I need some help understanding the audio compression settings on this box. Which one (light, none, heavy) would give the best audio? I am connected to a Yamaha AV receiver (RXV3800) using HDMI, and analog outs for second zone. This setup works fine. With no compression the output in DB is considerably less than with heavy compression (on the analog side)

Many thanks for any thoughts.

Carter D

I think you are talking about dynamic compression, which refers to the dynamic range (the amount of variance between the loud and soft passages). Setting it to no dynamic compression will give you the most realistic sound, but it can sometimes make dialog difficult to hear without also making loud passages like explosions unbearably loud. Medium compression will reduce dynamic range and might be a happy medium for you. Heavy compression will provide you the least amount of variation between loud and soft passages. It may lead you to think the soft passages are louder than with no compression, but all it means is that all volume levels have been "normalized" towards the center of the waveform with heavy compression.

Purists will usually insist on no compression. Use what sounds best for your own tastes and circumstances (sometimes compression is useful for achieving night-time listening levels that don't wake the neighbors during loud passages).