Trouble hearing dialogue  

Have you used a sound level meter to balance your speakers?

If not, then I'd be willing to guess that the problem is your center channel is still too low.

You may also be suffering from a 'bright' room, where you have a lot of reflected sound waves. Consider trying to dampen the first reflections from your left and right speakers.

Tilt your center channel to point at the listener(s).

Is you center channel set up for "full range/large" or "small"? Try both.

Check the phase of your speaker(s). Maybe you have a cancellation issue?

Try disconnecting all speakers BUT the center channel. Is dialog clear now? What if you run with just the 3 front speakers?

Sorry, mostly lots of ideas -- not silver bullet solution.

Oh and BTW: that's a pretty 'small' sound system for a 'big' room. You might just be suffering from not enough 'oomph'.

Roo

Why not try another center and see if the problem goes away. Most shops will let you return speakers within 30 days.

Do you have another speaker laying around? try that instead (for the center channel replacement). Whats the center channel output (Watts)?

Also check the polarity of the front channel spkrs you indeed may have one flipped.

I agree with andy that power may be an issue, You are correct in assuming the speakers should be replaced first, I suggest getting speaker that are rated at least 20 - 25% higher than the amp's output (this protects against transients and the kids from cranking the volume and blowing the speakers. IMO The spkr rating really applies to what the crossover can handle safely and the speakers are usually rated for that wattage or better.

Maybe a blown center channel spkr? Andy also suggested the ctr spkr test this would help isolate the problem.

Carl

My comment on 'oomph' wasn't to say you _must_ upgrade those speakers -- I was just trying to make sure we had reasonable expectations of the equipment you have.

That is a big room, its going to need a lot of power (amps) and speakers to match in order to really 'fill' the space. I've been shown the 'acoustical power' equations before -- but I don't know them off the top of my head.

That said, there is no reason that you shouldn't be able to get reasonably balanced sound from your system.

So, let's try to answer those questions now..

1) Have you balanced your speakers with a sound level meter?

2) Try swapping say your left channel speaker with the center. Does it sound better? Maybe the center channel speaker is crap.

3) Disconnect all your speakers, except for the center channel. Does it sound better? No, then there is something with that speaker or your receiver's ability to drive the center channel. Yes, well, then let's investigatge how your other channels are affecting the sound.

Lots of playing around to do before you run out and spend more money..

Roo

All the advice above is good. However, this is sometimes a problem even when the system is set up properly. The reason, ironically, is that in a movie theater people are predominantly in the direct field of the speakers whereas in a typical home people are predominantly in the reverberant field! (That's counterintuitive, but Tom Holman actually has measured this and attributes the difference to the acoustical deadness of theaters and the directivity of the horn speakers they use.) So when all is said and done, you may just have to punch the level on the center channel up a bit.

Definitely check the phasing of your speakers.

Where IS your center channel...I was going to recommend you put it on the flor angling up to remoe RPTV refelctions...and to take Ceiling reflections out...but...I just realized:

You have a front projector. The room is carpeted, so you shouldn't have floor reflection issues..

FWIW, I have larger speakers (Swan Diva's) and need to up the Center channel by +2 to equal the L&R

bobeetie,
I had your exact same problem, I could hardly hear the dialogue and even went as far as boosting the center channel volume to over compensate.

Then I moved the speakers around, not much, just a little. This made a huge difference. I originally had the center ON the floor pointing up. Thanks to my friend Tom and his years of expertise, we raised the center channel up about 10" OFF the floor, still pointing up and it made a world of difference.

Don't be afraid of moving your speakers. It may be a two person job. Since it is your theater, you can do all the hard work and sit there in one spot and simply listen. Then have your helper do all the grunt work and move the speakers around. It may help if your eyes are closed during this process. Don't let your eyes fool your brain into thinking a certain spot may sound better. Close your eyes and LISTEN. In my case moving the speakers only a few inches made a big difference.

Make sure you have no time delay or processing on your center channel. Some receivers allow this, and if set wrong it can seriously affect the clarity of the dialog.

Also where is the center located?
How is it mounted, or what is it sitting on?
Is there anything within a couple of feet of the center that the direct sound from the center channel can reflect off of? For instance, if your center is setting say 3" off the top of an audio component, the reflection of the sound bouncing back could cancel a portion of the main soundwave at around 4k, and cause a ripple in the frequency response up and down, to the detriment of the center channel sound clarity.

James

Go to Tweaks Forum and check out Center Speaker thread.

I also used to have this problem on some DVD's, where the action seemed to drown out the center speaker most of the time. And my Center is right on top of the TV, it's perfectly placed for my room.

I now have all my speakers set at +4 volume, and my center at +8 (they go from -10 up to +10). It really seems to make a big difference.