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Best PS4 Audio Settings?

J

j-wood

Member
Hey guys,

So I recently stepped up my game and bought a proper 5.1 surround sound system

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/yamaha-...stem/4372018.p?id=1219098067770&skuId=4372018

However, am I the only one that finds all these setting fucking confusing? Why can't we just have a standard? Here is my basic understanding:

PCM is just basically stereo output
Dobly digital is a 5.1 output
DTS is a better 5.1 output?

But then i'm reading stuff that PCM is technically loss less, and the others are a lower quality. I have no idea whether my receiver should be decoding or the ps4, or how that is even determined. I do have my PS4 connected to my AV receiver via HDMI

Can anyone shed some light on the most optimal sound settings?
 
wow glad im only a headphones guy atm when it comes to sounds regarding my PS4. Hooking that sound system up and getting the best out of it regarding the PS4 seems a bit complex.
 
If you are connecting your surround system via HDMI then you should select 'Linear (PCM)' for uncompressed audio such as Dolby True HD and the like. The 'Bitstream (DTS)' option should be selected if you are connecting to your surround by TOSlink (optical or coax) as it lacks the bandwidth to support PCM for more than two channels.
 
Linear PCM can have more than 2 channels though. If you have a receiver that can encode Multi Channel PCM, that's a far superior option to Dolby or DTS because it's much less compressed than those formats. Of course this is only available through HDMI connections and, again, a receiver that is capable.

Edit: Linear PCM also only outputs what the media was encoded with also, so if a game only utilizes the front left and right speakers, those are the only ones that'll produce sound. Games with 5 or more channels will output out of the rest, however.
 
pushBAK said:
PCM if using optical. Bitstream if using HDMI. PCM over HDMI produces 2.0 for some reason at the moment.
Click to expand...

Do NOT listen to this man ;)

If you use a HDMI receiver use PCM that will give you LOSSLESS 7.1 audio

If you use Optical DTS>Dolby and if you use only stereo select PCM because Optical can only do 2 lossless channels.

Lalalandia said:
If you are connecting your surround system via HDMI then you should select 'Linear (PCM)' for uncompressed audio such as Dolby True HD and the like. The 'Bitstream (DTS)' option should be selected if you are connecting to your surround by TOSlink (optical or coax) as it lacks the bandwidth to support PCM for more than two channels.
Click to expand...

.
 
pushBAK said:
PCM if using optical. Bitstream if using HDMI. PCM over HDMI produces 2.0 for some reason at the moment.
Click to expand...

Lalalandia said:
If you are connecting your surround system via HDMI then you should select 'Linear (PCM)' for uncompressed audio such as Dolby True HD and the like. The 'Bitstream (DTS)' option should be selected if you are connecting to your surround by TOSlink (optical or coax) as it lacks the bandwidth to support PCM for more than two channels.
Click to expand...

Which is it?
 
Lalalandia said:
If you are connecting your surround system via HDMI then you should select 'Linear (PCM)' for uncompressed audio such as Dolby True HD and the like. The 'Bitstream (DTS)' option should be selected if you are connecting to your surround by TOSlink (optical or coax) as it lacks the bandwidth to support PCM for more than two channels.
Click to expand...

This is the correct information. Anyone who is getting 2.0 or something crazy from PCM over HDMI should check your receiver settings.
 
pixlexic said:
Wow!

I haven't used my ps4 for a while now so I never notice this.
WI'll try it.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
He is wrong the 'PCM=Stereo Only' behaviour is only seen via TOSLink or if the receiver does not support lossless audio formats. If you have a modern a/v receiver or surround system Linear PCM is the way to go
 
But how can I tell if my receiver decodes PCM? This is all it shows on the product page:

Surround sound decoders
Include Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Master Audio, so you can enjoy an immersive listening experience.

This is also exactly why i'm saying this shit is confusing and we need some kind of standard. Every other post in this thread seems to be contradicting one another. Why can't we just have a box that says "surround sound" that you check and then you are done.
 
j-wood said:
But how can I tell if my receiver decodes PCM? This is all it shows on the product page:

Surround sound decoders
Include Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Master Audio, so you can enjoy an immersive listening experience.
Click to expand...

Does it have HDMI audio passthrough?
 
j-wood said:
But how can I tell if my receiver decodes PCM? This is all it shows on the product page:

Surround sound decoders
Include Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Master Audio, so you can enjoy an immersive listening experience.
Click to expand...

PCM doesnt need decoding ;)
 
Lalalandia said:
He is wrong the 'PCM=Stereo Only' behaviour is only seen via TOSLink or if the receiver does not support lossless audio formats. If you have a modern a/v receiver or surround system Linear PCM is the way to go
Click to expand...

Awe.. I was hoping for some sort of magical sound difference.

Guess I have the best set up as it is.
No christmas magic :(

Which just leads to how shitty the sound is in games these days.
 
pushBAK said:
PCM if using optical. Bitstream if using HDMI. PCM over HDMI produces 2.0 for some reason at the moment.
Click to expand...

