Xbox Series X will have dedicated sound card

[AdmiralMeowmix]

It's nto a surprise that Micr9osoft is also investing in Audio as Sony's original claim for the PS5 was 3D and advanced audio. People can say it's "not needed" but having surround sound in a living room and have it be more optimized and clear for the people with those set ups or headphones is a good idea none the less. It's likely not a full fledged piece like a PC soundcard but an additional part of the motherboard inside to process audio more effeciently.

[BlackManINC]

11 minutes ago, SupaKomputa said:

More ram or higher quality SSD would be better than a fancy audio for general users.

As far as i knew, motherboard sound processing have a dedicated chip for it, cheap mobo have cheap chip, higher end have better ones.

It's been "hardware accelerated" for a long time in the pc with or without add in cards.

Having another card in a console would just consume more space and cost more to make, i don't see the logic in that.

We already know it will have an SSD, with at least 16 gigs of Gddr6 Ram. On the console the ram is usually shared between the CPU and GPU. Ram isn't designed to work like it does on a PC, and nothing we know about the next gen consoles indicates any deviation from the norm. 

[BlackManINC]

2 minutes ago, AdmiralMeowmix said:

It's nto a surprise that Micr9osoft is also investing in Audio as Sony's original claim for the PS5 was 3D and advanced audio. People can say it's "not needed" but having surround sound in a living room and have it be more optimized and clear for the people with those set ups or headphones is a good idea none the less. It's likely not a full fledged piece like a PC soundcard but an additional part of the motherboard inside to process audio more effeciently.

Perhaps, we'll see. We should see a noticeable improvement nonetheless.

[GDRRiley]

sounds like a load of marketing/rumor BS.

maybe they'll do a separate board or an isolated part of the PCB with a decent sound chip but it isn't going to be some amazing change.

 

How may people actually have a  7.1 or dolby atmos surround on a TV with an xbox? Most will have a 2.1 or maybe a 5.1

 

[schwellmo92]

Everyone getting up in arms about a very loose rumour and then jumping to obscene conclusions

[greenmax]

4 hours ago, Kisai said:

Things have evolved in the home theater but have stalled on the PC and game console. Sure, yes they can be connected to a 7.1 home theater now, but you're mostly just getting a stereo mix with a heavy center channel from most games.

Thats just the way it is. I remember buying a sound card back in the 1990's, last time I ever did.

[Kisai]

1 hour ago, GDRRiley said:

sounds like a load of marketing/rumor BS.

maybe they'll do a separate board or an isolated part of the PCB with a decent sound chip but it isn't going to be some amazing change.

 

How may people actually have a  7.1 or dolby atmos surround on a TV with an xbox? Most will have a 2.1 or maybe a 5.1

 

Lots of people have 5.1 and 7.1 systems, particularly if there is a Dad(tm) who bought a 40"+ TV.

 

Those sound bars that cost a lot of money? All rubbish. Those are as good as having 2-channel audio. They might be "good enough" if you have a tiny room, but they appear to be no better than the speakers in the TV.

 

The problem today is that people don't have the space for all this stuff. If you want a proper 6 channel or better surround system, you need to have an entire living room designed around it. No fireplaces, no coffee tables, just theater seats in the middle of the room directly in front of the TV.

 

The average person doesn't have that setup, the average person put the TV in the corner, or against a wall, and if they're lucky, they have a 5.1 setup that works for them. 

 

I actually bought an entire 5.1 setup when I first moved here, and I bought all the parts used. I've not used it, and have no HDTV since, since the apartment it too small to setup the speakers in any meaningful configuration. So in this case, I was better off just wearing headphones and watching things on a computer screen.

 

So for most people, having a home theatre system requires having someone who actually cares what the audio sounds like. After my dad passed away, my mom moved everything around she was content to use the speakers in the TV, but then she kept having to crank the volume up to hear anything. So I set the surround system back up, but the speakers are not in ideal positions (the front speakers are behind the TV with no separation between them, and the center speaker is on top of them, the surround speakers are just sitting against the edge of the wall, and the subwoofer is in the corner. There is a surround effect heard, but it's more just so can hear things. I also had to turn the subtitles/CC on everything.

 

[JZStudios]

5 hours ago, minibois said:

EDIT: just to be clear, most people use 3.5mm headsets connected to their controller (because that is what Sony/Microsoft forced upon console players), a simple speaker set or their TV speakers. Even those home theater users will have a receiver and will be using optical audio. The sound is already good from consoles, no need for a dedicated audio card. I would rather them upgrade all the other stuff.

Uh, no. Most people will be using digital over HDMI and not lossy optical, especially anyone with an actual home theater setup or halfway decent speakers or soundbar.

