Playstation 5: Thread 01

[Digfox]

Really? No way. I could have sworn I've seen one. Well that throws a spanner in the works.

Unfortunately not.

[randombs]

The SeriesX looks like it has an optical out, and the ps2, 3 & 4 do so I'd would be pretty confident the 5 does.

Alas, the PS4 Slim doesn’t. Only the OG PS4 and the PS4 Pro.

[Cassius_Smoke]

MS are packing the console with high fidelity sound but not giving you the best way to receive that sound?? If Sony do the same I'm dumb struck. Wireless headphones have loss, and the sound through the controller does too. Even having the HDMI to an AV isn't the best. You need a dedicated port.

[nonny]

It must have been specifically designed not to go into AV racks to stop the fan being so noisy!

I think it's designed to go with a nice nest of tables Sony will announce at launch, you can put the controllers and be headset on the smaller ones creating a lovely decorative corner in your now neon and white lounge setup...

[nonny]

MS are packing the console with high fidelity sound but not giving you the best way to receive that sound?? If Sony do the same I'm dumb struck. Wireless headphones have loss, and the sound through the controller does too. Even having the HDMI to an AV isn't the best. You need a dedicated port.

Yes I pointed this out a while back. The optical port is gone on the series X but headset makers are working with MS to allow use of the USB port.

I know Astro are doing this with the A50s so I figure others will follow suit.

MS is also partnered with I think Bang and Olufsen to make series X specific equipment, nothing else really mentioned there but it was announced.

Plus the Xbox One now supports DTS:X recently in a patch. It's all over the place really though and the removal of the optical port still screws up many setups.

[Team Andromeda]

Plus the Xbox One now supports DTS:X recently in a patch. It's all over the place really though and the removal of the optical port still screws up many setups.

Unless your TV supports optical out

[Cassius_Smoke]

Unless your TV supports optical out

That's the answer but you're still passing sound from one system to another with increasing loss.

[teddymeow]

MS are packing the console with high fidelity sound but not giving you the best way to receive that sound??

I thought HDMI was better than optical? Optical can't do Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. Or Atmos.

[Team Andromeda]

That's the answer but you're still passing sound from one system to another with increasing loss.

Yeah, but if you cared about sound that much, you wouldn't be looking to use optical in the 1st place.

[Cassius_Smoke]

Yeah, but if you cared about sound that much, you wouldn't be looking to use optical in the 1st place.

True. HDMI offers high def sound options.
I'm just a fan of using wired solutions. The best option would be to have an AV receiver. Personally if could connect my headphones direct to the console I'd be happy.

[fishbowlhead]

That's the answer but you're still passing sound from one system to another with increasing loss.

I just don’t believe people’s hearing is that sensitive that you can tell the difference between optical out from the device to speakers and optical out from the tv to speakers.

Ultimately if you want the best sound experience the new 3d headphones on PS5 are going to be way better than any speaker set up you can have in your room, same for whatever headphones MS will be doing for SeriesX.

[Team Andromeda]

The trouble with headphones is they can't top or compete with the bass one gets from a subwoofer. I have the Sony Gold Headhones for my PS4 and Plantronics 800 Lx for my One and PC. They can't match the sound I get from my Denon Atmos Amp, but headphones are very handy for late night gaming and will say the 3D audio with SONY VR is sensational and in horror games, truly terrifying

[Digfox]

Unless your TV supports optical out

I just don’t believe people’s hearing is that sensitive that you can tell the difference between optical out from the device to speakers and optical out from the tv to speakers.

This has been mentioned before, but TV's, even the most expensive ones strip any surround sound out or only output basic stereo.

You don't need sensitive hearing to tell whether the audio in the headphones is stereo or virtual surround (or 3D - caveats here) - although I appreciate that's different from the point made.

I thought HDMI was better than optical? Optical can't do Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. Or Atmos.

Yeah, but if you cared about sound that much, you wouldn't be looking to use optical in the 1st place.

HDMI can transmit higher resolution audio and is better for a 5.1/Atmos/7.1 speaker set-ups.

The same is not true for headphone audio. All the decent headphone AMP/DACs from Schiit, Creative, Sennheiser, THX, JDSL etc. all use USB or Optical. Generally a separate headphone AMP/DAC will give much better quality audio (and/or mic input) than an all in one consumer model or headset, although there has been improvement in those areas.

Also when talking about audio don't forget that's it is two-way. So how the microphone connects back is important.

The trouble with headphones is they can't top or compete with the bass one gets from a subwoofer. I have the Sony Gold Headhones for my PS4 and Plantronics 800 Lx for my One and PC. They can't match the sound I get from my Denon Atmos Amp, but headphones are very handy for late night gaming and will say the 3D audio with SONY VR is sensational and in horror games, truly terrifying

As you say in general headphone and speaker set-ups are for different scenarios. Headphones tend to be more accurate, better for positional sound, better 3D audio and also cheaper to get quality sound from. A speaker set-up and AV Receiver/AMP will usually cost a lot more that headphones and a headphone AMP/DAC. And the convenience factor as you say. Also for someone like myself headphones can allow me to game without waking up kids, neighbours etc.

I've said it before but I'll say it again over the last 5-10 years they has been an consumer led explosion is headphone audio and voice comms. Loads of Youtube channels, sites, new consumer shows and whole new companies being born with products coming out to fill that demand (Geshelli Labs, JDSL, Schiit etc.). A lot of this is in the 'audiophile' space (head-fi etc.) but it meshes well with gaming. And the boom in streaming is also further accelerating that demand.

Something that often gets forgotten is that Microsoft is making revenue from using a licensing model which isn't in the consumers interests. So when Phil Spencer talks about how people use their audio solutions he isn't including the millions they make in profits from licensing. They aren't intentionally locking out audio or microphones over USB for us.

Ultimately if you want the best sound experience the new 3d headphones on PS5 are going to be way better than any speaker set up you can have in your room, same for whatever headphones MS will be doing for SeriesX.

In the February presentation Cerney did talk about Tempest working with 'existing audio solutions' including headphones. So we don't know this for a fact yet although I'd guess what they meant is the 3D audio being usable on any speaker set-up but the advance 3D audio only being usable on their new Sony headphones.

[Team Andromeda]

This has been mentioned before, but TV's, even the most expensive ones strip any surround sound out or only output basic stereo.
.

My OLED supports it as does my rather cheap DGM TV

And the convenience factor as you say. Also for someone like myself headphones can allow me to game without waking up kids, neighbours etc.

My Partners kids are 28 and 31 that's not a non-issue Trying not to upset the Neighbours and respect their rights is. Still, I much rather these kinds of tracks blast through the Amp with the bass from the Speakers/Amp, rather than the Headphones

[wakka]

Ultimately if you want the best sound experience the new 3d headphones on PS5 are going to be way better than any speaker set up you can have in your room, same for whatever headphones MS will be doing for SeriesX.

Dude, some ~£100 headphones are not gonna be better than any speaker setup you could possibly buy