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PS5: 3D audio through receiver?

RoadHazard

Gold Member
As a lowly European who doesn't have a PS5 yet (and probably won't be able to get one on release either): Does 3D audio through headphones work if those headphones are plugged into a receiver? The FAQs about this seem to indicate it only works if the headphones are plugged into either the controller or into the console through USB. Seems like technically it should be able to work through a receiver as well, because in the end it's just processed stereo audio, but does it?
 

Kuranghi

Member
As a lowly European who doesn't have a PS5 yet (and probably won't be able to get one on release either): Does 3D audio through headphones work if those headphones are plugged into a receiver? The FAQs about this seem to indicate it only works if the headphones are plugged into either the controller or into the console through USB. Seems like technically it should be able to work through a receiver as well, because in the end it's just processed stereo audio, but does it?

I think the headphone stipulation was just a roundabout way of saying it doesn't work through bluetooth (Or any audio to headphones for that matter). I think it will still just be sent out as LPCM after its been processed by the tempest engine, so should be fine dropping off the audio in an amplifier as you say.

Nothing confirmed though so we'll have to wait and see for definite confirmation.

edit - wait, hang on though, the Dualsense controller is wireless, is it confirmed bluetooth or is it proprietary wireless stuff? If its bluetooth then I still think it was a way of saying you can't connect BT headphones direct to the PS5 but maybe means it can even encode regular PCM (which is compressed, so can go down a regular old ARC and eARC or amplifier interconnect isn't needed) with the tempest engine magic-jambo. As BT audio definitely doesn't support an LPCM-like quality signal.
 
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I haven't really dug into the PS5's audio engine - is it really that spectacular?

Hoping my Beats Studio's work via 3.5 finally, they wouldn't work with the DS4.

I could use my mixing headsets but none of those have mics - I don't have any nice gaming dedicated headsets since I have surround sound in the living room.
 
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RoadHazard

Gold Member
I think the headphone stipulation was just a roundabout way of saying it doesn't work through bluetooth (Or any audio to headphones for that matter). I think it will still just be sent out as LPCM after its been processed by the tempest engine, so should be fine dropping off the audio in an amplifier as you say.

Nothing confirmed though so we'll have to wait and see for definite confirmation.

I think probably you wouldn't want this 3D processing if feeding out surround sound to speakers, as it's specifically for headphone stereo audio. So there would have to be some headphone audio setting or something?
 

Kuranghi

Member
I think probably you wouldn't want this 3D processing if feeding out surround sound to speakers, as it's specifically for headphone stereo audio. So there would have to be some headphone audio setting or something?

Got ahead of myself, the LPCM talk was me thinking of how they said it'll work for speaker systems later down the line, it sounds like its going to be similar to vertical surround engine in their more recent soundbars, which is psychoacoustics like they've described but its adds virtual height channels to a 2.1+ channel signal (So 2.1 becomes 2.1.2, 5.1 becomes 5.1.2 and so on).

I'm really hoping Tempest Engine is a much better HW version of VSE, as its lacklustre unless you have an actual Atmos or DTS-X 7.1.2 signal going into the bar. I think the TE effect will be better the more real channels you have.
 
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Tygeezy

Member
I haven't really dug into the PS5's audio engine - is it really that spectacular?

Hoping my Beats Studio's work via 3.5 finally, they wouldn't work with the DS4.

I could use my mixing headsets but none of those have mics - I don't have any nice gaming dedicated headsets since I have surround sound in the living room.
The dualsense controller has a mic now so you just need headphones.
 

Reallink

Member
Supposedly HDMI will not pass the binaural 3D audio atm, they have it diabled with no toggle option. This is by Sony's choice, not technical reasons. Only USB DACs plugged in the PS5 and the Dual Sense carry it at present.
 
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RoadHazard

Gold Member
Supposedly HDMI will not pass the binaural 3D audio atm, they have it diabled with no toggle option. This is by Sony's choice, not technical reasons. Only USB DACs plugged in the PS5 and the Dual Sense carry it at present.

Ok, thanks, kind of sucks. But I guess the controller audio is good? On PS4 it's alright, but not as good as going through HDMI.
 

AgentP

Thinks mods influence posters politics. Promoted to QAnon Editor.
Supposedly HDMI will not pass the binaural 3D audio atm, they have it diabled with no toggle option. This is by Sony's choice, not technical reasons. Only USB DACs plugged in the PS5 and the Dual Sense carry it at present.

I doubt it has anything to do with HDMI. My bet is they are not done with the SW calibration of the HRTFs which is needed to make it work well with speakers. Headphones are simple, there are two speaker on top of your ears.
 

