Hey guys,I'm currently weighing my options between the 360 and Ps3.

That said, I've got a few very specific questions. I just stepped up to a receiver with full HDMI 1.3a connectivity, so I'll now be able to play multichannel PCM (and eventually TrueHD and DTS-Master bitstreams) over my 5.1 setup. I'm kind of itching to try it out, so it's kind of disappointing that the xbox 360 doesn't have any multichannel PCM output either in games or from their HD-DVD add-on drive.

My question is this: which console has better sound? Does the multichannel PCM output from the PS3 really sound that much better? Please answer this if you are using the HDMI audio output of the PS3 in your home theater.

Basically, I feel like I'm leaning toward the 360 right now, because I would like to get into online gaming (Halo3 and Cod4 to be specific). But then, I also like the ps3's Blu-Ray player and multichannel PCM output in games- and I feel like their games library will get better with time.

I know some of you guys have both systems, so it'd be good to hear how they stack up in terms of audio and home theater- I want to know if the HDMI audio is as much of a perk as has been suggested.

Ps3

Hands Down!

IMO, if you bring home theater into the equation the PS3 is the correct choice, and the best value. If you lean more towards gaming, specifically online gaming then the 360 is currently the machine to have.

Having built in decoding for lossless sound is fantastic for movies, but I don't believe their are very many games that offer it. Could be wrong though......

Originally posted by deecee20
it's kind of disappointing that the xbox 360 doesn't have any multichannel PCM output either in games or from their HD-DVD add-on drive.

Yes it is..., the PS3 has better audio...

With HD-DVD players so cheap, I see no reason to get the xbox add-on....

The 360 does have that little 33% failure rate.

Pick your xbox wisely and hope that your not picking the one of three that will fail.

What 360 exclusives do we have to look forward too?

Most can be had on PC or PS3, and you get a MUCH more reliable system, and more hardware for your money.

The PS3 is close to a grand in parts alone. Sony is losing a ton on each one they sell, take advantage of that while you can.

I've got a 6.1 setup using the PS3 with HDMI. As far as the audio in games go, it will vary from game to game, but there are some real stunners out there: Resistance- Fall of Man, Oblivion, etc. I haven't played anything on the XBox 360 so I can't really give you an objective comparison. Halo 3 is a strong argument for XBox, but don't think that the PS3 doesn't have some great online options as well. There are quite a few games that play rather well in that respect.

As far as home theater application goes, the PS3 is designed for it. Yes, I know, it is a gaming console, but it was built to be an all-in-one entertainment system, and for the first time somebody got it right... not just a CD/DVD/game system, but everything including the kitchen sink. CD, DVD, games, SACD, Blu-ray, online video, lossless audio, uncompressed audio, all SD and HD specs, 24p, upconversion, HDMI, and futureproofing via online firmware updates. I can't say enough good things about it. The PS3 powers my Home Theater w/ 6.1 sound and a 130" screen, and it steps up to the plate with pinache.

Halo 3 gets worst mix of the year IMO.

The score is great and all, but do the guns really have to be mixed so low?

I noticed the first time I played.

^the PS3 will also "force" 1080p24 for recievers like the yamaha 661 which will pass it but only if "forced". As far as I know, none of the HD-DVD players will do this as of yet.

^the PS3 will also "force" 1080p24 for recievers like the yamaha 661 which will pass it but only if "forced". As far as I know, none of the HD-DVD players will do this as of yet.

What do you mean by this? I have my PS3 connected to a yamaha 661 via HDMI, how do i "force" this? By turning that to ON instead of Auto?

Even on all the multiplatform games I've played on both of my systems the PS3 wins with the audio. I'm not sure why as you'd think the developers would just use the same samples for both of them.

But if you really want to blow your ears away try out some of the PS3 exclusive games....

Home theatre wise it's an EASY win to the PS3, the 360 doesn't support lossless audio.

Ps3

Hands Down!

X2 blu ray has more room for greater speacker seperation its like superbit dvds sure you can make the picture better on dvds, but you cut off sound sacrifices to make it look good due to a lack of space blu ray does not have that problem with 50 gigs.

So I'm hearing that most ps3 games have multichannel PCM during gameplay? Is this correct? I wonder if it's just Dolby Digital 5.1 that has been internally decoded by the PS3, or if it truly is 6.1 or 7.1? Can anyone shed some light on this?

