sound is low, then it isn't the source. Does it do it with all movies? Different parts of Jurassic Park or just that scene? Do you have some sort of attenuation turned on? (Night mode, etc...) Is your center set to small or large? If you run YPAO, there is a chance it set it to large.

 

[SopRage1]

This forum is great! Thanks for the help thus far, guys.

All speakers, including the center, are set to "small," and I've got them all crossed over at 90 Hz (Ascend says the speaker can go all the way to 68).

I'm not running any sort of attenuation, not even the "Cinema DSP," which I've tried (but doesn't help).

The sound seems to happen with several movies, but it's usually infrequent within the movie. Maybe happens once every 15 - 20 minutes or so, and always during "angry" dialogue. I've listened for it all the way down to -40 dB, with my ear almost on top of the speaker, and it's still there.

Is it a mixing issue on DVDs? Is it common? I can hear the audio quality on "Jurassic Park" rise and dip in certain scenes. Less so with more current movies.

Would a seperate amplifier fix this? Is it a power issue?

Any more thoughts?

 

[Pyrrho]

This forum is great! Thanks for the help thus far, guys.

All speakers, including the center, are set to "small," and I've got them all crossed over at 90 Hz (Ascend says the speaker can go all the way to 68).

I'm not running any sort of attenuation, not even the "Cinema DSP," which I've tried (but doesn't help).

The sound seems to happen with several movies, but it's usually infrequent within the movie. Maybe happens once every 15 - 20 minutes or so, and always during "angry" dialogue. I've listened for it all the way down to -40 dB, with my ear almost on top of the speaker, and it's still there.[emphasis added]

Is it a mixing issue on DVDs? Is it common? I can hear the audio quality on "Jurassic Park" rise and dip in certain scenes. Less so with more current movies.

Would a seperate amplifier fix this? Is it a power issue?

Any more thoughts?

If it is there in the same places with the volume down, it most likely is in the mix on the DVD. A separate amplifier would do nothing to fix this.

 

[TLS Guy]

If it is there in the same places with the volume down, it most likely is in the mix on the DVD. A separate amplifier would do nothing to fix this.

Can you try another DVD player? It sounds as if there is an earlier high gain stage in the DVD player or receiver that is getting overloaded and clipping. I suspect either your DVD player or your receiver is either faulty or has deficient headroom in the high gain stages.

How is your DVD player connected to your receiver? If it is an analog connection, change it to a digital one.

 

[Seth=L]

Run it flat eh? Flat as in all speakers set to the same numerical level? All distances set the same too?

To the OP, get an SPL meter and manually setup your speakers.

 

[TLS Guy]

Run it flat eh? Flat as in all speakers set to the same numerical level? All distances set the same too?

To the OP, get an SPL meter and manually setup your speakers.

No. Flat means no frequency boots or cuts!

 

[SopRage1]

Hey, guys.

I've tried running Jurassic Park's "Mr. DNA" section through another DVD player (because this is the most eggregious example of this "peaking out"), and found the same problem.

At this point, all I can come up with is that the problem is the DVD(s) or the speakers. However, on the (much worse) system I had before this, I still had similar problems, especially on DVDs of TV shows ("House" especially).

I really don't think it's the speakers, as music still sounds divine on these, including in 7.1 stereo mode.

I appreciate all your guys' help, and I've honestly tried every recommendation. I just can't seem to get rid of these small but irritating "peaks."

Can anyone confirm that the DVD ("Jurassic Park" special edition) may be the problem? Does anyone else this problem with Yamaha receivers or Ascend speakers? Is it possible my speakers are damaged?

Thanks again, guys! It's really nice to get expert opinions; I've got no-one in my area that knows more about this stuff than I do (which is SAD).

- Jared

 

[TLS Guy]

Hey, guys.

I've tried running Jurassic Park's "Mr. DNA" section through another DVD player (because this is the most eggregious example of this "peaking out"), and found the same problem.

