[PS4] poor audio quality

[PJ_humbug]

I'm trialling Spotify premium but I'm finding the audio quality on the ps4 app has a very tinny muffled sound. I have a fibre connection and other apps like YouTube \iPlayer\Amazon which also have video have significantly better audio. I'm not expecting CD quality but it is now where neat what I think is worth paying for.

Is this something that will be improved?

[Looukas]

The app has been updated recently, no change on the quality whatsoever i.e. still significantly lower even than mobile "normal".

[butaca]

Guys, it's obvious the bitrate in PS4 is extremely low and hardcoded. Even with the worst speakers you can notice this. No need for a high end system. I don't know what is the most worrying: that Spotify launched the PS4 app with a fixed crappy quality even for premiums users or the fact that the sound quality is in discussion here.

[wickedcampaign]

I created an account here to bump this.  I would like acknowledgement from spotify that this is an issue on the ps4 that they are working on or at least have a plan to fix.

If no ack, then please acknowledge that premium users using the ps4 spotify app are not able to get the sound quality they paid for.  As many users have noted there is notable sibilance on many recording due to the poor streaming quailty.  

Please let me know how to open a feature request for this issue if necessary.  I love the spotify connect integration but it is useless on ps4 with such low quality audio output.

[Looukas]

They are too busy making fancy video advertising for the service. I hope the issue will eventually get acknowleded soon as it could easily be a lawsuit cause for certain people. I mean they explicitly encourage you to pay for nothing.

[Angelheart]

Hi everyone,

I've also created an account to support your query.

Indeed, sound quality on PS4 is really poor when compared to PS3 or any other mediaplayer.

The problem with PS4 sound is poor bass, and agressive upper frequency range. In fact, seems like this is not the sound premium users are used to. No problem whatsoever on PS3 : the sound is full, non-agressive.

Just a hint : does this have to do with sound parameters on PS3 (you can choose -2 to +2) ? But I think it applies only for PS3 internal music player.

@Spotify : could you please communicate on this and clarify the question ?

[Bon-Bon]

It isn't Spotify, it is the PS4, Guitar Hero Live sounds terrible too, even if you use a toslink to a DAC, I'm sure it is a problem with the PS4 hardware or firmware.

[RussBird]

Think I am suffering from the same issue.

My system used:

PS4 set to HDMI & PCM
Into
Sony HT-AS5 with multi channel input
Into 5.1

This is working well. Good quality surround sound from Blu rays, Netflixs, games.

If you go to Spotify it will only play music out front 2 speakers. Nothing comes out of rear speakers.

I can get music to play out of rear speakers but I have to change:
PS4 optical output with PCM
However...
This massively reduces quality of games and film surround sound.

Why can't the app just realise you are playing over 5.1 and therefore play stereo over 5 speakers?

Anyone know a solution?

Spotify, is a fix on the cards?

[SHADEYMAN-GB]

How is the PS4 supposed to output 2.0(music) and movie or gaming sound tracks(5.1) at the same time?

[RussBird]

The way I saw this working was the PS4 would output the 2.0 music in a 5.1 state. I don't mean literally 5(6) channels. What I mean is stereo, L / R multiplied up to be Lx2 & Rx2. This is opposed to just playing music over 2 of 6 speakers.

The only reason I ask is I have a similar setup in another room in the house with a Marantz AV unit.

In this room, if I stream spotify from an iPhone 6 via airplay the output uses all 7.1 speakers. (This isn't 7.1 different channels, there aren't any on the source). Presumably the iphone isn't streaming 5,1 audio?

Additionally, if I play music from the Apple TV via HDMI or optical the Marantz still outputs to all 7.1 speakers. Again, I am not under the impression Apple TV is streaming the music from a 7.1 source but it does play out of them.

At the heart of this all I am trying to work out is how to get Spotify to send a signal that my AV reciever (Sony HT-AS5) can send to all 5.1 speakers and not just 2 of them without compromising quality of other inputs.

[SHADEYMAN-GB]

So your Marantz AV in the other room is doing the coverting, changing the oringinal sources 2.0(stereo) from Spotify on your phone and Apple TV to 5.1 surround.
Spotify on you Apple TV, iPhone and PS4 is 2.0 (Most other devices are 2.0 too) and will probably stay that way as music is created in 2.0 and best listened to in 2.0
So the question is can the PS4 convert the 2.0 supplied by Spotify(and some other apps) into 5.1 and send it plus any 5.1 from games to your 5.1 receiver? The answer is no, at the moment it cannot simultaneously convert 2.0 from certain apps and 5.1 from games. Perhaps a future PS4 firmware update will correct this?

