PS3 And My Z-5500

[ADRiiAN`]

I have a PS3 hooked up with the Z-5500's using the optical cable, and I am using the Linear PCM setting instead of the Bitstream setting.

Now I know with Bitstream, the surround system does the encoding and with Linear PCM, the player (PS3) does the encoding.

I've read that people should use Bitstream for the PS3 Blu Ray Setup, i'm wondering, why though? I just played Transformers and I was constantly switching between Bitstream (which displayed audio Multi-Channel 448 Kbits (Something like that), and LPCM showed (Dolby TrueHD 4.2 Mbits) (I know that with the Z-5500, it'll take the core which is around 1.5 Mbits, which is still better than 448 Kbits).

To me, LPCM sounds MUCH better, it's much louder with more bass and the 5.1 is much better, For example, in the classroom where Sam is selling his grandfather's stuff, the kids are laughing, and I could hear it in the rear speakers, but in Bitstream, I couldn't.

So I was wondering why people say to Bitstream instead of LPCM?

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by ADRiiAN`

So I was wondering why people say to Bitstream instead of LPCM?

Over optical you are only gettin 2 channels if you use LPCM, which is why everyone suggests bitstreaming so that at least you can get 5.1 audio for the core Dolby Digital or DTS tracks.

[Kryptron]

Well i believe the reason people say Bitstream is better is because they have a receiver that can't accept Linear PCM thru HDMI. If you don't have a receiver that can accept Linear PCM thru hdmi and it only has optical, then your only going to get 2 Channel PCM. If your hearing alot more on your back speakers it's because your amp is just repeating the front L/R audio to the back.

[ADRiiAN`]

2 Channels as in only 2 front speakers?
Because with the LPCM, I'm hearing the rear speakers very well. Are the 5500's 'virtualizing' the rear speakers to make it seem 5.1?

[Kryptron]

Originally Posted by ADRiiAN`

2 Channels as in only 2 front speakers?
Because with the LPCM, I'm hearing the rear speakers very well. Are the 5500's 'virtualizing' the rear speakers to make it seem 5.1?

Yeah, what you are hearing is the receiver sending the Front L/R audio to the Back L/R. It is not true surround.

[ADRiiAN`]

Ohhh makes sense. It just sounds so much better.

Now if I make the switch to Bitstream, why arn't I hearing anything in the rear speakers in non-action scenes? (See my example in the 1st post about the classroom)

And I'm guessing I would just have to crank that surround sound higher to get a louder audio?

BTW, Is LPCM better than Bitstream comparing both in true 5.1?

[geneboi]

i just love my z-5500

I watched pearl harbor with this....and the bullets left right center back left and back right all coming in....i can hear distinctively all the multi directional sounds....in bitstream..

[Kryptron]

If your not hearing effects on quiet scenes while on bit stream, it's because there aren't any effects in that scene.

[Kryptron]

BTW, Is LPCM better than Bitstream comparing both in true 5.1?

Well the PS3 does not Bitstream HD Audio. And it only outputs 2 Channel PCM thru Fiber Optic. So LPCM through HDMI on a LPCM hdmi capable receiver will indeed sound better then what your hearing now.

[ADRiiAN`]

Originally Posted by Kryptron

If your not hearing effects on quiet scenes while on bit stream, it's because there aren't any effects in that scene.

That's understandable.

What i'm trying to say is (and i'm probably going to answer my own question here), when the kids are laughing in the class room, the camera is still focused on Sam, so technically, the kids are behind me, and using the LPCM track, it gives me that feel that the kids are behind me laughing, and that's all in LPCM, and like you said, it's repeating what the front L/R is doing, so that might be the case?

Because with bitstream, I don't get that whole effect.

[ADRiiAN`]

Originally Posted by Kryptron

Well the PS3 does not Bitstream HD Audio. And it only outputs 2 Channel PCM thru Fiber Optic. So LPCM through HDMI on a LPCM hdmi capable receiver will indeed sound better then what your hearing now.

Ohh that's very interesting. So if the PS3 did Bitstream HD audio, would it make it a much better player? Or is bitstreaming HD audio not possible?

[Kryptron]

If it did you would need a receiver that could decode it. Otherwise you would just be getting the core. If you had a receiver that could bitstream DolbyTru HD and DTS MA and it was receiving a bitstream signal and decoding the audio formats, in theory it should sound the same then the PS3 decoding it and sending LPCM to the receiver.


Link 1.:https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=40821
Link 2.https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=40872

[ADRiiAN`]

Ahhh make sense.

So to enjoy some serious HT, you def. need a receiver. I've got my PS3 HT setup in my bedroom, so having a Z-5500 is good enough for me. But if I happen to move into my basement, I will def. get a reciever.

My father bought the Pionner VSX-1017, stupid buy since it doesn't even decode DTS HD MA or Dolby TrueHD, let alone, the HDMI is video only, no audio pass through.

Another question, are the z-5500 speakers good enough to just plug into a reciever that can do DTS HD MA and Dolby TrueHD, or i'd have to get a whole new set of speakers?

[Kryptron]

Well i think your speakers just have RCA connectors on them and they were designed to run off the Z5500 amp. But i guess you could cut the rca connector off and you will have + and - speaker wires left, but i wouldn't recommend it. I would keep them for your PC and get a new amp and speakers for your ps3.

[ADRiiAN`]

The Z-5500 have got the + and - speaker wires (26 Gauge I believe).

If I ever did move into the basement, I possibly just might get a whole new HT system. My father is a strong believer in Bose system