PS3 for CD playback?

[Soundman]

I know this issue has been addressed a number of times with differing opinions on how well the PS3 performs for CD playback. Currently, I am using the PS3 for CD playback mainly for simplicity since it is usually on anyway. I plan to get a standalone CD player at some point, but this may happen sooner then I was planning now. Let me explain:

The other day, I inserted a CD into the PS3 and then left the room to go do something. I have it set to autoplay so it should have just started playing the CD. After a minute or two I went back into the room to see why it hadn't started playing. There was an onscreen message that said something like, "unable to play audio file.....blah..blah..blah" I then went to the next track and it played fine. I let the PS3 play through the rest of the album to see if any other errors ocured. Everything went well until I got to track 9 and I got the same error message again. I checked the CD to see if there was dust on it. It seemed to be fine and the PS3 still had problems playing it. Then I took the CD into the kitchen where I have a cheap boom box style CD player sitting. This unit retails for about $20.00. This player had no problems playing the CD. Maybe my PS3 is just having problems and this is not the norm, but I'm losing faith in the quality of the PS3 for CD playback. Again, I was planning on getting a standalone CD player later on, but maybe I should go ahead? Let me know what your experience has been.

 

[phlakvest]

I have a PS3 that I use for CD playback. I don't like the fact I have to have the TV on for it to start playing CD's. Its probably related to the HDMI handshake.
I haven't run into any problems reading disks; but I have only had mine for a couple of months.

 

[lsiberian]

I never have my tv on win I listen to music? And I run hdmi cables too.

Maybe something else is going on?

 

[Soundman]

I don't have to have my TV on to play music on the PS3 either.

 

[jamie2112]

I would go out and get a dedicated CD player myself. Why use the PS3 for cd's ...conveniance?

 

[jamie2112]

This NAD is a decent player and in great shape:http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlplay&1237239601&/NAD-T514

 

[GlocksRock]

I have to turn my tv on to listen to music, since all my music is on my computers and in order to select what I want to play, I have to see it. but the nice thing about using a PS3 for cd playback, is that it access the CDDB so it provides you all the track/artist info.

 

[darien87]

I don't have to have my TV on to play music on the PS3 either.

I think he's just saying that since there's no display on the PS 3, you have to have your TV on to see what you're playing. I think it kinda sucks too, but I've found that most of the time I play a CD, I have the TV on to do something else anyway, so it's not a huge deal.

 

[phlakvest]

I think he's just saying that since there's no display on the PS 3, you have to have your TV on to see what you're playing. I think it kinda sucks too, but I've found that most of the time I play a CD, I have the TV on to do something else anyway, so it's not a huge deal.

No.
I can turn on my reciever, turn on my ps3 and stick a disk in. Nothing happens. If I then turn on my TV the ps3 finishes booting and my CD starts playing. (my xbox 360 does the same thing)

I can turn my tv off after it stops playing and it keeps playing.

 

[Soundman]

OK, what I'm hearing so far is that there are pros and cons for using the PS3 for a CD player. The pro being that you can get track information on your display. The con being that your TV must be on to see this information. That being said, how good of a CD player is the ps3 really?

 

[phlakvest]

About as good as any other CD player sound quality wise.

 

[GlocksRock]

Yeah, it sounds great, just as good as any other player out there.

 

[Soundman]

Yeah, it sounds great, just as good as any other player out there.

Ya think? Why is it having problems playing some of my tracks then?

The other day, I inserted a CD into the PS3 and then left the room to go do something. I have it set to autoplay so it should have just started playing the CD. After a minute or two I went back into the room to see why it hadn't started playing. There was an onscreen message that said something like, "unable to play audio file.....blah..blah..blah" I then went to the next track and it played fine. I let the PS3 play through the rest of the album to see if any other errors ocured. Everything went well until I got to track 9 and I got the same error message again. I checked the CD to see if there was dust on it. It seemed to be fine and the PS3 still had problems playing it. Then I took the CD into the kitchen where I have a cheap boom box style CD player sitting. This unit retails for about $20.00. This player had no problems playing the CD...

 

[perato]

Different devices might treat the same disc differently, especially with DVDs and especially with burned media. I've had scratched or dirty DVDs not play in a PS2 or a Denon player but yet the discs played in a cheap Magnavox player. I've had burned CDs not play on a PS1 or a car CD player but would play on a computer.

As far as the PS3's sound quality is concerned, I think it is perfectly acceptable. Just be aware that if you use digital optical or HDMI, you are really hearing the sound quality of your receiver's DACs. I use the digital optical so I am limited by the DACs in my receiver.

 

[Soundman]

Different devices might treat the same disc differently, especially with DVDs and especially with burned media. I've had scratched or dirty DVDs not play in a PS2 or a Denon player but yet the discs played in a cheap Magnavox player. I've had burned CDs not play on a PS1 or a car CD player but would play on a computer.

As far as the PS3's sound quality is concerned, I think it is perfectly acceptable. Just be aware that if you use digital optical or HDMI, you are really hearing the sound quality of your receiver's DACs. I use the digital optical so I am limited by the DACs in my receiver.

I see what you mean, but from my experience a standard CD should play on a decent player. This is a not a burned CD, but the original copy. Anyway, I guess my point was that if my PS3 is having problems playing my music, I probably need another player anyway.

 

[mediaholic]

Personally I have both a CD player and a PS3 and I do not think that it sounds as good on my PS3. But if that is all you have then it may just be a fluke with the CD. Did you try another CD?

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[Soundman]

Personally I have both a CD player and a PS3 and I do not think that it sounds as good on my PS3. But if that is all you have then it may just be a fluke with the CD. Did you try another CD?

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It seems to play most of my other CD's fine. I only recently ran into problems, but wonder how many other CD's it will have problems with. So, I'm thinking, a backup player is probably a good idea at the very least.

 

[lsiberian]

This NAD is a decent player and in great shape:http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlplay&1237239601&/NAD-T514

Are you selling that?

 

[Paul Atreides]

Soundman,

Over the the holidays, I ripped about 100 CDs onto my PS3 and got a similar error message on two track on one disc. So, maybe the PS3 has some issues with this, but it's not a high percentage, in my experience.

You didn't mention if the sound quality of the PS3 is satisfactory to you, but some of the replies to your post mention that. If that's an issue for you, you could experiment with the set-up of the PS3; e.g., change the output from LPCM to bitstream, or vice versa, or the output frequency from 48kHZ to 44.1/88.2/176.4, to see if that makes a difference.

Best of luck,
Paul

 

[Soundman]

Soundman,

Over the the holidays, I ripped about 100 CDs onto my PS3 and got a similar error message on two track on one disc. So, maybe the PS3 has some issues with this, but it's not a high percentage, in my experience.

You didn't mention if the sound quality of the PS3 is satisfactory to you, but some of the replies to your post mention that. If that's an issue for you, you could experiment with the set-up of the PS3; e.g., change the output from LPCM to bitstream, or vice versa, or the output frequency from 48kHZ to 44.1/88.2/176.4, to see if that makes a difference.

Best of luck,
Paul

It's hard for me to compare the sound quality of the PS3 for CD playback without a side by side comparison. It would be nice if the PS3 had pre-out's though. I suppose I could experiment like you said to see if I hear a difference.