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[Mibu no ookami]

Installed the PS5 Beta 3 and wanted to try and collate together some impressions.

The first thought was that it forces a Dolby Atmos container for all audio once you select the Atmos output. This is the first bad mark.

I ran A PS1 game and it forced the audio through all speakers. Second bad mark.

I ran Returnal and it did seem to have some spacial audio but I'll need to test it some more and try to ascertain where the object-based audio should be coming from.

My first impressions are a D+/C-.

At best I think we'll need to toggle between Atmos mode and PCM depending on the game we're playing in order to get the appropriate audio. Ultimately my score will likely change based on how a multitude of PS5 and some PS4 games work, but I'm not convinced as of yet that it is accurately portraying sound based on what I've seen so far. Maybe I'll fire up Spider-Man or if someone has a suggestion for a game that would be a good test, let me know.

Edit: Upon testing out the same PS1 game, it no longer appears to be upmixing audio, not sure what changed as settings have been unaltered. This would probably bring things up to a C+/B-.

I tried Returnal again and got nothing from the height channels in the gameplay I tested (10 minutes). Spent about 5 minutes in RE2 and similarly no height channel audio.

 

[ReBurn]

Maybe since it's a beta they'll be able to capture some telemetry and increase compatibility.

 

[MarkMe2525]

Nothing wrong with more options

 

[Kuranghi]

Try RE2 Remake, I believe that had Atmos support on PC.

 

[jroc74]

Try Astro's Playroom.

 

[CobraAB]

Oh well, Sony had a good run.....

 

[thatJohann]

There’s a bit of latency like on Xbox so that’s annoying. I’m using eARC and pass through so it’s not my setup. I can get used to it I think but I def notice it.

 

[Mr.Phoenix]

I would think Dolby Atmos would be something that really only works if or when a game explicitly says it has support for it.

 

[jroc74]

I would think Dolby Atmos would be something that really only works if or when a game explicitly says it has support for it.

Thats the weird part.

Astro's Play room has 3D audio support, and Dolby Atmos comes up when I start it. (it scrolls across my lil soundbar screen)

Dolby Atmos also shows up when I start the console.

 

[Ivory Samoan]

Huh! nice, my soundbar has great Dolby Atmos with our wireless LG rears - I still don't reallllly know what it is, but it sounds nice lol.

Do I need to dl this to make it work within games on my PS5 or is it auto part of the system?

 

[Fake]

Nothing wrong with more options

I agree, but Sony should do better than their competitor, so better implementation is a must.

A shit option is still a shit option.

 

[Justin9mm]

Of course they were going to fuck this up!

I have a proper 5.1.4 Atmos home theatre, the Series X Atmos audio is world's above the standard 5.1 PCM I've been getting on the PS5. I have low expectations for this implementation.

 

[Justin9mm]

Thats the weird part.

Astro's Play room has 3D audio support, and Dolby Atmos comes up when I start it. (it scrolls across my lil soundbar screen)

Dolby Atmos also shows up when I start the console.

That's because it's trying to force Atmos but you're not really getting Atmos unless you have this new beta update. This is a problem with your hardware/setup. A proper Atmos supported and setup AVR for example would not display Atmos if it's not receiving the signal.

 

[Justin9mm]

I would think Dolby Atmos would be something that really only works if or when a game explicitly says it has support for it.

Well that is correct, a proper Atmos system should only display if the game is supported, even on my Series X with Atmos turned on and setup. If the game does not support Atmos, it will display the supported codec on my AVR like DD and not Atmos. It will change to Atmos as soon as it recognises the Atmos supported codec. When I play Netflix, the menu, trailers etc. show DD or DD+, because I have premium which provides Atmos for some movies, it will change to Atmos as soon as the movie starts if the movie has Atmos etc.

 

[jroc74]

That's because it's trying to force Atmos but you're not really getting Atmos unless you have this new beta update. This is a problem with your hardware/setup. A proper Atmos supported and setup AVR for example would not display Atmos if it's not receiving the signal.

