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Experience PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech with compatible headsets at launch, TV Virtual Surround Sound coming after launch

HeisenbergFX4

Gold Member


The launch of PlayStation 5 is less than two months away, and we couldn’t be more excited to deliver an all-new and even more immersive gaming experience to our fans. We’ve talked in the past about how the DualSense wireless controller will make games feel more real, but today we wanted to focus on how the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech will change the way games sound and how you can hear it for yourself.

The upcoming Pulse 3D wireless headset has been engineered to take full advantage of PS5’s 3D Audio capabilities (check out a new image above). With a refined design, dual noise-cancelling microphones, and an array of easy-access controls, the Pulse 3D wireless headset offers a seamless experience for both the PS5 and PS4. We think it offers a fantastic audio experience for the PS5, but it isn’t the only way that fans can experience the increased presence and locality that we discussed in our last technical update.

On the PS5, you’ll be able to experience 3D Audio with the headphones that many of you already own, either through USB connection to the console, or by plugging your headphones into the DualSense wireless controller’s 3.5mm headset jack.
Headphone audio is the current gold standard for 3D Audio on PS5, as Mark Cerny mentioned in his “Road to PS5” talk in March. We’re also in the process of working on virtual surround sound through speakers that are built into TVs. Although TV speaker virtual surround sound won’t be available on launch day for PS5, it’s still a feature we are extremely excited about, and our engineers are hard at work on bringing it to PS5 in the future.

In the meantime, I’m happy to say that you’ll be able to enjoy the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech through your compatible headphones in many PS5 games. Some of the PS5 games with 3D Audio features include Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, Astro’s Playroom, Gran Turismo 7, Returnal, Destruction AllStars, Demon’s Souls, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Horizon Forbidden West, Resident Evil Village, and many others.

In case you missed it, check out what some PS5 developers had to say about how Tempest 3D AudioTech is enabling them to push the boundaries of game innovation.
We hope you’re just as excited as we are to hear game worlds come to life with Tempest 3D AudioTech on PS5 when it launches this November.
 
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Tripolygon

Banned
There is some confusion on how 3D audio will work and if you need the new Sony PlayStation Pulse headphones to experience it.

The upcoming Pulse 3D wireless headset has been engineered to take full advantage of PS5’s 3D Audio capabilities (check out a new image above). With a refined design, dual noise-cancelling microphones, and an array of easy-access controls, the Pulse 3D wireless headset offers a seamless experience for both the PS5 and PS4.

On the PS5, you’ll be able to experience 3D Audio with the headphones that many of you already own, either through USB connection to the console, or by plugging your headphones into the DualSense wireless controller’s 3.5mm headset jack.

We’re also in the process of working on virtual surround sound through speakers that are built into TVs. Although TV speaker virtual surround sound won’t be available on launch day for PS5, it’s still a feature we are extremely excited about, and our engineers are hard at work on bringing it to PS5 in the future.

Some of the PS5 games with 3D Audio features include Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, Astro’s Playroom, Gran Turismo 7, Returnal, Destruction AllStars, Demon’s Souls, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Horizon Forbidden West, Resident Evil Village, and many others.

More at link
 
Surround sound through 2 fixed, low-proximity TV speakers of low quality is a test for how fucking stupid are you really to believe this shit? :messenger_tears_of_joy:
There isn't any reason why it wouldn't work through TV speaker, but it will probably have high limitations like you need to accurately map out your TV and sitting placement, you cant move, and it would only work for one person. And of course the actual sound will be limited in quality to your TV speakers.
 

beck_

Member
Surround sound through 2 fixed, low-proximity TV speakers of low quality is a test for how fucking stupid are you really to believe this shit? :messenger_tears_of_joy:

Its 3d sound, they use a combination of tone/pitch/volume to fool your ears into thinking a sound is coming from a certain direction. Of course this will work much better with headphones, but seems they are going to get a good version on tv speaker setups too. Later this will also work through surround setups.
 

cormack12

Gold Member
I'll be using headphones but what I can't find out is:

What is the difference of just using my AKG compared to the Pulse headset? All the processing is done inside the console and chipset right? Is it just the extra stuff like noise cancelling, convenience buttons and dual mics you're paying for?
 
Believe it when I see it. Software will never be able to emulate physical speakers placed around a room. It will be better for people with lesser setups for sure though.
It's based on physics and biology. Physical speakers are actually the fake surround, because the sound can only come from a limited number of fixed points in your room - the speakers. If they get the math right for your specific head HRTF can have audio come from literally anywhere around you, and it would be indistinguishable from sound actually coming from those locations. A lot of variables though and I doubt they can get it perfect.
 

Tripolygon

Banned

jaysius

Banned
What this, Sony created it's own surround sound emulation codec? Great! Promises the moon? Excellent! This will only go well.

