When Adjusting Speaker Volume, Is It Better To Go Up Or Down?

[quarry2006]

I've never really questioned this before but now I'm wondering whether I was right, in the past, to increase the db level of the centre speaker when dialogue has been hard to hear, or whether it might have been better to lower the levels on the front speakers instead? Is the end result the same either way or is one approach recommended over another?

 

[dante01]

Depends on how much of a difference there is between the levels. If the centre level already appears to be low in relation to the other speakers then bring those levels closer to the centre level and then adjust the overall volume accordingly. Pushing the levels to their max may effect the audio's dynamics so better not to stretch any of them too far in relation to the other levels.

 

[quarry2006]

I actually liked the levels just as they were but I've done doing some tinkering and fine-tuning (crossover frequency was the latest tinker - thanks to the dedicated thread on this forum and reading your recommendations) and wanted to know what the received wisdom was on this particular aspect.

I'll take the front speakers down a bit and see what the end result is.

Cheers.