Center Channel deaf and Car quad

[Quadchuck]

Not sure if I can mix dissimilar topics but:

1-I have a pioneer 7.1 receiver MPCC setup.
Honestly I can't get a comfortable balance.
The biggest problem is the center channel level, if I boost it above all the
channels it over balances the others in tv sound, but I never get the proper volume
for movies.
I struggle to hear dialog, no matter how high I raise volume. And the movies with near
whisper talking sets a mood but I seldom understand what they are saying.
My hearing has degraded over a lifetime but I still hear.
The music booms and the effects shake but the dialog gets lost, even with dialog
enhancement option.
Does this affect you? Any options?

Second question,
I have a pioneer dvhp5000mp for 1 car that I have AC3 and DTS option installed works great .
I have a Valor IDA700 for another car that has Dolby and DTS is a hidin' feature.
Unfortunately, the Valor model suffered from a poorly designed mechanism, their newer
models don't offer DTS since they never bought license, that's why the ida700 doesn't list feature.
I like the Valor because it puts decoding in 1 unit vs pioneer is a nightmare of wires with decoder attached.
I would like to replace valor but pioneer no longer offers decoding in newer models(according to e-mail response)
and valor likewise no dts.
Who else makes a car unit with both decoding?

 

[Robert van Diggele]

Hi Chuck, about that center channel. Strange that the level is so different from the other speakers.

In my own set up have no such problems. I have an Oppo player directly connected to power amps. The TV signal goes from the set top box via HDMi into my Oppo. I do have to raise the overall volume for TV listening, not just the center channel.

Are you sure that your center channel is connected properly?

Is the RCA cable from your player properly connected? Is the speaker cable is connected properly, and not that the + and - are reversed? If this is all good, have you tried connecting the center channel from another output connector on your receiver? The latter to make sure your receiver is not damaged.

 

[Quadchuck]

Center channel is fine , if anything it out does all the channels in tv sound.
I have Samsung dvr that supplies tv astc and also plays dvds. It outs in HDMI to
DVDO that outs HDMI to pioneer receiver.
I used receiver mic and let it balance sound automatically. That was ok but I when back
and raised rears and center manually for better balance. Pioneers "MACC" system that
lets the receiver listen to tones in the room and adjust channel levels.

It's with movies that the dialog is buried or more exactly dynamic range is so great that I
struggle to get dialog that goes into low to soft levels.
I over compensate the channels level and also use dialog enhance setting but still lose dialog.
I think my bluray or one of my players has also a enhance for dialog but I'm just frustrated
that I spend my time raisin' and lowerin' the volume to try and catch dialog.
Would almost need a compressor expander to flaten out levels but with HDMI no place to insert.

 

[himey]

Center channel is fine , if anything it out does all the channels in tv sound.
I have Samsung dvr that supplies tv astc and also plays dvds. It outs in HDMI to
DVDO that outs HDMI to pioneer receiver.
I used receiver mic and let it balance sound automatically. That was ok but I when back
and raised rears and center manually for better balance. Pioneers "MACC" system that
lets the receiver listen to tones in the room and adjust channel levels.

It's with movies that the dialog is buried or more exactly dynamic range is so great that I
struggle to get dialog that goes into low to soft levels.
I over compensate the channels level and also use dialog enhance setting but still lose dialog.
I think my bluray or one of my players has also a enhance for dialog but I'm just frustrated
that I spend my time raisin' and lowerin' the volume to try and catch dialog.
Would almost need a compressor expander to flaten out levels but with HDMI no place to insert.

Movies are mixed like that. Not a problem for me but more of a problem for my neighbors, especially when it's three in the morning.