Spreading Dialogues to the right & left channels along with the center speaker

[Nitin K]

Hi all,

I am using the Marantz SR 7011 as a 5.1 system with Dali Oberon 1's as front & surround speakers with the Oberon Vokal(center) below the TV . Except for the Vokal the rest are all wall mounted on top.
Is there any possibility for the movie dialogues to come from the front right & left speakers too apart from center channel . I can't figure this one out hence requesting the audio gurus here to please suggest in case if there is any possibility of doing that. Curious to know how it sounds like that. Thanks in advance.

 

[Arjun4]

By default movie dialogues will come via all three - Center, L&R. Since L&R is mounted on wall you may not be feeling it.

 

[Nitin K]

By default movie dialogues will come via all three - Center, L&R. Since L&R is mounted on wall you may not be feeling it.

Hi Arjun,
It feels as if it is coming from the center speaker only but will check again. Though I recollect reading somewhere that the earlier model SR 7010 had a center spread to the left & right & has been discontinued from 7011 onwards. Not sure if this is what I am looking for. Thanks.

 

[argentum246]

In denon this setting is there of center spread. Marantz should have it as well

 

[Love4sound]

In denon this setting is there of center spread. Marantz should have it as well

This will work only in 2.0 recordings and when the movies or music mode is Dolby digital
@Nitin K As per the recordings you will be getting the vocals from LCR and with most of the vocals coming from the center. That’s how it is supposed to work.

 

[Nitin K]

Thanks Argentun & Love4sound for the quick replies.

Love4sound you are right, I did notice the center spread setting popping up sometimes in Dolby DIgital mode but never in DTS. Even in Dolby digital with center spread on, it does not sound different to my ears as to using only the center channel.

 

[Love4sound]

Thanks Argentun & Love4sound for the quick replies.

Love4sound you are right, I did notice the center spread setting popping up sometimes in Dolby DIgital mode but never in DTS. Even in Dolby digital with center spread on, it does not sound different to my ears as to using only the center channel.

For example you play a YouTube song which is a 2.0 audio and use Dolby surround mode you will get the centre spread option. The vocals does spread wide when the option is enabled.

 

[Nitin K]

For example you play a YouTube song which is a 2.0 audio and use Dolby surround mode you will get the centre spread option. The vocals does spread wide when the option is enabled.

Cool, thanks. Will try this weekend.

 

[Naturelover]

Are you looking to have dialogues from all three front speakers at all times? Dialogues, and other sounds, need to synchronize spatially with the video.
In a properly encoded video, dialogue and other sounds from the left side of the screen are shared between front left and centre. Same for the right side.

 

[RajithKumar]

Hi all,

I am using the Marantz SR 7011 as a 5.1 system with Dali Oberon 1's as front & surround speakers with the Oberon Vokal(center) below the TV . Except for the Vokal the rest are all wall mounted on top.
Is there any possibility for the movie dialogues to come from the front right & left speakers too apart from center channel . I can't figure this one out hence requesting the audio gurus here to please suggest in case if there is any possibility of doing that. Curious to know how it sounds like that. Thanks in advance.

The most active channel in a movie is Center channel..Its provides the dialogue and screen presence. Based on the Movie scenes some times the dialogues will be moving LCR .But majorly by center channel.Its how been recorded /mixed by sound engineers.
Whats the purpose ,you want to hear the dialogues from Front right & left speakers.If it happens ,u may loose the movie intended sound.
In case if u feel that center sound is not good ,try to reposition ,adjust the crossover settings and see for improvements.
Still If u prefer,there is a method I heard called Phantom Center concept.
U should not use center channel speaker ,disconnect it.U may need to assign the amp settings that its not having center .Then the AVR do the matrixing and the dialogues will get spread to Front Left & Right speakers.
Hope it helps.

 

[spirovious]

Yamaha AVR used to have "Dialog Lift" option which could send part of center channel to Front/presence speakers.

 

[Nitin K]

I have attached an image of the rear panel of the SR 7010 , not sure if this is what I was looking for. These connections are not there in SR 7011

@ Naturelover yes dialogues only in the fronts & center at all times.

@ RajithKumar Although the center channel is clear, generally I find it very directional rather than the spatial sound we enjoy pertaining to songs in stereo mode where you feel the voice is all around. Maybe I am the odd one out .
Previously when I didn't have a center channel, I use to miss certain dialogues since they were meant for the center channel. The dialogues from the Vokalare clear just that I find it too directional. Offcourse I can live with it but just wanted to know whether there was an option in DTS.

@ spirovious There is no dialog lift function as such in Marantz apart from increasing the dialogue volume


Thanks a lot for for your replies, really appreciate it.

 

[MaSh]

Did you try using without the centre speaker? Just mark it No and the receiver will route the signal to the front speakers.

