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+1 for the "quick" nightmode button.

And I'd like that Volume Amplification will be reset to 0 when playback stops.
It should be a manual and volatile settings.
And maybe use a combination of "Volume Amplifcation" and "CenterChannel Boost", as discussed [url=http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=196421&pid=1800950#pid1800950]here[url]

We could define night mode preset in AdvancedSettings.xml, as triplets of {Volume, VolumeAmplification, CenterChannelBoost}, and cycle them during playback with the remote.
(2014-06-01, 15:12)negge Wrote: [ -> ]Stuff like this is generally the receiver's job, which is also why all receivers have an option for it.

Uhh, are there a lot of people still using receivers? I think my last receiver / hifi style amplifier went away in the late 90's...
Also "all receivers have an option for it"...? Not one of mine had that option. Loudness, yes, but no compression.

All speakers I currently use are active, from my portable Bluetooth speakers to my old KRK V6 and the more recent Yamaha DSR112's, they all hook directly to PC or Phone. Most other people I know have switched to active speakers too. Sound is just better when there's one amp per driver and that amplifier is matched to the driver and cable length/exact impedance between amp and driver is known to the engineer.

Sound compression *should* preferably be included with Windows' sound stack, but its not and I've been unable to find a stand-alone audio compressor/limiter for Windows.
There are plenty of plug-ins for recording software, but nothing that just works for Windows' sound output.


VLC eventually included a compressor/limiter, but they didn't implement it well. Not even a check box to choose to turn it on by default or not. Hilariously, there isn't even a check box to turn their EQ on by default. If you're driving some weird hotel speakers with a terrible frequency curve, you can adjust for that, but every single time you start VLC, you have to remember to open the menu and turn it on manually...



Well anyway, just saying, sound compression is absolutely vital for watching movies in any place where other family members (children for example) are sleeping and you'd like to understand the dialog without the sound fx from the next action scene blowing the roof off your house.


That there could still be a universal expectation that people would have a receiver standing around really came as a surprise to me - I wasn't too far from forgetting the word for it...
I would guess that for every 100 home theaters that use passive speakers and an AVR there's one or two that use active speakers. These would still use a preamp which does the same signal processing job as a normal AVR would do.

Since this thread was started there's been work done on a DSP subsystem and it has even been merged into master recently. This means that features such as this can actually be implemented. With a little bit of luck and motivation it might even be there when the next Kodi release is out!
Yeah, this is good timing for this thread to be bumped. DRC is now possible :D
(2015-07-22, 22:25)negge Wrote: [ -> ]I would guess that for every 100 home theaters that use passive speakers and an AVR there's one or two that use active speakers. These would still use a preamp which does the same signal processing job as a normal AVR would do.

Since this thread was started there's been work done on a DSP subsystem and it has even been merged into master recently. This means that features such as this can actually be implemented. With a little bit of luck and motivation it might even be there when the next Kodi release is out!

Thanks for the info!

I've never seen a Hi-fi type amp, receiver or pre-amp that has a compressor / limiter built in unless they were very high end. I guess this feature became common some time after the year 2000?

I don't understand why you believe active speakers would be plugged into a preamp. While you *could* use one, if the signal source is exceptionally weak, causing a noisy signal unrelated to ground loops, its generally better to avoid additional circuitry between source and destination.



Some active speaker back panels:

Image
Yamaha DSR 112 back panel (high end preamp with DSP built in)

.

Image
Yamaha DXR 8 back panel (good preamp with DSP built in)

.

Image
KRK V8 back panel

.

True, I'm not talking about the bargain basement bins at the local consumer electronics discounter or the trash that's being sold as "active computer speakers."

But certainly, cheap active computer speakers also don't get plugged into separate preamps. Or do you know anybody who buys $79 speakers and then spends multiples of that on a fancy preamp?

.

.

EDIT: Ok, since I was so puzzled about compressor / limiter getting "built into every receiver" / pre-amp / amp, I went to look around on Amazon, which usually has fairly detailed information on their electronics. The entire Yamaha line of receivers lists no compressor / limiter feature. didn't find anything for Onkyo either.

Are you sure we're talking about the same thing?

Limiter: prevents peaks in the signal to go over a certain threshold, according to manufacturer preset (speakers) or your settings.
Compressor: compresses the overall signal range (dynamic) by raising low volume levels and reducing high volume levels, so that all audio stays within a more or less narrow band of volume according to your settings.

Even now, a decent compressor / limiter is not cheap to buy. If anything, I would have expected Yamaha to include it, since they do like to make use of their extensive DSP R&D and resulting silicon. It would probably cost them less to include than other companies.
Quote:True, I'm not talking about the bargain basement bins at the local consumer electronics discounter or the trash that's being sold as "active computer speakers."

But certainly, cheap active computer speakers also don't get plugged into separate preamps. Or do you know anybody who buys $79 speakers and then spends multiples of that on a fancy preamp?

Certainly not, but I don't know anyone who uses the type of equipment you posted in a home theater either.
Nearly all yamaha avr amps have DRC (which is a compressor in the end). Just an FYI.
(2015-07-23, 11:37)Memphiz Wrote: [ -> ]Nearly all yamaha avr amps have DRC (which is a compressor in the end). Just an FYI.