I'm in the beta.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

Have yet to test it myself but this is a snippet from the email they sent me...

'Dolby Atmos® is now supported, and you can enjoy 3D audio on HDMI devices that support Dolby Atmos.
o Enjoy an immersive audio experience with your supported HDMI device while playing PS5 games that support the Tempest 3D audio technology.
o Media apps that support Dolby Atmos can now deliver the spatial sound experience with your supported HDMI device.'

 

[JaksGhost]

I don’t think it’s actually Dolby Atmos but their 3D audio still coming through which is why it “worked” for the PS5 game. There was a caveat marked and this is what it reads:

***Media app providers can update their apps on PS5 to support Dolby Atmos audio, giving users another way to experience immersive audio in movies, TV shows, and more in the future (these app updates are not currently supported in the PS5 beta.)

It seems it might be relegated to working properly with media apps. The issue is the app providers can’t update their apps until after the software gets pushed to all consoles.

 

[Justin9mm]

I'm in the beta.

Sorry, I thought you were trying to say you were getting Atmos signal already without the beta. My bad.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

I have a feeling this is essentially a wrapper, and they are translating the Tempest 3D audio to Atmos, since fundamentally they are a similar thing just implemented differently. I dont think games are going to support Atmos directly, they are going to support the Tempest 3D audio like they do now, and then the system will translate it to Atmos. That is why the games that support it are showing Atmos - I'm guessing if you play a game that doesn't support Tempest 3D it won't show Atmos (unless they are just pushing any signal including stereo through the Atmos wrapper which is possible).

Apps will probably natively support Atmos though.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

I have a feeling this is essentially a wrapper, and they are translating the Tempest 3D audio to Atmos, since fundamentally they are a similar thing just implemented differently. I dont think games are going to support Atmos directly, they are going to support the Tempest 3D audio like they do now, and then the system will translate it to Atmos. That is why the games that support it are showing Atmos - I'm guessing if you play a game that doesn't support Tempest 3D it won't show Atmos (unless they are just pushing any signal including stereo through the Atmos wrapper which is possible).

Apps will probably natively support Atmos though.

This is correct.

The problem with the wrapper and the astonishing implementation of this atmos wrapper is that if the game delivers stereo audio say a PS1 game it should push a stereo signal to the appropriate speakers, which gives me a lot of concerns as to whether it's carrying Tempest 3D Audio as object-based audio to the CORRECT atmos speaker for the object.

I'll test out with RE2Make and AstroBoy tomorrow as well as a few different titles, but so far this looks a bit like a disaster.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

This is correct.

The problem with the wrapper and the astonishing implementation of this atmos wrapper is that if the game delivers stereo audio say a PS1 game it should push a stereo signal to the appropriate speakers, which gives me a lot of concerns as to whether it's carrying Tempest 3D Audio as object-based audio to the CORRECT atmos speaker for the object.

I'll test out with RE2Make and AstroBoy tomorrow as well as a few different titles, but so far this looks a bit like a disaster.

I think I misread that part, it's sending stereo to every speaker? Yeah that sounds like they dont have it sorted out right. I always wondered how they were planning to do this in the first place because it can't take zero processing power to do, and if games didn't leave extra power on the table specifically for this translation where is it coming from? Unless Sony from day one had some of the Tempest engine reserved for future potential use.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

I think I misread that part, it's sending stereo to every speaker? Yeah that sounds like they dont have it sorted out right. I always wondered how they were planning to do this in the first place because it can't take zero processing power to do, and if games didn't leave extra power on the table specifically for this translation where is it coming from? Unless Sony from day one had some of the Tempest engine reserved for future potential use.

I mean it has its own dedicated audio processor, it should be able to handle this.

Ideally what we'd want is that the PS5 would handle decoding and encoding Tempest 3D audio or whatever audio to Dolby Atmos, but to the appropriate channels.

There is no built in guide in the PS5 to breakdown your audio setup for Atmos i.e. 2 ceiling speakers or 4 ceiling speakers, whether or not you hav two rears or four rears.

