Frustrated with Netflix and Blu-Ray audio

[futurefields]

My setup

Sony BDP-S5100 > Panasonic TC-L32C3

The Sony is set to downconvert to Stereo. I can not get an even volume. Music and SFX heavy scenes come on with huge volume increases and then will get way too quiet when it's just dialogue. It goes beyond what anybody could consider a comfortable dynamic range for bedroom viewing. Is there anything I can do?

Are the days of just being able to use a TV and one box over? Is it a MUST to buy external audio equipment to get effective dynamic range compression? This has been an issue ever since high bitrate digital audio became the norm. They are forgetting about people who arent watching everything in soundproof, thx calibrated home theaters.

 

[nakedfrog]

Maybe it's the devices and not the sources that are causing a problem? I mean, if you don't have access to a "Night Mode" or "Dialog Boost" or "Dynamic Range Compression" setting, that's not really on Netflix or Blu-Ray...


Have you tried adjusting this setting on the Sony?

[Audio DRC]
[Auto]: Performs playback at the
dynamic range specified by the disc
(BD-ROM only). Other discs are played
back at the [On] level.
[On]: Performs playback at a standard
compression level.
[Off]: No compression works. A more
dynamic sound is produced.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Google tells me that Blu ray player has a Audio DRC. Try enabling that.

I will admit though, your post hit home with me. Not because I try to use TV audio, but because recently I had to replace my Onkyo receiver with a new Yamaha one JUST to get a better dynamic range compression setting. I got so tired of having to turn up the volume for talky scenes, and turn down the volume for explosive scenes.

 

[JimKiler]

Google tells me that Blu ray player has a Audio DRC. Try enabling that.

I will admit though, your post hit home with me. Not because I try to use TV audio, but because recently I had to replace my Onkyo receiver with a new Yamaha one JUST to get a better dynamic range compression setting. I got so tired of having to turn up the volume for talky scenes, and turn down the volume for explosive scenes.

I thought it was a BD thing but i have the same issue with DVD's when i went to confirm it. Now I use closed captioning to avoid it because even at a good volume there will be dialoge i cannot understand. But i am also a male in his 30's so i am sure my ears are damaged by now.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I thought it was a BD thing but i have the same issue with DVD's when i went to confirm it. Now I use closed captioning to avoid it because even at a good volume there will be dialoge i cannot understand. But i am also a male in his 30's so i am sure my ears are damaged by now.

It is ridiculous is what it is. It all comes down to how they are mixing movies. They are doing it on purpose, just to get that extra "wow" effect on the first explosion that gets you scrambling for the remote.

Used to be back in the day they couldn't do that crap. Most everyone used TV speakers so they had to mix movies for home releases in ways that could be clearly heard. But in the modern era where everything is overproduced and there is an assumption that everyone has a metrosexual soundbar there is a race from both movie makers and ad writers to knock you out of your seat.

What my new Yamaha receiver is doing- digitally compressing the range of the source audio- is actually terrible. I hate when they do that to CDs, or when people enable dynamic contrast on their TVs. Source materials should almost always be left unmolested as intended. But then these sound engineer jerks decided the "as intended" watching was jacking up and down the volume the entire movie, like attending a Catholic Mass (up down up down). So to me the industry lost the privilege to give us unmolested sound, and I am willing to crush their original vision in order to fix the practical considerations they should have fixed themselves before release.

The really sad part is I invested so much back when to have a setup on which I could enjoy uncompressed audio (aka DTS HD and Dolby True HD) but years later I have to dynamically compress that same audio track to make the experience more palatable. One step forward, two steps back.

 

[JimKiler]

It is ridiculous is what it is. It all comes down to how they are mixing movies. They are doing it on purpose, just to get that extra "wow" effect on the first explosion that gets you scrambling for the remote.

Used to be back in the day they couldn't do that crap. Most everyone used TV speakers so they had to mix movies for home releases in ways that could be clearly heard. But in the modern era where everything is overproduced and there is an assumption that everyone has a metrosexual soundbar there is a race from both movie makers and ad writers to knock you out of your seat.

What my new Yamaha receiver is doing- digitally compressing the range of the source audio- is actually terrible. I hate when they do that to CDs, or when people enable dynamic contrast on their TVs. Source materials should almost always be left unmolested as intended. But then these sound engineer jerks decided the "as intended" watching was jacking up and down the volume the entire movie, like attending a Catholic Mass (up down up down). So to me the industry lost the privilege to give us unmolested sound, and I am willing to crush their original vision in order to fix the practical considerations they should have fixed themselves before release.

