Thread: Correct SACD Setting for the PS3

Posts: 7

Post by zephro April 15, 2009 (1 of 7)
Wondering if someone could help me out here.

When playing a 2 channel SACD, my PS3 is sending out a 5.1 signal via HDMI to my Denon 5308CI and the Denon plays a 5.1 stream, but only the 2 front channels are playing and the sound is bad. So, I went into the Audio Output Settings on the PS3 and deselected all of the Linear PCM 2 Ch. options (88.2 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 96 kHz, 192 kHz) with the exception of Linear PCM 2 Ch. 44.1 kHz & 48 kHz. I also went into the Audio CD Frequency setting and changed it from 48 kHz to 44.1/88.2/176.4 kHz. Now the PS3 is properly sending a 2 channel signal to the Denon and the output sounds good.

My questions are:
1. Is this the correct way to setup the PS3 for SACD 2 channel output?
2. I'm I losing fidelity by setting it up this way.

BTW, multichannel SACD is coming out 176.4 kHz and it sounds amazing, this is only a 2 channel question.

Thanks to those who respond :-)

Post by FullRangeMan April 15, 2009 (2 of 7)
zephro said:
Dear Zephro,
I never see a PS1,2 or 3 in front of me, but being a SACD layer a DSD 2.8 mhz data flow that run by a HDMI output, any PCM setting will not work, unless it is a setting to PCM OFF and DSD ON (turn on),
or other equivalent adjustment. When the data stream is DSD 2.8Mhz you will be listening a SACD quality output, otherwise you will be losing fidelity (PCM outputs).
But as Iam not a expert, I can be wrong...
Regards, Full

Post by Johnbs April 16, 2009 (3 of 7)
But as Iam not a expert, I can be wrong...
Regards, Full

Unfortunately, Full is quite wrong for a PS3

See correct information at this link:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=931796

In short, you need to use high-res PCM as you cannot transfer DSD direct from a PS3.

John

Post by The Seventh Taylor April 16, 2009 (4 of 7)
Yes, you're right and FullRangeMan is completely off here (no offense) but why refer to the AVS Forum and not directly to the PS3 SACD FAQ at http://www.ps3sacd.com/faq.html? I'm not sure this question is answered there but there's a lot more detail on this topic than in that thread.

Post by FullRangeMan April 16, 2009 (5 of 7)
Excuse my ignorance...

Post by zephro April 16, 2009 (6 of 7)
I think I figured this out last night. The PS3 is a respectable SACD player when you play multi-channel discs through HDMI. It will play 2 channel discs at 88.2 kHz, but you have to deselect 176.4 kHz or else it gets confused and send a 5.1 channel signal even though it is a 2 channel disc.

Post by wolf359 April 16, 2009 (7 of 7)
zephro said:

I think I figured this out last night. The PS3 is a respectable SACD player when you play multi-channel discs through HDMI. It will play 2 channel discs at 88.2 kHz, but you have to deselect 176.4 kHz or else it gets confused and send a 5.1 channel signal even though it is a 2 channel disc.

I recently had to do a complete reset on my PS3 and could'nt understand how I managed to get a stereo RBCD to play through front and rear but by trial and error I reached the same conclusion as Zephro . There is a long but old thread on about using your PS3 for SACD on this very site. I haven't looked at it for a while but it goes into all thing to do with SACD replay on PS3 if I had looked there at first I might have saved myself some grief.

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