Sound levels from channel to channel

[mmcl26554]

I have noticed recently that many channels are much louder than others. We find we are adjusting the volume much more than the past. Has anyone else noticed this?
Michael

 

[TNGTony]

I haven't noticed anything new and I have been doing a LOT of channel flipping this week thanks to being sick and stuck in the house. The HD channels, in general have a lower volume than their SD counterparts because the HD channels are Dolby Digital and the SD channels are PCM (for the most part). This has to do with the additional "head room" needed for the much more dynamic sound of DD. But I haven't noticed any real difference in the average audio level from one HD channel to the next or from one SD channel to the next. Of course that doesn't mean that if you are on one channel where people are in a scene whispering then switch to another channel in the middle of an action-movie sequence there wont be a gigantic difference in volume.

Most receivers have an "audio leveler" if you don't care about losing dynamic range. MENU>Setup>Audio Output You can enable or disable auto leveling there. But there will still be a large difference between HD and SD channels.

 

[mmcl26554]

To be more specific, I checked and find the greatest difference is between HD & SD channels, with SD being louder. However, since our viewing habits haven't changed recently with regard to SD vs HD channel viewing I would say the difference has become greater recently. My system is as such: Two 722k's, one connected via HDMI and the other connected via component (HDMI became intermittent, Dish sent me a replacement but it kept rebooting, I sent it back, so the old one I have works ok on component). Analog sound output from TV to Sony surround sound set to auto AFD. I could use the optical output but it is more convenient to be able to control the sound with the TV remote. It is also possible to program the remotes to change the global volume control to the surround sound amp., but I have tried both inputs and don't hear any difference in the quality of the sound. Maybe I have "Tin ears"! Both receivers show the same difference in sound volume so it is not receiver specific. I have turned off "audio leveler" but on or off doesn't seem to make much difference. It never seemed to lower the sound level of ads anyway and now with the new C.A.L.M. law maybe loud ads are a thing of the past. It would be nice if Dish would set their system up so overall sound levels are the same from one channel to the next no matter whether they are Dolby or not. But, maybe that level of organization is just to much to ask of their "engineers".
Michael

 

[mike123abc]

SD tends to be louder since it is usually in stereo and HD is usually in 5.1 with a lower level. Which is why the local ad inserts used to be so noisy since they would switch from 5.1 to stereo.