A method for enhancing dialog in a decoder of an audio system, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of downmix signals (512, 612, 712) being a downmix of a larger plurality of channels; receiving parameters for dialog enhancement (516, 616, 716), wherein the parameters are defined with respect to a subset of the plurality of channels including channels comprising dialog, wherein the subset of the plurality of channels is downmixed into a subset (512a, 612a, 712a) of the plurality of downmix signals; receiving reconstruction parameters (514, 614, 714) allowing parametric reconstruction of channels that are downmixed into the subset (512a, 612a, 712a) of the plurality of downmix signals; upmixing only the subset (512a, 612a, 712a) of the plurality of downmix signals parametrically based on the reconstruction parameters (514, 614, 714) in order to reconstruct only a subset (618a, 618b, 718a) of the plurality of channels including the subset (618a, 718a) of the plurality of channels with respect to which the parameters for dialog enhancement (516, 616, 716) are defined; applying dialog enhancement to the subset (618a, 718a) of the plurality of channels with respect to which the parameters for dialog enhancement (516, 616, 716) are defined using the parameters for dialog enhancement (516, 616, 716) so as to provide at least one dialog enhanced signal (619, 719); and providing dialog enhanced versions (520, 620, 720) of the subset (512a, 612a, 712a) of the plurality of downmix signals by mixing the at least one dialog enhanced signal (619, 719) with at least one other of said subset of the plurality of downmix signals (618b, 712a). receiving a plurality of downmix signals (512, 612, 712) being a downmix of a larger plurality of channels; receiving parameters for dialog enhancement (516, 616, 716), wherein the parameters are defined with respect to a subset of the plurality of channels including channels comprising dialog, wherein the subset of the plurality of channels is downmixed into a subset (512a, 612a, 712a) of the plurality of downmix signals; receiving reconstruction parameters (514, 614, 714) allowing parametric reconstruction of channels that are downmixed into the subset (512a, 612a, 712a) of the plurality of downmix signals; upmixing only the subset (512a, 612a, 712a) of the plurality of downmix signals parametrically based on the reconstruction parameters (514, 614, 714) in order to reconstruct only a subset (618a, 618b, 718a) of the plurality of channels including the subset (618a, 718a) of the plurality of channels with respect to which the parameters for dialog enhancement (516, 616, 716) are defined; applying dialog enhancement to the subset (618a, 718a) of the plurality of channels with respect to which the parameters for dialog enhancement (516, 616, 716) are defined using the parameters for dialog enhancement (516, 616, 716) so as to provide at least one dialog enhanced signal (619, 719); and providing dialog enhanced versions (520, 620, 720) of the subset (512a, 612a, 712a) of the plurality of downmix signals by mixing the at least one dialog enhanced signal (619, 719) with at least one other of said subset of the plurality of downmix signals (618b, 712a).