Why is background music louder than voices on TV? (2023)

FAQs

How do you fix very low dialogue but very loud sound effects on TV? ›

First look for something called “Dynamic Range Compression” (some TVs have an option called “Night Mode,” which is similar). The idea of this setting is to even out (or compress) loud noises like explosions and softer ones like dialogue. By bringing them closer together in volume, you will be able to hear words better.

Why the loud music? Start with the programmer's desire to promote music that a show has paid for, or a belief that loud music adds to the drama of a scene. And with the deadline demands for a TV show, the audio may have been mixed too hastily or sloppily.

Information. Most average home receivers have low fidelity speakers which accentuate the upper mid-ranges and highs. The human voice tends to be in the mid-audio range. The rest of the sound spectrum that helps keep these two components separate and distinct is lost.

It's possible that your television could be trying to play 5.1-channel surround sound through its 2-channel stereo speakers. If this is the case then it's sending the voices to a centre channel speaker which isn't there, so you'll hear the music and background noises clearly but the voices will be all but lost.

Set the sound mode to Amplify.

This preset mode will amplify the audio for voices and will resolve most issues. Raise the volume to a higher level than normal TV viewing. This will not damage the TV/projector and does not mean there is an audio issue with it. Remember to lower the audio after watching the movie.

This is because films are created with a reference level for most sounds, but allow for dynamic swings of up to 20 decibels louder. If you adjust the volume down for these swings, it's hard to hear the regular sounds.

Why can I hear background sound but no dialogue or commentary? ›

This issue is caused by having multiple sound input/output devices (like a built-in microphone, headset, and speakers). You will need to set your headset as the default device under the sounds settings in Windows.

You'll just need to set the sound output. Press the Home button on your remote, and then navigate to and select Settings. Select Sound, select Sound Output, and then select the desired sound output.

1 Press Sound Control on the Soundbar remote and the use the Left/Right buttons to adjust until sound is synced. If the video on the TV and audio from the Soundbar are not synchronised, select SYNC in sound control and then set the audio delay between 0 – 300 milliseconds by using the Up/Down buttons.

Turn up your center channel

On many sound bars and receivers, you can increase the volume of the dialogue-focused center channel alone, without increasing the level of the other channels, Wilkinson says.

If the audio settings on your LG TV are correct and you're still not hearing any sound, there may be a problem with the audio output on your TV. This could be due to a faulty HDMI cable, a problem with the TV's audio output port, or an issue with the device that you're trying to connect to your TV.

It's also a great way to enhance your listening experience when listening to podcasts or audiobooks, especially when you want to cast that content wirelessly. Some soundbars make dialogue clearer and easier to understand, while others can make voices sound more muddy and cluttered.

Why are movie's sound effects and music SO LOUD and the dialogue so quiet? It's pretty straightforward. Movies are mixed to be heard on an elaborate surround system in the movie theatre. Dialogue is mixed at a “normal” level and music & effects will vary from ambiance in the background to in your face loud.

The reason for this is the dynamic range, or in laymans terms – the contrast between the films loudest and softest bits. Basically, the film audio is mixed that way. Whoever that magician was, they have mixed the audio levels for maximum effect.

Why is TV dialogue hard to hear? ›

Most say they have trouble hearing dialogue. That results in part because of the production process, the downside of on-location recording, mumbling actors and creative mixing by the studios. But even clean audio can be harder to hear now that TVs have become so thin.

Sounds like your audio setup is bad. Films have more than two channels and they are often sent to only two channels on a simple stereo speaker system. Unless you know how to set it up properly, you may get too strong back channels, and a weak center channel (center channel/speaker is where the dialogue is).

First and foremost, it could be due to hearing loss. If your hearing sensitivity is down, it makes it difficult to distinguish the different sounds of speech. Consonant sounds tend to be more soft in volume and can often be washed out if a person has some high frequency hearing loss.

The audio mix is optimized to a totally different set of equipment than than you are listening on. And how you've adjusted your system can affect how easy or hard it is to hear the dialogue.

Change your audio settings

If your device is connected directly to your TV, check your Netflix app audio options. If surround sound (5.1) is selected, try changing it to Stereo instead. If you are unsure how to change your Netflix app audio settings, visit our alternate audio article.

Adjust Your Settings

To begin, press Menu on your remote control and select Sound. Here, you will find the settings that may need to be adjusted. This could require some trial and error. First look for something called “Dynamic Range Compression” (some TVs have an option called “Night Mode,” which is similar).

Go to your smart TV's audio settings and look for the option to automatically control the volume. This should turn on or off the dynamic range, reducing the difference between loud and soft sounds emanating from your TV.

This is because films are created with a reference level for most sounds, but allow for dynamic swings of up to 20 decibels louder. If you adjust the volume down for these swings, it's hard to hear the regular sounds.