Why such a difference in volume?

[Unregistered]

Why is there such a volume difference when I watch a DVD and Satellite compared to playing the radio?

I have the Yamaha RX-V650 reciever. When I watch TV or movies I turn the volume to the -10 setting to achieve "loud" status including the music in the movies. However, for the tuner this setting would either blow the speakers or blow out some windows. Is this normal to have such a volume difference between what the receiver does on its own (tuner) and what is input into it?

 

[BMXTRIX]

It is possible, that you cable box has volume control built into it and that volume inside the cable box is turned way down. This means that the audio level coming into the receiver is really low, and you have to turn it up to compensate.

Grab your cable box remote and go into the cable menus and look for 'fixed line level out' or something of that nature. Or, turn the volume up, then don't play with the volume on your cable remote again.

This should help a lot in getting the signal up to where you expect it to be.

 

[Unregistered]

I get the same volume with the DVD also. If it was the satellite box volume then the volume would be higher playing DVD's as compared to watching TV

 

[Unregistered]

Not much you can do about it...

The simple answer is that different recordings as well as broadcast sources vary widely in volume.

Radio is highly compressed, which is why there is no apparent volume difference between Barry Manilow and Iron Maiden when played on the radio.

The level of radio is far greater than TV programs regardless of whether its broadcast via cable or satellite or over-the-air.

CDs and DVDs vary widely too. DVDs often have a very large dynamic range - 'normal' dialog levels followed by extreme peaks for explosions, etc. Most modern CDs are mastered very hot. Compare a '95 or newer CD to one mastered in the 80s. The present CDs are at least twice as loud (average level is -10db whereas the 80s versions average -18 to -20db).

The best you could do is use a receiver like Onkyo with a feature known as 'intellivolume'. It allows you to set a correction factor between sources. Say the tuner is always 5dB hotter than satellite. You could set the satellite intellivolume to +5dB to attempt to make it a similar volume. This is a crapshoot at best because the volume will vary even between sources - Sometimes the analog signals over digital cable are hot and sometimes its the digital signals; you just can't win.

 

[Unregistered]

So this volume difference is normal between DVD and radio?

 

[CosmicOne]

Dude,i want to ask u something

i also have a Yamaha RXV650,when i turn the volume to very loud @ 0db or more without playing anything i get very loud Hiss or air (i don't know what to call it).
did u experiance this with ur reciver???

 

[Unregistered]

So this volume difference is normal between DVD and radio?

Yes, it is normal and as I said above there is very little you can do about it other than keep your remote nearby and turn down the volume before you switch sources. I agree its a pain. I have nearly 5K songs ripped from my cds and I experience the same thing playing them on the computer because of the radically different volumes between older recordings and newer ones.

 

[radaray58]

Dude,i want to ask u something

i also have a Yamaha RXV650,when i turn the volume to very loud @ 0db or more without playing anything i get very loud Hiss or air (i don't know what to call it).
did u experiance this with ur reciver???

I believe that you are hearing the preamp noise of your system. When I turn my HK AVR630 up like that, I get no noise. It has an extremely quiet preamp section.

Regarding the output level issue, HK's also allow you to adjust the output level of each source, as well as separately adjust the bass management and other options. This may be a common feature of many mid to upper price receivers.

 

[Unregistered]

Dude,i want to ask u something

i also have a Yamaha RXV650,when i turn the volume to very loud @ 0db or more without playing anything i get very loud Hiss or air (i don't know what to call it).
did u experiance this with ur reciver???

Every electronic device, resistors, caps, inductors, transistors, diodes, emit its own electrical noise when current goes through it. The hotter it gets, the more noise it adds. The more powerful, the more noise. Some equipment reduce this noise by using better parts and designing better circuits to overcome this.

 

[Unregistered]

Why is there such a volume difference when I watch a DVD and Satellite compared to playing the radio?

I have the Yamaha RX-V650 reciever. When I watch TV or movies I turn the volume to the -10 setting to achieve "loud" status including the music in the movies. However, for the tuner this setting would either blow the speakers or blow out some windows. Is this normal to have such a volume difference between what the receiver does on its own (tuner) and what is input into it?

This is often the case. The built-in tuner often sounds louder than those coming from external sources like DVD and CD players. That's why some receiver brands like ONKYO have this intellivolume feature to level the playing field, as it were. Apart from the fact the tuner broadcast are highly compressed, their tuner sections do seem to deliver a higher RMS output voltage to the preamp that thse RMS output voltages of CD and DVD players. This is not the case when using separates though. Some FM Tuners have their output level controls just like many CD players, so you can adjust and match the levels with other sources. And some separate tuners do have the same output levels as CD players.