DD5.1 not as loud as stereo

I have my DVR connected by coax to a Pioneer AVR. When I play a DD5.1 broadcast in DD the sound is loww. When I play it in stereo it is much louder. Why? I only have a center and two front speakers.

I could answer that for ya, but I am too confused and bewildered on how someone from Louisville KY can be a Georgia fan. Even if a transplanted Georgian.. I am surprised you havn't taken the long one way dirt road ride in the General Lee yet...:D

Bigloww,

I could understand you trying to be funny and then answering the question. Maybe you are a UK or UT fan?

Maybe someone else is willing to answer the question.

the dark little secret of most a/v receiver manufacturers is that their power ratings are usually overstated. When they say 100 watts per channel, that is with only two channels active. When all five are active, the power per channel is less. Some companies actually give you the power spec's for all 5 channels when operating at the same time, many just ignore that little bit of information.

Thanks. So when more speakers are being driven the power is divided among them.

My AVR is advertised as 110 x 5, but the owners manual says 110 watts Stereo, 90 watts surround. Now I understand why a powered subwoofer is used.


Thanks again.

its because the DD 5.1 source is not as loud.

the stereo source is a compressed and normalized to a higher volume.

DD has a lot a range to it; its how the director wanted you to hear it. during action scenes it should get very loud. you should have some type of dynamic range control on your receiver that can be used to normalize the volume.

Thanks. So when more speakers are being driven the power is divided among them.

My AVR is advertised as 110 x 5, but the owners manual says 110 watts Stereo, 90 watts surround. Now I understand why a powered subwoofer is used.


Thanks again.

Self powered Subwoofer are always recommended, as that is a particularly big drain on your system, that is also the reason powered subwoofer command a higher price.