A quick question for the audiophiles

[Jaythulhu]

I use wmp 12 to stream my favourite tv shows, but I've been having a few issues with the volume. Speech is quite soft, but sfx and music is rather loud. Can someone please tell me what graphic equalizer settings to change to increase the volume of speech and decrease the rest? Using the "speech" preset hasn't helped, and the kilohertz range numbers may as well be swahili to me.

Cheers!

[Edit]

Oh, i'm running win7 x64 and a soundblaster X-Fi "Xtreem" Pci-E card, if that helps.

 

[BonsaiK]

Increase 800Hz to 4 Khz. Decrease things outside these ranges, especially bass.

 

[BonsaiK]

Stab yourself in both ears with a katana, that should do the trick.

This is only partially correct - it will achieve the decrease of SFX volume but it won't enhance speech recognition.

 

[Jaythulhu]

Increase 800Hz to 4 Khz. Decrease things outside these ranges, especially bass.

Mate, that worked a treat. Many, many thanks to you sir!

[Edit]

Mods, feel free to lock this thread. I think it's finished

 

[BonsaiK]

I don't work in the music industry for nothing. Enjoy your listening.

 

[Jaythulhu]

Well, you may appreciate this little tale of how a know-nothing noob with the musical capability of a tree got "props" (I think that's what they're called?) from some rather famous international musicians.

Back in '01 I took over for a mate as sound mixer for the band he played in, at the Indy. Kirk Pengilly and Tim Farriss from INXS both complimented me on how good a job I was doing. One of the most amusing things that's ever happened to me.

Anyways, thanks again for the assist mate. The speech is amazingly crisp and not over-ridden by the sfx and music now

 

[BonsaiK]

Back in '01 I took over for a mate as sound mixer for the band he played in, at the Indy. Kirk Pengilly and Tim Farriss from INXS both complimented me on how good a job I was doing. One of the most amusing things that's ever happened to me.

Do you know why they complimented you? Because not only was the sound good, you probably were acting like you gave a shit. So many mixers in small venues don't really listen to the result, are often drunk or high, think they know best about everything, aren't quick enough to jump on feedback problems and tend to just "set and forget" and then go to the bar and order more drinks rather than watch what's going on up on that stage. Any band with decent road experience has seen dozens of shitty mixers do all these things and more. If you are actually sober enough and with-it enough to care about the result coming out of the speakers, you're probably in the top 10% of mixers in your town on the strength of that virtue alone.

 

[Jaythulhu]

You're probably right mate. I had no clue what any of the switches or knobs did (my friend marked which instruments they affected though), and I was shitscared of stuffing something up. I had one eye glued to the band and the other glued to the mixing board, heh. Only thing I drank that entire week was water, I was too worried about losing them the gig.

I'm surprised to hear that a lot of mixers get drunk or high. My friend explained to me that the way the sound moved around the venue changed with the number of patrons, which doors were opened or closed, and all that sorta stuff, and that it was important to stay on top of it for the best performance. I seriously doubt I could have gotten the sound level right on one instrument, let alone all 6 and the singer if I was under the influence of something.

It was a bloody fun night though, despite my closeness to pissing my pants in fright. I had a great time playing with the sound set-up (the place hired an 80k system for the week. I'm guessing that gets some quality stuff? Or at least did?).