Sony HT-DDW800 Sound Issues?

Hi

I've not long bought a new sound system the Sony HT-DDW800. I have had the system about 5 weeks now, its a great amp apart from one thing, when me and the wife are watching a DVD we have trouble hearing the voices in the movie, Ive played a round with the settings but to no avail, with my old system we had no trouble hearing things. Its got to the point where the wife refuses to watch movies no!

I'm really at lose what to do now, so I'm hoping you guys can help here!

 

First thing can we assume that you have a similar system to the HT-DDW780 could not find HT-DDW800 anywhere.
DVD player outputs audio in bitstream assuming you have connected by fibre or co-ax, and check it is in 16:9.
All speakers are set to small (as they are small) on AV amp and the cross-over for the sub (LFE) is 120Hz. By doing this it gives more work to the sub.
You can increase the volume of the centre speaker in the settings on most AV amps.

 

Sorry, check what is 16:9 the DVD or Amp?

 

The DVD, so often is left in 4:3

 

Yes the DVD is set to 16:9

 

Is the DVD player audio output set to Bitstream. This is the only way to get Dolby digital to the AV amp in 5.1, else all you get is stereo and the to get all the speakers working you have to select Dolby pro-logic on the AV amp which is basically pretend 5.1.
I still assume it is connected to the AV amp by fibre or digital co-ax.

 

Yes sorry, its set to bitstream and yes im using fibre op cable.

 

Then all is left is to tweak the AV amp.
Small speakers
LFE set 120Hz
Possibly increase the dB level of the centre speaker.

 

Sorry if i sound stupid but what is LFE?

 

LFE is a setting for the cross-over of Low Frequency Effects. The sub will handle everything below 120Hz and the small speakers will handle the everything above. This should be documented in your speaker instructions, nearly all SUB/Sat speaker systems are designed to crossover at that frequency, although possibly yours may be different.

Here is an example of a Sony set, read "Setting the amplifier". The LFE in this case is 150Hz, that is why I state look at your speaker instructions.

 

Nope cant anything like that in the manual on in the settings