Youtube sound quality is bad on my Martin Logan speakers

[Nana A.]

I listen to music via Youtube on my Martin Logan speakers but the sound quality is very bad and the volume is very low.When i am playing songs from my Usb flash drive, the sound quality is very good and volume is high.The Tv is connected to my Denon X4500h with a Hdmi cable.Is the anything that i add to my set up to improve the sound quality when streaming songs via Youtube?Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[-Jim-]

Look under settings in your manual for Source Level. You can adjust the input levels relative to each other . On my my Denon X4400H it's on page 202. You can adjust it from -12dB to + 12dB with the default set at 0dB. That will help you on volume levels.

As for Quality, are we to assume you are plugging the USB into the X4500H, or the TV? YouTube sound quality isn't great (256 kbps =>the format is AAC) but should be ok for casual listening. I'm assuming the YouTube sound is coming to the X4500H via the HDMI ARC connection. It will provide you the best connection.

If you use an APP via WiFi check this out:

1. In the YouTube Music app, tap on your profile picture.
2. Select Settings.
3. Tap Playback & restrictions.
4. Tap Audio quality on Wi-Fi.
5. Select one of the available options:
   • Low
     • Uses least data
     • Upper bound of 48kbps AAC
   • Normal
     • Default setting
     • Upper bound of 128kbps AAC
   • High
     • Uses extra data
     • Upper bound of 256kbps AAC
   • Always High
     • Maintains high quality even when connection is poor
     • Bitrate: 256kbps AAC

I hope this is helpful.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Sorry. But YouTube sounds like shitt no mater what.

 

[Pandaman617]

Sorry. But YouTube sounds like shitt no mater what.

Thats been my experience as well. I borrowed a pair of Gallo Acoustics Reference towers and just to ensure things were connected properly (external amp to power the internal subs & a smaller pair of Monoblocks for the mids and ribbon tweeters) I played a random YouTube song and thought it was just awful.Turned my Apple TV on and played back some stuff off the Made for Atmos Playlist and it was night and day. I was curious after that and went and played back a number of videos of both music and speech and it just sounds so compressed and lifeless.

 

[Eppie]

Yes, the op needs to look at the Youtube settings for playback options and see what stream he is getting, or use a Youtube downloader app on a PC and examine the resulting file. 256k can sound ok but anything below that will have compression artifacts. The lower your bandwidth, the more compression Youtube uses to maintain the stream without pausing to buffer. I have a friend with Youtube Premium and high bandwidth internet connected to a high-end theatre setup and it sounds as good as Tidal or Qobuz, so the results depend entirely on the stream's bit rate.

 

[lovinthehd]

You might also try the restorer function in the Denon's audio menu. I generally don't use youtube for music, and when I do, my experience varies with particular choices/uploads.

 

[Nana A.]

Look under settings in your manual for Source Level. You can adjust the input levels relative to each other . On my my Denon X4400H it's on page 202. You can adjust it from -12dB to + 12dB with the default set at 0dB. That will help you on volume levels.

As for Quality, are we to assume you are plugging the USB into the X4500H, or the TV? YouTube sound quality isn't great (256 kbps =>the format is AAC) but should be ok for casual listening. I'm assuming the YouTube sound is coming to the X4500H via the HDMI ARC connection. It will provide you the best connection.

If you use an APP via WiFi check this out:

1. In the YouTube Music app, tap on your profile picture.
2. Select Settings.
3. Tap Playback & restrictions.
4. Tap Audio quality on Wi-Fi.
5. Select one of the available options:
   • Low
     • Uses least data
     • Upper bound of 48kbps AAC
   • Normal
     • Default setting
     • Upper bound of 128kbps AAC
   • High
     • Uses extra data
     • Upper bound of 256kbps AAC
   • Always High
     • Maintains high quality even when connection is poor
     • Bitrate: 256kbps AAC

I hope this is helpful.

Yes, i plug the Usb into the Denon receiver and it Is coming throough the receiver via the Hdmi Arc.I can’t find the Playback and Restrictions under the settings.Is it because i am using the basic Youtube?Thanks everyone for the help.

 

[highfigh]

Sorry. But YouTube sounds like shitt no mater what.

Some videos sound great, here- the source matters and not all are recorded well.

 

[highfigh]

I listen to music via Youtube on my Martin Logan speakers but the sound quality is very bad and the volume is very low.When i am playing songs from my Usb flash drive, the sound quality is very good and volume is high.The Tv is connected to my Denon X4500h with a Hdmi cable.Is the anything that i add to my set up to improve the sound quality when streaming songs via Youtube?Thanks in advance for the help.

Care to post some examples?

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes, i plug the Usb into the Denon receiver and it Is coming throough the receiver via the Hdmi Arc.I can’t find the Playback and Restrictions under the settings.Is it because i am using the basic Youtube?Thanks everyone for the help.

If a usb connection, what is the output level you used at the originating device? I'd max that first.

 

[TLS Guy]

Sorry. But YouTube sounds like shitt no mater what.

I get good audio from the sites I frequent. I use my 4K HTPC connected to the Marantz 7705 by HDMI. I do use a wired connection on all my devices. I think that is important.

YouTube varies the bit rate for the audio, is the Internet connection is not good enough. If it detects any slowing then it lowers the audio bit rate automatically to preserve picture quality. Many sites like the Scott Brother's DUO and many others sound really good on this rig.