The really sad part is I invested so much back when to have a setup on which I could enjoy uncompressed audio (aka DTS HD and Dolby True HD) but years later I have to dynamically compress that same audio track to make the experience more palatable. One step forward, two steps back.

You have a valid point but i am most impressed you compared this issue to a catholic mass!

 

[razel]

I sympathize. The past few years for non BluRay watching I've been getting used to audio over my TV speakers. However when I am on a movie channel, the dynamic volume swings are still there even with the volume compression setting turned on the TV. One day, irritated, I began messing with the other audio settings and to my surprise turning on the 'surround enhancement' over 2 speakers bullcrap and turning off the dynamic compression did a better job of limiting dynamics. I suppose you can try the same.

 

[LoveMachine]

You have a valid point but i am most impressed you compared this issue to a catholic mass!

Poofy also managed to squeeze in "unmolested" in the next sentence. Now that's some A+ metaphorism there!

 

[JimKiler]

I sympathize. The past few years for non BluRay watching I've been getting used to audio over my TV speakers. However when I am on a movie channel, the dynamic volume swings are still there even with the volume compression setting turned on the TV. One day, irritated, I began messing with the other audio settings and to my surprise turning on the 'surround enhancement' over 2 speakers bullcrap and turning off the dynamic compression did a better job of limiting dynamics. I suppose you can try the same.

I don't notice it as much with VUDU which uses Dolby Digital Plus but i sure have to turn it up another 10 Db to get the same levels as a BD.

 

[futurefields]

Seems like Christopher Nolan movies in particular are mixed way too dynamically for home viewing. I made this thread after (trying to) watch Interstellar on Blu-Ray.

 

[A5]

Interstellar had that problem in theaters. They did it on purpose for whatever reason.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Oh, I forgot to add, some services have their own DNR stuff that screws things up. Hulu does for instance (might be able to turn it off but not sure), so I can start watching a TV show and have to change the volume up and down multiple times to get it to remain similar. And some commercials are still pulling that boost volume BS.

It is ridiculous is what it is. It all comes down to how they are mixing movies. They are doing it on purpose, just to get that extra "wow" effect on the first explosion that gets you scrambling for the remote.

Used to be back in the day they couldn't do that crap. Most everyone used TV speakers so they had to mix movies for home releases in ways that could be clearly heard. But in the modern era where everything is overproduced and there is an assumption that everyone has a metrosexual soundbar there is a race from both movie makers and ad writers to knock you out of your seat.

What my new Yamaha receiver is doing- digitally compressing the range of the source audio- is actually terrible. I hate when they do that to CDs, or when people enable dynamic contrast on their TVs. Source materials should almost always be left unmolested as intended. But then these sound engineer jerks decided the "as intended" watching was jacking up and down the volume the entire movie, like attending a Catholic Mass (up down up down). So to me the industry lost the privilege to give us unmolested sound, and I am willing to crush their original vision in order to fix the practical considerations they should have fixed themselves before release.

The really sad part is I invested so much back when to have a setup on which I could enjoy uncompressed audio (aka DTS HD and Dolby True HD) but years later I have to dynamically compress that same audio track to make the experience more palatable. One step forward, two steps back.

Definitely, it is the mixing. Couple that with the loudness boost of music, so music so you have to turn things down, then to hear anyone talking you have to crank it back up.

And Dolby just wants to keep adding more speakers (but you put them in the ceiling now!) and junk like that.

And with VR set to takeoff, people are going to be listening on headphones more, so who knows what shenanigans they'll be pulling there. We'll probably get really artificial surround boost and other junk.

Seems like Christopher Nolan movies in particular are mixed way too dynamically for home viewing. I made this thread after (trying to) watch Interstellar on Blu-Ray.

His movies have in my opinion awful sound mixing. Bane in Dark Knight Rises was just plain laughable. I can't even fathom how a major studio release would come out like that, the audio is ridiculous and completely kills any attempt to make a serious movie. That's something I'd expect from a horrible spoof of movies. His stuff seems to be getting worse with time too.

 

[13Gigatons]

I watch late at night and this is a major problem. Turn it up to hear the dialogue and then SOOOO LOUD when the explosion hits.

Everyone awake now?