Is there any way to make sounds better w/out a big system?

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Not_A_Guest

Not_A_Guest

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I didn't find any other threads on this, so I wanted to start a new one.

I don't have the time or budget to get a new sounds system installed, but I heard that there are ways to make the sounds easier to withstand. Do you need to have one of the more complicated systems, or can I just tweak a few settings here and there and get it to sound better on my single TV?

I'm desperate for change, even a tiny improvement will be awesome if there is one :)
 
I have found that I no longer run the sound through my HT set up but have reverted to just the TV speakers and then turn the volume down. I would rather have quieter rubbish than reproduced high fidelity garbage.

And don't even get me started on tyre squeal!
 
Just wait for the new sound update, & hope that they do a good job of it! ;)
 
dr3w
I'm using those gaming headphones, and it sounds way better than my tv.
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The Turtle Beach headphones with the 8 tone settings lets you adjust the sound for a more realistic experience.....at least much better than the actual sound from the game.
 
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The Sony Stereo Wireless headset is outstanding. It will do Dolby 7.1 audio between your ears. However if you don't want to get the Turtles, you may not want to do the Sony's either. Soooooooooo.............................

1. If you have digital cable, run one from the back of your PS3 to the digital input on your HDTV.

2. Buy a PS3 Component AV cable, and a "female" Y adapter that will accept the male connector from the component cables. The find a cheap pair of stereo headphones and plug them into the remaining Y adapter port.

3. If you have powered speakers for music, and they will accept either a digital or RCA input, use those speakers.

You should be able to find Y adapters that will allow you to use smaller sized connectors for the headphones you get.
The bottom line is you will have to spend some cash. But nothing like investing in a sound system.
 
Not_A_Guest
... I heard that there are ways to make the sounds easier to withstand. Do you need to have one of the more complicated systems, or can I just tweak a few settings here and there and get it to sound better on my single TV?... :)
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Turn up the bass and turn up the volume. Turn on surround sound if you have the option on your TV (even if you don't have an external surround sound system). That's about all you can do without adding better speakers and or intermediary amplification/processing equipment.

I bought an ~inexpensive set of computer speakers (~$50) and run the TV audio through them. It makes a definite difference, but if you're on a limited budget then adjusting the audio is about all you can really do. ...Hmm... unless you have an old stereo system you can drive from the TV.
 
welp, I guess that's it. If sound is the most of my problems (which it is), then I really don't have anything to worry about (^^;
 
I picked up some turtle beach px 22's at wally world for $79 the other day and they work great. Seperate treble/bass controls and mp3/phone inputs for my music. You can get essentially the same ones without the mp3 input for about $50.
 
Not_A_Guest
Like I said, I don't have ~$100 to spend on Turtle Beaches...
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Do you have a music system with semi decent speakers? You might be able to take a stereo signal from the telly into that. Chances are you've better speakers on that than the telly.

Try playing with the sound options in game set to small or large theatre. Those sounds are less compressed so more easily differentiated in the mix. The volume drops in those though so you might need to crank up the level.

Make sure your PS3 has the right audio output options set. Set it up manually just to output stereo to your tv. If your ps3 is outputting sound in 5.1 surround some of the sound may be lost. Eg most exhaust sounds on my 5.1 system (6 speakers) comes from the rear 2 surround speakers. I can turn those up higher relative to the other speakers and get a better growl along with a decent sub woofer. Sometimes the sound is awesome (although some cars have "turd" sound Phil is referring to). Anyway make sure your output matches what the speakers are capable of.

Some of that may help for little cost.
 
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I have nice 5.1 headphones (Astro A40's) and a really nice home theater (5 speakers, each with 2x 6.5" aramid/basalt composite mids and 2x 1" doped silk dome tweeters, a nice yamaha sub, and a nice yamaha receiver, been working at an audio shop for a decade).

Headphones can use optical with dolby 5.1 or stereo, surround sound is optical or HDMI with more modes than I can list (literally everything the Ps3 can output).

Sound always sucks. Changed PS3 audio mode, still sucks. Wheel squeal is so overpowered and boosted you can hear the distortion/crackle/clipping at any volume. Switching to "small theater" in the sound settings improves engine sounds but nerfs the music. Cars with stock exhaust are so quiet you can't hear when to change gears in bumper/cockpit mode with any sound setting.

I hope they release a patch, the levels mixing is horrible and they gave us nothing to adjust it like other notable games have. I could fix it in 30 seconds if they gave us sliders like the PC sims or Grid did.
 
Not_A_Guest
I didn't find any other threads on this, so I wanted to start a new one.

I don't have the time or budget to get a new sounds system installed, but I heard that there are ways to make the sounds easier to withstand. Do you need to have one of the more complicated systems, or can I just tweak a few settings here and there and get it to sound better on my single TV?

I'm desperate for change, even a tiny improvement will be awesome if there is one :)
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Play Forza, even if the game is arcady, they at least understand how to make cars sound awesome.........
 
