[kansashick]

I have an Atlantic Technology 8200e 7.1 system with a Denon 4308. I bought the system for HT but enjoy listening to concert DVDs, Austin City Limits, PBS music specials, etc.


On standard tv dramas, I find that volume at -8 to -6 db is fine and, for action movies, -4 to 0. For music DVDs and broadcast music, however, I find that I must push the system to +4 to +8 db to really get clear sound. I set the Audyssey to flat to listen to music; it seems to improve it.


Can anyone explain why I need so much more volume when listening to music? My wife says it is because I am deaf but she's a smartass.

 

[cansp6]

That seems awfully high for both. I'm guessing a rather large room or you've blown your tweeters. Does the music play in stereo or full 7.1?

 

[porsche951]

Perhaps, your wife is correct. They often are...

 

[Kal Rubinson]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kansashick /forum/post/12948782


My wife says it is because I am deaf but she's a smartass.

Seems like a perfect match.

 

[kansashick]



Quote:
Originally Posted by cansp6 /forum/post/12951627


That seems awfully high for both. I'm guessing a rather large room or you've blown your tweeters. Does the music play in stereo or full 7.1?

The tweeters are not blown. The room is about 2800 cubic feet and is a dedicated HT. My question, really, is whether it is normal to have to play music at a louder volume than movies.

 

[DaBuzzard]

There is a lot of variation in source levels.


For me, watching normal programming off the sat box, -30 is quite good, ACL or concerts on HDNET at -15 or so is good, action flicks off dvd -10 or so is plenty loud.


If I stick a cd in, -20 is "Holy [email protected]" loud

, ramp it up to 0db and I can sing along from the garage....and its 40 feet behind the house.


Man, I got to get that media room finished.......

 

[ClarkeBar]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kansashick /forum/post/12948782


I have an Atlantic Technology 8200e 7.1 system with a Denon 4308. I bought the system for HT but enjoy listening to concert DVDs, Austin City Limits, PBS music specials, etc.


On standard tv dramas, I find that volume at -8 to -6 db is fine and, for action movies, -4 to 0. For music DVDs and broadcast music, however, I find that I must push the system to +4 to +8 db to really get clear sound. I set the Audyssey to flat to listen to music; it seems to improve it.


Can anyone explain why I need so much more volume when listening to music? My wife says it is because I am deaf but she's a smartass.

As my wife would say...."Holy Bajoly"!

Those levels seem awfully high. Are you sitting on the opposite side of the room? Of course that room is almost twice the volume of mine...but seriously have you had your hearing tested lately? There are on-line sites that are quite good for this as well if you have a nice pair of isolating headphones. Plot your frequency response chart and see if there may be a problem.


To answer your question, in my experience, no, it is not normal to need to listen to Music at levels that much louder than HT. The one exception might be with classical content due to wildly varying dynamic range. But in general, with varying recording levels dependent upon listening source, there will always be some differences in volume settings...however, it seems you are 'out of phase' with 'normal' levels for the sources mentioned.

 

[cansp6]

I'd consider separates for that concert hall you call a room.


Seriously though, you're probably underdriving the speakers. This can be especially noticeable with music because the crossover hardly ever kicks in and all of the bass is being output by the towers up front. Unfortunately, this means the amp really has to up the wattage so that the current is high enough to separate the high frequencies from the low. As an experiment, try setting the crossover to 150 or higher on the amp. Does that make the music easier to hear?

 

[Rayjr]

Well....my first question would be....do you have a radio shack SPL meter?

If so....what is the SPL at the seating position for movies, and music?

I NEVER run my volume over -5 for anything...normally movies are at -15...and my room is 3300 cubic feet.

lets get some data

RayJr