[RussBird]

Not sure I follow.

You said "So your Marantz AV is doing the converting"

but you also said, "so the question is can the Ps4 convert 2.0 into 5.1".

Wouldn't this logic mean that the actual question is "how to make the Sony HT-AS5, recieve a 2.0 and output it to 5.1, just like the Marantz?".

I can make Spotify play out of the Sony AV across all speakers but I have to optical out with PCM. HDMI out with PCM limits to just 2 speakers.

[SHADEYMAN-GB]

"So your Marantz AV is doing the converting" because you said "I have a similar setup in another room in the house with a Marantz AV unit.". "In this room, if I stream spotify from an iPhone 6 via airplay the output uses all 7.1 speakers"

"so the question is can the Ps4 convert 2.0 into 5.1" in responce to the main point of this thread, poor sound quality on a PS4. Because the PS4 always outputs multi channel, it does not have Dolby Pro Logic.

Wouldn't this logic mean that the actual question is "how to make the Sony HT-AS5, recieve a 2.0 and output it to 5.1, just like the Marantz?". Yes, 100% agree. Best option is perhaps to use Dolby Pro Logic if your Sony HT-AS5 has it, which I'm pretty sure it does.

[RussBird]

ok great thanks. I will change the sound fields around tonight to see if I can get the Sony AV to use DPL later tonight.

Thanks for your help

[phesen-psl]

Xbox Groove has great sound quality on the Xbox One compared to Spotify on the PS4. Have both systems running through my stereo and groove kills spotify on SQ no matter how I rearange the settings and output. Really sucks because the PS4 is a better system and I was planning on putting the xbox on ebay, but now I'm on the fence... Spotify fix this...  

[SHADEYMAN-GB]

There's nothing to fix.

Groove max bitrate - MP3(Lossy) 320kbit/s
Spotify max bitrate - Ogg Vorbis(lossless) 320kbit/s

If you can't hear the difference its time to upgrade your sound system ...

[616jsb75]

It has nothing to do with the bit rate. the problem is the way spotify is
implemented on the ps4

[SHADEYMAN-GB]

Correct, it doesn't have anything to do with the bit rate as it's the same on both systems.

Its the format used, Ogg Vorbis is a lossless format, far superior to MP3, the difference is clear even on mediocre sound systems.

[butaca]

Guys, inform yourselves before posting. Ogg is a container not a format. It usually contains vorbis format and it isn't lossless.

Anyway, it doesn't matter the format used in the client (PS4, XBox, PC, etc.) because the audio is already compressed (Spotify does not stream lossless audio).

The Spotify client in PS4 as an issue and its limiting the bitrate drastically, I contacted them and they know about it and working on it. They didn't give me more details.

The low bitrate is easyky heard, with he best and worst sound systems in the world as it contains clear sound artifacts.

If you don't hear the difference, please, don't upgrade the system, train your ears.

[SHADEYMAN-GB]

I have a PS4 and an Xbox One, both connected via switchable TOSLink cables to my audio system. I now have no problems streaming music via Spotify on either console. However, the PS4 does sound better than the Xbox, so when I was told Ogg Vorbis was lossless like FLAC(I stand corrected) I believed it. Unlike most of you guys I don't have a surround setup anymore, my audio system is primarily used for music(2 channel) not movie and game effects(5.1 channel) although I do have 2 twelve inch KEF subwoofers to help with bass reproduction.

After a week of emails to Spotify we came to the conclusion the sound quality problem is caused by the PS4 outputing continuous 5.1 via HDMI and Optical regardless of whether the source(game, movie or music) is supplying the PS4 with only 2 channel or 5.1 channels. Obviously music is created and distrubuted in 2 channel, so Spotify stream only 2 channel. If the PS4 is connected to a surround amp it will only receive 2 channels of music, usually leaving the rear speakers and sometimes the sub void of music (sounds terrible so my AV amp is now in my cinema room where I watch more movies). As I use a Marantz music(2 channel) amp in my lounge it only needs and uses 2 channels so problem solved and it sounds great.
I'm able to monitor bandwidth on my router, the Xbox and the PS4 use about the same when streaming music via Spotify which automatically streams the highest bitrate available(320) so I find it hard to believe its somehow limiting bandwidth, plus not once did they mention there was an issue with the app.

[616jsb75]

To get the ps4 to output 2.0 when using hdmi, you select optical and it
will only output 2 channel over hdmi. This worked fine for music
unlimited. But spotify sounds horrible. So the ps4 outputting 5.1 with 2
channel sources is not the problem