Personally I found this much better than using a centre speaker. Only exception being late night movies, where I just bumped up the centre speaker level.

MaSh

 

[Nitin K]

Did you try using without the centre speaker? Just mark it No and the receiver will route the signal to the front speakers.

Personally I found this much better than using a centre speaker. Only exception being late night movies, where I just bumped up the centre speaker level.

MaSh

Fully agree with you Mash, will surely try that, thanks. Only thing is that if that sounds better for me then 25K for the center would be a waste

 

[Love4sound]

After many years of experimentation I have found that not having a center is best even for movies. The dialogues then are every balanced between L and R and the tonality of dialogues is no different.

With any centre, even of same brand, I had a tonality problem and also an excessive concentration of 90% of the voice from the center.

Give it a shot. All you need is to disconnect the center and change the setup in the AVR.

Have you ever tested with all LCR being the same speakers? Curious to know

 

[Love4sound]

With the floor standing tall speakers I have had over the years, it has been impractical to have the same speaker as the center. But I have used the designated center from the same family, which would be horizontal and low.

My post and current view on a Phantom Center is based on the above

Ok. I have noticed that the imaging is excellent when i play music in pure direct where only the LR will be active. The vocals feel like they are coming from the centre channel and at times i have also stuck my ears in the centre channel just to check if the sound is really coming only from the LR only

 

[efernand1]

@Nitin K

As other FMs have explained...all depends on the source....type / format of media being used for PlayBack.....DTS or DD which are 5.1 should be decoded as is so that you enjoy the Cinema experience....

To Enjoy Youtube playback (which is 2.0), I rather use Multi Channel Stereo mode......everything sounds good!

You can also apply the same to Dolby Digital files which are 2.0 etc.

For music or songs playback...it should be stereo....since this is an AVR,,,,best mode would be Dolby PL II Music or Multi Channel Stereo or Neo X Music

 

[RajithKumar]

I have attached an image of the rear panel of the SR 7010 , not sure if this is what I was looking for. These connections are not there in SR 7011

@ Naturelover yes dialogues only in the fronts & center at all times.

@ RajithKumar Although the center channel is clear, generally I find it very directional rather than the spatial sound we enjoy pertaining to songs in stereo mode where you feel the voice is all around. Maybe I am the odd one out .
Previously when I didn't have a center channel, I use to miss certain dialogues since they were meant for the center channel. The dialogues from the Vokalare clear just that I find it too directional. Offcourse I can live with it but just wanted to know whether there was an option in DTS.

@ spirovious There is no dialog lift function as such in Marantz apart from increasing the dialogue volume


Thanks a lot for for your replies, really appreciate it.

Im not sure in your case,since dali speakers are designed to have a wide dispersion pattern it should be good .Normally a good center channel placed correctly with proper settings should produce the spatial sound . Of course a well calibrated /properly set immersive HT setup needs to do this spatial sound ,not only from center but also from the surrounds and heights without any distraction .Imagine If a bee is flying in the movie scene ,u should feel that actually flying inside your room .Example Movie scenes : 1 )Blade Runner 2049 .When the Hero of movie (K) sees a Beehives and the bees starts flying ,u can feel its flying inside your room.

As you said ,In a proper stereo setup ,the stereo imaging is very important for dedicated listening and enjoyment.Also it depends on the source ,good recordings and the gears in the chain ,Positions of the speaker based on the room etc.,This may not entirely applies to HT setup IMO.
Somesays Phantom center works well ,some says it is not ...Experiment it and decide based on your likings.

 

[Nitin K]

@ shankarcams Thanks a lot for the advice. I though I was the only odd one out who felt that the center channel for dialogues was too directional & not spatial apart from the voices mixed to move around in surround mode which is not an issue.

@Love4sound
Absolutely like you said the way voices are heard spatially in a song in stereo mode. which makes you feel as if it is coming from the entire front wall rather than from a single source speaker below the TV.

@ efernand1
Good to hear from you after a long time. Thanks a lot , will definitely try the other modes. Actually on some occasions found the multi channel stereo mode a little underwhelming. But for some found the DTS Neural as an excellent mode.

@ RajithKumar
The dispersion of the Dali is excellent in stereo mode & even for movies. It is really wide for its size. Regarding the example of the bee moving around in surround there is absolutely no problem with the mix moving in different speakers. Issue is only with the dialogues sopken as in a conversation. Like the Phantom mode there is a virtual mode in Marantz I presume which I didn't like at all. Thanks anyways.

 

[Nitin K]

Gentlemen,

Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply to my query which was bothering me at the back of my mind. I guess, I'll try to exclude the center channel in Audyssey XT 32 & see how it sounds. Kindly treat this thread as closed.