The Xbox Preview Program is getting some really cool features this week. Outside of having the ability to view all active Quick Resume titles, members can also use an Audio Passthrough feature, which will provide a welcome audio boost.
For those that don't know, Audio Passthrough uses apps such as Netflix or Amazon Prime and pushes the audio straight to your sound system, rather than being processed by your Xbox. The simple explanation is that it provides better audio quality, allowing your sound system to process the audio the best it possibly can.
If you're an audiophile, or just love watching big blockbusters on your Xbox, this is going to be a great enhancement. With the growing trend of people picking up sound bars, this will allow for those to be used at their full capability, and provide crisp, clean sound. There's no word on its mass rollout to all users as of yet.
Are you happy to see Audio Passthrough added to Xbox? Let us know in the comments below.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 3
One of the most requested feature by the community. 🙌
I wouldn't even necessarily say it's "better" quality, it's just simply the "correct" audio being used by the app at the time. Though the audio can be better.
Just so people know, for Blu-ray/DVD, the Xbox already has an option to push audio to the receiver (Bitstream in audiophile speak). That option is located in the Blu-ray/DVD settings. This specific feature is for apps (and maybe even games down the road?).
What this really opens the door for is getting high-quality audio options in music streaming apps - specifically Amazon Music where audio can get up to 192kHz/24-bit quality (assuming you are paying for Amazon Music HD). I mean, I guess movies, too, but I don't think I have ever seen a movie that goes higher than 48kHz/24-bit quality unless is was a music-based Blu-ray/DVD.
Dolby Atmos already worked as long as you are set your Xbox to Bitstream Dolby Atmos (the same for DTS:X, if that's your thing). However, with this option selected, it should work automatically (where applicable) no matter what system-level audio output option you are using (though if you have an Atmos-capable system already, I don't even know why you would have anything else selected since, even if you don't have height speakers, Atmos surround sound capabilities are way more accurate for Atmos-mixed movies/games).
The Xbox is only capable of up to 48kHz/24-bit audio quality via Linear PCM (or in Xbox terms "uncompressed [audio channel]" option). It can Bitstream what it is told to bitstream since the it's your receivers job to process the audio signal and not the Xbox itself.
Wonder if this will fix the Dolby lag in games. Dolby (all Dolby bitstream formats) Atmos soundbar is useless with Series X.
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