SD channels much louder than HD?

[mikbro]

I started noticing this in the last week, so I don't know if it is new or an old problem... I just got a 722 w/new Dish service a couple weeks ago.

Anyway - the SD channels are much louder than the HD channels... are there any workarounds? I have the receiver connected via toslink to my receiver.

 

[crappieguy]

My 622 is the same and has been from the beginning. I am running via optical.

 

[peepoop]

Same thing here with a 722 and HDMI.

I'm told that SD channels just don't have the dynamic range of HD, so somehow that translates to being generally louder.

It is extremely annoying.

 

[EatMyVolts]

I'm using the optical connection between my 722 and my amp and there is a significant difference between HD and SC volume. It's amazing how quickly I've learned to turn down the volume before changing channels. It's sad that I have to.

 

[schneid]

Dolby Digital

I've always thought it was because SD is two channel whereas HD is five or more. It just takes more humph to drive HD audio.

 

[KAB]

I've always thought it was because SD is two channel whereas HD is five or more. It just takes more humph to drive HD audio.

Yeh, you got to go to 11.

 

[CubsWin]

I've always thought it was because SD is two channel whereas HD is five or more. It just takes more humph to drive HD audio.

That's the way I understand it, although it would be nice if they gave us an option to normalize the channel volumes.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

In order to provide the full dynamic range of a Dolby Digital soundtrack, the average volume level is set a bit lower. This enables peaks to go higher without potentially damaging your audio system.

It has been this way since the inception of Dolby Digital sound. It is built into the source signal. E* has nothing to do with it.

Typically the average volume level is 6dB lower on a DD channel.

 

[MikeD-C05]

My ota local Digital /hd station is in dolby digital and they have the sound turned up louder than the analog station. IT is quite loud and it has to be turned down every time I tune to it. My DISH HD NBC station is in dolby digital and it is turned down so low that you have to turn it up full blast to hear it. So it is up to the actual channel how loud that they set it at. DISH should work on an equalizing software that puts out all sound in an equal tone or volume. LIke smart sound and smart picture does on my old Magnovox tv.

 

[griz_fan]

My ota local Digital /hd station is in dolby digital and they have the sound turned up louder than the analog station. IT is quite loud and it has to be turned down every time I tune to it. My DISH HD NBC station is in dolby digital and it is turned down so low that you have to turn it up full blast to hear it. So it is up to the actual channel how loud that they set it at. DISH should work on an equalizing software that puts out all sound in an equal tone or volume. LIke smart sound and smart picture does on my old Magnovox tv.

Actually, most home theater receivers have that functionality, its often called the midnight mode. Basically, it flattens out and compresses the sound range. You looks a lot of the "boom" in movies, but you don't blow out the ears when doing quiet listening. The nice thing about handling it this way is that you are in control, I'd much prefer that to having Dish alter the audio before it even hits my system. There are times when I want that wide dynamic range for the full home theater effect.

 

[mikbro]

In order to provide the full dynamic range of a Dolby Digital soundtrack, the average volume level is set a bit lower. This enables peaks to go higher without potentially damaging your audio system.

It has been this way since the inception of Dolby Digital sound. It is built into the source signal. E* has nothing to do with it.

Typically the average volume level is 6dB lower on a DD channel.

My prior comcast service had no such issue, so if it is in the source then they must have been applying some normalization to it somewhere in the signal path...

 

[griz_fan]

My prior comcast service had no such issue, so if it is in the source then they must have been applying some normalization to it somewhere in the signal path...

Again, I consider it a good thing that Dish doesn't artificially compress the audio signal. Different shows and movies have their audio mixed different ways, but in general, I'd rather be in control of the sound than my satellite or cable provider. I can always switch my A/V receiver to midnight mode if needed, otherwise, give me the full dynamic audio range

 

[skottey]

Actually, most home theater receivers have that functionality, its often called the midnight mode. Basically, it flattens out and compresses the sound range. You looks a lot of the "boom" in movies, but you don't blow out the ears when doing quiet listening. The nice thing about handling it this way is that you are in control, I'd much prefer that to having Dish alter the audio before it even hits my system. There are times when I want that wide dynamic range for the full home theater effect.

Neither of my sound systems have such a mode but it sounds nice. I think I must have a hearing problem because I find myself constantly turning the volume up during movies when people are talking, while I turn it down during action scenes and music transitions. Then again my wife and 10 year old child expect a volume increase too so maybe it is all our equipment.

