# Voice Sound Quality



## Bob Caruthers (Jun 24, 2006)

Hi all,

It could be just my ears, but I'm sure the sound quality of a lot of HD programming from Dish is somewhat distorted. 

The voices on several shows, particularly on HGTV-HD, seem to lack clarity—they seem to be over-modulated for lack of a better word.

Is anyone else hearing this, too?

I was wondering if it were a Dish 211 receiver issue or maybe an optical audio cable issue which connects the 211 to my AV receiver.

BTW, the musical portions of all the shows sound great. It's just the voices.

Like I said it could just be my ears.

Any and all comments will be appreciated.

tia, Bob


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## Loren (Apr 15, 2006)

Are you using the HDMI port? That's one of the symptoms of the faulty HDMI port.


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## Bob Caruthers (Jun 24, 2006)

Yes, I have a HDMI cable connected between the 211 and my HDTV.
I also have an Optical Audio cable connected from the 211 to my AV receiver.
I was thinking that the Optical Audio cable was carrying the audio instead of the HDMI.


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## Bob Caruthers (Jun 24, 2006)

I tested it by disconnecting the HDMI cable at both ends and connecting Component cables from the 211 to the TV. The sound was the same. I'm gonna say the problem is with my ears.

Bob


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## Deputy-Dawg (Jul 19, 2006)

Bob Caruthers said:


> I tested it by disconnecting the HDMI cable at both ends and connecting Component cables from the 211 to the TV. The sound was the same. I'm gonna say the problem is with my ears.
> 
> Bob


Bob,
Did you check to make sure that your speakers are wired in phase with one another? Out of phase speakers are much more evident in the reproduction of speech than music.


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## Bob Caruthers (Jun 24, 2006)

Dawg,

Thanks for the suggestion.
I checked the speaker connections and they are all as they should be.

Bob


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## bhenge (Mar 2, 2005)

Bob... have you done a level check for you speakers? It is possible that your center channel (where most of the voice material is) is simply too low in relation to your other speakers. Your surround processor should have a speaker calibration system to allow you to properly balance all the speakers (typically to 75db) while in the surround mode. There is a speaker level difference with my 211 between 5.1 audio material and non-5.1 audio material and I have had to boost my center channel on occasion to hear voices clearly. I don't know if this is a issue with the 211 or an issue with the source material and how it is mixed and fed to the satellite. I seem to remember doing the same thing when I had the 811.


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## Bob Caruthers (Jun 24, 2006)

bhenge,

Thanks for the tip.
The L, R and C speakers are set at zero.
I can raise the volume of the center speaker to +1, I guess.
Is that what you are suggesting?

I think it is the source material from the satellite because most of the time the voices sound normal, but the girl on Treasure Seekers always sounds distorted (metallic)...

Bob


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## Deputy-Dawg (Jul 19, 2006)

Bob Caruthers said:


> bhenge,
> 
> Thanks for the tip.
> The L, R and C speakers are set at zero.
> ...


Bob,
Purchase a copy of "Video Essentials" and follow the directions for setting up your audio system. You also will need a sound pressure meter (Radio Shack as - or at least use to have - a pretty good moderately priced one). With this DVD and the meter you will balance the output of each of your speakers at the 75db level that bhenge was speaking of.

A difference of 1db is not going to make a significant difference but unless your speakers are extremely well matched the difference is likely to be much greater. BTW since sound is measured on a logrithmic (sp) scale a change of 3db is aprroximately equal to doubling the sound pressure.

Bill Cook


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