Vocal echo problem with surrounds

[YoutubeUniversity]

So I have a 7 channel setup, Pioneer SC27 receiver. I've only played digital media but most is either 5.1 or 7.1 audio. Ive done every type of setup with the receiver and 2 channel sounds perfect. However when I put a movie on, instead of the surround channels only playing effects from that location, like I expected, during dialog every surround has a little bit of dialog mixed in. In the money seat thats fine because everything is time delayed but in any other seat it effectively creates an echo and makes every scene sound like its being shot inside a castle with a crazy muffled echo.

It's to the point I am going to start watching movies with just the front stage. Is there something I'm missing here? I thought surround channels only played effects.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

What is the sound mode? Stereo, DSU etc.

 

[YoutubeUniversity]

What is the sound mode? Stereo, DSU etc.

I usually use one of the advanced surround modes like Action or Sci Fi

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I usually use one of the advanced surround modes like Action or Sci Fi

Assuming this is a Yamaha?
Have you tried straight? IME all those sound modes are no good.

 

[YoutubeUniversity]

Assuming this is a Yamaha?
Have you tried straight? IME all those sound modes are no good.

Pioneer SC27, the modes sound good to me, at least the front stage. I havent cycled through every option but the times I have screwed with it changing the mode didn't affect the echo problem.

It's hard to know whats straight. Maybe thats auto surround. Then theres the THX and adv surround modes.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Sorry. I did read pioneer in the op. Straight is a Yamaha mode.
I would consider a soft reset. Seems odd, the issues you’re having. I would google the reset procedure and try that.

 

[little wing]

Pioneer SC27, the modes sound good to me, at least the front stage. I havent cycled through every option but the times I have screwed with it changing the mode didn't affect the echo problem.

It's hard to know whats straight. Maybe thats auto surround. Then theres the THX and adv surround modes.

Straight is a sound mode exclusive to Yamaha. It decodes all of incoming channels straight into the appropriate speaker with no additional processing. For instance if the incoming signal is 5.1, the output to your speakers will be just that, with no additional processing or effects.
As far as the echo problem, I'm not sure about that,. sounds strange,. but like William said, I would try a basic surround mode like DSU.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Straight is a sound mode exclusive to Yamaha. It decodes all of incoming channels straight into the appropriate speaker with no additional processing. For instance if the incoming signal is 5.1, the output to your speakers will just that, with no additional processing or effects.

This is exactly what I meant. Problem is, I forgot he has a pioneer lol.

 

[Trebdp83]

Stick with Standard(Straight) processing or use the Dolby, DTS and THX modes for processing of 2.0 or 5.1 tracks. The other modes add effects to simulate different kinds of environments and venues.

 

[lovinthehd]

I'd think the advancedmodes like action or scifi could indeed come with some weird echo....does the straight upmixer without the added dsp effect still sound off? What is the speaker layout and how did you calibrate? With MCACC?

 

[YoutubeUniversity]

I'd think the advancedmodes like action or scifi could indeed come with some weird echo....does the straight upmixer without the added dsp effect still sound off? What is the speaker layout and how did you calibrate? With MCACC?

I have a 7 channel setup that I made and yes auto + manual MCACC. Like I said the money seat doesn't have the echo since its all time delayed. It just seems odd to put any vocals through surrounds because unless you are in in the money seat there will be muddy/echoey vocals. I've put my ear to the speaker and listened just to make sure I wasnt hearing a reflection and it's definitely the mix. I'll spend some time this weekend playing with different modes and different movies to try and see if I can figure anything out.

I'm playing everything on my laptop though VLC player and then HDMI into the receiver. I wonder if there's some way the player is applying some settings to the mix. I just assumed it's all passthrough when you go to HDMI

 

[YoutubeUniversity]

So yea, if I use the THX modes then everything sounds way better. It's all the advanced surround modes that have the crazy cave reverb/echo. I'm still confused as to why there are so many different Prologic2, neo 6, ultra 2 etc modes. Seems like there should just be 1 mode to decode an audio mix as it was intended by the person mastering the mix and we would just use that.

 

[lovinthehd]

So yea, if I use the THX modes then everything sounds way better. It's all the advanced surround modes that have the crazy cave reverb/echo. I'm still confused as to why there are so many different Prologic2, neo 6, ultra 2 etc modes. Seems like there should just be 1 mode to decode an audio mix as it was intended by the person mastering the mix and we would just use that.

They are not only sound modes (such as Dolby Prologic II and DTS' Neo:6 etc) but also upmixers if using 2ch content. Not quite the same thing as a particular codec simply being decoded such as Dolby Digital/DD+/True HD/Atmos etc. Some optical discs come with various versions to choose which mix to play, too. I've never cared for the sound modes that try and do "jazz" or "scifi" or replicate particular rooms, but will use an upmixer (mostly Dolby for me) depending on the content....