Movie/TV sound versus music sound from same AVR.

[robbnj]

MODS: I'm sure this has been covered, but my searches do not bring me to a thread that I can refer to.
If there is a definitive one that covers this question, please close this post and I'll head there!

My system consists of a Denon AVR-X4000 feeding a MINIDSP into a 2-channel amp. The amp powers my main speakers (not that it should be relevant, but they are pretty flat down to 20Hz). The internal AVR amps are used for the center and surrounds.
I have two powered subs, one flanking each main speaker (my only option at the moment). MINIDSP between AVR and subs.

I've tinkered with the system plenty, and dialed in the Audyssey plus both MINIDSPS to get a pretty nice sounding response. When I measure with REW, it also doesn't look bad at all.

The speedbump I'm hitting is that it sounds really good when I watch TV or movies, but really "thin" when listening to music. When I adjust the subs for decent impact during music (not basshead-style, just a realistic presentation), it becomes overbearing with movies and TV. When I adjust for movies/TV, it becomes anemic for music.
For example, last night I was watching Better Call Saul. When the volume is set to sound like reality (voices, etc) and car doors get closed, there is a realistic "thud". As if a car is in my room and the door gets slammed.+

But then I switched over to my music source (CD player, DVD player, music server computer) and listened to My head's In Mississippi by ZZ Top, which has a great bass line. And it almost sounded like I had no woofers at all.
I had to crank the subs to the max in the AVR to get a reasonable presentation, and it was still a bit weak.
I checked to make sure my sources did not have any type of EQ enabled that could cause the issue. None.

I've tried with my speakers set to Small and my bass mgmt as LFE, and also as LFE+Main. I've tried with speaker set to Large, and bass mgmt set to LFE, and LFE+Main.
I've tried it with Dynamic EQ on and Dynamic EQ off. I don't use compression or other auto-volume control, as it makes some of my TV/movies sound like garbage.

As far as I can tell after going back and forth a bunch times, when I set my signal levels per channel, it affects settings globally.
Turn the subs up in TV Audio mode, and the levels go up in Media Player mode. And vice versa.

Is this just the way it is, and I'll have to adjust my settings each time I switch between moves/TV and listening to music?

 

[ddude003]

Hi @robbnj , You could be dealing with one of several issues... Gain staging, LFE vs stereo only to the subs, a preamp or integrated amp without HT bypass and I am sure there are more permutations and combinations...

Can you run pre-amped stereo L & R to your subs as well as have an LFE connection? So your subs just get either LFE or Stereo depending on HT or music...

I run my kit in a similar fashion as stereo uses Streamer and DAC to a preamp, amp for L & R + sub... HT uses AVR to preamp with some physical attenuation (read gain stage), amp for L & R + sub and AVR feeds center and surrounds... And yes I still have to adjust gain/vol between stereo only and HT... Two remotes, AVR and Stereo not difficult to level match for HT from the couch as it seems like each HT source (Amazon, Netflix or BlueRay as well as each video/movie) uses a different sound mix anyways...