Lexmark3200
07-17-2005, 10:53 AM
I know this is probably supposed to be directed in the Home Theater forum, but I fear a proverbial can of flaming wars will be opened, so I'll address the issue here......
It seems whenever I sit down to watch a DVD, and even if my receiver (dont get me wrong --- we're talking about 80 watts x 6, or x 5 in MY case; nothing house-breaking) is cranked up pretty high, I can STILL hear what I like to call "ambient noises" during quieter moments of a film --- Im in a really huge room for the theater setup, which is adjoining a kitchen with no wall inbetween, so whatever is going on in the kitchen overpowers the sound of the home theater; the sweet spot listening position is a good 15 FEET from the front soundstage and TV, and the surround channels are up in a cathedral ceiling above the heads of those in the sweet spot, some NINE FEET up......so its a fairly large room to pressurize with sound.....however, Im just wondering if it is, in fact, NORMAL, to be able to hear certain "distractions" over what's going on during the playback of a DVD and a surround system is up pretty high --- I mean, let me be honest.....it's a LOT harder to be able to talk over the really, really loud scenes in action films when the system is cranked, or to hear other sounds, but in general, during dialogue sequences in films and quieter moments, I can STILL hear the sounds of our barking dogs, people talking next to me on the couch or in the recliner next to the couch asking me questions about the film we're watching, snack bags "rustling around" and even the phone ringing......is all this considered "normal" in home theater, or should EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME be drowned out by the DTS or Dolby Digital soundtrack that's running?
I was told by other enthusiasts on another home theater site that there are some THX certified professional movie theaters in which you can actually HEAR another movie going on in the theater next door during quiet passages of a film, and that cinema watching is not a RAVE --- meaning, there is not going to be CONSTANT audio blaring at you all the time, drowning out all noise, no matter what kind of power your receiver is putting out.....
So would you agree that these "ambient noises" are to be expected in home theater; that is, being able to hear someone talk next to you or across from you on another couch, dogs barking, phones in the house ringing, etc, OVER the audio coming from the surround receiver? Is this all normal?
Thank you in advance to anyone who wishes to enlighten me on this topic.
It seems whenever I sit down to watch a DVD, and even if my receiver (dont get me wrong --- we're talking about 80 watts x 6, or x 5 in MY case; nothing house-breaking) is cranked up pretty high, I can STILL hear what I like to call "ambient noises" during quieter moments of a film --- Im in a really huge room for the theater setup, which is adjoining a kitchen with no wall inbetween, so whatever is going on in the kitchen overpowers the sound of the home theater; the sweet spot listening position is a good 15 FEET from the front soundstage and TV, and the surround channels are up in a cathedral ceiling above the heads of those in the sweet spot, some NINE FEET up......so its a fairly large room to pressurize with sound.....however, Im just wondering if it is, in fact, NORMAL, to be able to hear certain "distractions" over what's going on during the playback of a DVD and a surround system is up pretty high --- I mean, let me be honest.....it's a LOT harder to be able to talk over the really, really loud scenes in action films when the system is cranked, or to hear other sounds, but in general, during dialogue sequences in films and quieter moments, I can STILL hear the sounds of our barking dogs, people talking next to me on the couch or in the recliner next to the couch asking me questions about the film we're watching, snack bags "rustling around" and even the phone ringing......is all this considered "normal" in home theater, or should EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME be drowned out by the DTS or Dolby Digital soundtrack that's running?
I was told by other enthusiasts on another home theater site that there are some THX certified professional movie theaters in which you can actually HEAR another movie going on in the theater next door during quiet passages of a film, and that cinema watching is not a RAVE --- meaning, there is not going to be CONSTANT audio blaring at you all the time, drowning out all noise, no matter what kind of power your receiver is putting out.....
So would you agree that these "ambient noises" are to be expected in home theater; that is, being able to hear someone talk next to you or across from you on another couch, dogs barking, phones in the house ringing, etc, OVER the audio coming from the surround receiver? Is this all normal?
Thank you in advance to anyone who wishes to enlighten me on this topic.