I suspect a lot of members are not paying sufficient attention to their home Ethernet structure and associated devices. If you want good streaming AV quality, then you really have to make the quality of your home's Ethernet of the highest order, or you will get poor results. This does mean you may have to open up walls and place Tech-Tubes to allow for the construction of a proper Ethernet backbone. The essentials are a good signal coming to the home, a very good router, Cat six cabling, an Ethernet patch bay, and good quality local Ethernet hubs. Making your Ethernet of a quality commensurate with the rest of your system, is of vital importance.

 

[Nana A.]

Look under settings in your manual for Source Level. You can adjust the input levels relative to each other . On my my Denon X4400H it's on page 202. You can adjust it from -12dB to + 12dB with the default set at 0dB. That will help you on volume levels.

As for Quality, are we to assume you are plugging the USB into the X4500H, or the TV? YouTube sound quality isn't great (256 kbps =>the format is AAC) but should be ok for casual listening. I'm assuming the YouTube sound is coming to the X4500H via the HDMI ARC connection. It will provide you the best connection.

If you use an APP via WiFi check this out:

1. In the YouTube Music app, tap on your profile picture.
2. Select Settings.
3. Tap Playback & restrictions.
4. Tap Audio quality on Wi-Fi.
5. Select one of the available options:
   • Low
     • Uses least data
     • Upper bound of 48kbps AAC
   • Normal
     • Default setting
     • Upper bound of 128kbps AAC
   • High
     • Uses extra data
     • Upper bound of 256kbps AAC
   • Always High
     • Maintains high quality even when connection is poor
     • Bitrate: 256kbps AAC

I hope this is helpful.

The sound level has been adjusted to +12.It has always been like that after i calibrated my system.

 

[Epsonfan]

Sorry. But YouTube sounds like shitt no mater what.

I hear you in analog

 

[lovinthehd]

Have you tried another way to stream youtube other than your current device/app?

 

[Nana A.]

No , please what is the other way than the Youtube app on my tv.I am not so good with these audio knowledge.Please bear with me.You are soo helpful.You always try to help out.God bless!

 

[TLS Guy]

No , please what is the other way than the Youtube app on my tv.I am not so good with these audio knowledge.Please bear with me.You are soo helpful.You always try to help out.God bless!

Your easiest solution is to purchase a Chromecast, The problem is that it currently unavailable, like a lot of electronics right now. It is apparently not discontinued, but no information when it will be available again. These units are wonderful as they allow you to stream from your phone, tablet or laptop.

Absent the Chromecast your best bet is probably a ROKU unit.

 

[Nana A.]

Your easiest solution is to purchase a Chromecast, The problem is that it currently unavailable, like a lot of electronics right now. It is apparently not discontinued, but no information when it will be available again. These units are wonderful as they allow you to stream from your phone, tablet or laptop.

Absent the Chromecast your best bet is probably a ROKU unit.

What about Apple tv or the Amazon stick?

 

[highfigh]

What about Apple tv or the Amazon stick?

Do you have an iPhone, or Android? Either works with Roku, iPhones work better with AppleTV, but from personal experience, will also stream to Roku (I have an iPhone 6).

 

[highfigh]

I listen to music via Youtube on my Martin Logan speakers but the sound quality is very bad and the volume is very low.When i am playing songs from my Usb flash drive, the sound quality is very good and volume is high.The Tv is connected to my Denon X4500h with a Hdmi cable.Is the anything that i add to my set up to improve the sound quality when streaming songs via Youtube?Thanks in advance for the help.

I have never been thrilled with the sound from TVs, but you should indicate what brand and model of TV you're using- some are better than others.

 

[TLS Guy]

What about Apple tv or the Amazon stick?

I just mentioned the two I did, as I find Chromecast to be a first class concept beautifully thought out an executed, with excellent ergonomics. It, by slight of hand, connects your receiver or TV to your router, with the mobile device just acting as controller. It is really elegant engineering. The downsides are that you have to use the Chrome browser, and the site you want to stream has to support it.

I mentioned ROKU as it is consistently and widely acclaimed to be the best streamer at the moment. An Amazon Firestick is certainly an alternative.

If you get Apple TV, I think you will likely need a streamer, as I'm suspicious that your TV is deficient as a streamer. So for sure whatever you do, make sure your streaming device is connected to your receiver and NOT the TV.

Again, you must not neglect your homes Ethernet infrastructure. The technology tries to hide deficiencies, by downgrading your stream without you knowing it if it is deficient.

Have you done Internet speed tests at the location where your stream? If not you should. My experience is that most homes are severely deficient in that regard.

I live on a circle where four homes were built be the same builder over the last two years. My home is the only one with a properly engineered Ethernet infrastructure, not withstanding the fact that one of the homes we specked for a couple with high powered HT jobs. The other homes are deficient, and not just the Ethernet.

I should state that most of our streaming is via HTPCs. All have Chromecast, and that is the only streamer in the family room.

In the theater there are two computers, a DAW and HTPC. That is the only one of the three systems that has eARC, and I do stream Netflix, Amazon prime and the Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall from the TV via eARC.

I just have an antipathy to what I call hunt and peck streamers. To my mind an HTPC is still the best way to stream most programs, and gives you an exponentially larger range of options in programs than any streamer. It versatility from a full size radio linked keyboard is far more convenient and quicker, than any streamer with a hunt and peck remote.