Extreme varying volume

[insane111]

I'm bitstreaming to my Denon 1612 receiver through HDMI, in a 5.1 setup. All the speakers are 89-91 sensitivity.

Some of my media is too loud at 0db (which I believe is normal). However my problem is some of the TV shows I have are so quiet that it makes me want to push them beyond 0db to get a decent volume level. Are some shows really recorded that low, or is there something wrong? The Walking Dead is one example of a show that seems way too quiet, and all of the files I'm referring to use Dolby Digital 5.1.

 

[Goros]

Shows are recorded at different input levels, so they will all sound different. The same issue can be found with DVD and Bluray movies.

Working as intended. The only thing you can really do to control volume would be to go into your AVR and adjust settings depending on source material (DTS vs DTS-HD vs DTS-MA vs etc.) but there aren't a lot of inexpensive avr's that offer that level of tweaking natively.

 

[insane111]

Thanks, I figured they were recorded differently, but didn't think the range was so huge.

I have a question about the amp power then. Say I have a "loud" and a "quiet" show both play at 0db volume, will the "quiet" one use less power?

I'm not familiar with how that all works, so I just want to make sure I'm not pushing the amp too hard by turning it up so high.

 

[Azhar]

wasn't there a law being considered to ban advertisers from screaming at their customers on the television? It's the same with television shows - different recording level. Advertisers do it for obvious reasons.

 

[LeninGHOLA]

Thanks, I figured they were recorded differently, but didn't think the range was so huge.

I have a question about the amp power then. Say I have a "loud" and a "quiet" show both play at 0db volume, will the "quiet" one use less power?

I'm not familiar with how that all works, so I just want to make sure I'm not pushing the amp too hard by turning it up so high.

Depending on your room size, I doubt you will be pushing to the limits of the receiver with ~90dB sensitive speakers. If you've run Audyssey for your room, 0dB is probably too loud already.

 

[Goros]

Yes, quiet uses less power. Reference level (0db on the reciever) is attained at either 75db or 85db at your primary listening position depending on the test kit you use.

You use 1w of power @ your speakers sensitivity for volume output @ 1m. You lose 6db for every 3' distance from the speaker. You double power to the speaker for each 3db of gain.

So with a 90db sensitive speaker @ 1 watt you are at 90db at 1m, 84db at 2m, and 78db at 3m.

1w = 90db
2w = 93db
4w = 96db
8w = 99db
16w = 102db
32w = 105db
64w = 108db
128w = 111db

As you can see, when you sit 12' back from the speakers, you have to drive 64wpc clean to hit 84db at your ear from that distance (assuming your speakers are 90db sensitive). It takes a high end AVR or external power amp to drive that level of power without clipping (and potentially damaging) your speakers.

 

[TESLA]

Different sources are indeed mixed differently and thus have different apparent loudness.

The most stark examples of this are often found between downmixed stereo material and true surround material and vice versa. But it is more than that. Some audio engineers/directors/whatever want certain sequences or explosions, etc., to stand out more than others, and some do not.

Just as all networks may choose to broadcast at different levels. In these cases, your only option is to adjust the volume as required or use a limiting function on your receiver should such a function exist.

Even for movies and "premium" surround material, it is all but impossible to handle differences in dynamics between material without adjusting the volume to compensate. But at least here you can generally find a common balance for vocals, assuming your center channel is properly calibrated.

@Goros - Kinda, sorta. Speakers are a dynamic power draw, and amplifiers have ways of handling short-term current spikes. But I think you know all this, and I suppose the above was a simplified answer to the OP. OK, I'll shut up now.

@Azhar - Yes, such a law exists, but it only states that the average volume of a commercial must be within a specified range of the average volume of the program it accompanies. The law says nothing regarding volume levels between stations.