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[Death Dealer]

Granted, I'd suspect the analog outs on the PS3 aren't very good, one would probably only get the full benefits of all the PS3's audio post-processing using the HDMI out.

I read an interview with the engineers who developed the PS3's audio systems and they said the emphasis was on quality digital output, so yeah I doubt the L+R stereo output is anything to right home about. But I'm sure the analog output is at least comparable to any mass market consumer CD player.

Hmm, maybe this is more a question for Head-Fi... but I've been looking at getting a home setup going based around a nice pair of headphones. So instead of buying a separate digital to analog converter, could I hook up a headphone amp to my PS3 and use that as the DAC?

Well a headphone amp will not act as a DAC. You'll be using the stereo analog outputs right into the headphone amp. That sounds like a reasonable solution. Otherwise you could buy a DAC, and run the headphone amp from that.

 

[Deleted member 22576]

And you get to put on the Earth Visualizer. ^_^

God, that thing looks amaaaazing.
It makes me wish I had a Playstation.

 

[voodoojohn]

Well a headphone amp will not act as a DAC. You'll be using the stereo analog outputs right into the headphone amp. That sounds like a reasonable solution. Otherwise you could buy a DAC, and run the headphone amp from that.

Does the PS3 not have an internal DAC? If it's really that good, I was thinking of foregoing buying an external one and just hooking the amp up to the PS3.

 

[commissar]

Your own preconceptions affect your sensory inputs more than you realize - I know it sounds hard to believe, but knowing which stream is which makes it impossible to do an objective comparison.

I'm not saying I won't listen to a 192kbit btw. Most of my mp3s are 160-192 because that's perfectly fine by me.
Just that when I listened to a 8-900kbit .flac of an opera song vs. an mp3 of it, I was able to hear the mic crackle slightly when the singer belted out. Similarly some of the instruments were clearer. Nothing nearly worth the increase in size though, or even noticeable when just casually listening to music as I usually do.
I'd agree with you on the whole placebo effect thing in this case, except I definitely could not hear the mic crackle on the .mp3. Not that I'd want that anyway.

Now you're making me doubt my experience with 192 vs 320 though D: Will have to try a blind test to check the placebo influence

You probably have, actually - LAME is one of the most popular encoders and gets used as the default encoding plugin for many, many programs.

Heh, I usually rip with Windows Media Player, so damned if I know what it actually uses.

 

[Choke on the Magic]

When audiophiles talk about CD playback quality, it has nothing to do with being able to play back scratched CDs. Instead, it has to do with playing back frozen CDs with magic marker on them.*

Seriously, I think they're talking about audio quality, not error recovery. I'd heard that the PS3 used to not be the best at regular CD playback, but similar to DVD playback, the PS3 became much better after a few firmware upgrades (added bitmapping, upscaling, etc). Granted, I'd suspect the analog outs on the PS3 aren't very good, one would probably only get the full benefits of all the PS3's audio post-processing using the HDMI out.



*not entirely sure if I linked a joke site or not, but there are those that believe in those "techniques" seriously, or at least used to.

Ah I gotcha. I use optical only so I really wouldn't know, but I'd imagine the analog is shit. Does the Ps3 support FLAC yet?

 

[Death Dealer]

Does the PS3 not have an internal DAC? If it's really that good, I was thinking of foregoing buying an external one and just hooking the amp up to the PS3.

When you use the stereo analog jacks, you're using the PS3's internal DAC.
But people talking up the PS3's amazing audio quality are referencing its capabilities as a digital transport. I haven't done any comparisons, but from my understanding the internal DAC is nothing special.

That said, unless you've got a trained ear, or very revealing amplification and headphones, you're probably not going to notice a night and day difference between DACs.

 

[Ptaaty]

I always get a kick out of people making absolute statements about perceptual based lossy codecs.

Here is the key...perceptual. As in they aim it for your brain to percieve it the same as uncompressed. What that means is that they have to base this around someone's hearing, usually an average of some type.

