200SE vs 340C for Center

[azanon]

My current problem is when I have a movie in, the voices are very low but when an action sequence comes on the explosions are very loud, so I need to keep adjusting the volume up and down between action sequences. Will having a center channel alleviate this problem so that that the voices come primarily from the center channel and the explosions and whatnot come from the LR channels? I'm only using the two 340SEs right now (setup as "large" on my Panny XR-55)

Sounds like Dolby Digital! You can "fix" that by adjusting the dynamic range control on your receiver. Virtually all receivers have this adjustment. Default is usually "full" which means you'll experience exactly what you're describing.

I HAVE a center channel, and I can tell you on "full", for me to hear all dialogue clearly, the loud parts of the movie are going to be very loud - in the 85db+ range. Granted, I have mild hearing loss.

Personally, I hate compressed dolby digital though because it defeats the main purpose of high fidelity tracks.

Dolby digital "full" dynamic range is not meant for someone who likes low or even moderate volume movie listening.

I assume the same applies to DTS, but I cant recall offhand.

[DougMac]

My current problem is when I have a movie in, the voices are very low but when an action sequence comes on the explosions are very loud, so I need to keep adjusting the volume up and down between action sequences.

Please don't be offended, but have you checked speaker phase?

If you have a phantom center and your speakers are out of phase, you'll get just the results you describe.

Doug

[KPFury]

Nope, not offended I haven't checked the speaker phase - how exactly do I that? I really don't think it's the frequencies or whatever coming from the speakers that are cancelling each other out that's making the vocals low...

Fyi, I am unable/unwilling to move either of the speakers simply because of the limited space, so whatever adjustments I make will have to be done regarding the settings on the receiver.

I have both LR speakers set to "large", how do I adjust the dynamic control, and what exactly is that? Sorry for asking so many newb q's, TIA!

Also, fyi I experienced this watching Transformers on Bluray, so I don't think it's the source material either...

[DougMac]

I haven't checked the speaker phase - how exactly do I that? ...
I have both LR speakers set to "large", how do I adjust the dynamic control, and what exactly is that? Sorry for asking so many newb q's, TIA!

Checking phase:
Are you using speaker cable that is somehow coded? Some cable has a stripe along one conductor, for instance. Just make sure that the red output on the back of your receiver matches the speaker. I usually do stripe to red outputs and inputs. You can also flip the connectors on the back of one speaker and listen for a difference. Be sure to turn off your receiver when changing out the speaker wires to prevent damage.

Since you're using a sub, you can experiment on your speaker settings on the receiver (what are you using?) I'm not familiar with your sub. Check to see what your crossover is set to. Start with 80hz. Set your 340's to "small", then back to "large" see what sounds better. Do the same experiment with the crossover set to 60hz, then try 100hz (I know, this sounds like heresy).

I actually found the best sound with my 340's and SVS sub with a counter-intuitive setting. I dialed down the bass in my receiver to -2db. This cleared up a little bump that was causing a resonance problem. Of course, all this varies by room. YMMV.

Doug

[KPFury]

Thanks Doug. I haven't crossed any wires, using banana plugs and all positive connectors are red, etc. and consistent throughout.

I havent hooked up the sub yet either, so I'm only running the two 340SEs in large. The voice volume isn't THAT small, it's just the explosions are that much louder where I have to turn the volume down significantly.

[ebh]

Thanks Doug. I haven't crossed any wires, using banana plugs and all positive connectors are red, etc. and consistent throughout.

I havent hooked up the sub yet either, so I'm only running the two 340SEs in large. The voice volume isn't THAT small, it's just the explosions are that much louder where I have to turn the volume down significantly.

I think this is typical with most movie mixes. I find the volume of effects to sometimes be super loud in my 7.1 system (though not in an uncomfortable way, except for my upstairs neighbor). Also, it is also possible that since you are running your 340SEs large and therefore sending all frequencies to it, your XR55 can't keep up with the power requirements and is adding distortion in the loud passages, which can sound louder/harsher than if the speakers were playing cleanly. Though, the 340s are pretty efficient and the Panny does supposedly double the power available when playing in 2 channel. Just a thought.

[davef]

I havent hooked up the sub yet either, so I'm only running the two 340SEs in large. The voice volume isn't THAT small, it's just the explosions are that much louder where I have to turn the volume down significantly.

This is quite common on many soundtracks. The mastering engineers often get a little carried away with the dynamic range. Azanon is correct in his above post, if the dynamics bother you, you should enable dynamic range control, which will limit the dynamic range - dialogue will sound the same but explosions etc. will be reduced.

Also, adding a dedicated center channel will absolutely help, especially since you can turn the center volume up louder to suit your preference.