So I'm hearing that most ps3 games have multichannel PCM during gameplay? Is this correct? I wonder if it's just Dolby Digital 5.1 that has been internally decoded by the PS3, or if it truly is 6.1 or 7.1? Can anyone shed some light on this?This is a bit misleading. The PS3 will output multichannel PCM for everything if you set it to do so and you have a receiver that accepts it.

However, the source material varies enormously. Sometimes it's 5.1 DD, but it could be any number of other audio formats. A few games have genuine 7.1 formats, but many people with 7.1 setups just matrix the sound being output.

In sum, there is no "most PS3 games" when you're talking about audio formats. And what happens to the audio once it leaves the PS3 depends on your receiver.

This is a bit misleading. The PS3 will output multichannel PCM for everything if you set it to do so and you have a receiver that accepts it.

However, the source material varies enormously. Sometimes it's 5.1 DD, but it could be any number of other audio formats. A few games have genuine 7.1 formats, but many people with 7.1 setups just matrix the sound being output.

In sum, there is no "most PS3 games" when you're talking about audio formats. And what happens to the audio once it leaves the PS3 depends on your receiver.

Ummmm. Every receiver accepts PCM

I have both, but I don't use either as a HDM player now because I have a Toshiba HD-A35 and will soon have a Samsung BD-P1400. I will say that the HD DVD audio I was getting after a crucial update on the 360 was very good, but of course it in no way compares to lossless sound on the PS3 or anything else.

Sorry I made a mistake in my previous post, playing back HDDVDs via your 360 you won't only not have access to lossless audio, you won't have access to any highdefintion audio. Everything is downsampled back to normal Dolby digital.

Edit: Made a mistake again.... since the last update the 360 downsamples to DTS, which is better than DD.

Ummmm. Every receiver accepts PCMIf you read my post, you'll see I was referring to multichannel PCM.

PS3 definitely has the sound advantage. There are a few PS3 games that really take advantage of the lossless sound capabilities. Warhawk, Lair and Resistance: Fall of Man come to mind. The PS3 also has an outstanding Blu Ray player. Having said all of that tho, if you are a gamer, you're making a big mistake choosing the PS3 over the 360. Ideally, you would get both, but if I could only take one with me to a desert island, I would take the 360 without question.

Right now, the only compelling PS3 games that I'm playing are Uncharted and Ratchet. What happens when I'm finsihed with those games (likely very soon). I'm going to have nothing to play for several months. Sure, there are many multiplatform releases on the PS3 to choose from, but 9 times out of 10, the 360 version has a better frame rate, and just generally plays and looks better.

I really think it's mandatory to own both, but being a gamer, if I was absolutely forced to choose between these two systems, I'd take the 360. If you lean more towards Home Theater, and just game a little bit here and there, then go with the PS3.

Also, by 2009, all of this could be changed, and the PS3 could be the machine to have. The 3rd party games might no longer be red headed stepchildren compared to the 360 versions, and there may be enough exclusive content to really hold people over. But 2009 is pretty far away.

If you are into online gaming, then the library of games the Xbox has is still far superior than what is available on the PS3. Also crossplatform games will have a much larger on-line comunity on the Xbox, thus finding games, finding friends, and the overall interface for accessing friends in game, with instant messaging makes that Xbox a no brainer.

Sound is such a subjective thing. Room acoustics, calibration, types of speakers, etc will have a much greater impact on sound quility than the difference between lossless PCM audio and DD/DTS. Halo is not the best game to sample audio, games like Gears of War, CoD, and many racing games will 'test' your system better. Ultimately like many of us, the best solution is to own both systems. Enjoy gaming on the Xbox, and enjoy blu-rays/upconvert DVD on the PS3. You will also be able to enjoy the few exclusive games on the PS3.

Ideally, you would get both, but if I could only take one with me to a desert island, and had enough parts to do an X-clamp replacement, I would take the 360 without question.



Fixt:D

PS3 definitely has the sound advantage. There are a few PS3 games that really take advantage of the lossless sound capabilities. Warhawk, Lair and Resistance: Fall of Man come to mind. The PS3 also has an outstanding Blu Ray player. Having said all of that tho, if you are a gamer, you're making a big mistake choosing the PS3 over the 360. Ideally, you would get both, but if I could only take one with me to a desert island, I would take the 360 without question.

