Anything with DD decoding should really have the equivilent of night mode - it's a built in part of the DD spec and the reason for the dNorm value existing.

Night mode should compress the dynamics using the dNorm value encoded in the data stream as the normalization point. The entire idea is there so that you can reduce the dynamic range without grossly altering the perceived average volume of dialog.

It's not always called night mode though. Dig around - it might be in the surround decoder settings or something.

bestbang4thebuck - Yea been thinking about the 1070 for me and 1050 for dad option...

charlie - interesting. I need to find out what model he has and dig up a manual. Thanks.

Charlie. Thanks so much !

Your comment that anything with DD decoding should have night mode prompted me to ask my Dad what model he has and download the manual for him. Sure enough his receiver has Digial Compression Mode. He had it all along ! I should have thought of that. I took his word that he didn't have it, Doh....

Outlaw forums are simply the best !

Nice bit of research, desperado - good to hear that you've got him fixed up now.