I sure would appreiciate someone commenting on this if you know the solution.

Last night and today is the first time that I have been able to really put some volume to my new M80's. I have been listing from several sources; directly from Cd's, lossless music on my pc, and using a PS3 player.

Everything has been sounding pretty good except it seems that audio(cd'S) from the ps3 either shows limitations of the recordings or the speakers. I am using Rotel RMB 1095 and swapping in two rotel RB1092 amps and always using a Rotel RSP 976 as the preamp.

The Ps3 is connected with an optical out, the PC and Cd player are connected with RCA. I have listened to the same cds using the ps3 and then the CD player and the PS3 sound much clearer and stronger at the same volume, however that annoying scratching static noise is Wrong....the only thing i have hear like this before was compareable to listing to some LP's that had a similar noise on the surface something like static.

I am stumped, any suggestions.

So you're saying you're getting a static scratchy noise with the optical out of the PS3? That is definitely not right.

I am guessing here, but have you set the audio trim on the PS3 to 0? Perhaps an overly boosted signal is causing the issue?

If you are indeed using optical out from the PS3 to your receiver, it is just sending digital information directly from the CDs (ones and zeros) and the receiver is then in charge of decoding it into analog sound to send to the speakers. In other words, scratchy noises would be the last thing I expect a digital device to introduce as it 'should' just be sending the CD data directly to the receiver to be decoded.

Of course the PS3 still could be sending bad digital data but bad digital data usually results in much different sounding issues, but I guess anything is possible.

Sorry I don't have more to offer.

The PS3 does up-sample CD audio to 48 kHz by default. There's an option to change that to 44.1/88.2/176.4. If using that mode, make sure you've only checked the boxes in the audio output setup which your receiver can support. Most receivers don't do 176.4 over optical.

A bad optical cable will make a (digital) scratchy sound when playing LPCM, as there are no checksums, and dropped bits get turned into zeros, while still attempting to play them. (Bitstreamed DD or DTS will go silent when dropped bits are detected as errors.)

most helpful...I was thinking about the settings for audio out and can not find a source to read how to change that setting.

I have selected the dolby digital 5.1 DTS5.1 linear pcm 44.1 and by default the linear pcm 48 is also selected.

the others are all not checked.

in the music settings i have adjusted the output frequency for 48 hz, but do not know if I need to do anything with the bitmapping. there are four options, either off, 1. 2. or 3. I am going to try them all.

The optical cable plays dts 5.1 great...just listened to Rush and they were sitting right in front of me, Diana Krall, Green Day and Nellie Furtado all have that static scratch somewhere in the music.

Try checking 88.2, and changing the CD output to the 44.1/88.2/176.4. Start playing a CD with the volume very low. If your receiver doesn't support 88.2 you'll get a burst of noise. Heck, for that matter try 176.4 too, just remember to be careful. I don't like the non-integer upsampling to 48 kHz.

The bitmapping settings make very subtle changes in the audio. I believe it has to do with the noise shaping of the oversampling. I think I like #3 the most, but it's really hard to judge because of the amount of time it takes to change between them. #3 is supposed to be the most computationally expensive, and while other Sony CD/SACD players offered bitmapping methods 1 & 2, only the PS3 has enough CPU power to perform what ever is being done for the third.

It does not make any difference setting the output to 176. I've not yet found that right combination. Diana Kralls voice on the PS3 sounds awful, yet the music is clear. using another output like my cd player, everything is balanced yet not as bright. There is some little thing giving me that distortion. Stumped for now but will continue to mess around with settings. I have not noticed some of the older recordings have the same issue....will do more playing before post anything else.

Two things I suggest you try

1. Change to a new optical cable.
2. During playback on the PS3. Press the "option" button on your remote. It'll bring up the on screen display. Look for the volume control (this is different from the XMB). You may have somehow set the playback volume too high. I like to keep it in the middle. When you boost the volume on the PS3 it will introduce static/noise at higher listening volume. Sort of like OVER amping you signal.
3. I have the 1987 release of the Beatles cd. They sound awful with lots of static, etc. When I got the new 2009 REMASTERED set there was a huge inprovement in audio quality. No static noise at all. Maybe the cd recordings you have just lack the noise filtering that should have been applied in the original recordings.

Hope this helps.

thanks for the reply, kind of sounds like it could be a solution, however, i only am using the controller and do not have a remote, will that matter, how would i find it using a controller?

I'm pretty sure it's the Triangle button while the music is playing.

It is the green triangle ... hit it while playing a CD and then scroll over to the little speaker symbol for the volume control, mine was set to normal but if it is turned fully up you will get static with the disc.

success!! thanks for all your help, the volume was the problem. I appreciate all of your help!!!