Ahh... its like the global food mafia hiding Glutamate in their processed food by using 60 different alternate names for it!

Thanks for bringing me up to speed on that, gonna look into DCR, this is something I should not be ignorant about...
(2015-07-23, 09:42)negge Wrote: [ -> ]
Quote:True, I'm not talking about the bargain basement bins at the local consumer electronics discounter or the trash that's being sold as "active computer speakers."

But certainly, cheap active computer speakers also don't get plugged into separate preamps. Or do you know anybody who buys $79 speakers and then spends multiples of that on a fancy preamp?

Certainly not, but I don't know anyone who uses the type of equipment you posted in a home theater either.

This point you make reminds me of a long standing preconception among most people who are not musicians or audio engineers: They believe high quality pro-audio stuff to be really expensive. So they go to consumer audio stores and pay as much or more for speakers with cheap drivers and dreadful, bathtub shaped frequency curves, THX certification not withstanding.

But any number of pro-audio brands do sell high quality active studio monitors for no more than you'd pay for the claptrap in consumer stores. Yes, I remember, there's high end consumer stuff too, some of it where quality actually matches the price, but for that, you end up paying more, not less than pro audio.


I don't mean to be argumentative, I just think a lot of people would do themselves a favor by visiting their local musicians / PA / studio equipment stores before making a decision on what they get for audio reproduction.

Yeah ok, you got me - blatantly shilling for more people to use what I use ;-)
(2015-07-23, 13:35)n13L5 Wrote: [ -> ]
(2015-07-23, 11:37)Memphiz Wrote: [ -> ]Nearly all yamaha avr amps have DRC (which is a compressor in the end). Just an FYI.

Ahh... its like the global food mafia hiding Glutamate in their processed food by using 60 different alternate names for it!

Thanks for bringing me up to speed on that, gonna look into DCR, this is something I should not be ignorant about...

DRC - dynamic range compression (hey thats even what the topic of this thread says Wink) - for normal users this is the "night mode" Big Grin
(2015-07-23, 15:53)Memphiz Wrote: [ -> ]
(2015-07-23, 13:35)n13L5 Wrote: [ -> ]
(2015-07-23, 11:37)Memphiz Wrote: [ -> ]Nearly all yamaha avr amps have DRC (which is a compressor in the end). Just an FYI.

Ahh... its like the global food mafia hiding Glutamate in their processed food by using 60 different alternate names for it!

Thanks for bringing me up to speed on that, gonna look into DCR, this is something I should not be ignorant about...

DRC - dynamic range compression (hey thats even what the topic of this thread says Wink) - for normal users this is the "night mode" Big Grin

Hah, I spaced out... Thought you had thrown some new Yamaha specific acronym at me. Never mind Smile
(2015-07-23, 13:59)n13L5 Wrote: [ -> ]This point you make reminds me of a long standing preconception among most people who are not musicians or audio engineers: They believe high quality pro-audio stuff to be really expensive. So they go to consumer audio stores and pay as much or more for speakers with cheap drivers and dreadful, bathtub shaped frequency curves, THX certification not withstanding.

But any number of pro-audio brands do sell high quality active studio monitors for no more than you'd pay for the claptrap in consumer stores. Yes, I remember, there's high end consumer stuff too, some of it where quality actually matches the price, but for that, you end up paying more, not less than pro audio.


I don't mean to be argumentative, I just think a lot of people would do themselves a favor by visiting their local musicians / PA / studio equipment stores before making a decision on what they get for audio reproduction.

Yeah ok, you got me - blatantly shilling for more people to use what I use ;-)

I used to be an amateur audio engineer many years ago, and I totally agree with you. I've tried to convince people of this as well, but I eventually gave up ;)
(2015-07-24, 03:25)Ned Scott Wrote: [ -> ]
(2015-07-23, 13:59)n13L5 Wrote: [ -> ]This point you make reminds me of a long standing preconception among most people who are not musicians or audio engineers: They believe high quality pro-audio stuff to be really expensive. So they go to consumer audio stores and pay as much or more for speakers with cheap drivers and dreadful, bathtub shaped frequency curves, THX certification not withstanding.

But any number of pro-audio brands do sell high quality active studio monitors for no more than you'd pay for the claptrap in consumer stores. Yes, I remember, there's high end consumer stuff too, some of it where quality actually matches the price, but for that, you end up paying more, not less than pro audio.


I don't mean to be argumentative, I just think a lot of people would do themselves a favor by visiting their local musicians / PA / studio equipment stores before making a decision on what they get for audio reproduction.

Yeah ok, you got me - blatantly shilling for more people to use what I use ;-)

I used to be an amateur audio engineer many years ago, and I totally agree with you. I've tried to convince people of this as well, but I eventually gave up Wink
Haha, understandable.

I have people come by, comment on how amazing the sound is. Upon questioning me what those speakers cost, they're surprised its not all that expensive. And then they fail go to into a music store anyway and end up with some garbage from "Best Buy" or 'The Good Guys" or whatever...
+1 for DRC, this is a very useful feature! Btw, I think it should also be available for Music playback, currently "volume amplification" setting is only available for Movies...
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