C, LS, RS and LFE channels too low in Fairlight & export

I have no idea why, but in Fairlight as well as in final export (AAC) the channels other than the basic stereo (L and R) have much lower output. As an example, in the final timeline of BMD's own Fairlight tutorial project, I must increase the C, LS and RS volume to hear the surround sound properly - even though when I'm running the test tone (white noise) on my 5.1 speaker system, all channels sound properly balanced...

Is there some setting, switch or toggle that I should be using to get the same balance without increasing those channels' volume?

Piotr

Strongly suspect your monitoring system isn't calibrated appropriately.

Strongly suspect your monitoring system isn't calibrated appropriately.

This is why I mentioned running the test tone, and - after only slight corrections in individual channel outputs - having got almost perfect balance here...

What is another way of calibrating my monitoring system, Reynaud?

Thanks,

Piotr

What is another way of calibrating my monitoring system, Reynaud?

For acoustical alignment, bandwidth limited pink noise (500-2000 Hz reference noise signal at −23 LUFS) is used to calibrate each speaker in the configuration to 79dB(c)SPL.

Electrical alignment, uses a 1kHz sinusoidal tone at a level of −18 dBFS.

With a appropriately calibrated monitoring system, I am unable to reproduce the issue you have outlined.

Thanks, Reynaud - I'll try to re-calibrate my system following the procedure you outlined.

Regards

Piotr

Reynaud,

I must admit I lack the knowledge needed to perform the calibration the exact way you described.

With that said - can you tell me why Fairlight is the only environment where my surround channels have too low volume? I mean - with any other input (be it satellite decoder, BD player etc.) the surround sound is perfect?

Of course I realize that what I just said is an even stronger indicator of some calibration being required - but I'd say it's the Resolve sound calibration, not that of my 5.1 speaker system... Do you agree? If so, could you please elaborate in more detail the procedure involved?

Thanks and Regards
Piotr

Piotr, it would assist if you could outline your monitoring configuration.

Perhaps send a DM and hopefully we can find a solution.

Piotr, it would assist if you could outline your monitoring configuration.

Perhaps send a DM and hopefully we can find a solution.

Reynaud - I'm not using anything fancy or "pro"; just one of those 7.1 Realtek chip on my motherboard, and a THX-approved 5.1 speaker system from Logitech. The subwoofer unit has a 200W amplifier inside, and there is a control/pre-amp unit between the Realtek outputs and the amplifier (either digital - in which case the unit can accept a ready DD or DTS signal from Realtek, or analogue - where each of the 6 discrete inputs are connected to the corresponding L,R, C, LFE, SL ans SR outputs of the Realtek chip. Then the signal is sent to the amplifier, which drives both subwoofer and the remaining 5 satellite speakers... This way -- with the controller in the "Direct" mode (one in which each channel's signal is sent "as is", without encoding them into DD or DTS "stream") I have full control over all 6 channels from the Realtek chip.

Of course the controller of the Logitech system is also able to encode DD or DTS, but I never use them when monitoring multi-channel audio from a DAW.

That's all there is to it, really!

Piotr

Several potential points of failure in such a system.

With Trims at nominal level in Speaker Setup within Resolve's Preferences, first ensure level parity between each output from the Realtek. Then work forwards or backwards, to determine the point of failure.

Of course - as expected - by changing trims in the Preferences by increasing the surround channels' output by say 10-15 higher than that of front L & R trim values bring the same results as my previous method of increasing surround channels output levels in Fairlight - i.e. I can now hear the back surround contents of the mix (and adjust it further in the Audio Pan control dialog).

But the question remains: why are the surround channels so much lower in the "Finishing" timeline of the original BMD's tutorial projects, while you're saying you cannot repro this situation? Plus - with a commercially available blockbuster Bluray movies or my Satellite DD 5.1 programs - all is well balanced when listening to them via my 5.1 speaker system, without a need of increasing surround channels' volume?

Also - I understand that with my simple monitoring system, the electrical or acoustical alignments won't work; if so - why?

And finally one last question: which is the correct setting of the 2 possible on my system ("Realtek 5.1" is my own name of the 5.1 Monitor Set) - Main 1 or 5.1?

Main 1.JPG (18.35 KiB) Viewed 1769 times

5.1.JPG (18.42 KiB) Viewed 1769 times

Thanks,
Piotr

Of course - as expected - by changing trims in the Preferences by increasing the surround channels' output by say 10-15 higher than that of front L & R trim values

The guidance was not to adjust trims, rather the guidance was to ensure trims are at nominal level (i.e. the default operating value of 0).

But the question remains: why are the surround channels so much lower in the "Finishing" timeline of the original BMD's tutorial projects, while you're saying you cannot repro this situation?

Since I have aligned and calibrated my entire monitoring chain to be within Broadcast spec and only to that standard (as outlined in my previous post), while also regularly confirming compliance.

I strongly suspect an issue with your specific configuration. If this was a widespread issue there would be many more threads on this topic than just this one.

Plus - with a commercially available blockbuster Bluray movies or my Satellite DD 5.1 programs - all is well balanced when listening to them via my 5.1 speaker system, without a need of increasing surround channels' volume?

Not familiar with your system, but are these sources also played out of the Realtek?

Also - I understand that with my simple monitoring system, the electrical or acoustical alignments won't work; if so - why?

In my previous posts, I outlined electrical alignment (1kHz sinusoidal tone at a level of −18 dBFS) and provided guidance to measure the outputs of the Realtek.

I am not familiar with your setup, but acoustic alignment should be possible. There are several YouTube tutorials that outline the basics.

which is the correct setting of the 2 possible on my system ("Realtek 5.1" is my own name of the 5.1 Monitor Set) - Main 1 or 5.1?

Main 1 has been configured for a Stereo Monitoring Set, and 5.1 has been configured for a 5.1 Monitoring Set. The Control Room and Loudness metering indicate the active configuration.

I strongly suspect an issue with your specific configuration. If this was a widespread issue there would be many more threads on this topic than just this one.

I am aware you are a true expert, but frankly - apart from the lower volume of surrounds channels (specifically SL & SR) - I really do not hear any abnormalities with the 5.1 Fairlight projects' reproduction..

Not familiar with your system, but are these sources also played out of the Realtek?

Yes, I mean Bluray disks played back using my PC's BD optical drive and software players so the audio comes from the Realtek. They don't require any adjustment of the surround channels' loudness - while any audio clip routed to those channels in Fairlight play some 10 db lower than when routed to the front stereo pair (not just in the BMD's project).

Thanks for you time and effort to help anyway, Reynaud; Regards
Piotr