Right now, the only compelling PS3 games that I'm playing are Uncharted and Ratchet. What happens when I'm finsihed with those games (likely very soon). I'm going to have nothing to play for several months. Sure, there are many multiplatform releases on the PS3 to choose from, but 9 times out of 10, the 360 version has a better frame rate, and just generally plays and looks better.


the original post was a question regarding audio... and you're dead on... the ps3's audio clearly outshines 360's audio.

but beyond that, the lack of games argument expired months ago. it's really gotten stale. if you look at the ps3's current library and only see 2 games that interest you and only prefer 360 multiplats, you obviously favor the 360(which is fine) but this isn't the place for pot stirring. i'm not calling you out or a troll, just suggesting that we keep these threads from imploding by not going off topic.

Sure, there are many multiplatform releases on the PS3 to choose from, but 9 times out of 10, the 360 version has a better frame rate, and just generally plays and looks better.

I never understood this argument aside from 360 owners holding onto... a thread I suppose. Yeah, Madden only ran at 30FPS, and a few other titles were kind of weak ports on Ps3. But COD4 (arguably), Oblivion, Fight Night, Dirt, and some others are generally considered better on Ps3 than 360. Burnout Paradise, DMC4, and a bunch of other upcoming titles are being developed on Ps3 as the lead platform. And all the recent multiplats are basically identical. Assassins Creed, Rock Band, etc. I'm not trying to get into a system war here, but generally unless you've got a slant towards the 360 controller, or XBox Live, you're not going to be missing out on multiplats.

Having said that, and to get back on topic, I was always disappointed with 360 sound options. I recently sold my 360 so I missed out on the DTS upgrade, but before, it was either DD or digital stereo, same over optical or HDMI. I have my Ps3 set up over TOSlink right now but when I did connect it over HDMI I was just floored by just how many options there were.

I never understood this argument aside from 360 owners holding onto... a thread I suppose. Yeah, Madden only ran at 30FPS, and a few other titles were kind of weak ports on Ps3. But COD4 (arguably), Oblivion, Fight Night, Dirt, and some others are generally considered better on Ps3 than 360. Burnout Paradise, DMC4, and a bunch of other upcoming titles are being developed on Ps3 as the lead platform. And all the recent multiplats are basically identical. Assassins Creed, Rock Band, etc. I'm not trying to get into a system war here, but generally unless you've got a slant towards the 360 controller, or XBox Live, you're not going to be missing out on multiplats.

Having said that, and to get back on topic, I was always disappointed with 360 sound options. I recently sold my 360 so I missed out on the DTS upgrade, but before, it was either DD or digital stereo, same over optical or HDMI. I have my Ps3 set up over TOSlink right now but when I did connect it over HDMI I was just floored by just how many options there were.

I consider myself to be 100 percent platform agnostic. I don't prefer Microsoft or Sony or Nintendo as a company. I could truly care less who provides me with my entertainment, I just want to be entertained. I owned all three of the "new" gen systems. (Sold the Wii awhile back cause it just was never being played and figured I get some $$$ for it while it still has value) But in regards to the argument that the 360 being better at multiplatform games no longer holds water, I disagree with that. It's definitely getting better for those that only own a PS3, but don't kid yourself. The 360 versions are better for many reasons, just by default. Of course, all of my reasons could boil down to a personal preferrence that resonates with me personally and not others, but for what's it's worth, I still think the 360 multiplats are the better choice..... for now.

First and foremost, is the issue of rumble. All 360 games have rumble. To me, that's a huge advantage. I did recently import a DualShock 3 for $75, so it's no longer the huge issue that it was, but I'm guessing the average Joe doesn't want to spend $75 to import something from Japan to fix a shortcoming that should have never existed in the first place. Also, the 360 has the more comfortable controller in general. Of course this is 100 percent personal preference. I've never been a fan of the thumbstick placement on Sony controllers. The 360 controller melts into my hands, the PS3 controller is something that I hold in my hands and does the job, but isn't as comfy. Ok, so that's a minor issue, but still. And then of course is the whole online factor. The 360 just has everything integrated so much better in terms of playing games online with your friends. With the PS3, such a small percentage of the audience has headsets. I was at a friends house playing UT3, and I was using his headset, and I was amazed at how few people in the game were using headsets. With the 360, basically anybody that owns a 360 has a headset, and if you're playing a online game like COD4, everybody is using it. This is just another one of those minor things, but it does slightly effect the overall enjoyment of the game.