Second part of that equation is that all ears and the brains that interpret it do not hear the same way. Ear structure, experience, any type of damage, gender and age all play a role.

So...next time anyone thinks they can say that it is "scientifically proven that...." about lossy audio, take it with a grain of salt.

I mangage to have the misfourtune of being able to detect <160kbps mp3s on nearly any system I hear it on, including crappy factory car stereos while on the highway. Most of the encoders just happen to impact an area I am sensitive to. It isn't something to brag about, probably means I have some type of hearing damage.

I basically encode at 320kbps for everything for portability, but can still tell those on better systems. And no it is not just placebo or need for double blind, etc...I have a bunch of music from friends and it is on random...I can pick out those that sound wrong and later verify that they were low rate.

Thing is, tons of people can't tell the difference. Since the encoders have to shape what is lost, you also have people swear by one codec or another, or one method of encoding. It shouldn't be too suprising when you know how it works that they can all be right...it truly depends on the person.

\Rant off

 

[drakesfortune]

Hmm, maybe this is more a question for Head-Fi... but I've been looking at getting a home setup going based around a nice pair of headphones. So instead of buying a separate digital to analog converter, could I hook up a headphone amp to my PS3 and use that as the DAC?

If you mean taking the L/R analog output from either the composite or component cable and hooking it up to a headphone amp, then yes, there's no reason why that wouldn't work as long as you're cool with stereo only. The only problem here is that your audio is always going to go to the headphones. A better solution is to buy a preamp that has a high quality headphone amp built into it. If you want the sound to go to the TV sometimes and the headphone amp other times, then you should just buy a little switch for the RCA cables.

If you want 5.1 for some surround headphones then the best bet is probably to buy a preamp that has an optical input.

I'm not sure if I'm answering your question here, because I'm not sure I understand exactly what you want to do and what you want to achieve with the setup.

 

[drakesfortune]

Does the PS3 not have an internal DAC? If it's really that good, I was thinking of foregoing buying an external one and just hooking the amp up to the PS3.

The PS3 does have an internal DAC, but it's probably not much better than the average DAC in most mid end stereo systems. As others have stated, I think we're all pleased with the digital delivery of the PS3 with regard to audio. I've never listened to the analog outputs of the PS3, so I can't say one way or the other if they're good or bad. I would suspect they are average. That said, the PS3 is a beast when it comes to digital delivery, which obviously isn't as big a challenge as making a good DAC.

So my advice would be to get a good preamp or preamp/amp combo that has a killer headphone amp/DAC built in and send the audio there via optical or HDMI.

 

[commissar]

Hmm, maybe this is more a question for Head-Fi... but I've been looking at getting a home setup going based around a nice pair of headphones.

This
5.1 Headphones ok for gaming? is a really good thread to read through

 

[Christine]

I mangage to have the misfourtune of being able to detect <160kbps mp3s on nearly any system I hear it on, including crappy factory car stereos while on the highway. Most of the encoders just happen to impact an area I am sensitive to. It isn't something to brag about, probably means I have some type of hearing damage.

<= 160kbps at a fixed bitrate isn't typically transparent. Also, hearing damage tends to reduce sensitivity, not increase it - a more likely scenario is that you have a relative absence of hearing damage compared to the general population at certain frequencies.

I basically encode at 320kbps for everything for portability, but can still tell those on better systems. And no it is not just placebo or need for double blind, etc...I have a bunch of music from friends and it is on random...I can pick out those that sound wrong and later verify that they were low rate.

You should try VBR - it can be more transparent than 320kbps because it can exceed 320kbps for the audio frames that need it.

Thing is, tons of people can't tell the difference. Since the encoders have to shape what is lost, you also have people swear by one codec or another, or one method of encoding. It shouldn't be too suprising when you know how it works that they can all be right...it truly depends on the person.

Everybody's ears are different, but nobody can properly evaluate transparency for themselves unless the difference is absolutely huge. Saying 'no its not just placebo' doesn't mean anything - it might not be completely due to a placebo effect, but there's no way to tell how much impact the placebo has unless you eliminate it through a control.

