Circuitry can separate a multi-channel input signal into a center signal and a residual signal, apply time-varying center and residual gains to the center and residual signals, and combine the gain-adjusted center and residual signals to form a multi-channel audio signal. The center and residual gains are automatically determined in response to the center and residual signals so as to prevent each channel of the multi-channel audio signal from exceeding a target volume. During first times, the center and residual gains can vary synchronously so as to ensure that amplitude and phase relationships among channels in the multi-channel input signal are retained into the multi-channel audio signal. During second times, the center and residual gains can vary independently so as to reduce the energy of the residual signal compared to the center signal in the multi-channel audio signal.