I honestly think that things could really take a switch in the opposite direction though. I think the PS3 has some serious advantages that could be parlayed, and it could develop into a situation in which all the multiplatform games are much better on PS3. The 360 will never have lossless audio, very unlikely will it have the storage of Blu Ray for games, and with the power of the cell processor, things like Physics and advanced A.I. should be more convincing on the PS3. It's going to take awhile for all of this to play itself out, but I honestly think by late 2009, the PS3 is going to have the better multiplats.

If you're going to spend most of your time gaming, Xbox wins hands down. If you're thinking of high-def media, it's all about the PS3.

Theoretically, the PS3 has an advantage for games by offering PCM, but in practice it's essentially useless. So much of game audio is dynamic (as opposed to being carefully mixed by a professional)...comparing the extra bitspace is irrelevant. I've never listened to a 360 game and wished it had PCM, but I have wished that the audio component were just handled better (see: Halo 3).

Also, I've never seen a review note higher audio fidelity on a PS3 game when compared to its 360 counterpart.

If you're going to spend most of your time gaming, Xbox wins hands down. If you're thinking of high-def media, it's all about the PS3.

Theoretically, the PS3 has an advantage for games by offering PCM, but in practice it's essentially useless. So much of game audio is dynamic (as opposed to being carefully mixed by a professional)...comparing the extra bitspace is irrelevant. I've never listened to a 360 game and wished it had PCM, but I have wished that the audio component were just handled better (see: Halo 3).

Also, I've never seen a review note higher audio fidelity on a PS3 game when compared to its 360 counterpart.
I personally dont understand the fuss and how far this thread has gotten when we know all the truth that the PS3 rocks audio/video wise....its like a whole bunch of kids arguing not understanding what each said and just keep on talking ever seen a kindergarden class????

Also, I've never seen a review note higher audio fidelity on a PS3 game when compared to its 360 counterpart.

That would be due to the fact that many of us here at AVS have far better audio setups than gaming reviewers. In fact most of us have better video setups too.

That would be due to the fact that many of us here at AVS have far better audio setups than gaming reviewers. In fact most of us have better video setups too.

(shakes head :rolleyes:)

(shakes head :rolleyes:)

Well he has a point. Many of us are on hear because we're A/V enthusiasts. The 360 is the everyman system, with the avg Joe not giving two sh*** about 7.1 lossless audio. And reviewers are trying to represent the average person, not the audio geek.

Fact of the matter is I can hear a definite difference and was pleasantly surprised when I noticed back in '06 after first firing on Resistance. It was the same feeling I had going from SNES to PSX with the transition from Midi to CD audio. But then again I used to go to home theater meets when SACD & DVD-A discs first came out just so I could hear the difference (but couldn't afford the equipment at the time).

I think the OP will be happiest with the PS3 in this case.

Originally posted by Anthony1
I was at a friends house playing UT3, and I was using his headset, and I was amazed at how few people in the game were using headsets.
My understanding is that Epic is currently working on fixing an issue with headsets not working, or have they already fixed that? If not, then that would explain why you heard no one talking...

That would be due to the fact that many of us here at AVS have far better audio setups than gaming reviewers. In fact most of us have better video setups too.

Very, very true! We are the mac daddies of A/V set-ups to be honest with you guys :cool: lol

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune sounds spectacular in PCM 7.1 audio.

Hey guys,I'm currently weighing my options between the 360 and Ps3.

That said, I've got a few very specific questions. I just stepped up to a receiver with full HDMI 1.3a connectivity, so I'll now be able to play multichannel PCM (and eventually TrueHD and DTS-Master bitstreams) over my 5.1 setup. I'm kind of itching to try it out, so it's kind of disappointing that the xbox 360 doesn't have any multichannel PCM output either in games or from their HD-DVD add-on drive.

My question is this: which console has better sound? Does the multichannel PCM output from the PS3 really sound that much better? Please answer this if you are using the HDMI audio output of the PS3 in your home theater.

Basically, I feel like I'm leaning toward the 360 right now, because I would like to get into online gaming (Halo3 and Cod4 to be specific). But then, I also like the ps3's Blu-Ray player and multichannel PCM output in games- and I feel like their games library will get better with time.

I know some of you guys have both systems, so it'd be good to hear how they stack up in terms of audio and home theater- I want to know if the HDMI audio is as much of a perk as has been suggested.

box2 sux....get ps3...if you wanna burn your house down then go with the box2. seriously man, this is ps3 forum what do you expect...