So we're left to assume that the Atmos signal carries the appropriate assignments. I'm unconvinced that it does. That being said, I've only tested 2 games for about a total of 10 minutes.

My initial concerns are maybe conflated by the fact that it looks like it is either doing simulated surround sound for a PS1 game or that it is doing multi-channel audio across all speakers for a PS1 game.

 

[DenchDeckard]

It's a start, right....?

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Reading up on the execution of this, it looks like the container is Dolby MAT 2.0 and that it's set to upmix non Atmos content always, which is why the PS1 game was being upmixed from stereo.

Would have really liked if they had logic that said

Is Signal 3D Audio? Yes? Convert to Atmos Object Based. No? Leave as PCM.

Maybe just maybe there will be an auto option, but based on the option naming, it looked as though this was audio priority, so you would have thought it would prioritze atmos, but not force it.

 

[Brutal Deluxe]

Well that is correct, a proper Atmos system should only display if the game is supported, even on my Series X with Atmos turned on and setup. If the game does not support Atmos, it will display the supported codec on my AVR like DD and not Atmos. It will change to Atmos as soon as it recognises the Atmos supported codec. When I play Netflix, the menu, trailers etc. show DD or DD+, because I have premium which provides Atmos for some movies, it will change to Atmos as soon as the movie starts if the movie has Atmos etc.

What settings do you have to get the SX to work this way? On mine I have Atmos for Home Theatre (think that's the title) on but it ALWAYS shows Atmos on my amp regardless of the output of the game.

 

[GHG]

The reality is that things like dobly atmos and dolby vision are only good when the content is specifically created and mastered with the technology in mind. Dolby vision and atmos are very misunderstood in gaming circles, very few games actually utilise the technologies correctly.

As it stands, there isn't a single ps5 game out there that fits that criteria as far as atmos is concerned.

 

[Astray]

As it stands, there isn't a single ps5 game out there that fits that criteria as far as atmos is concerned.

And there likely won't be any because Sony/Dolby missed the launch window, which is the most important time to nail down standards etc.

 

[ManaByte]

I have a feeling this is essentially a wrapper, and they are translating the Tempest 3D audio to Atmos, since fundamentally they are a similar thing just implemented differently. I dont think games are going to support Atmos directly, they are going to support the Tempest 3D audio like they do now, and then the system will translate it to Atmos. That is why the games that support it are showing Atmos - I'm guessing if you play a game that doesn't support Tempest 3D it won't show Atmos (unless they are just pushing any signal including stereo through the Atmos wrapper which is possible).

Apps will probably natively support Atmos though.

There are already a lot of third party games that natively support Atmos. There’s no reason why they wouldn’t on PS5.

 

[ManaByte]

As it stands, there isn't a single ps5 game out there that fits that criteria as far as atmos is concerned.

The PC version of Returnal is Atmos. That’s a PS5 exclusive that already has support on a different platform. Easy to update it on the console.

 

[TrebleShot]

Did yall not read the notes?

This is a Atmos wrapper for Tempest 3D, it will downmix the tempest physically based 3d audio to the 32 channels on Atmos.

What this means Is any game that supports 3D audio will have Atmos support.

If you configure it system-wide, Windows also puts everything into an Atmos wrapper.

Most significant issue so far is 3D audio games assume you're using a TV as sound output no matter the system settings IE set AV Receiver in Audio settings in the game it will say 3D- TV output, this is an issue as it will effect the EQ/mix significantly.

 

[RoadHazard]

This is correct.

The problem with the wrapper and the astonishing implementation of this atmos wrapper is that if the game delivers stereo audio say a PS1 game it should push a stereo signal to the appropriate speakers, which gives me a lot of concerns as to whether it's carrying Tempest 3D Audio as object-based audio to the CORRECT atmos speaker for the object.

I'll test out with RE2Make and AstroBoy tomorrow as well as a few different titles, but so far this looks a bit like a disaster.