PROTIP: If you want COMFORTABLE headphone with GOOD SOUND QUALITY for the price being asked, Don't buy Sony's PlayStation headphones, Bose, or Beets. Buy Audio Technica, Sennheiser, AKG, hell even Sony branded headphones(non-PlayStation version) brands of that nature.
 
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Hostile_18

Banned
It's based on physics and biology. Physical speakers are actually the fake surround, because the sound can only come from a limited number of fixed points in your room - the speakers. If they get the math right for your specific head HRTF can have audio come from literally anywhere around you, and it would be indistinguishable from sound actually coming from those locations. A lot of variables though and I doubt they can get it perfect.

What about the bass from the subwoofer? Also having to wear headphones and only you been able to hear it etc.

Don't get me wrong not a bad solution at all but I prefer home cinema surround sound setup.
 

Nikana

Go Go Neo Rangers!
It's based on physics and biology. Physical speakers are actually the fake surround, because the sound can only come from a limited number of fixed points in your room - the speakers. If they get the math right for your specific head HRTF can have audio come from literally anywhere around you, and it would be indistinguishable from sound actually coming from those locations. A lot of variables though and I doubt they can get it perfect.

THe tech needed to measure the individual person using it is sophisticated. If Sony has managed to crack this with the 5 or so profiles they plan to ship with more power to them, but I will remain skeptical until I try it myself.
 

Tripolygon

Banned
I would rather just keep using my expensive 5.1 setup but ok.

That said why are they being forced to delay the "virtual surround sound" setup? Makes it look like Sony is rushing this thing.
To delay something is the opposite of rushing. Literally in the road to PS5 dev talk, they said work on headphones were finished but virtual surround for TV speaker was still being worked on to widen the sweet spot.
 
What about the bass from the subwoofer? Also having to wear headphones and only you been able to hear it etc.

Don't get me wrong not a bad solution at all but I prefer home cinema surround sound setup.
That is actually the biggest thing with this and headphones in general - the bass. I know you can "hear" bass through headphones, but feeling it is another thing. I'm surprised there arent headphone.1 setups or something, combing a sub and headphones.
THe tech needed to measure the individual person using it is sophisticated. If Sony has managed to crack this with the 5 or so profiles they plan to ship with more power to them, but I will remain skeptical until I try it myself.
100%. We wont know if they actually pulled it off until we can try it - and even then it might be on a person to person basis.
 

splattered

Member
Buy our headsets now, we'll make it work on tvs sometime later we swear. Just like they won't make controllers cross compatible. Forcing people into a purchase. The only reason they aren't trying to say this will only work on their new pulse headsets is because they know people at least won't stand for that. They're just trying to get away with what they can as long as they can $$$
 

Tickrate

Member
So much work to avoid paying the Dolby Atmos licensing fee.
Should've stayed with what they're familiar and good with and not try to compete in tech that is decades ahead in R&D.
I wish they sought innovation elsewhere, but we'll see how long it takes them to mature the tech and if it will be used outside first party titles
 
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Absolutely awful idea to not go with dolby or dts or even auro 3d.

Fake surround sound is fake surround sound no matter what you call it.

Why people assume it wont ALSO support normal HT setups? That is just lack of logical thinking

They support headphones, tv and also multispeaker setups

Multispeaker setups dont need virtual surround, so why would they support it?

Because those setups just use real surround. Of course

Jesus, it is not rocket Science yet people are screaming like they would support only headphones + TV speakers
 
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jaysius

Banned
So much work to avoid paying the Dolby Atmos licensing fee.
Should've stayed with what they're familiar and good with and not try to compete in tech that is decades ahead in R&D.
I wish they sought innovation elsewhere, but we'll see how long it takes them to mature the tech and if it will be used outside first party titles

Remember how hard they tried to avoid the forcefeedback lawsuit of PS3 gen? They even said "rumble was last gen and a gimmick".

This is what Sony does best.

They've created a thing that only they will use, and it'll probably be worse than Dolby's surround emulation.

MS also created it's own surround emulation, it's called Windows Sonic, they already know it sucks, so they allow both Dolby and DTS surround emulation.

It's not great that this Tempest 3D was such a huge selling point for them, and it's not going to be fully available on launch, they don't even have an ETA on when it'll be available on TVs.

hopefully the dac inside the dualsense is not wack like the dualshock 4. It can barely make my Sennheiser headphone loud enough

I don't think Sony has done anything to improve that, it's highly likely that it's even a technology limitation of bluetooth.

You'll probably need to hook your headphones directly into your AVR, they're probably high OHM meaning they require more juice to give the right sound. You can in the future find headphones that aren't the high OHM editions from Sennheiser.

Sony also loves making tech that it never supports and throws away, my old Sony HDTV has SIMULVIEW which was supposed to allow two players to play unhindered on the same screen, having a fullscreen picture by utilizing the 3D tech in the tv... 3-4 1st party Sony games supported it.
 
