Polk Magnifi Inconsistent Audio Level

stylo_ren

Hello,

So I've had a Magnifi soundbar for almost two years now and I'm noticing now that there's an issue where, depending on what's happening, the audio processing/mix is really inconsistent. For reference: I've got the Magnifi soundbar connected to an LG UH6030 via Optical cable. Most of the content is streamed directly from the television with it's built-in apps. I also have a Steam Link and a Home Theater PC connected to it for Blu-Ray discs.

What's happening is this:

• Volume mix is weird. Voices are super quiet while the background mix is loud and vice versa - all in the same program. Like, watching a kids show with my son and the voices are fine but then they sing a song and it goes super quiet. Song ends and the volume normalizes.
• Another issue is kind of like the old-school problem of when commercials used to be super loud when your TV program was at a normal volume. Switch between apps on the same TV and it's all over the place.
• The volume level between inputs is super uneven. For instance: when I'm playing games through my Steam Link, the volume is literally one click up from mute. Switch to Apps to watch Netflix and I have to turn it up to like, 3 lights on the bar (15 clicks?) for it to be a nominal level.

One of the things that appealed to me when I bought this sound bar was the VoiceAdjust(TM) feature - is that the problem here? Has this feature broken in a couple of years time? I've looked back over the product manual but there isn't anything in there about it being a toggled feature. I've searched about the first 10 pages of the search "Magnifi" here on the forum but that didn't bring anything relevant, so hopefully someone has heard of issues like this before. Thanks in advance.

htmn396

Yes I have the same when a tv program goes to commercial the sound changes on its own. I assumed it was output from whatever show/commercial was on, but I haven't done too much research as of yet.

Steamin

I have a similar issue with the SB1+. Mine is fine when it has a stereo input, but when I have a dolby/multichannel input, then the sound mix is strange and not useable. The voices are very clear and loud and the background music and sound effects are muffled are very faint. I've been very dissapointed. I can basically only use stereo input.

I'm not sure why this post shows answered. Nobody has offered a solution have they?

bertan

I have the Magnifi Max with remote surround speakers and have this exact same problem. VERY FRUSTRATING. Speaking voices are normal volume, singing voices are extremely soft, barely audible. This always happens during the music segments on Saturday Night Live, also the theme song from The Big Bang Theory, as examples. Switching from HDMI audio to optical audio makes no difference. But If I switch the dish receiver to stereo the problem goes away (of course I lose the surround mix). I don't have this problem with Roku or with Blu ray discs. It seems the soundbar doesn't decide certain audio mixes correctly, especially live music. Can anything be done? Love this soundbar otherwise.

bertan

Okay, just tried something. I switched to a live music broadcast on OTA tv. Had the exact same problem! Checked the optical out settings on my Samsung tv - it was set on "Dolby Digital". Then I switched it to "DTS NEO 2.5" and the singing voices came back! Anyone have any ideas as to what's going on here?

joesephK

I think it has something to do with some combination of the cable broadcasts and maybe audio output settings on the cable box and or TV. Try switching the cable box to output PCM

LeeSoFL

Many live programs are mixed in stereo only. Grammy, AMA, Oscar, and even some football games need to have the source (cable box etc.) switched out of 5.1 and into 2 channel stereo.

Maladon

Stylo...did you ever figure this out? It drives me nuts and really detracts from me liking the soundbar.

Smsquared1

Anyone have this issue with audio on a samsung being on Dolby Atmos setting when streaming?

jmatech

I have this exact issue, system sounds great with my Roku but Roku is really disappointing these days and I’m using an appletv instead. Singing voices sound terrible unless I go back to PCM 2 channel audio but then I lose all surround (and sub). There has to be a fix, I’ve tried with HDMI and optical