Maybe they're doing this because they think that's what people want. People are wowed by "surround", even when that's just 2-channel stereo spit out of all speakers. A lot of HT receivers also default to "multi-stereo" or whatever. Of course, it's trash and should be immediately disabled so you get sound only from the speakers there are actual channels for.

Or maybe this is just a bug, let's hope. Sony, being also an audio company, should hopefully be aware of why this is a terrible idea if it was done intentionally...

 

[thatJohann]

Can someone link the GAF thread that has a list of all the games that support tempest audio?

 

[GHG]

The PC version of Returnal is Atmos. That’s a PS5 exclusive that already has support on a different platform. Easy to update it on the console.

Yep but they had to redo the mix in order to make it worthy:



So other than a potential patch for the PS5 version of Returnal, I don't see them going back and resampling the audio for any other already released games.

 

[thatJohann]

 

[ManaByte]

I don't see them going back and resampling the audio for any other already released games.

Except they are.

Going to check out MWII since it’s Atmos on Xbox. Should sound much better now.

 

[GHG]

Except they are.



Going to check out MWII since it’s Atmos on Xbox. Should sound much better now.

Throwing tempest audio into an atmos wrapper is not the same as resampling.

 

[Crispy Gamer]

So with headphone users this update means nothing right?

 

[jorgejjvr]

Boooo not a fan of tempest. Wish it was Dolby over headset

 

[thatJohann]

The more I compare it, on my setup LPCM sounds better. Tempest / Atmos has a bit of a muffled quality to it.

 

[gamer82]

so i'm in the beta and have sonos beam 2 and two sl1 for rears whats the best settings to use on audio and in the games ? cheers

 

[ManaByte]

So with headphone users this update means nothing right?

Boooo not a fan of tempest. Wish it was Dolby over headset

Dolby charges a user license for headset Atmos. That isn’t an option yet.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Why would you think Atmos would work with a PS1 game?

 

[Clear]

Why would you think Atmos would work with a PS1 game?

My thoughts exactly!

 

[Justin9mm]

What settings do you have to get the SX to work this way? On mine I have Atmos for Home Theatre (think that's the title) on but it ALWAYS shows Atmos on my amp regardless of the output of the game.

I don't think your issue is Xbox based but the hardware/setup of what you are using,in this case your amp and speaker setup. It is somehow forcing Atmos even if unsupported. What do you have for your home theatre setup? I have a 5.1.4 configuration through my Yamaha RX-A2A Receiver and my 4 ceiling speakers are configured in my receiver as Atmos height/ceiling speakers so the receiver will detect if the metadata is there or not to send to those speakers and switch to Atmos accordingly. If not the receiver will show the non Atmos signal.

 

[ManaByte]

Why would you think Atmos would work with a PS1 game?

 

[DeepEnigma]

Did they pay for their Atmos license for their headsets?

 

[Games of Today]

The more I compare it, on my setup LPCM sounds better. Tempest / Atmos has a bit of a muffled quality to it.

I feel like there is more compression or forced 3D audio with tempest. I haven't used it a lot but I did try it with my PS5 headphones once and it's not even close to sounding like my 5.1.2 set up.

 

[Pedro Motta]

I've tested it with several games this morning, and I notice no huge difference from the Multichannel audio I was already using, only game that I felt a slight difference was in Demon Souls Remake, a bit more SFX separation from the rain and a bit more sound from above.

I guess we need games to support it.

EDIT: No lag like I notice on the Series X.

 

[Crispy Gamer]

Boooo not a fan of tempest. Wish it was Dolby over headset

Nah tempest on headphones is amazing on games that actually support 3d audio the problem is all games don't support it

 

[TGO]

Weird hearing people say they can't tell the difference, just on the PS5 home screen the sound domes around you and you can hear little chimes moving around.
It was like this before sure but this seems more closer and pin point in how it sounds.
I also seem to be getting more bass
Then again everyone has different setups sooo...¯\_(ツ)_/¯