PCM over optical produces 2.0 for due to the bandwidth limitations of optical.

Using PCM for HDMI and either Bistream through Dolby or DTS with optical. The cool thing with the PS4 (and Xbox One) is that both Dolby and DTS can help if the user only has optical.
 
LicenceToK1ll said:
Do NOT listen to this man ;)

If you use a HDMI receiver use PCM that will give you LOSSLESS 7.1 audio

If you use Optical DTS>Dolby and if you use only stereo select PCM because Optical can only do 2 lossless channels.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I was about to post. This is the correct way to do things.

If you're going through HDMI from your PS4 to that receiver in particular, use Linear PCM. You'll have full, lossless 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound.
 
j-wood said:
Yes. Right now the PS4 is connected to the AV receiver via HDMI, and then I have an HDMI cable running from the receiver to my TV via the HDMI out port.
Click to expand...

It should be able to handle linear PCM audio then. Just make sure both your PS4 and receiver settings reflect that.
 
j-wood said:
But how can I tell if my receiver decodes PCM? This is all it shows on the product page:

Surround sound decoders
Include Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Master Audio, so you can enjoy an immersive listening experience.

This is also exactly why i'm saying this shit is confusing and we need some
nd of standard. Every other post in this thread seems to be contradicting one another. Why can't we just have a box that says "surround sound" that you check and then you are done.
Click to expand...


Yeah the standards are a pain in the ass so it seems the Sony engineer thought to themselves 'fuck it they're all uncompressed PCM audio anyway so Imma call it that'. Unfortunately that only makes sense to head the balls like myself who spent waayyy too long on avsforum.com and the like :) as to why there is no one standard well that's the tragedy of engineering, I hope someone can dig out the relevant xkcd cartoon here...
 
This seems like the best place to ask. Does it matter on what audio settings the PS4 is set at if I'm using the Gold Wireless Headset with the 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound enabled?
 
pushBAK said:
PCM if using optical. Bitstream if using HDMI. PCM over HDMI produces 2.0 for some reason at the moment.
Click to expand...

pixlexic said:
Awe.. I was hoping for some sort of magical sound difference.

Guess I have the best set up as it is.
No christmas magic :(

Which just leads to how shitty the sound is in games these days.
Click to expand...

Sound design and quality in games would be better with more available sound channels (simultaneous in-games sounds) and more memory available for per sound sample increase (especially with online gaming), but really, much is handled at the engine level and the results in AAA gaming are far beyond what most users even notice. For sound in games to be less "shitty" would require more users to be using an enthusiast set-up like the one in this thread. Even so, current sound design is dynamic, 3D, and spatially derived. It's really taken for granted, which unfortunately means that game sound design is far less creative than some would like.
 
i can't believe there some people saying PCM is only 2.0 and bitstream is better LOL.

PCM is THE BEST THING YOU CAN USE on PS4. Of course, you must have an amplifier that support that in multichannel
 
AuRoN89 said:
i can't believe there some people saying PCM is only 2.0 LOL.

PCM is THE BEST THING YOU CAN USE on PS4. Of course, you must have an amplifier that support that in multichannel.
Click to expand...

LPCM is 2.0 over Optical/Toslink.

Over HDMI it doesn't matter.

This seems like the best place to ask. Does it matter on what audio settings the PS4 is set at if I'm using the Gold Wireless Headset with the 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound enabled?
Click to expand...

No.
 
On the same thread when I select Linear PCM as my output I get a follow up message that says along the lines of "The receiver the PS4 is plugged into supports 7.1 audio. Select the below to output 5.1 Audio".

Is this saying that it will do both 7.1 and 5.1 based upon what the game/media supports or is it saying that it will only output 5.1?
 
OK, so I have HDMI to a receiver as well as optical out to headphones (both 5.1). What should I choose to make the both function properly and am I doing this ass backwards?
 
So just to see if I understood right:

My TV is connected to my stereo by Toslink (optical) and that means I should choose the Bitstream (DTS), right? So I'm guessing I also need to choose Digital Out instead of HDMI Out, but what about the rest that it's asking after I chose Digital? Dobly 5.1, DTS 5.1 and ACC are all checked for the moment. Should I uncheck any of them?
Could someone fill me out on these, thanks! I have a oldschool Goldstar stereo that my aunt had before passing. (may she RIP)

I was running on HDMI Out and linear PCM before I read this thread, glad I went in!
 
SteveO1683 said:
On the same thread when I select Linear PCM as my output I get a follow up message that says along the lines of "The receiver the PS4 is plugged into supports 7.1 audio. Select the below to output 5.1 Audio".

Is this saying that it will do both 7.1 and 5.1 based upon what the game/media supports or is it saying that it will only output 5.1?
Click to expand...

That sounds like it is asking you if you want to limit output to 5.1 even though your receiver supports 7.1. You should probably do this if your actual setup is 5.1 and not 7.1, otherwise you can leave it alone.
 
