Mumbling

It seems that BBC programmes are renowned for having poor sound quality. We have subtitles on for all dramas, but don't need them for the news or documentaries - the newsreaders and voice overs know how to speak clearly.

Chestnut - oh, he does, they all have a really good moan. Unfortunately most programmes are not made in-house but by other production companies so most of the complaints fall on deaf ears (no pun intended!)

Thank heavens for subtitles ...

gulligranny

My DH is a retired BBC lighting director and meets up with colleagues (retired and otherwise) on a regular basis, some of whom work/worked in the sound department. I am therefore reliably informed that the problem is because there are no longer any sound supervisors overseeing output levels and no checks on how sounds are perceived at our end.

And the incredibly annoying really loud music at the start of a programme is done deliberately to get attention.

Ha! Thank you gulligranny. I knew it, been saying this for the last few years, the sound output is not as good as it used to be! Young men who like loud music and do not realise that background music should stay in the background. And as you say no-one is checking what we actually hear. Maybe you could ask your husband to mention to those still in the business how very annoying it is to have loud music and quiet dialogue.

MissAdventure

Then when the adverts come on, they are absolutely booming!!!

Oh yes, get ready to hit the mute button!

My DH is a retired BBC lighting director and meets up with colleagues (retired and otherwise) on a regular basis, some of whom work/worked in the sound department. I am therefore reliably informed that the problem is because there are no longer any sound supervisors overseeing output levels and no checks on how sounds are perceived at our end.

And the incredibly annoying really loud music at the start of a programme is done deliberately to get attention.

There was a letter in The Times the other day from a reader who, having paid for the most expensive stall seats at a production of Private Lives, could hear clearly only two members of the cast, both over 60, as the rest mumbled. Well done, Patricia Hodges and Nigel Havers. I know it's all done in the name of realism, like murky lighting in tv dramas, but we are entitled to see and hear what we are paying for.

I blame Lee Strasberg and The Method.

Then when the adverts come on, they are absolutely booming!!!

keepingquiet

I don't watch Emmerdale but get annoyed by the poor sound quality on some TV dramas- I have to turn the volume up when people are speaking but then some music or even adverts come on and its wow! turn that down. I've heard you can get these bar things you put in front of the tv that make the sound better. Maybe I've just got a rubbish tv!

We’ve had this problem for a few years, I’m 64 and husband 67 so not that old. Both had our ears tested and no problems with them. It’s not your Tv. We tried linking up two sets of Bluetooth headphones but couldn’t get them to work together.

petra

The problem is the size of the speakers in the slim line TVs that we all have.
Does anyone remember the size of the speakers in those old box sets, they were huge.
I got that info from a retired BBC sound engineer.

I have a hi-fi attached to my TV with two proper speakers and still have a problem with mumbling actors and loud music. So this is not the problem

I agree that actors do not enunciate properly any more and often speak either too quickly, too quietly, or both. This affects viewers whether they have hearing problems or not!

In addition, the sound technicians seem to be young men who think loud music adds to the drama. It does not! It is just bloody annoying when loud music or loud noises come crashing into the story at a much higher level than the dialogue.

Older films and TV dramas do seem perfectly fine regarding voices and music. Back then actors were trained to speak properly because they realised that viewers want to hear the words. Sound technicians kept the music at a relatively low level because they realised we can hear it perfectly well in the background.

Standards have definitely dropped!

The problem is the size of the speakers in the slim line TVs that we all have.
Does anyone remember the size of the speakers in those old box sets, they were huge.
I got that info from a retired BBC sound engineer.

I know it’s at least partly down to my hearing not being what it was, but actors just don’t enunciate as they used to - it would seem to be down to the fashion for ‘realistic’ dialogue.

If you watch some old TV drama from e.g. the 70s you can really notice the difference.

Yes, got it.

One of the weather presenters doesn't articulate properly. I'm sure he's a lovely boy but I find myself shouting at him.

😀
I knew straight away what it means

When spoken well the English language is lovely. Unfortunately there is a lot of mumbling, speaking too fast, swallowing parts of words and the irritating dropping of the letter 't'. It took me a long time to understand one of my neighbours who always ends his interaction with me: "Slayer". I have now worked it out.

Curtaintwitcher

My hearing hasn't deteriorated at all but I do find that people on tv don't always speak clearly. If you can hear perfectly well on one channel but not on another...then the problem doesn't lie with you.
I actually find it better to watch tv on my laptop or tablet than tv. Perhaps the problem lies with a cheap tv?

We have a sound box.
It varies from person to person so it's not the TV

MissAdventure

“The world is full of mumblers.
That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.”

YES!

My hearing hasn't deteriorated at all but I do find that people on tv don't always speak clearly. If you can hear perfectly well on one channel but not on another...then the problem doesn't lie with you.
I actually find it better to watch tv on my laptop or tablet than tv. Perhaps the problem lies with a cheap tv?

M0nica

Or could it be your hearing? I admit I watch very little tv, but when I do I find I keep needing to turn the volume down quite low, otherwise it sounds as if people are shouting.

No, it's mumbling.
Anyone who has trained in stage acting has clear diction but many TV actors seem to have stumbled into acting and are not properly trained.

They mumble and swallow the ends of their words.

I never ever have a problem with sound quality on old films, such as It’s a Wonderful life, the Sound of Music, any of those John Mills films and many more.

Some excellent quality BBC dramas of the past 10 years have been ruined for me by poor sound though ….remember the second series of Happy Valley anyone? So it’s subtitles on more often than not.

The Scandi dramas like The Bridge were a dream to watch, as there subtitles were so good and not in the least detracting from the action.

And I have had my hearing tested just out of curiosity recently because I wear a headset at work. No problem detected.

We have everything! New TV a soundbar subtitles (not for news) hearing aids - we still struggle. Legally channels only have to provide subtitles for a certain percentage of programmes - stations like Alibi and some films on netflix and amazon do not. So so annoying as the subtitles are there!

I’m trying to resist sub titles

Why?

Do you feel it’s an unwanted concession to getting older?

I have them on all the time, (not for the News or other ‘live’ programmes, as they are always behind hand for them).

I don’t think my hearing is impaired, but accents, mumbling, loud music make it hard to hear certain stuff.

I find sub titles a real boon, and am disappointed if certain old films or programmes don’t have them.

We have a sound bar which helps my dh but we still have subtitles on most if not all the time and yes, why is there so much mumbling? Why can’t they ENUNCIATE ?
Then the sudden bursts of really loud music in the adverts etc which need to be turned down fast which takes longer with the soundbar; then the mumbling starts again so turn up the tv; relaxin’ it ain’t.

I remember that elderly lady MissA

I have subtitles on all the time.