At this point, all I can come up with is that the problem is the DVD(s) or the speakers. However, on the (much worse) system I had before this, I still had similar problems, especially on DVDs of TV shows ("House" especially).

I really don't think it's the speakers, as music still sounds divine on these, including in 7.1 stereo mode.

I appreciate all your guys' help, and I've honestly tried every recommendation. I just can't seem to get rid of these small but irritating "peaks."

Can anyone confirm that the DVD ("Jurassic Park" special edition) may be the problem? Does anyone else this problem with Yamaha receivers or Ascend speakers? Is it possible my speakers are damaged?

Thanks again, guys! It's really nice to get expert opinions; I've got no-one in my area that knows more about this stuff than I do (which is SAD).

- Jared

To me it seems virtually certain the problem lies in your receiver. You have a high gain stage with not enough headroom. You still have not told us what your audio connection is. Is it analog, SPDIF (optical or coax) or HDMI?

This is extremely important information you must provide to assist you further.

You receiver either has a fault, or is defectively designed.

 

[SopRage1]

I'm using optical from my Xbox 360 to my Yamaha RX-V663.

 

[TLS Guy]

I'm using optical from my Xbox 360 to my Yamaha RX-V663.

You might have a faulty processor. Try an analog connection to the pass through ext inputs if your Yamaha has them.

If the problem is corrected then the processor is not doing it job correctly. If the problem is not corrected then your receiver has to have the preamp stages looked at. In my experience these types of problems are caused by a preamp board, or individual device getting insufficient voltage.

I had a unit I bought on eBay about three years ago. It did just that. I found when I investigated the first stages were only getting about 10% of the correct voltage. I corrected the fault and plain sailing.

 

[SopRage1]

Same problem when run with coax input from a different DVD player.

What next?

 

[TLS Guy]

Same problem when run with coax input from a different DVD player.

What next?

I need you to connect your player analog, not digital SPDIF. I also want you to bypass the receivers processor.

The only way to do that is to use the ext. inputs that are there to connect a SACD player. These inputs are the pass through inputs. Doing this will tell us if you have a problem in the receivers analog circuits, or a problem with digital processing. In a pass through input, the only control operative should be the volume control. There will be no speaker level control or bass management.

Either way I think your receiver is due for a trip to the service center.

 

[jcPanny]

Seaker setup

You can turn the EQ off in the manual setup menu. The YAPO light will turn off on the front panel. Flat is one of the EQ options and does not diable YAPO.
Another easy way to disable the EQ is to use the "Pure Direct" mode which disables any unnecessary processing including the EQ.

Your mains are significantly more capable than your center channel. I suspect that the center is having a hard time keeping up with the mains, causing distortion or bottoming out at extreme levels.

It doesn't hurt to rule out the receiver or EQ features as a possible source of the problem. I wouldn't mess with cables or connections to your source equipment. If you still have a problem with the EQ diabled I would give Ascend a call and/or swap the center with one of your surround speakers.

 

[TLS Guy]

You can turn the EQ off in the manual setup menu. The YAPO light will turn off on the front panel. Flat is one of the EQ options and does not diable YAPO.
Another easy way to disable the EQ is to use the "Pure Direct" mode which disables any unnecessary processing including the EQ.

Your mains are significantly more capable than your center channel. I suspect that the center is having a hard time keeping up with the mains, causing distortion or bottoming out at extreme levels.

It doesn't hurt to rule out the receiver or EQ features as a possible source of the problem. I wouldn't mess with cables or connections to your source equipment. If you still have a problem with the EQ diabled I would give Ascend a call and/or swap the center with one of your surround speakers.

The problem with the speaker problem theory is that the OP has the problem even when he turns down the volume. As I think about this problem, I'm inclining more to a faulty processor. If he could bypass the processor and the problem went away, that would point even more strongly to the processor being at fault. He should make sure he runs in pure direct mode first and see if that solves the problem.