Playstation 3 as music source

[cheekyboy]

Hi all, just wanting some feedback as to whether a Playstation 3 would make a decent source for two channel audio. Can any Playstation owners tell me if the PS3 has analogue and or digital output that I could feed to a separate DAC and thus just use the PS3 as a transport?

The reason for the question is I'm trying to set a family member up with some decent two channel equipment and he just happens to be mad keen for a Playstation 3 as well..............so I thought I may be able to use the PS3 as a two channel source instead of investing in a separate cdp. Any ideas?

Cheers,

Keith

[norpus]

PS3 has hdmi and optical outputs for audio

My benchmark dac has optical digital input, so I guess it would work ok if one sets the PS3 to 2ch output

Edited May 4, 2009 by norpus

[Drizt]

PS3 has hdmi and optical outputs for audio

My benchmark dac has optical digital input, so I guess it would work ok if one sets the PS3 to 2ch output

Just to add to this.

You have to go into the settings to enable 44.1kHz output otherwise it will always resample CD's to 48kHz. People report much better SQ with the usual 44.1kHz sample rate (output) enabled for CD's.

Other than that, the answer is yes.

*Note I don't believe transports make any audible difference.

Main downside to using the PS3 as a source is that you have to have a TV turned on to see whats going on as there is no display on the PS3 itself.

[cheekyboy]

Thanks Norpus and Drizt, I read on the PS3 site about adjusting the frequency to 44.1 for better results so it does look as though it will work okay. And if it has TOSlink output too that will work to just about any DAC.

Is it possible to connect say an additional hard drive space, store the music lossless there and playback via the PS3?

Cheers,

Keith

[Drizt]

Thanks Norpus and Drizt, I read on the PS3 site about adjusting the frequency to 44.1 for better results so it does look as though it will work okay. And if it has TOSlink output too that will work to just about any DAC.

Is it possible to connect say an additional hard drive space, store the music lossless there and playback via the PS3?

Cheers,

Keith

Re. ext hdd: I believe that to be the case. (Although you will not be able to play FLAC without using software that runs on another PC - like PS3 Media Server)

You can always stream movies and music to the PS3 from a computer on your network as well. If you download 'PS3 Media Server' you can even get it to transcode FLAC on the fly to PCM which all dacs can decode. But again, PS3 really needs the TV to be on to control it as it has no display of its own.

[60beetle60]

Thanks Norpus and Drizt, I read on the PS3 site about adjusting the frequency to 44.1 for better results so it does look as though it will work okay. And if it has TOSlink output too that will work to just about any DAC.

Is it possible to connect say an additional hard drive space, store the music lossless there and playback via the PS3?

Cheers,

Keith

You can also upgrade the internal hardrive in the PS3, any SATA 2.5" laptop harddrive can be used. Instructions for the procedure are in the PS3's manual and all over the web, the process also doesnt void warranty from what I understand. I Put a 320gb hdd in mine:). You just need to be careful with the screws as they are easily stripped.

As stated earlier external HDDs can be added, all of external drives ive bought over the shelf have worked so most should I guess. Only external drive I ever had issues with was when i converted my old 40gb harddrive into an external drive as I formatted it to a type the PS3 couldnt read.

A bit OT but has anyone done comparisons of the PS3 and the original playstation? Just interested as the scph-1002 model original playstations where meant to be good CDPs. Would be interested to see how they compare

[snakeyfi]

Is the PS3 a dual laser affair? or is it a single laser that refocuses? I only ask because a single laser will fail much sooner if your using it to play CDs and Blu ray. Probably best to stick to some kind of hard drive arrangement.

[Drizt]

Is the PS3 a dual laser affair? or is it a single laser that refocuses? I only ask because a single laser will fail much sooner if your using it to play CDs and Blu ray. Probably best to stick to some kind of hard drive arrangement.

It has multiple lasers. I know because my bluray laser died in my first unit

[Rural Rat]

Just tried this myself without changing any settings. Mighty impressed I must say. Might have a fiddle with the settings and see what else can be had. Have tried the PS 1 and 2 as well, to me they made nowhere near the improvement of the PS 3.

Guess I had better give it back to the kids though:o.

