Jump to content

Strange Issue With Atmos


Recommended Posts

Dear audio experts, I have a mildly annoying issue when I play atmos content that is baffling me.

 

I have an Onkyo RZ730 AVR with (currently) a 7.1.2 surround setup, and when playing atmos content, I often notice the sound (say someone's voice) moving from centre, or left/right to the side speaker nearest me, very much exaggerated from where the sound is coming from on screen. Say someone is talking in centre frame and the camera moves, the audio may jump to the side speaker, which is offputting and removes me from the scene. Iirc there was also a subtle hiss or crack when this happened most recently, making the effect even worse.

 

I'm wondering where to look first for the source of this. I can't recall if this happens on all media, but I'd say more than likely it is on streamed content as well as discs. Could it be my speaker placement or AVR calibration settings? My speaker placements are far from ideal. The cost of having a slow combustion fireplace in the room! I'd estimate the left and right spkrs to be around 4.5m apart with the centre being much closer to the right spkr. The side and rear spkrs are more evenly spaced and my atmos spkrs are currently upfiring and sitting on the L/R.

 

I know, I know the placements are awful, but besides this issue, the audio is satisfactory. Just trying to figure out this unusual problem. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites



5 minutes ago, Esoterica said:

Could it be my speaker placement or AVR calibration settings? My speaker placements are far from ideal. The cost of having a slow combustion fireplace in the room! I'd estimate the left and right spkrs to be around 4.5m apart with the centre being much closer to the right spkr. The side and rear spkrs are more evenly spaced and my atmos spkrs are currently upfiring and sitting on the L/R.

Suggest getting a tape measure and checking your AVR calibration distances.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Esoterica said:

have an Onkyo RZ730 AVR with (currently) a 7.1.2 surround setup, and when playing atmos content, I often notice the sound (say someone's voice) moving from centre, or left/right to the side speaker nearest me, very much exaggerated from where the sound is coming from on screen. Say someone is talking in centre frame and the camera moves, the audio may jump to the side speaker, which is offputting and removes me from the scene. Iirc there was also a subtle hiss or crack when this happened most recently, making the effect even worse.

is there any source (movies) particular scenes can point to... some of us can check out and see if experience the same... just making sure it isnt something exaggerated ...baked into source or something... or is it just specific to your setup ? 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the responses guys. I'll check my distances and settings. I just remembered this issue whilst browsing the forums, hence haven't got all the info at hand.

 

It's only ever happened with atmos, but I suppose this isn't surprising considering the intent of the technology. I'll try to find the scene it was noticeable in @betty boop where I experienced it most recently.

 

 I also forgot to put in my OP that I wonder if it could simply be my side speaker being connected to the wrong terminal, but this I doubt as there hasn't been other strange phenomena, but it's possible that the side has been connected to a rear out I guess. It would be easy to do. I know when I was setting it up I thought as much with so many outputs and wires back there lol.

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Esoterica said:

 I also forgot to put in my OP that I wonder if it could simply be my side speaker being connected to the wrong terminal, but this I doubt as there hasn't been other strange phenomena, but it's possible that the side has been connected to a rear out I guess. It would be easy to do. I know when I was setting it up I thought as much with so many outputs and wires back there lol.

When you mentioned the leaking to be louder to the sides and running atmos enabled speakers on your L/R I thought of checking your bass management crossover settings .  That hiss or crack may be a dsp processing glitch ; Emotiva and other brands have been known to almost fry a tweeter with certain decoding like dts in the distant past .. good its only subtle :) Hopefully its something like the calibration 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites



22 hours ago, Esoterica said:

Dear audio experts, I have a mildly annoying issue when I play atmos content that is baffling me.

 

I have an Onkyo RZ730 AVR with (currently) a 7.1.2 surround setup, and when playing atmos content, I often notice the sound (say someone's voice) moving from centre, or left/right to the side speaker nearest me, very much exaggerated from where the sound is coming from on screen. Say someone is talking in centre frame and the camera moves, the audio may jump to the side speaker, which is offputting and removes me from the scene. Iirc there was also a subtle hiss or crack when this happened most recently, making the effect even worse.

 

I'm wondering where to look first for the source of this. I can't recall if this happens on all media, but I'd say more than likely it is on streamed content as well as discs. Could it be my speaker placement or AVR calibration settings? My speaker placements are far from ideal. The cost of having a slow combustion fireplace in the room! I'd estimate the left and right spkrs to be around 4.5m apart with the centre being much closer to the right spkr. The side and rear spkrs are more evenly spaced and my atmos spkrs are currently upfiring and sitting on the L/R.

 

I know, I know the placements are awful, but besides this issue, the audio is satisfactory. Just trying to figure out this unusual problem. 

I don't know about Atmos, but I've certainly noticed this in a number of movies. And not only with voices, but with other sounds as well.

 

But I guess I don't know what you mean by "someone is talking in centre frame and the camera moves". Perhaps you could indicate a specific scene in a specific movie so I (we) could check it ourselves.

 

My complaint stems from some fast-cutting of the picture, which requires a complete change in soundstage (i.e. the speaker was centre stage, but is now on the left). The picture still looks good, but my ears sometimes go "Eh! What!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...
To Top