The point here is not to go 'nuh-uh, you can't tell the difference', it's to point out that with ABX blind testing you can sample different encoders and presets and determine with true factual accuracy what is and is not transparent to you, and by how much. Since you seem less than completely satisfied with your current setup, you really should do ABX blind testing to try to find encoding settings that are completely transparent to your ears.

 

[FoxSpirit]

...
I mangage to have the misfourtune of being able to detect <160kbps mp3s on nearly any system I hear it on, including crappy factory car stereos while on the highway. Most of the encoders just happen to impact an area I am sensitive to. It isn't something to brag about, probably means I have some type of hearing damage.
...

If it's the kinda "damage" where you can hear iof a TV is running from the high pitched noise it's making, that simply very sensitive hearing. And there are a couple of people I met who hear in that frequency range.

I even hear when my TV changes from 50Hz to 60Hz (60Hz=higher pitch) or when I switch channels.

Nothing bad actually, simply means I can't work in environment with a lot of standard TVs (100HZ TVs are "unhearable" to me so I assume it's the line transformator I'm hearing).

 

[skybaby]

The Earth visualizer is one of the things I want a PS3 for :lol

 

[AlphaSnake]

yup,
running 7.1 yamaha 525 series speakers here via an ax1700 amp.

things sound good at the best of times, but the PS3 sounds crazy.

SACD (well, depending on the disk) is amazing, movies sound great, 7.1 mixed games are mindblowingly awesome.

Girlfriend's living room has a Yamaha 5.1 setup. Sure was nice with the PS3. =)

 

[KTallguy]

I recently got a 5.1 setup

Entry level Dali fronts, centers and sides, plus a REL sub and Onkyo receiver.

Fucking PS3 tears that shit up with HDMI. I've never been happier in my life then playing MGO in 5.1.

I never knew what I was missing.

 

[Schrade]

What's with all the MP3 talk? Use AAC. Hell, the PS3 even can encode right to it for you. AAC > MP3.

 

[DCharlie]

Girlfriend's living room has a Yamaha 5.1 setup. Sure was nice with the PS3. =)

i just wish we could get more SACD - the selection is a bit limited unfortunately.

I know i've pimped this time and time again but The War of the Worlds SACD set is unbeeelievably good. It freaked me out the first time i heard it, it's fantastic.

Still - awesome for movies too. And as a projector player, then the 7.1 with a proper set up and BR makes for a friggen awesome movie experience.

 

[Metal Gear?!]

Wait....USB thumbdrive?

.......mp3 I take it....

....uhhhhhh....and you're obsessed with sound quality?




Quick quiz, GAF. What's wrong with this scenario.

Logitech speakers are a far bigger problem than lossily compressed audio.

 

[SRG01]

If you are encoding music these days, you should definitely use a non-MP3 format whenever possible. The audio quality is just atrocious to everything else on the market right now.

AAC and OGG are both good codecs, but OGG takes up way too much processing power. FLAC is good too.

 

[Naked Snake]

I actually remember reading somewhere that the analog audio output of the PS3 is excellent.

 

[anddo0]

Logitech speakers are a far bigger problem than lossily compressed audio.

what's wrong with Logitech speakers?

 

[Doubledex]

I got a new receiver incoming. Huge question, does GTA have uncompressed sound????? My penis awaits your response.

:lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[PjotrStroganov]

what's wrong with Logitech speakers?

They're nice pc gaming speakers.

 

[dark10x]

Wait....USB thumbdrive?

.......mp3 I take it....

....uhhhhhh....and you're obsessed with sound quality?

Quick quiz, GAF. What's wrong with this scenario.

You do realize that audio hardware can make a difference when dealing with MP3s as well. It will not solve compression issues, but other aspects of the audio can vary.

 

[anddo0]

They're nice pc gaming speakers.

I think they're pretty good for budget console speakers.
The Z5500 work well in is small to medium size rooms.

Some of the comments in this thread make them sound terrible.

I do admit though, since getting a PS3 I have considered upgrading.
I'm open to suggestions...

