PS3 firmware 2.70 messed up with CD playback!

[badazzmofo]

I hope this is in the right forum...

Hoping one of you can help...

I have a Sony 3400ES. Up until I just did the update CD's were sounding KILLER through my system. I would normally keep it on the Cinema B setting. No sound would come through the center but would all come through my fronts and sub. Barely a little would come through the rears but not noticable.

It sounded killer!

Just did the 2.70 update and now all CD music comes through my center speaker. If I switch to AFD it sounds a little like it did, but not totally and not a lot of bass through the sub.

Anyone know what the hell happened? I'm not too happy right now! Probably can't go back to 2.60 huh?

Thanks for any help in advance.

[SkillzthatKillz]

i'm not too familiar with that sony receiver so i dont know what settings it has but you should be able to play with the different settings, etc. and get it to produce the bass using the sub. wish i could help more buddy

[badazzmofo]

Thanks bro.

It's something with the PS3 firmware. I didn't touch the receiver...lol

Was playing Alice in Chains. Sounded so good!...lmao

Did the 2.70 and now it all comes out of my center! F'ing wierd.

[frieda]

Do you connect your PS3 with and HDMI cable to the receiver or do you use fiber optic cable for your sound ?

[Bobby Henderson]

The 2.70 firmware added a dynamic normalization feature (similar to Dolby's Dialog Normalization) which can be applied to movies, games and music. By default the feature is turned off when the firmware is updated.

You might try turning off the audio "bitmapping" feature (which defaults to the "1" setting). I don't know if that will help.

[NL197]

All I know (and I haven't updated yet so this is what I've read) is that the update changed the CD playback output, so it's no longer sent out as multi-channel PCM, therefore enabling the user to take advantage of the receiver's DSP settings and upmix settings.

So now it handles CD playback the same way it handles DVD playback in terms of its sound...is that right?

[Scoob]

Does it change any SACD output for those of us that have that?

[frieda]

I've got the ES3300 receiver and on my receiver settinigs like Cinema B only works when the input signal is stereo. If the blue light on receiver is on it is receiving a multi channel signal. Go to music settings and make sure that your CD's are played back at 48kHz. If I play back my CD's at 48kHz me receiver switches to 2 channel mode and I can add affects like Cinema B.

Hope this helps.

[Clark Kent]

The new firmware has changed the way the PS3 sends out cd audio over HDMI. Before it was sending out multi-channel PCM even for a regular stereo cd. Now it correctly sends only two channels of PCM for cd audio.

[frieda]

When my CD's where set to play at 44.1kHz it still sent out multi channel signals. when I set my CD's to play at 48kHz stereo signals where sent as it is suppose to do. Even my AAC files plays in stereo now as they should.

[badazzmofo]

Hey guys,

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, I have it set to 48 khz. And I'm HDMI.

Previous to 2.70 I would just keep it on the Cinema B. And it would basically be 2.1 with a lot of sub action. I would hear a very minute amount of sound coming from the rears. It sounded 3 dimensional and awesome! Now with Cinema B it all comes out of just the center!...No sub.

Now, with 2.7 I barely get any sub action in any mode. Even AFD which is supposed to add a track specifically for the sub.

The closest I can get to how it was is if I pick multi stereo. Which then makes it 5.1. And now can clearly hear that sound is coming from the rear. Still not what I used to hear and have though.

What does the bitmapping feature that is defaulted to 1 control?

[frieda]

The last thing I can think that you can try is to go to sound settings on the PS3, select HDMI and select manual instead of auto. Turn 7.1 and 5.1 off by removing the ticks. Make sure only the 2 channel is selected. This will ensure that the PS3 only output 2 channel stereo.

[Slec]

Put your receiver on 'direct'. From reading all the posts, it sounds like your receiver is taking the 2-channel audio and matrixing it out to the other channels.

it would be 'direct' or 'pure audio' setting. Usually there is a single button that takes it in and out of this mode.

[badazzmofo]

Hey Frieda,

I was going to try that. But, then if I uncheck them, then want to watch a blu ray I would have to check all those back on again, is that correct?

Hey Slec,

I think direct on my Sony is AFD which is auto format direct. Or I can go 2 channel direct I think. But, I don't get sub action in those modes. I love how 2.1 sounds, or sounded on my system...lol

So dam frustrating. I don't know why they force this all on us. I want the option to go back the previous firmware! Or not use the new stuff if I don't like it.

[frieda]

Yes, you will have to select 7.1 and 5.1 when playing a movie.
When my receiver receives 2 channel signal from PS3 on the receiver it shows that it is using 2.1 channels. Try selecting AFD and the Cinema B

[badazzmofo]

I'll mess with the checks.

I can't select AFD and Cinema B at the same time.

AFD does say it's 2.1, but now I'm not getting any bass through the sub for the .1 with the 2.70 upgrade.

With 2.60 AFD and Cinema B sounded identical, with Cinema B adding a slight EQ with bumped treble, and slightly more bass with the sub.

I'm wondering if getting a dedicated CD player will solve the problem and make things go back to the way I had them.

[frieda]

When I turn on my PS3 and receiver the multi channel light is on. When I insert music CD light goes out. Receiver shows that AFD auto is on and it shows that 2.1 channels are used. Sound comes from front speakers and sub. Now if I turn on cinema B all 5 channels are used and dialogue comes mostly from centre. If I use my Blu-ray player I get the same but instead of dialog coming mostly from centre it comes mostly from rear left. Blu-ray player is also connected to receiver via HDMI. If I do same with DVD player which is connected with coax ( digital ) I get same result as with Blu-ray. Seems if PS3 processes sound differently.

In my opinion the PS3 is right by playing the dialog through the centre speaker as cinema B is used for movies and not music.

If I play a stereo DVD on both the PS3 and my blu-ray player, they both sound the same, the dialog comes through the centre speaker which are correct.

[badazzmofo]

Hey Frieda,

Thanks for the detailed reply.

It seems that the old way of them inserting dummy channels to bring audio in at 5.1 or 7.1 worked in my case with the Cinema B. Making it essentially 2.1 since nothing was coming out of the center and surrounds.

Now that they changed it, the Cinema B is acting differently with most stuff coming from the center.

I changed my audio output from 48 to the 44.1/88.2/176.4 and that actually made the most difference.

Now CD's come through at 176.4 and AFD is louder and is a great sounding 2.1, although I wish the sub was giving me a tiny bit more. I can get more by pumping the sub level, but they I have to remember to lower for blu-rays or it will be slammin loud!

Changing to 44.1/88.2/176.4 has resulted in my 3400ES now not even allowing me to choose the Cinema settings as it's greyed them out. Basically wants me to use the AFD mode. I guess that is because PS3 is now sending 176.4.

Thanks for all who have responded.