Hookecho
Play Forza, even if the game is arcady, they at least understand how to make cars sound awesome.........
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If I don't have money to get a new sounds system or even headphones, how do you think I have the money to get an Xbox 360 and Forza 4?
 
I have a pretty nice home theater system and the cars still sound like crap.

Not_A_Guest
If I don't have money to get a new sounds system or even headphones, how do you think I have the money to get an Xbox 360 and Forza 4?
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Well, there is a huge difference between purchasing a game console and one game Vs. plunking down thousands of dollars on a decent sound system.
 
A decent sound system does not cost thousands of dollars. This isn't 1973 anymore. You can pick up higher quality audio at a small fraction of the cost of even a "better than average" sound system from that time period.

Regardless, if the OP doesn't have the money for (ie, cannot afford) even a set of <~$100 speakers w/thumper, then the only thing she/he can do is adjust the volume and tone controls or yank the speakers from her/his computer, or route the sound through any general purpose "stereo system" in her/his possession. I would encourage the OP to consider even at least a set of ~$20-30 computer speakers (EDIT: the powered kind, Radio Shack, Walmart, Dollar Store, or your local variant, etc. They're ubiquitous - everywhere), since they have more "oopmh" than most TV speakers, but aside from that there isn't much else can be said. Increase bass, increase volume.
 
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I have a buddy that has a over $3000 dollar sound system. I don't know much about them, but he claims it's great for the money. We were playing GT and yes it sounds better with the added bass and all. But I really don't see the point if it's used mainly to enhance your GT experience. It doesn't transform horrible sounds into better ones. If anything it's just louder. But it sounds great with music. Just get some budget ones like people are recommending.
 
Crap audio is still crap through a £100 system or a £100,000 system.
It cannot change the samples that are complete cack!
 
I use a Sony HTC260H soundbar with a subwoofer connected with HDMI and optical cable. Yes, some[call it what you prefer, not here to argue] cars still have a large amount of "whoosh" or transmission whine. It boosts the bass a smidge and saves my TV speakers. I did not buy it strictly for this game.
 
I am running GT6 thru a Yamaha RX1010 with Polk Audio mains and Paradigm surround, center, and a 900 watt Paradigm Monitor Sub 12" powered sub. 99% of the cars sound like different variations of a Dustbuster mixed with a shopvac with a smattering of a hair drier.......

As great as the GT series is, and I've only been here for 5 and now 6, the sounds of the cars are diabolically bad. As I said before, if you want great car sounds and the experience of driving on ice like surfaces then get a used 360 and a copy of FM4, otherwise I might suggest turning the volume down and making the engine sounds yourself, not sure what to tell you other than who ever PD has doing the sounds for this game is freaking tone deaf.

I love the GT40 Mk IV sounds......the idle rumble is great!......until you still hear it over the top of a WOT on the Mulsanne at 200 mph. Even when they get it half right they screw it up
 
Turn the bass up and the treble down.

Otherwise you do need a decent sound system, which really isn't worth buying because most sounds in GT aren't very good. There are some cars that sound good though. Hue always had a decent system, sometimes a very good one. Relatively speaking anyway. My favourite one I had was Cambridge Audio speaker system with Onkyo amp, and let me tell you, yes it does make a big difference. You hear things you didn't hear before, literally. But still not worth it just for this game.
 
Not_A_Guest
If I don't have money to get a new sounds system or even headphones, how do you think I have the money to get an Xbox 360 and Forza 4?
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xiando
A decent sound system does not cost thousands of dollars. This isn't 1973 anymore. You can pick up higher quality audio at a small fraction of the cost of even a "better than average" sound system from that time period.
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I'm guessing our ideas of decent are radically different.

And where did you come up 1973 as a reference to/for anything? I'm talking about right now. I was 8-years old in '73.

Of course, I'm considering the cost of a whole setup, rather than just the audio components themselves. Still, good (not great) speakers can easily cost into the thousands. Hell, lower mid-range speakers will start at around $1,000. Our current speakers are extremely moderate, and they ran almost $2,000, not counting the speaker wire and subwoofer cable. Going by your response, you're probably either not into quality audio or really don't know what it is (no offense). Then again, I don't know what kind of a dollar amount you're talking about when you say a small fraction.
 
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Yes, our mindsets are radically different. Radically so. About an order of magnitude different I'd say. I know a bit about audio myself, having been a musician and writer for over four decades, master of two instruments but familiar with a dozen. 99% of people have no need of $2000 speakers and other gilded components. Re read the OP's comments for a basis?
 
xiando
Yes, our mindsets are radically different. Radically so. About an order of magnitude different I'd say. I know a bit about audio myself, having been a musician and writer for over four decades, master of two instruments but familiar with a dozen. 99% of people have no need of $2000 speakers and other gilded components. Re read the OP's comments for a basis?
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My initial comment was comparing the purchase of a 360 with one single game (now a budget title) to that of an audio system. A base 360 with FM4 can be had for around $200-$250 retail (I haven't priced them recently). That is a radically different price point than that of an entire audio system. If not, then we're talking about an extremely low end audio system.
 
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