 

[purnoman3000]

Holy shit, I just got mindfucked by that earth visualizer. I had never heard of it before reading this thread even though I've had a PS3 for a year. I popped in The Beatles "Love" album, the one remixed for the cirque de soleil show and the first track "Because" synced so perfectly with the visualizer, my jaw dropped and I crapped my pants. That thing is damn cool, wish they didn't throw in so much cloud cover though.

 

[AlphaSnake]

I love how some people are missing the fact that the music was later played on a proper Yamaha 5.1 setup. I love this forum so much sometimes. :lol

 

[Ether_Snake]

Hey anyone knows if it is possible to use headphones on a PS3? My apartment resonates a lot (I can almost hear my speakers better in the kitchen than when I'm in the living room).

I'd like to be able to use headphones in the evening.

 

[andycapps]

He's using Logitech speakers...

If he has these that I have, then they're some of the best 2.1 speakers you can get on a small budget. I use surround sound on my PC, but I have those on my PC and they're incredible.

 

[dogmaan]

If it's the kinda "damage" where you can hear iof a TV is running from the high pitched noise it's making, that simply very sensitive hearing. And there are a couple of people I met who hear in that frequency range.

I even hear when my TV changes from 50Hz to 60Hz (60Hz=higher pitch) or when I switch channels.

Nothing bad actually, simply means I can't work in environment with a lot of standard TVs (100HZ TVs are "unhearable" to me so I assume it's the line transformator I'm hearing).

I can hear that.

I thought everyone could hear that


PS3 audio quality through optical/HDMI, is as good as your AV receiver, as the ps3 just passes the signal to your receiver, unless you are using bitmapping

 

[Forsete]

Sony products usually features kick-arse audio output. I wuv my Hi-MD player for that.

 

[SlaughterX]

It would be better if it could actually output sound to all of my speakers (or hell, even 5 of em) with HDMI. I only get stereo sound for music...

 

[somuchwater]

If you are encoding music these days, you should definitely use a non-MP3 format whenever possible. The audio quality is just atrocious to everything else on the market right now.

AAC and OGG are both good codecs, but OGG takes up way too much processing power. FLAC is good too.

I thought LAME MP3 was the go-to lossy codec for quality?

 

[Hitokage]

Yeah... as said before, the Audigy isn't exactly a high-end audio card. It merely has the best gaming support. I have an M-Audio Transit USB that outdoes my Audigy 2 ZS Pro.

I thought LAME MP3 was the go-to lossy codec for quality?

In the MP3 world, yes.

 

[kaching]

Seems an appropriate thread to ask - 7.1 vs. 5.1, noticeable difference if you're not an audiophile? PS3 would be the primary device I'd take advantage of it with, so that's why I'm asking here. Starting to think about wiring a room for surround with a receiver upgrade in mind.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Anyone can answer me about the headphones? Or is it possible to connect headphones to most TVs outright these days (I'll get an HD TV later this week).

 

[captive]

I love how some people are missing the fact that the music was later played on a proper Yamaha 5.1 setup. I love this forum so much sometimes. :lol

thisisneogafdude.gif

Seems an appropriate thread to ask - 7.1 vs. 5.1, noticeable difference if you're not an audiophile? PS3 would be the primary device I'd take advantage of it with, so that's why I'm asking here. Starting to think about wiring a room for surround with a receiver upgrade in mind.

that depends. All of sonys games are 7.1, while most other games are only 5.1.
So you're receiver will have to matrix the 5.1 to 7.1. Same deal for movies.

 

[cedric69]

If you are encoding music these days, you should definitely use a non-MP3 format whenever possible. The audio quality is just atrocious to everything else on the market right now.

AAC and OGG are both good codecs, but OGG takes up way too much processing power. FLAC is good too.

Stop spreading disinformation. Latest LAME developments are absolutely valid as a mean of compressing music. I think people should really visit Hydrogenaudio more often...

Atrocious... bah...

 

[AtomicShroom]

On a similar note... How is the PS3's blu-ray sound output?

