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Problem with Arcam or JM LABS

I have an Arcam AVR 250 with an Arcam DV78. The speakers are JM Lab 716S Chorus Line(mains) w/ a JM Lab 700S Chorus Line (center) and JM Lab 716S (rears). The front 3 spkrs have Rega cables. The problem is understanding the dialogue from the center channel when watching movies. We think we have everything hooked up correctly and every setting set proberly. We have adjusted and readjusted every setting many times with little or no improvement. I have been running the mains on 0-5 with the center at 6 and the rears around 2-4. I purchased a sound level meter and set the levels correctly. No help. The voices coming from the center sound thick at times and slurred. We have tried the center at 5' and 2' with no improvement. The odd part is that I can understand every word coming from my TV during a broadcast when it is coming out of the center. Is there anything I can do to brighten the sound or is it just the British sound that I will have to learn to deal with. Thank you for your time.
kypride
ryder
1,689 posts
 
Is there anything I can do to brighten the sound or is it just the British sound that I will have to learn to deal with

I don't know if your Arcam has the equalizer settings where you can adjust the treble, midrange and bass to suit your liking. My AV processor has this function. This will really help in your case if you find dialogues from the center somewhat unclear. Since you mentioned you have tried numerous times in adjusting every settings on the Arcam, I think this may not be of any help.

It's unlikely your center speaker would be faulty(you can always run simple tests on it) so I would guess the center channel of your Arcam may have some problem. Arcam gears being warm is no excuse for unclear dialogues from the center. Hence I share the same opinion as with Shardone.
kypride OP
18 posts
 
Here are a couple other points of interest that i did not mention about my system. The Arcan AVR 250 and DV 78 both sit in a pine entertainment center. The 250 is located above the 78 with a 1 inch hole drilled through the pine shelf for the cables to run through. The digital coaxial lead runs alongside the two analog interconnects through this hole. All three cables are made by Wasatch. Is it possible that the analog interconnects are causing distortion in the digital cable by being too close or are these cables just junk?
krc1951
4 posts
 
I'd check out the Arcam by switching speakers with the center. I have Chorus 707S fronts and the same center as you're using and have had no problems with DVD or TV(DishNW). I'm using the NAD 763.
Ken
mtrot
804 posts
 
My wife and I have had the same ongoing problem with the intelligibility of dialog in 5.1 movies. Maybe it is that we are both getting north of 50 yrs now. I have a decent center speaker, cables, and receiver and amp, but still sometimes have to turn on the subtitles to understand all the dialog.

I think part of it is just the mix they create, with a lot of effects going on all over the place, which can obscure the dialog a bit. I do have the center channel bumped up just a tad, which helps some.

Another problem is some of these actors just mumble and mutter a lot in some movies. And another problem occurs when they are recording in some old mansion with huge echoing rooms.

You may be interested in this thread I started some time ago on the same subject. A lot of folks offered various types of advice.

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1110503464&openmine&zzMtrot&4&5#Mtrot
kypride OP
18 posts
 
THANK YOU SO MUCH Mtrot!! I have been waiting for someone to mention this. I am also just north of fifty and share the same feeling about the muttering. It's not just in movies though. Talking to young people these days is like pulling teeth with all that mumbling. Whatever happened to enunciate? You and all the others have been very helpful. I am going to upgrade my CC cable and do a few tweeks and be done with it. Maybe I should run down to Wal-Mart and see if they sell hearing aids. Thanks to all
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