That being said, unless MS is bringing back something like EAX (Which Sony claims to be doing) I don't exactly see much of a big deal.

5 hours ago, BlackManINC said:

Well of course your games may sound just fine without one. My games do, but that's only because I am using the sound enhancement software below. The sound would be absolute shit without it with the speakers I have. If you have really good speakers, a dedicated sound card will definitely make a difference. This is why I'm excited. 

 

Link: https://www.fxsound.com/

That's a load of crap.

"Home stereo systems and PC’s are built with an inherent compromise: keep audio components affordable, at the cost of low-quality sound playback."

So to combat that we're going to gain boost the low end and add some digital processing. That's not how this works.

Can't be much more than an EQ, and there's already PEACE and APO you can get for free, along with settings to balance out your headphones to a neutral position based on actual measurements rather than just bass boosting and "expanding sound stage." But if you like it, that's cool. Not going to say you can't, but their first statement is total garbage.

5 hours ago, BlackManINC said:

Its a dedicated sound card like you would have on a desktop PC according to the video. This would be the first time its ever done on the console. 

Ehh, I guess it's not a "dedicated" sound card, but the original Xbox was the first to have actual 5.1 Dolby output and I think even EAX with their respective chips. Why making it "dedicated" makes any difference I have no idea.

 

5 hours ago, minibois said:

How will a dedicated soundcard make a difference to:

1. most people (who use 3.5mm headsets or some simple speaker set)

and

2. people with home theater sets (who probably are already using the optical audio on a console and routing it through a receiver)

1. Sony is citing that the PS5 will have "3D Audio." Basically binaural and HRTF, ironically like the first Xbox had. It works with headphones. Ambisonic works for headphones and speaker setups. Ironically neither of the two have a dedicated card, but the Xbox had dedicated chips.

2. I think the idea is that fidelity should be improved, but I think console audio is already well above standard so...? (And again, they are not using lossy optical for a poor version of surround sound instead of lossless HDMI.)

5 hours ago, BlackManINC said:

 Well the article says "dedicated hardware acceleration". I don't see what else this could be referring to besides an actual sound card, since that's what the term usually means for PC's for audio. If its "dedicated", then that by default means its not integrated into the motherboard. 

Not really. It just means it has dedicated audio chips, which basically all modern motherboards have.

 

4 hours ago, Kisai said:

What it sounds like they're talking about is HRTF really in the article. Bringing back "surround sound" in a way that works better than EAX ever did (which was more of a reverb engine than anything.) Things have evolved in the home theater but have stalled on the PC and game console. Sure, yes they can be connected to a 7.1 home theater now, but you're mostly just getting a stereo mix with a heavy center channel from most games.

I don't think I've seen a game that only has 3.0/3.1. If it does surround sound, it pretty much does surround sound. It might be limited to 5.1, but typically it's either stereo or surround, not stereo and center. Battlefield barely squeaks by with a shockingly bad quad only mix with center reserved solely for callouts. It's hot garbage.

[JZStudios]

1 hour ago, GDRRiley said:

sounds like a load of marketing/rumor BS.

maybe they'll do a separate board or an isolated part of the PCB with a decent sound chip but it isn't going to be some amazing change.

 

How may people actually have a  7.1 or dolby atmos surround on a TV with an xbox? Most will have a 2.1 or maybe a 5.1

Honestly, if they could do proper ambisonics for 5.1 and headphones that would be a massive and noticeable change.

 

29 minutes ago, Kisai said:

Lots of people have 5.1 and 7.1 systems, particularly if there is a Dad(tm) who bought a 40"+ TV.

 

Those sound bars that cost a lot of money? All rubbish. Those are as good as having 2-channel audio. They might be "good enough" if you have a tiny room, but they appear to be no better than the speakers in the TV.

My buddy has a 75" in his living room and a big "Atmos" soundbar. It sounds fine for stereo, but the "surround" portion doesn't really work very well at all. Meanwhile I forced him to set up his 5.1 in his office/game room with his currently cheap and shitty 27" monitors.

[Bombastinator]

That was a whole big video to say one thing: Xbox series x is going to do atmos.  It’s not a super unusual tech, though it’s quite rare on older systems.

[Taf the Ghost]

7 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

That was a whole big video to say one thing: Xbox series x is going to do atmos.  It’s not a super unusual tech, though it’s quite rare on older systems.

It likely means they needed to move the audio processing off the SoC for some set of reasons. Probably just cost, as they can buy off-the-shelf audio chips for less than the cost of having it on the 7nm SoC.

[Bombastinator]

4 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

It likely means they needed to move the audio processing off the SoC for some set of reasons. Probably just cost, as they can buy off-the-shelf audio chips for less than the cost of having it on the 7nm SoC.

