Why does my center chanel sound so soft?

psuie23
psuie23 Posts: 36
edited March 2004 in Troubleshooting
I have a CS 400 center and rt2000 fronts. I got a sound level meter and leveled out my chanels. As it turned out, i had to turn my center down a ways. Now when i listen to it, it seems like the voice (only use it for movies) always sounds muttled and soft compared to the ambient sound (coming from all the other chanels). Can you think of any reason why this is?
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited February 2004
    Well, you've been hanging awhile so I'll take a crack at it...

    You say when you adjusted all the channels, the center channel adjustment was much bigger than all the rest.

    A few questions before I start guesiing...

    I take it the test tones you used were ones generated by your AVR and not a test DVD. Is this correct?

    I take it you've double checked the test tone settings... yes?

    Where is the DVD decoding occuring, in the DVDP or the AVR?
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
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  • Dr. Spec
    Dr. Spec Posts: 3,780
    edited February 2004
    Maybe he was just used to it being really loud?

    Also, make sure the tweet isn't blown.
    "What we do in life echoes in eternity"

    Ed Mullen (emullen@svsound.com)
    Director - Technology and Customer Service
    SVS
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  • Loud & Clear
    Loud & Clear Posts: 1,538
    edited February 2004
    How about turning it back up until it sounds the way that you want it sound?

    Two Channel Setup:

    Speakers: Wharfedale Opus 2-3
    Integrated Amp: Krell S-300i
    DAC: Arcam irDac
    Source: iMac
    Remote Control: iPad Mini

    3.2 Home Theater Setup:

    Fronts: Klipsch RP-160M
    Center: Klipsch RP-160M
    Subwoofer: SVS PB12NSD (X 2)
    AVR: Yamaha Aventage RX-A2030
    Blu Ray: Sony BDP-S790
    TV Source: DirecTV Genie
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  • psuie23
    psuie23 Posts: 36
    edited February 2004
    Originally posted by Dr. Spec
    Maybe he was just used to it being really loud?

    Also, make sure the tweet isn't blown.

    I do like it loud..but i don't think this is the issue. When i get the center to the sound level i want when people are talking, somegthing else will come on later (i.e. music) and it will be super loud

    How do you check the tweeter? I had wired it so that the signal was only going to the high end. I could still hear it.
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  • psuie23
    psuie23 Posts: 36
    edited February 2004
    Originally posted by Tour2ma
    Well, you've been hanging awhile so I'll take a crack at it...

    You say when you adjusted all the channels, the center channel adjustment was much bigger than all the rest.

    A few questions before I start guesiing...

    I take it the test tones you used were ones generated by your AVR and not a test DVD. Is this correct?

    I take it you've double checked the test tone settings... yes?

    Where is the DVD decoding occuring, in the DVDP or the AVR?

    I don't understand all your questions. I did double check, and i am using the receiver to make the test tones

    As for the decoding, don;'t both the receiver and dvd player do some level of coding?
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited February 2004
    Originally posted by psuie23
    I had wired it so that the signal was only going to the high end. I could still hear it.
    What a simple way to check. Good use of the dual posts that never occurred to me before...

    Anyway, on my questions.
    Maybe a better way to ask is:
    How are you getting the signal from the DVDP to your AVR? Digital RCA, Fiber optic or multiple analog RCA's?
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • psuie23
    psuie23 Posts: 36
    edited February 2004
    as i mentioned, the test tone was completely generated by the receiver. as for the dvd signal, it's coming from the player to the receiver via an optical cable

    jay
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited February 2004
    Well then I'm stumped... Was thinking if the audio was being decoded by the DVDP then some adjustment in it may be off, but clearly not the case.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited March 2004
    hey Jay,

    this is a problem we've seen in here before.. when i was first new to HT, my system felt the same way.. voices were hardly audible, while all the other speakers seem to blow your eardrums out.

    I'd say.. raise the level of your center to run above what the meter tells you.. just like some folks like to run their subwoofers hot.. so should you run your center hot. (hot = louder than normal)

    the purists in here will hate me for recommending you do this.. but hey, it's your system.. and your ears.. so pump up the volume till it sounds good to you. and sit back and enjoy the movie. Popcorn optional. :D

    good luck, Al
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • ezc
    ezc Posts: 426
    edited March 2004
    Isnt the CS 400 also a cascading crossover type like the lsic. I had a CS 400i with my RTi speaker & thaught the same. I have a CS 245i which I use with my HTIB system & I switched out the 400 with the 245. The 245 seems more upfront & seems to play louder at the same db level. I used to set the speaker levels than once done turn the center up 3 db's. At refrence level the 400 & LSiC is great but myself I cant watch a movie all the time at refrence level, I got neighbors, a wife & a toddler who sleeps early. I know my system sounds even louder if I get my home totally quiet. Turn off ac, fans, fish tanks, on, & on, & on I know thats how it supossed to be but hey homes here are small & most HT systems are located in the family or LV rm's here. Yes avrage homes here are smal3 bdrm 2 bath avrage 1000 sq ft. Avarage lot sizes 3000 - 5000 sq ft. median home price $350000 Oh well I guess no dedicated Av room anytime soon!
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  • phoneisbusy
    phoneisbusy Posts: 867
    edited March 2004
    Wow! smal3 bdrm 2 bath avrage 1000 sq ft??!?
    Our 2 bed apartment was 800 sq ft and I always thought it was a bit on the smallish side.

    As for psuie23 problem, is the voice problem on all dvd's or only a couple? Perhaps it's a dvd mastering issue? Otherwise, I'm out of suggestions.

    good luck,

    Dave
    Time is the best teacher. Unfortunately it kills all its students.
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  • ezc
    ezc Posts: 426
    edited March 2004
    Another thaught. If you watch alot of tv or movies & the sound is played through the tv speakers dialoug is louder. If you watch movies & play the sound through the left & right fronts & dont use a center dialoug is louder. When you use the center & its balanced with the rest of the speakers yes it does sound softer at lower levels. At refrence levels the center is wounderful! My wife complains & says why do you watch a movie with the vol so loud, are you going deaf, than said you cant be going deaf you watch regular tv at much lower volumes so turn it down! For the full surround effects I think it is necessary to have it sound as the director wants it to.
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