Help needed to calibrate home theatre audio

[brigden]

Let me preface this by explaining I have no idea about any of this. Decibels, levels, ohms, all that escapes me. I am a total noob when it comes to home theatre. This is the first time I've owned any of this stuff.

I know you guys hate on Sony HTIB set-ups, but that's besides the point here.

I've got the TVs picture calibrated nicely, thanks to Digital Video Essentials, but the audio still doesn't satisfy.

We've got:

• 
  Sony KDL-40V4100 40" LCD TV
  Sony HT-SF2000
  PS3
  Scientific Atlanta Explorer 3250HD cable box

The PS3 and the receiver are connected via HDMI, but the cable box is optical as that is as good as it gets on the box.

I'll try to best explain my situation. Games and Blu-Ray sound fine, I think, then again, I don't know. My complaint stems from the way cable TV sounds. It's bass-y enough, but also kind of hissy, but only with voice and dialogue. The speakers aren't hissing, but you know when you're in another room and you can hear the dialogue and it sounds... hissy, like heavy on the "s" sounds?

What am I missing?

Any ideas where to start?

 

[CalvinHobbes]

A bad audio signal will always sound bad. If you're using a digital audio connection and the signal is Dolby digital it should sound good. If it's just standard TV audio, I wouldn't expect very much.

 

[s44]

HDTV audio *is* Dolby Digital.

I'm afraid the sibilance is due to crappy speakers.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Nothing wrong using optical for the cable box, I use one with my VIP722 but I also have a little better speakers and receiver. Paradigm's and a NAD T754.

 

[thomsbrain]

If these are regular TV channels (non-HD), then I can tell you from experience that the audio sent by cable and satellite providers is absolute shit. There is constant digital noise in the background, the data compression screws with the high end and makes it painful to hear (similar to a poor MP3), etc. If your speakers sound good with the other sources, then I think you can safely blame the poor TV audio quality on the source and not your system.

I don't have enough experience with HD channels to comment on those.

 

[cheesehead]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
If these are regular TV channels (non-HD), then I can tell you from experience that the audio sent by cable and satellite providers is absolute shit.

We do all right by the local digital cable, even in non-HD.

That said, I'd try a DVD. If the audio still sucks....well, it's your own fault for buying a HTIB.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: Cheesehead

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
If these are regular TV channels (non-HD), then I can tell you from experience that the audio sent by cable and satellite providers is absolute shit.

We do all right by the local digital cable, even in non-HD.

That said, I'd try a DVD. If the audio still sucks....well, it's your own fault for buying a HTIB.

For me, my Time Warner cable channels sounds like shit even with DD on.