Improving vocals from Blu-rays?

[Bsmooth]

Just started getting my blurays discs on a hardrive using MKV and Handbrake. I'm a bit on in years and I guess my hearing isn't what it used to be. I'm finding it a bit difficult hearing vocals from movies after I get the files onto my HD. I'm watching on a pretty old Samsung, but no night settings to play with.
In your experience is there a way to improve settings in Handbrake to improve the vocals a bit? I read you can set the audio Dynamic compression between 1 and 2.5, but not sure where might be the best place.
Its strange If I watch the same movie being broadcast the vocals seem fine, but from a bluray rip they are very quiet.
Also do the audio settings like mixing from say an AC3 to AAC make a difference in vocals as well, lots of options here. Right now I mix them down to stereo, but maybe lose vocals in the process somewhere?.
I also have subtitles on and usually have a few choices including SRT files as well.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[jinx100]

The vocals are difficult to discern on some films. I think it is just bad sound engineering on some newer films. My Handbrake process is like yours, reducing the 5.1 channel to AAC stereo. Maybe someone with a theater sound system will comment if that helps the vocals.

My profile for blu-ray discs does add 6 db gain to the audio but no dynamic compression. The dynamic compression just seems to raise the background noise in the quieter audio sections of the film.

[Bsmooth]

I was hoping the Dynamic Compression would help. Its frustrating, finally getting the nice clear video and the Audio not keeping up.

[dcoke22]

It isn't you. Modern movies are harder to understand.

https://www.slashfilm.com/673162/heres-why-movie-dialogue-has-gotten-more-difficult-to-understand-and-three-ways-to-fix-it/

[Bsmooth]

Thats a great article, reminds me a bit about the Loudness wars we had a few years ago with music CD's and how it was mixed. I love it, technology jumps ahead leaps and bounds, and we get dialogue we can't understand. A lot of it sound like just plain laziness. Don't they get it? Its a package deal, sound and video. A lot of us have these great killer Home Theater setups, and by the time we get the actual movie, it all falls apart.
Thing is though If one can get it right, they all can. Its going to get to the point we'll have to listen to it in Mono, wouldn't that be sad.
So If cutting back on DR won't help, what will?

[jinx100]

Check what audio adjustments are on your TV. Anything to reduce the bass should make the dialog more prominent.

[dcoke22]

In my view, the best improvement one can make is to use a dedicated speaker setup as opposed to whatever speakers come in the TV. Most experiences I've had with speakers built into a TV have been terrible.