Stereo sound stage from TV

[Anastasius]

We have a Sony run-of-the-mill TV with built-in speakers. The room it's in is pretty 'iive'. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised by the sound stage seeming to come from well outside the TV by some metres (OK, it's a big room) and yet other times the sound is centred on the TV. Bit perplexed why this should be so.

[richardfinegold]

We have a Sony run-of-the-mill TV with built-in speakers. The room it's in is pretty 'iive'. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised by the sound stage seeming to come from well outside the TV by some metres (OK, it's a big room) and yet other times the sound is centred on the TV. Bit perplexed why this should be so.

The recording source might have something to do with it. Some recordings just convey a bigger sense of sound stage than others, even on limited TV speakers. Is there a consistent difference with older movies, from the 50s and before, and more recent material?

[Anastasius]

That's a good point, Richard. I'll need to keep a closer eye on the programmes and see if there is a pattern.

[Ferretfancy]

The recording source might have something to do with it. Some recordings just convey a bigger sense of sound stage than others, even on limited TV speakers. Is there a consistent difference with older movies, from the 50s and before, and more recent material?

Image width is mainly defined by phase differences, with channel levels and top response. All this is dependent on microphone placing and the number of mikes in use.

There's a big difference between recording musicians sitting in fixed positions in a studio and trying to follow actors as they move around a location, and as a compromise TV sound supervisors quite often use the so called MS technique where the stereo mikes can be mounted on a fish pole to follow the performers. This also has the advantage that image width can be adjusted in post production. I'm long retired from the Beeb, no doubt there are more sophisticated methods, but in the end the rules of physics still prevail.

A couple of years ago I gave in and got hearing aids from the NHS. I have normal age related hearing loss, not very acute but noticeable. As fitted the aids have far too much presence, but there is a simple attenuator. On my audio system however the initial results were catastrophic, every sound was shrill and exaggerated, and i had to do extensive adjustments to get a pleasing result.I didn't want to alter my audio settings because that would spoil things for my partner. I now hear a well balanced set up, and the soundstage is clearer with better imaging, but it has been difficult to get the right adjustment.

I wonder if others have had experience of hearing aids in relation to their audio systems. Incidentally as they are now adjusted they work fine at concerts as well.

[gradus]

I've often noticed that higher frequency sounds eg birdsong in nature programmes can appear to be coming from walls either side of the TV and nowhere near it's speakers. Very effective at suggesting a wide open space.

[Dave2002]

A couple of years ago I gave in and got hearing aids from the NHS. I have normal age related hearing loss, not very acute but noticeable. As fitted the aids have far too much presence, but there is a simple attenuator. On my audio system however the initial results were catastrophic, every sound was shrill and exaggerated, and i had to do extensive adjustments to get a pleasing result.I didn't want to alter my audio settings because that would spoil things for my partner. I now hear a well balanced set up, and the soundstage is clearer with better imaging, but it has been difficult to get the right adjustment.

I wonder if others have had experience of hearing aids in relation to their audio systems. Incidentally as they are now adjusted they work fine at concerts as well.

Earlier this year I suffered quite severe hearing loss for a while, and I feared that I was going to become rather (or even completely) deaf. I figured that most likely the original cause was a cold or other infection, then a build up of wax. A few flights didn't help either. I couldn't control this at all, so in the end I had the muck taken out with micro-suction, and things have improved enormously.

I still fear that eventually I may lose my hearing, though right now I'm enjoying concerts again without the need for any assistance. Some concerts I went to when I had the problem were not particularly enjoyable at all.

[Ferretfancy]

Earlier this year I suffered quite severe hearing loss for a while, and I feared that I was going to become rather (or even completely) deaf. I figured that most likely the original cause was a cold or other infection, then a build up of wax. A few flights didn't help either. I couldn't control this at all, so in the end I had the muck taken out with micro-suction, and things have improved enormously.

I still fear that eventually I may lose my hearing, though right now I'm enjoying concerts again without the need for any assistance. Some concerts I went to when I had the problem were not particularly enjoyable at all.

I do think that our ears are rather more delicate than we sometimes think. When working as a mixer i found that having a heavy cold could affect my judgement. One reason for holding out against hearing aids was because i had a bad experience a few years ago when I was persuaded by Boots to have a test followed by a hard sell of some very pricey aids which I returned after a trial period. However, after I stopped using them I developed hyperacusis, which is a condition where some frequencies become unnaturally emphasised making hearing very uncomfortable. It was several months before my hearing got back to normal

[Dave2002]

I do think that our ears are rather more delicate than we sometimes think.

Yes - and no. I am amazed when I have my ears cleared out that sometimes it feels as though I'm being seriously attacked, yet there has so far been quite good recovery afterwards. I have had wax loosen and come out while swimming - which feels very odd, though did solve a problem at the time. Swimming can cause problems, though I hardly do that any more now. I was never very good and didn't particularly enjoy it except for one period when I did get into it for a while. Colds and aircraft seem to cause problems, and I also strongly suspect headphone listening.

When working as a mixer i found that having a heavy cold could affect my judgement. One reason for holding out against hearing aids was because i had a bad experience a few years ago when I was persuaded by Boots to have a test followed by a hard sell of some very pricey aids which I returned after a trial period. However, after I stopped using them I developed hyperacusis, which is a condition where some frequencies become unnaturally emphasised making hearing very uncomfortable. It was several months before my hearing got back to normal

Hyperacusis was one of the problems mentioned in the recently decided court case involving a musician at the ROH. Perhaps many people would think this was trivial (e.g. "why did the player give up because of that?" etc.) but I'm sure that some problems involving hearing (damage or loss) are very disconcerting. I have on occasions felt very disconnected from the world when my hearing has had a problem, and of course it can be isolating if one can't hear what other people are saying clearly. I reckon there can be at least 30dB drop under some seemingly temporary conditions, thogh I can't be precise. The difference between volume level 15 and 40 on my car radio, and being able to still hear something when the level is set down to 5 or so with the car engine off, and otherwise.