Optical better than HDMI on PS3

[Stripes]

Hello all, I was doing some research on how to get the best sound from my PS3 on music playback. It seems that a lot of people were saying to connect via optical to get the best sound...Is this correct? I thought that PCM through HDMI was the best...Right now I have it set to 88.2 kHz oversample via HDMI. Have I been missing out the past year listening to my music

 

[Jack Hammer]

I'm not sure which the "official" winner would be, but I couldn't tell any difference between using optical or HDMI on my PS3, other than for movies I got more channels of sound. If you think one sounds better to you then use that and be happy.

Jack

 

[fast1]

have you tested it yet? preference differs from person to person.

 

[lsiberian]

Hello all, I was doing some research on how to get the best sound from my PS3 on music playback. It seems that a lot of people were saying to connect via optical to get the best sound...Is this correct? I thought that PCM through HDMI was the best...Right now I have it set to 88.2 kHz oversample via HDMI. Have I been missing out the past year listening to my music

I use HDMI, but it sounds the same.

 

[j_garcia]

I use HDMI, but it sounds the same.

Both are digital and PCM, so in both cases it should be the same since the receiver is doing the D to A. You aren't going to get better sound from one or the other for music.

 

[dobyblue]

If your receiver has 24/192 DAC's then you can set it to oversample at 176.4kHz through HDMI, only 88.2 over optical. In that case I would think HDMI would be the better bet.

 

[Patrukas777]

I have used both...I can't tell any difference. I like having it all in one....HDMI!

 

[GlocksRock]

An HDMI connection will allow you to get lossless audio, whereas the opticla connection will limit you to bitstreaming only standard dolby digital and dts.

 

[dobyblue]

An HDMI connection will allow you to get lossless audio, whereas the opticla connection will limit you to bitstreaming only standard dolby digital and dts.

If he's using "oversampling" with the PS3 then he's referring to CD content, in which case HDMI and optical will both offer lossless reproduction with HDMI being capable of twice the oversampling (176.4) vs. optical (88.2).

For lossless multi-channel, agree with what you said.

 

[bigvag]

I noticed a difference from hdmi and fiber. When using my moster 1000 hdmi it sounded like one of the speakers was louder then the other. After switching to fiber that went away. Don't know if the hdmi cable was going bad.

 

[j_garcia]

I noticed a difference from hdmi and fiber. When using my moster 1000 hdmi it sounded like one of the speakers was louder then the other. After switching to fiber that went away. Don't know if the hdmi cable was going bad.

Both are digital and both are processed via the receiver using the receiver's bass management. It sounds like something else was wrong, since those cables cary data and that data should not be affected where it could cause a problem with just one channel for EITHER type of cable.

 

[krabapple]

If your receiver has 24/192 DAC's then you can set it to oversample at 176.4kHz through HDMI, only 88.2 over optical. In that case I would think HDMI would be the better bet.

Shouldn't make any audible difference, really. Neither should optical vs HDMI.

 

[ddcobb]

I'm not sure which the "official" winner would be, but I couldn't tell any difference between using optical or HDMI on my PS3, other than for movies I got more channels of sound. If you think one sounds better to you then use that and be happy.

Jack

What do you mean?

 

[Jack Hammer]

What do you mean?

I could only get 5.1 channels of sound via optical. I get 7.1 (+) via HDMI. (not talking about processing, just passing what's on soundtrack)

Jack