Decent Speaker systems for Streamed Movies

Hi there

I don't know if it's just me but I seem to find the DIALOG on a lot of movies almost impossible to hear unless the volume is turned up quite high -- this then makes the special effects absolutely far too loud,

Seems that movie makers or is it the modern cinema surround systems can create brilliant sound effects say like dropping a glass or whatever but render spoken dialog into "mush".

I've found a partial solution is to throw away all those "Cinema sound" type speakers and simply connect an "Old Fashioned" Hi Fi system -- You lose a little of the sound effects but the dialog is considerably enhanced.

(Saves bothering with subtitles which is another solution of course).

Old movies never had this problem.

Is it the modern equipment rubbish now or are the Sound Engineers / mixers all Deaf these days or don't regard spoken dialog as part of the movie any more.

I'm sure there must be some decent equipment around that can handle decent movie spoken dialog AND the effects properly. Things that are good for Games etc are hop less for spoken dialog.

I know this must be a real problem - a lot of my friends have now given up going to the cinema any more simply because of this problem.

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

I don't know if it's just me but I seem to find the DIALOG on a lot of movies almost impossible to hear unless the volume is turned up quite high -- this then makes the special effects absolutely far too loud,

Seems that movie makers or is it the modern cinema surround systems can create brilliant sound effects say like dropping a glass or whatever but render spoken dialog into "mush".

Is it the modern equipment rubbish now or are the Sound Engineers / mixers all Deaf these days or don't regard spoken dialog as part of the movie any more.

Click to expand...

Well, according to Director Christopher Nolan - it is intentional in his films.

Christopher Nolan speaks up about the dialogue issues in 'Interstellar' - National News | Examiner.com

Chris Nolan's 'Interstellar' Audio Shot Itself In The Foot - Forbes

visruth said:

jimbo45 said:

I don't know if it's just me but I seem to find the DIALOG on a lot of movies almost impossible to hear unless the volume is turned up quite high -- this then makes the special effects absolutely far too loud,

Seems that movie makers or is it the modern cinema surround systems can create brilliant sound effects say like dropping a glass or whatever but render spoken dialog into "mush".

Is it the modern equipment rubbish now or are the Sound Engineers / mixers all Deaf these days or don't regard spoken dialog as part of the movie any more.

Click to expand...

Well, according to Director Christopher Nolan - it is intentional in his films.

Christopher Nolan speaks up about the dialogue issues in 'Interstellar' - National News | Examiner.com

Chris Nolan's 'Interstellar' Audio Shot Itself In The Foot - Forbes

Click to expand...

Hi there

Well that's one movie I shall avoid -- not having decent dialog in a movie is like going to the Opera where there's NO SINGING !!!!.

I think it's a shame -- after all anybody can create sound effects with a few electronic gizmos - but a decent STORY / PLOT with excellent dialog is still I believe is what most people want. - If I just want music I can always go to a Concert (Classical or otherwise).

The Cinema will DIE again unless this trend with inaudible dialog is finally put to bed. Just take some old TV series from 1970's or some old Classic movies -- most people can see those on stations like TCM (Turner Classic movie channel) or similar -- dialog is always easy to hear.

Cheers
jimbo

I encounter the same thing, special effects sounds are too loud yet I can't make out what they are saying when people are talking. My 20+ something kids can hear them fine so I am constantly asking things like, "What did he say?". I always just chalked it up to my hearing tapering off as I age.

What I found works well for me is that I have a Roku 3 that I use to watch my movies. It comes with a remote control and the remote actually has a headphone jack built-in to it. It came with earbuds but I use a generic pair of headphones and then I can adjust the volume so that I can hear the special effects AND the dialog without having the TV blaring.

I'm with you, it annoys the hell out of me as well and seems to be getting worse. The sound levels have been crooked for a while and I initially thought that maybe it was something to do with broadcasters playing about with the sound levels so they can get away with increasing the volume of their ad breaks. But, it seems to happen across the board and the BBC sound levels are probably even worse than commercial channels.

Trying to watch TV at night is a nightmare, as you're forever altering the volume up and down so you don't wake everyone up. If a TV/speaker manufacturer came out with a decimeter that attached to the wall and automatically kept all sound at a constant level, I'd buy it in a heartbeat as it's ridiculous now. I have 'Auto Gain Control' built in to my TV speakers, but even with that switched on it still doesn't help (and I also have Dialog on it's maximum setting). As it is, more and more people will be wearing headphones just to watch TV.

My computer isn't too bad though, as I have 'Loudness Equalisation' turned on in Windows Sound settings. But I must admit I don't watch DVD/Blu-ray or Broadcast TV on it.

Hi there.

Glad it's not only me who has been fazed by this - and I'm definitely NOT going deaf either.

Great idea for some youngster now to write a decent DIALOG enhancer module for sound systems -- would be a Winner --I'd pay for it if it worked.

I do have on the TV a "Volume equalizer" that cancels the automatic volume raise whenever the commercials are on --that works a treat - I don't suddenly have to rush to turn the volume down when the commercials appear -- now it would be great if this type of system could be extended to DIALOG. I'm sure some decent programmers could create suitable software --would earn you quite a few dollars / roubles/ zlotys/euros/kronor/pounds or whatever.

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

visruth said:

Well, according to Director Christopher Nolan - it is intentional in his films.

Christopher Nolan speaks up about the dialogue issues in 'Interstellar' - National News | Examiner.com

Chris Nolan's 'Interstellar' Audio Shot Itself In The Foot - Forbes

Click to expand...

Well that's one movie I shall avoid -- not having decent dialog in a movie is like going to the Opera where there's NO SINGING !!!!.

Click to expand...

Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises was the severely criticised for inaudible dialogues of the character Bane initially, but then it was corrected and re released: the director himself acknowledging the mistake in audio mixing.

Anyone else struggling to hear dialogue in the movies?

This inaudibility is really a matter to be looked upon as it is unfair on many who have hearing impairment, elderly or even normal people - the irritating, loud BGM sooner or later deafen you up even before you reach elderly stage!