The bottom line is, I would like a balance. I feel like the provider should do this. I shouldn't have to have fancy equipment or constantly up and down my volume. This goes for all devices... DVD players, cable, satellite, VHS, Xbox and Wii.... etc....

NOBODY enjoys the sound getting really loud during action scenes and low during talking. Why don't they take a hint and fix this. This crap happens at movie theaters all the way down to OTA. I hate it. I just want to put the remote control down and enjoy the sound.

 

[griz_fan]

Neither of my sound systems have such a mode but it sounds nice. I think I must have a hearing problem because I find myself constantly turning the volume up during movies when people are talking, while I turn it down during action scenes and music transitions. Then again my wife and 10 year old child expect a volume increase too so maybe it is all our equipment.

The bottom line is, I would like a balance. I feel like the provider should do this. I shouldn't have to have fancy equipment or constantly up and down my volume. This goes for all devices... DVD players, cable, satellite, VHS, Xbox and Wii.... etc....

NOBODY enjoys the sound getting really loud during action scenes and low during talking. Why don't they take a hint and fix this. This crap happens at movie theaters all the way down to OTA. I hate it. I just want to put the remote control down and enjoy the sound.

I hate to say it, but what you describe is a classic symptom of low-quality A/V equipment. When you mentioned having to turn up the sound to make out dialog, then getting blasted by action scenes or music, that was the exact symptoms I had when I used to have Bose speakers. Bose speakers, and most super-cheap home-theater-in-a-box systems have some significant gaps in their frequency range, typically in the range of most dialog. The nice thing is, you don't have to spend a ton to get good sound, I've heard $500 dollar home-theater-in-a-box systems produce really nice sound. Sure, they can't match systems in the 5-figure range, but they can at least reproduce a relatively flat, complete frequency range. The cheap systems and most Bose systems do a poor job at certain ranges, typically where dialog is.

Again, you could spend more, but I dropped about $750 on an Onkyo receiver, a Velodyne sub, and a set of Athena speakers (center, 2 fronts, 2 rears). The difference was shocking. Center channel dialog had what I can only describe as a "presence". The whole range seemed more balanced. Sure, I still get blasted on occasion when my local HD channel switches from 5.1 to crappy audio for a local car dealer, but overall, I'm much happier now, and the improved sound really adds a dimension to the HD programming we get. Sports (especially on FOX) is amazing, and movies on HDNET, etc... are great, not to mention DVD. Heck, even our Wii's Dolby Pro-Logic II sounds great (Metroid Prime Corruption sounds amazing considering it isn't even digital).

If you've spent the money on the HDTV and the service, look into a decent sound system. If you're on a tight budget, look into the Onkyo HT-SR800 at Shop Onkyo. You can get the refurb for $400, shipped.

 

[kovach]

There's a setting that will change this on the receiver (), but I left it as is since all it does is compress the volume range into a smaller range (that is, the soft whisper and loud crash would be closer in volume than the makers of the show intended).

Note this only changes the sound on HD programs, not SD, so it would result in them being the same approximate volume. But I preferred to leave it as is to receive the full volume range on the HD channels despite having to adjust the volume when changing between HD and SD.

If you want to play with it, go to System Setup-->Dolby Digital, and switch between the RF and Line modes.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Yep, if you switch your Dolby Digital setting to LINE mode, then that lessens the quality by compressing the dynamic range. It can be handy for late night viewing.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

A decent A/V receiver will have "Dialogue Normalization" which enables it to adjust the volume level depending upon the recording level in the source. When a DD program begins, my receiver's readout will display something like "Dialog +3" or "Dialog -2". So this does even out the volume levels when switching between DD-encoded programs or commercials.

But a stereo program or commercial would not do the same thing.

The average volume level of a DD recording is -31 dbFS. That is lower than what is normally used for stereo.

If Comcast or others had their DD programs at the same levels as stereo, then that is them tweaking the sound to be out of spec. They shouldn't be doing that. If they are raising the average volume level, then they are likely also compressing the dynamic range and thus degrading the overall quality of the DD audio track.

 

[oryan_dunn]

In order to provide the full dynamic range of a Dolby Digital soundtrack, the average volume level is set a bit lower. This enables peaks to go higher without potentially damaging your audio system.

It has been this way since the inception of Dolby Digital sound. It is built into the source signal. E* has nothing to do with it.

Typically the average volume level is 6dB lower on a DD channel.

While I understand the reason why there is a difference, on the receiver, I wish I could lower the output of analog channels to match the DD5.1 output. This way I'm not adjusting the 5.1 part of the audio, but the stereo.