Would a new center speaker help??

[jfrye]

Hi, I'm currently using a Mirage FRx 5.1 speaker system driven by a Denon AVR-3802 in a 13x23 room. What I am finding is I'm having to increase the volume to hear dialog, but then when/if there is action it's almost too loud. I suppose it could be a factor with the recording or my age (52), but would a different center speaker help? How could I match one to the other speakers it if it would help?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

In my opinion hearing dialog is #1 problem in most self-made HT, including my own.
I mostly resolved it by running proper Audyssey Auto EQ (All point available to me - aka 8).

However the correct way to do it, is actually to find root of problems - reflections, standing ways - in short your room/space is messing A LOT with your sound - so solution is to add audio treatments, pending WAF of course.

 

[sholling]

Is your center working during movies and TV? The first thing I would check is output to each speaker. Audyssey sometimes makes mistakes. Grab a rat shack SPL meter and use the receiver's setup tones to double check the volume balance for each channel. Get everything nicely balanced from your listing spot.

If that doesn't solve the problem (I suspect it will) then you have two options. One is to boost the center slightly and the other is to listen to TV and movies in whatever Denon calls apartment or midnight mode. It's a mode that compresses the dynamic range so that you can hear dialog better without getting too loud.

It could also be weird room acoustics like Bored suggested but unless there is something glaringly obvious I would start with balancing speakers levels before spending a fortune on room treatments.

 

[lsiberian]

I'd just ditch the center and use the L-R channels for dialog. I've found this is better than most center channels.

 

[TLS Guy]

I'd just ditch the center and use the L-R channels for dialog. I've found this is better than most center channels.

You are right on there. If you have good mains, it takes a really good center speaker to improve things.