Explosions = Loud, Dialog = Huh?

Reader nancy98 writes: I just got a new flat-panel TV with surround speakers, and music and special effects (like big explosions) sound great—but I can barely hear the dialog! And when I turn up the volume so I can hear what they're saying, the bangs and booms become deafening. Help!

Answer: Nancy, what you're describing is actually pretty common for TV sets with built-in surround speakers. That's because dialog is typically delivered by the center speaker in your home theater set-up—except in your case, you probably have a set with just a couple of built-in speakers, which often do a fine job with music, bullets and explosions but leave the dialog hanging. One solution, of course, is to cough up the cash for an actual home theater system with a dedicated center channel. But if you're less interested in great sound than in simply hearing what Jack McCoy and company are saying to each other, here's a few of things to try:

• Go to your TV's main menu and head for the sound section—there's probably a setting for surround sound modes (such as "SRS," "3D Surround" and the like). These simulated surround-sound modes often pump up the sound effects at the expense of the dialog. Try cycling through the various modes until you find one that does a better job with the voices; you may have the best luck with the "stereo only" mode, if there is one.
• Do the sound settings in your TV's main menu include a "dialog enhancer" setting? If so, turn that puppy on—it may do the trick.
• Another option is to look for a "night mode" in the sound menu; this setting compresses the dynamic range of your TV's sound so that the big bangs are quieter (and loud, annoying commercials) are quieter and softer sounds, like dialog, are louder.

Still need more help? Check out this thread at the AVS Forum for more hints and suggestions.