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Tripolygon

Banned
Let's see how comparable is to that first, shall we?
You really don't need to wait that long. Try PSVR if you have one or know someone that has one. That is the experience they are trying to bring to all games with 10x the power offered by Tempest Engine.
 

Eliciel

Member
"In the meantime, I’m happy to say that you’ll be able to enjoy the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech through your compatible headphones in many PS5 games. Some of the PS5 games with 3D Audio features include Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, Astro’s Playroom, Gran Turismo 7, Returnal, Destruction AllStars, Demon’s Souls, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Horizon Forbidden West, Resident Evil Village, and many others. "

What does this "compatible" even mean. Since when do I need a specific set of headphones to make this work?
I thought any headphone will do that is a bit higher quality. Like Beyerdynamic, Hyperfocous, Sennheiser etc.?
How much confusion can one really accept through marketing at this point..?
 

ManaByte

Member
"In the meantime, I’m happy to say that you’ll be able to enjoy the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech through your compatible headphones in many PS5 games. Some of the PS5 games with 3D Audio features include Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, Astro’s Playroom, Gran Turismo 7, Returnal, Destruction AllStars, Demon’s Souls, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Horizon Forbidden West, Resident Evil Village, and many others. "

What does this "compatible" even mean. Since when do I need a specific set of headphones to make this work?
I thought any headphone will do that is a bit higher quality. Like Beyerdynamic, Hyperfocous, Sennheiser etc.?
How much confusion can one really accept through marketing at this point..?

They probably mean either the PS4 Gold headset or the new PS5 one.
 

Bartski

Gold Member
I'll be using headphones but what I can't find out is:

What is the difference of just using my AKG compared to the Pulse headset? All the processing is done inside the console and chipset right? Is it just the extra stuff like noise cancelling, convenience buttons and dual mics you're paying for?
that's it - extras, wireless i/o, noise-canceling, convenience. I wouldn't count on head tracking (largely redundant) as discussed here. The audible "3d audio" Dolby Atmos - like effect will be equally present and much better if you use actual hi-fi headphones instead of $99 cans.
 

skneogaf

Member
Why people assume it wont ALSO support normal HT setups? That is just lack of logical thinking

They support headphones, tv and also multispeaker setups

Multispeaker setups dont need virtual surround, so why would they support it?

Because those setups just use real surround. Of course

Jesus, it is not rocket Science yet people are screaming like they would support only headphones + TV speakers

I take it you don't understand object based sound from dolby, dts and auro then?
 

Mr Hyde

Member
I didn't know the 3D audio would work on other headphones, so I pre-ordered the Pulse Headset. It would've been nice of Sony to clarify this before pre-orders because
but I already own a pair of excellent headphones from Sennheiser. Or am I missing something here? Goddamn confusing messaging.
 

LordOfChaos

Member
On the PS5, you’ll be able to experience 3D Audio with the headphones that many of you already own, either through USB connection to the console, or by plugging your headphones into the DualSense wireless controller’s 3.5mm headset jack.


Why can they just not allow third party bluetooth?

I didn't know the 3D audio would work on other headphones, so I pre-ordered the Pulse Headset. It would've been nice of Sony to clarify this before pre-orders because
but I already own a pair of excellent headphones from Sennheiser. Or am I missing something here? Goddamn confusing messaging.

iirc they said regular headphones and even TV speakers would benefit from Tempest audio back at road to PlayStation. It's just TV virtual surround is going to take more work and come later.
 
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Dogman

Member
"In the meantime, I’m happy to say that you’ll be able to enjoy the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech through your compatible headphones in many PS5 games. Some of the PS5 games with 3D Audio features include Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, Astro’s Playroom, Gran Turismo 7, Returnal, Destruction AllStars, Demon’s Souls, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Horizon Forbidden West, Resident Evil Village, and many others. "

What does this "compatible" even mean. Since when do I need a specific set of headphones to make this work?
I thought any headphone will do that is a bit higher quality. Like Beyerdynamic, Hyperfocous, Sennheiser etc.?
How much confusion can one really accept through marketing at this point..?
Based on the context this obviously means USB and wired headsets, and not bluetooth headsets (except the Pulse)
 

GymWolf

Member
Any talk about how much quality do you lose with a platinum headset instead of the pulse one?!
 
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diffusionx

Gold Member
Why people assume it wont ALSO support normal HT setups? That is just lack of logical thinking

They support headphones, tv and also multispeaker setups

Multispeaker setups dont need virtual surround, so why would they support it?

Because those setups just use real surround. Of course

Jesus, it is not rocket Science yet people are screaming like they would support only headphones + TV speakers

Regular 5.1/7.1/etc. work on one plane. The point of Atmos and, I assume, Sony's tech here is to simulate both above and below your head. So no, 5.1/7.1 by itself is not sufficient.

Now if Sony was supporting Atmos then this wouldn't be as important, as long as you have Atmos. And we of course do not know how well Sony's tech works compared to that. So there are a lot of questions here, par for the course on PS5 right now I guess.
 
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