[Drizt]

Well I think I must have missed a setting. I have tried to use the PS3 as a digital transport but it didn't sound right. I had a look at the DHC-9.9 to see what it was recieving and it was 176.4 *shrugs*

[cheekyboy]

Just tried this myself without changing any settings. Mighty impressed I must say. Might have a fiddle with the settings and see what else can be had. Have tried the PS 1 and 2 as well, to me they made nowhere near the improvement of the PS 3.

Guess I had better give it back to the kids though:o.

Thanks for the update Rural Rat............I did do a lot of FLAC files for my son on a separate HD but he wasn't able to play them. I think he has to download some form of codec that will allow the PS3 to playback FLAC files.

Sounds like the SQ is pretty good...........excellent.

Cheers,

Keith

[Drizt]

Thanks for the update Rural Rat............I did do a lot of FLAC files for my son on a separate HD but he wasn't able to play them. I think he has to download some form of codec that will allow the PS3 to playback FLAC files.

Sounds like the SQ is pretty good...........excellent.

Cheers,

Keith

The only way I know of how to play FLAC on the PS3 is to download PS3 Media Server and set it to decode DTS and FLAC to PCM in transcoding settings. Ive tried it and it works.

[cheekyboy]

Thanks Drizt, my boy did get some advise from a muso friend but I'll pass that on when I talk to him next.

Cheers,

Keith

[Rural Rat]

Hope I havent misled anyone. All I did was play a selection of Cds. Ones that I know very well. I was very impressed with the result and I changed zero settings.

[Dr X]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned but the PS3 has Analog RCA output as well. You don't need a DAC.

[Juicester]

I was using a PS3 as source. Then I managed to buy a dedicated CDP. I hooked up both - playing a CD at the same time and flipping between inputs. There's absolutely no comparison. The CDP wipes the floor with the PS3 - and it's only a budget spinner, nothing high end (CD6002). I would reccommend a stand alone - even something like a CA 340c would be better inmho...

[likewise]

I use the ps3 with a 500gb external drive via usb. Works fine although can be annoying having to have the tv on, mainly because you can't turn off the ambient visuals the ps3 displays during music playback - the earth one is cool but gets a little old after a while....

[Juicester]

just turn off your telly then! it'll still play music with it off..

[likewise]

just turn off your telly then! it'll still play music with it off..

LOL good point!

I do sometimes but rarely just sit back during playlists - I like to tinker... particularly after a few

[niggle]

I connected PS3 through optical with Cambridge 840C which could be used as an independent DAC. The result of playing disc from PS3 and 840C is different. The latter is much better in stereo image. It is not difficult to understand that the latter is a dedicated CD player with a price tag of almost three times of PS 3.

[Drizt]

I connected PS3 through optical with Cambridge 840C which could be used as an independent DAC. The result of playing disc from PS3 and 840C is different. The latter is much better in stereo image. It is not difficult to understand that the latter is a dedicated CD player with a price tag of almost three times of PS 3.

I think the 840 tells you what freq./bit rate it is recieving. Can you confirm for us what its is recieving from the ps3 ?

[cheekyboy]

I'd be interested too niggle..........

[niggle]

840C as an independent DAC has to be kept under 96khz, and PS3 could be manually adjust from 48 to 192 khz, so it would be OK to adjust PS3 to 96khz .

[Keith_W]

Sure, a PS3 can be used as a transport. But I would do it only if I was extremely budget limited. The transport is slow, and it takes longer to read a disc than a dedicated CDP. There is no display, and you need to shell out extra for a remote. I have the remote, and there is a noticable lag between pressing the command and the PS3 responding (wonder if I need new firmware?)

It also gets very hot, and mine likes to turn on its cooling fan often. And the cooling fan is NOISY!

All of the above kills the PS3 as a CDP for me. But if you are asking about the audio quality ... well I have never hooked my PS3 to my preamp directly. But i'll give it a try and report back!

[cheekyboy]

It also gets very hot, and mine likes to turn on its cooling fan often. And the cooling fan is NOISY!

All of the above kills the PS3 as a CDP for me. But if you are asking about the audio quality ... well I have never hooked my PS3 to my preamp directly. But i'll give it a try and report back!

Thanks for the info Keith and I'd appreciate your thoughts on the audio quality too. The PS3 is my sons and he has a while to wait for speakers and amp so the issue of a transport is not that budget driven. Nearly all his music including all my FLAC files are on an external hard drive and the PS3 was the first choice for playback.

Cheers,

Keith