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Do I need better center ch speaker-dialog unclear?

I currently have a PSB Image Series C9 center channel. I had though this was a decent enough speaker, but have grown increasingly frustrated. For example, today I was watching the new release of Chariots of Fire that has the DD 5.1 track. Maybe it is just the big echo-y ancient rooms they shot the film in, or maybe it wasn't miked well, but I cannot discern much of the dialog. There are many other movies I have had the same problem with.

Not being satisfied with the intelligibility of dialog in movies, I recently upgraded to a seperate 5-channel power amp, using my Sony DA4ES receiver as pre-amp. I do not use any soundfields or such, just straight DD or DTS. This helped the clarity vere minimally.

This not having helped all that much, I next upgraded the speaker cable to one of Paul Speltz' Anti-cables, which have received great reviews. This, again, may have helped just a tad, but I am still having the same problem with dialog.

I am now down to the point of nothing left, that I know of, other than to consider upgrading the center speaker.

So, does anybody have any other tips short of a new speaker?

If not, can anyone reccommend a significantly better center speaker that would integate at least decently with my Legacy Signature III front mains? I can't now afford to go with one of Legacy's centers.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
mtrot

Showing 1 response by shadorne

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shadorne
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The dynamic range and ambient sounds on movie soundtracks can be a challenge for voice on most consumer speakers. These soundtracks were originally mixed and mastered for high end high $$$ professional movie theatre sound systems(which have much bigger dynamic range). Unless they have been re-mastered (compressed) for consumers or you have professional gear then you will often run into trouble with audibility of speech.

Basically, mid range compression and mid/bass distortion in most consumer speakers will disguise low level vocals...

Unlike music, where voice can be easily compressed to make tracks uniformly loud and audible, the intonation and voice levels of actors in movies varies greatly, after all this is natural and a huge part of expressing emotion/acting....a movie sound track that is highly compressed will lose much of its impact.

This is most likely your problem - it is an all too common one.
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