Different Bass EQ for A/V ?


Since I have added a subwoofer to my 5.1 surround sound A/V system I have noticed that when the bass balance sounds reasonable and correct for playback of DVDs and TV broadcasts that there is definitely too much bass when playing back audio-only music CDs. I either have to turn my subwoofer down or disconnect it entirely to restore a natural bass balance for CD.

Why is this so -- why does the apparent bass EQ for the video format differ from that of standard audio formats? This seems to unnecessarily complicate things.

I have also noticed that the Dolby Digital 5.1 format has more apparent bass than DTS 5.1, though the DTS seems a little cleaner and tighter.
plato

Showing 1 response by patmatt

It's the boom and sizzle that exists on sound tracks in todays movies. Remember, just about every sound you hear in a movie soundtrack is canned,(FAKE) which can certainly be unlike the natural sound of acoustic instruments recorded honestly or purely in a studio or on stage. It could also be the phenomenon known as psycho-acoustics. Perhaps after listening to and adjusting your ears to what you think sounds perfectly natural for a movie (see Mr. Lucas of THX fame)you begin to listen to music and realize without knowing or understanding why that your system is juiced up too much at a certain frequency. Your dilemma is certainly not uncommon for those audio enthusiasts who enjoy a good movie on their surround systems. However, you are learning first hand the reason for owning separate systems. The drag of having to re-adjust everytime you switch between music and movies will ultimately force you to make a decision about what is most important for you when you decide to spend your free time enjoying film and/ or music. Perhaps a very good quality equalizer from a company like TACT with preset equalizations could be the answer. If you can swing having two systems in your home, that would be the best way to go.
Good luck and best wishes!