Reducing TV background music / noise.

[ClydeCrashKop]

It seems that we watch a lot of nature / invention documentaries on TV and a lot of the time musical background noise is louder than the dialog. The narrators like David Attenborough may have some inflection but pretty much stay in a narrow frequency band.
I am considering getting a stereo equalizer to amplify the dialog and all but remove the background music / noise.
Will that do what I want? If so, can anyone recommend one that is good enough and not too expensive?

 

[Ylli]

Just need to watch stuff narrated by Mike Rowe. He talks louder.

 

[crutschow]

Google 10 or 20 band graphic equalizer.

Alternately if you get a surround sound decoder or receiver but only use the center channel, that may also help.

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

if you get a surround sound decoder or receiver but only use the center channel, that may also help.

A friend sold me Harman-Kardon AVR 254 that I have only used for patio pool speakers. After closer examination, I found that it has surround sound. A center speaker is getting clear dialog on soap operas and commercials with almost no music. A left speaker that I brought in through a window, has loud raucous sound effects and music that are almost gone when I unplug it. It will be great if it works that well on documentaries.
Thanks a lot.

 

[gophert]

A friend sold me Harman-Kardon AVR 254 that I have only used for patio pool speakers. After closer examination, I found that it has surround sound. A center speaker is getting clear dialog on soap operas and commercials with almost no music. A left speaker that I brought in through a window, has loud raucous sound effects and music that are almost gone when I unplug it. It will be great if it works that well on documentaries.
Thanks a lot.

It will work well but, when you do a full setup in the menu on the Receiver, tell the receiver you are connecting all three front channels and then only connect the center channel. If you "tell" the receiver you are only using the center channel, it will send music and dialog to the center speaker - you don't want that.

 

[MaxHeadRoom78]

Will that do what I want? If so, can anyone recommend one that is good enough and not too expensive?

I found the same, got a TV spkr, Bose Solo 5, it has a mid-range accentuate button, works for me.
Max.

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

Watching Ancient Aliens on the History Channel, waves and meteors crashing, volcanoes and music are all now way in the background where they belong.

 

[crutschow]

Watching Ancient Aliens on the History Channel, waves and meteors crashing, volcanoes and music are all now way in the background where they belong.

Is that using the center-channel only.

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

Yes.
Just one speaker from the surround sound center output and the TV speakers turned off.