Flandy said:
This seems like the best place to ask. Does it matter on what audio settings the PS4 is set at if I'm using the Gold Wireless Headset with the 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound enabled?
Click to expand...

No, it doesnt matter, those headphones sound like crap anyway....
 
Baldwin_the_First said:
So just to see if I understood right:

My TV is connected to my stereo by Toslink (optical) and that means I should choose the Bitstream (DTS), right? So I'm guessing I also need to choose Digital Out instead of HDMI Out, but what about the rest that it's asking after I chose Digital? Dobly 5.1, DTS 5.1 and ACC are all checked for the moment. Should I uncheck any of them?
Could someone fill me out on these, thanks! I have a oldschool Goldstar stereo that my aunt had before passing. (may she RIP)

I was running on HDMI Out and linear PCM before I read this thread, glad I went in!
Click to expand...

Depends on the equipment.

Basically what you're telling the PS4 is "if the codec is of higher bandwidth than DTS, downmix it to DTS for me."

Those check boxes are for codecs that aren't higher bandwidth than DTS, which won't be touched. If your hardware supports them, check the box. Best assumptions: DTS and Dolby 5.1 are probably supported. AAC probably not.
 
hardcastlemccormick said:
Depends on the equipment.

Basically what you're telling the PS4 is "if the codec is of higher bandwidth than DTS, downmix it to DTS for me."

Those check boxes are for codecs that aren't higher bandwidth than DTS, which won't be touched. If your hardware supports them, check the box. Best assumptions: DTS and Dolby 5.1 are probably supported. AAC probably not.
Click to expand...

I don't have any info whatsoever on my stereo except it's brand and the model (can't find anything on google either). Goldstar FF-65s. Oh and I know it's a old thang considering I can still play tapes on it. lol

Guess I'll stick on playing with my headphones on.
 
Threads like this always make me paranoid that I don't have everything set correctly. I'm still afraid I have my black levels wrong on the PS4!
 
Baldwin_the_First said:
I don't have any info whatsoever on my stereo except it's brand and the model (can't find anything on google either). Goldstar FF-65s. Oh and I know it's a old thang considering I can still play tapes on it. lol

Guess I'll stick on playing with my headphones on.
Click to expand...

Or you could just check the DTS and Dolby boxes like I suggested.

If you did it wrong, you'll just hear silence when your system tries to play that codec. Easy to fix when it happens.
 
hardcastlemccormick said:
Or you could just check the DTS and Dolby boxes like I suggested.

If you did it wrong, you'll just hear silence when your system tries to play that codec. Easy to fix when it happens.
Click to expand...

And as I said in my first post, they are already checked, my question was if I needed to uncheck any of them. Then again, you're also saying it depends on the equipment I have which I have no clue what is supported on it. I appreciate the advices, but you left me more confused than anything, really. lol
 
I just want to thank you guys for this thread.

I bought a new receiver in the summer and noticed that when PS4 is connected via HDMI, I only get stereo sound, no matter the PS4 audio setting. So, I've been using DD over optical since then.

Seeing the responses in this thread I figured I'd give it another shot, so while playing around with my receiver settings I found the HDMI output TV+AMP setting and changed it to just AMP. Voilà!

Now using uncompressed PCM over HDMI and I can totally hear the difference. Thanks dudes.
 
The Lamonster said:
I just want to thank you guys for this thread.

I bought a new receiver in the summer and noticed that when PS4 is connected via HDMI, I only get stereo sound, no matter the PS4 audio setting. So, I've been using DD over optical since then.

Seeing the responses in this thread I figured I'd give it another shot, so while playing around with my receiver settings I found the HDMI output TV+AMP setting and changed it to just AMP. Voilà!

Now using uncompressed PCM over HDMI and I can totally hear the difference. Thanks dudes.
Click to expand...

This freaked me out again...WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TV+AMP SETTINGS?!
 
PCM = PS4 decodes audio before sending it.
Bitstream = PS4 sends encoded audio, receiver does the work.

So it depends on your setup and preference. I stick with PCM for games (only because there's no option to keep the same format as the source) and use bitstream for Blu-Rays. I want my receiver handling lossless Dolby/DTS itself.

If you have a decent enough receiver that has the ability to decode it, I don't see why you wouldn't use it.
 
I'm stuck on X1 settings as well. I have an Onkyo 3.1 system set up, 2 side channels and 1 center, plus a sub. The receiver has settings for just a 3.1, but I'm never sure what settings to use on the X1, or on anythign for that matter.
 
The Albatross said:
I'm stuck on X1 settings as well. I have an Onkyo 3.1 system set up, 2 side channels and 1 center, plus a sub. The receiver has settings for just a 3.1, but I'm never sure what settings to use on the X1, or on anythign for that matter.
Click to expand...

Generally, in that instance, use 5.1 on the system, and the receiver will perform the downmixing for you.
 
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