Lets get back to the heart of this issue, because the other one Im having --- regarding if enthusiasts believe RECEIVERS are "good enough" for powering home theater systems on average --- seems to be creating a **** storm in here of angry replies; so let me see if I can concentrate my dilemmas on this other "volume" issue which I would like to SPECIFICALLY and, if possible, ONLY direct toward folks who own ONKYO receivers, preferably non-THX certified models.

It seems on my TX-SR600 ("80 watts x 6" or so Onkyo claims), I need to bring the volume "display number" on the front panel up to at least "50" (using the absolute volume scale, not the dB increments) when watching average Dolby Digital-encoded DVDs; now, I KNOW there are MANY MANY factors here --- the size of the room, how well the DVD was recorded, the kinds of speakers Im running --- but, I wanted to just know, from other folks who have had experience with Onkyo receiver products, if it seemed "normal" to need to bring their volumes when watching DVDs to such a high number like "50" on the display on average in order to get at least adequately loud sound; Onkyo claims this receiver should max out at the number "99" on the display --- but this receiver, the way I have it calibrated, tops out MUCH lower than "99" and I am wondering if thats a problem with the amount of power I have left or headroom I have left being that Im already running most soundtracks at "50" or above already....

Now, like I said in the previous thread, dont get me wrong --- some well-recorded DTS soundtracks like, say, Saving Private Ryan, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down Superbit Edition or U-571 dont need much amplification PAST that "50" mark --- it seems most standard Dolby Digital soundtracks need the added volume......but I am dealing with other variables here which Im wondering are normal in a home theater setting......the room Im using is massive, and there are ambient noise distractions constantly, whether it be four barking dogs in my family's house, people in the adjoining kitchen talking, whatever.....also, it seems the dialogue channel in my 5.1 setup --- EVEN THOUGH I have the center channel bumped THREE DECIBELS higher than the other channels in the receiver's setup menu --- appears obviously softer than the rest of the system; I really gotta crank the receiver up to beyond "50" if Im watching a DVD that is strictly dialogue-heavy without any real action sequences....is this normal? And what about some of you other Onkyo receiver owners or past owners --- did you ever find what I am finding, that under the marking of "50" on the display, there didnt seem to be much sound, regardless of what size room you had your setup in? Do I ultimately need to lose sleep over this "running out of headroom" issue I think Im having; and do some of you other folks, even without Onkyo receivers, often find that when you are using the receiver in multichannel mode to watch a DVD, you need to bring your volumes up pretty high just in order to get "really immersed" in the soundtrack or to fill your room? Does this seem normal?