There seems to be a certain amount of late term cost cutting going on from both Sony and microsoft.

[Taf the Ghost]

It's also possible that the audio processor is MS' own design that they plan to reuse in other non-Xbox products. Just as a random thought.

[Taf the Ghost]

Just now, Bombastinator said:

There seems to be a certain amount of late term cost cutting going on from both Sony and microsoft.

If the Audio is off the SoC, that decision was made 2 years ago.

[Bombastinator]

Just now, Taf the Ghost said:

It's also possible that the audio processor is MS' own design that they plan to reuse in other non-Xbox products. Just as a random thought.

I got the impression it was pretty straight up Dolby atmos.  You could be right.  We shall see what we shall see

[greenmax]

15 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

I got the impression it was pretty straight up Dolby atmos.  You could be right.  We shall see what we shall see

You mean hear

[Taf the Ghost]

16 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

I got the impression it was pretty straight up Dolby atmos.  You could be right.  We shall see what we shall see

It could just be a basic Atmos part, but computer-based Atmos is done via CPU. So, this might actually be more of a secondary interface daughterboard. 

[suicidalfranco]

sound cards are snake oil

 

[Reytime]

Sony can't keep the cost down and Microsoft puzzles what to put in the box to advocate a higher price? 

[RejZoR]

6 hours ago, GDRRiley said:

sounds like a load of marketing/rumor BS.

maybe they'll do a separate board or an isolated part of the PCB with a decent sound chip but it isn't going to be some amazing change.

 

How may people actually have a  7.1 or dolby atmos surround on a TV with an xbox? Most will have a 2.1 or maybe a 5.1

 

Oh boy what has Microsoft done with sacking of hardware accelerated audio. People don't even know anymore what Aureal A3D and Creative EAX were... Everyone still thinks EAX was only reverb effect and no one seems to remember anymore that both A3D and EAX actually had advanced 3D positioning features that were able to accurately simulate position of audio using only 2 speakers or headphones. And I mean so accurate that you could close your eyes and walk through game level and know exactly where sounds were coming from. That was before HRTF was advertised all over the place and it was essentially that. A3D in its latest iterations even had audio tracking (audio equivalent of ray tracing) where sound was traced from source to player ears through bounces of surfaces. And so had EAX after Creative bought Aureal.

 

There are software solutions like FMOD that boast with same everything, even audio tracing and environmental effects, but they all sound like shit. All plastic feeling with poor 3D positioning that leaks through walls and just feels weak and artificial.

 

Only saving grace is that Creative still knows how to do 3D positioning audio filtering on top of crappy Windows 10 software audio layer so at least 3D positioning doesn't sound absolutely terrible, but other than that, there's very little going on with audio outside of game doing its own thing through its own software audio engine. People always start with "but CPU's are fast enough now" and I always shake my head since that's not even the point. CPU's are fast enough because processing is cut down and limited, it's why every damn CPU can run it easily. And it's why everything sounds like shit.

[WereCatf]

3 hours ago, RejZoR said:

A3D in its latest iterations even had audio tracking (audio equivalent of ray tracing) where sound was traced from source to player ears through bounces of surfaces.

Yeah, that was pretty fricking cool when it came out. I was pretty miffed, when all that good stuff was canceled and move to pure software-processing -- so much was lost!

 

3 hours ago, RejZoR said:

Oh boy what has Microsoft done with sacking of hardware accelerated audio. People don't even know anymore what Aureal A3D and Creative EAX were... Everyone still thinks EAX was only reverb effect and no one seems to remember anymore that both A3D and EAX actually had advanced 3D positioning features that were able to accurately simulate position of audio using only 2 speakers or headphones.

I had a Creative Sound Blaster Live! Platinum with 5.1 speaker-set that I won in a contest. EAX was, indeed, pretty nice back then, though Aureal 3D was better.

[WereCatf]

9 hours ago, Kisai said:

Lots of people have 5.1 and 7.1 systems, particularly if there is a Dad(tm) who bought a 40"+ TV

Oi, now! I raise the sexism-card! Some of us Mommies(TM) do that as well

[seon123]

14 hours ago, BlackManINC said:

but according to people that have, a good sound card will make a huge

What makes you think that they will include an actually good sound card? Also to note is that some audiophiles insist that audiophile grade ethernet cables, red paint, gold plated optical cables etc improve the sound.

[Doobeedoo]

Path traced sound? We'll see. 

[RejZoR]

16 minutes ago, Doobeedoo said:

Path traced sound? We'll see. 

Oh, we've seen it and it was jaw dropping amazing. Then Microsoft took it away from us.