How to Enhance Audio with TrueTheater in PowerDVD
Make quiet dialogue clearer and cut background noise from the videos you play.
Updated Nov. 4, 2026 · 3 min read
In a hurry? Use the TrueTheater audio quick guide instead.
PowerDVD's TrueTheater audio enhancements improve the sound of the videos you play. They boost volume, bass, and dialogue, and they can reduce background noise or isolate speech. Use them when a video plays too quietly, or when wind, waves, or a crowd drowns out what people are saying.
- While a video plays, click ••• on the playback controls.
- Click the ear button to turn on TrueTheater audio.
- Click the gear button at the top right and select TrueTheater Settings.
- On the Auto tab, drag the Audio Enhancement slider.
- On the Advanced tab, set TrueTheater Audio Booster, or check TrueTheater Audio Restoration and pick Noise Reduction or Speech Isolation.
Steps to Turn On TrueTheater Audio
TrueTheater audio works while you play a video or music file in PowerDVD, so start playing one first. It isn't available for Blu-ray Disc or DVD playback.
Step 1: Open the More Controls
While the video plays, click ••• (More) at the right end of the playback controls. A row of extra buttons opens above it, including the TrueTheater ear button.
Step 2: Turn On TrueTheater Audio
Click the ear button. It turns blue while the audio enhancements are on, and clicking it again turns them off.
The eye button next to it turns on TrueTheater video, covered in the TrueTheater video tutorial.
Step 3: Open the TrueTheater Settings
Click the gear button at the top right of the window and select TrueTheater Settings. The TrueTheater settings open over the video.
Step 4: Set How Strong the Enhancement Is
On the Auto tab, Audio Enhancement is checked with its slider in the middle. It amplifies the sound, boosts bass and dialogue, and adds a surround effect. Drag the slider to the right for a stronger effect or to the left for a lighter one.
Step 5: Fine-Tune on the Advanced Tab
Click the Advanced tab to set each audio enhancement on its own. Use only the ones your video needs.
TrueTheater Audio Booster
Under Audio Enhancement, TrueTheater Audio Booster is on by default. Drag its slider to set how much it raises the volume, bass, and dialogue. Use it when a video plays too quietly.
TrueTheater Audio Restoration
Check TrueTheater Audio Restoration to clean up the sound, then pick one of its two modes:
| Mode | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Noise Reduction | Reduces steady background noise. The slider sets how much. | Wind, waves, hiss, or hum behind the sound. |
| Speech Isolation | Filters out background noise so the dialogue comes first. | Voices lost in a crowd, traffic, or music. |
Close the settings with the X at the top right. The enhancements stay on while the video plays.
The Result
Play each pair with the sound on to hear the difference. The street vlog shows Speech Isolation, and the concert clip shows TrueTheater Audio Booster. The beach clip at the top of this page shows Noise Reduction.
We tested these steps in PowerDVD 365 version 24.0.1923 on Windows.
Don't have PowerDVD yet? Bring dialogue forward, even in videos recorded somewhere noisy.
Download PowerDVD Free →FAQ About TrueTheater Audio in PowerDVD
TrueTheater audio isn't available while a Blu-ray Disc or DVD plays. It also turns off when the HDMI audio output in More Audio Settings passes the audio to an external device undecoded. Audio Restoration isn't available in Karaoke Mode.
Use Noise Reduction when a steady sound, such as wind or hiss, sits behind the whole clip. Use Speech Isolation when people are talking and you want their voices in front of everything else. You can switch between them while the video plays.
The first time you check TrueTheater Audio Restoration, PowerDVD downloads and installs the components it needs, so connect to the internet before you turn it on.