I know the PS2's DVD sound output was majorly fucked up, with a way too big dynamic range. Quiet sounds were too quiet, and loud sounds were way too loud. Anytime music came on in a movie, I had to turn it down.

Does the PS3's Blu-ray playback suffer from the same problem or is it good?

 

[Mefisutoferesu]

Anyone can answer me about the headphones? Or is it possible to connect headphones to most TVs outright these days (I'll get an HD TV later this week).

Yeah, you want something like this, but Female to female... unfortunately, for the life of me, I couldn't find a female to female adapter online. I have one and use it, so I know they exist, but can't find it.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002J1LEI/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[besada]

On a similar note... How is the PS3's blu-ray sound output?

I know the PS2's DVD sound output was majorly fucked up, with a way too big dynamic range. Quiet sounds were too quiet, and loud sounds were way too loud. Anytime music came on in a movie, I had to turn it down.

Does the PS3's Blu-ray playback suffer from the same problem or is it good?

Sounds gorgeous depending on the BRD. We watched Juno the other night, which isn't exactly the HD sound poster-child, but it sounded amazing on the BRD. The acoustic background music sounded soft and gentle, and the detail in the sound just blew me away.

I hadn't really noticed it on other BRD purchases, but I primarily buy big explosion fests on BR, so it's all just an enormous mish-mash of sound.

I use HDMI output.

 

[Raistlin]

I recently got a 5.1 setup

Entry level Dali fronts, centers and sides, plus a REL sub and Onkyo receiver.

Fucking PS3 tears that shit up with HDMI. I've never been happier in my life then playing MGO in 5.1.

I never knew what I was missing.

Nice setup ... what REL and Onkyo did you go with?

 

[MWS Natural]

Athena Micra 6 5.1 speakers + sub
Yamaha RX-V1800
Aurallex Great Gramma (so I can crank it w/o the neighbors going crazy)

I couldn't be happier with all aspects of the PS3's audio output and media capabilities

 

[Kodiak]

this thread is making me loath my shitty 120 dollar 5.1 philips speakers.


I NEED MORE DISPOSABLE INCOOOOOME

 

[bill0527]

On a similar note... How is the PS3's blu-ray sound output?

I know the PS2's DVD sound output was majorly fucked up, with a way too big dynamic range. Quiet sounds were too quiet, and loud sounds were way too loud. Anytime music came on in a movie, I had to turn it down.

Does the PS3's Blu-ray playback suffer from the same problem or is it good?

Its unbelievable if you've got a receiver that can decode LCPM 5.1. I listened to my first Blu-Ray in Dolby TrueHD the other night and it was amazing. The best surround sound I've ever heard in a home setting. It made Spider-Man 3 watchable.

 

[jamesinclair]

I have a pretty high-end HiFi system and I am amazed by the PS3. Trying listening to a CD on the PS3 and let it 'upscale' the sound. It's even more impressive. Or listening to a SACD or a game using DTS. There's really a lot of quality in the hardware.

Wasnt SACD removed from the new PS3s?

Im not sure which model, but I think none of the PS3s in stores play SACDs

 

[urk]

The PS3 audio output is indeed, the balls. Sounds awesome.

 

[brain_stew]

Its unbelievable if you've got a receiver that can decode LCPM 5.1. I listened to my first Blu-Ray in Dolby TrueHD the other night and it was amazing. The best surround sound I've ever heard in a home setting. It made Spider-Man 3 watchable.

That ca't be possible, surely?

 

[Cragen]

I REALLY need to get some proper 5.1 surround headphones before MGS 4 comes out.

I don't have the space for a proper surround sound system so it got to be headphones, so if any of you have some experiance in that arena I'd be grateful.

 

[grap3fruitman]

My issue with the PS3 output is that it can't output audio through a combination of HDMI, optical and that propriety output at the same time like the 360 can. I've just gotten used to having the 360 play through my tv and speakers at the same time and I've got a shitty old amp. But the fact that I've gotta change the settings in the XMB every time irks the hell out of me.