RoadHazard

Gold Member
I doubt it has anything to do with HDMI. My bet is they are not done with the SW calibration of the HRTFs which is needed to make it work well with speakers. Headphones are simple, there are two speaker on top of your ears.

I'm not talking about speakers though, but headphones connected to a receiver that gets audio from the PS5 over HDMI.
 
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Reallink

Member
I doubt it has anything to do with HDMI. My bet is they are not done with the SW calibration of the HRTFs which is needed to make it work well with speakers. Headphones are simple, there are two speaker on top of your ears.

Right, their 2.0 TV and soundbar signal will be completely different, but that does not preclude an option and specific toggle to pass the binaural headphone signal over HDMI for use with the headphone ports on TVs, avrs, and other external dac/amps. It's a streamlining and idiot proofing choice, not a technical one. The same logic is no doubt behind the lack of 1440p and explicit 60hz/120hz toggles.
 
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FrankWza

Member
I'm not talking about speakers though, but headphones connected to a receiver that gets audio from the PS5 over HDMI.

depends on thereceiver. Some can process Dolby headphone. Check the instructions for your model. May require that you feed it 2.0 and it will handle the processing
 

AgentP

Thinks mods influence posters politics. Promoted to QAnon Editor.
I'm not talking about speakers though, but headphones connected to a receiver that gets audio from the PS5 over HDMI.

I'm not sure how the PS5 would know there were headphones involved. Are you suggesting the receiver know headphones are plugged in and would convey that to devices plugged in via HDMI?
 
I'm not sure how the PS5 would know there were headphones involved. Are you suggesting the receiver know headphones are plugged in and would convey that to devices plugged in via HDMI?

That's exactly the problem here: If you use the receiver, how can the PS5 know what are you connected to? It's much easier to just connect headphones to the 3.5mm jack on the controller
 
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depends on thereceiver. Some can process Dolby headphone. Check the instructions for your model. May require that you feed it 2.0 and it will handle the processing
I'm not sure how the PS5 would know there were headphones involved. Are you suggesting the receiver know headphones are plugged in and would convey that to devices plugged in via HDMI?
That's exactly the problem here: If you use the receiver, how can the PS5 know what are you connected to? It's much easier to just connect headphones to the 3.5mm jack on the controller
I would imagine an option would be to enable hdmi connected headphones through the PS5 settings. You'd have to toggle it manually, but it would work.
 
I would imagine an option would be to enable hdmi connected headphones through the PS5 settings. You'd have to toggle it manually, but it would work.

They will probably add this with a firmware update when stereo speakers 3D audio is added. In that scenario you HAVE to use HDMI as passthrough
 
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RoadHazard

Gold Member
depends on thereceiver. Some can process Dolby headphone. Check the instructions for your model. May require that you feed it 2.0 and it will handle the processing

Dolby headphone? We're talking about Tempest 3D audio here, it has nothing to do with any Dolby format. It's just regular stereo audio, but processed to simulate 3D audio the same way we hear 3D audio in the real world using two ears.

I'm not sure how the PS5 would know there were headphones involved. Are you suggesting the receiver know headphones are plugged in and would convey that to devices plugged in via HDMI?

It wouldn't know, which is why there would have to be some setting on the PS5 for outputting headphone 3D audio. Which I guess there isn't.
 

FrankWza

Member
Ok, thanks, kind of sucks. But I guess the controller audio is good? On PS4 it's alright, but not as good as going through HDMI.
The DS4 and Dualsense are completely different when plugging in headphones. I’ve tried 3 headphones and, other than being slight lower Mac volume than amped they sound great. You can use the PS5 settings to change volume as well.
 

FrankWza

Member
Dolby headphone? We're talking about Tempest 3D audio here, it has nothing to do with any Dolby format. It's just regular stereo audio, but processed to simulate 3D audio the same way we hear 3D audio in the real world using two ears.

I know what it is. I thought you were asking what you could do before they released tempest for other audio besides headphones.
 

ThisIsTheTown

Neo Member
So! I was wondering this too. I managed to snag a ps5 on release. I have a Pioneer SC-LX801 receiver and audio technica M50x wired headphones with an adapter from 3.5mm to the bigger 6.something one. I've been playing spiderman remastered and there is definitely a 3d effect, the direction my character is facing (even slight movements) are noticable in the audio. I don't know if the pulse headset has even better 3D audio effects. If I can find the pulse headset cheap next week or just give in and buy it l'll update a comparison.
 
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