PS5 Soundbar Audio Settings: Linear PCM, Dolby Atmos, or Dolby Audio?

For most PS5 soundbar setups, choose Dolby Atmos only when your soundbar, TV, connection path, and game or app support it. Choose Linear PCM when you need the most dependable uncompressed multichannel game audio. Choose Dolby Audio when an older TV or soundbar works better with Dolby bitstream. The best setting depends on how your console is connected—not on which option sounds most advanced.

Start with the PS5 HDMI device type

On PS5, open Settings > Sound > Audio Output. First check HDMI Device Type. Choose Sound Bar when the console connects directly to the soundbar or when the connected system is identified as a soundbar. Do not leave it set to TV if you expect the console to send surround formats to a soundbar.

Then review the HDMI-output and audio-format selections. The names can change slightly with PS5 software updates, but the principle is the same: tell the console what it is connected to before choosing an audio format. An incorrect device type can make a capable soundbar receive stereo, create confusing lip-sync behavior, or prevent a surround option from appearing.

When Linear PCM is the best choice

Linear PCM is usually the strongest first choice for game audio when the PS5 connects directly to a modern soundbar, or to an AV receiver that handles multichannel PCM. It sends decoded, uncompressed channels rather than asking the soundbar to decode a Dolby bitstream. Games can sound clear, responsive, and properly positioned when every part of the HDMI chain supports the channel count.

The complication is the TV. If the PS5 connects to the TV first and the TV returns sound through HDMI ARC, some older ARC televisions cannot pass multichannel PCM back to the soundbar. In that specific path, the soundbar may receive only stereo PCM even though the game itself supports surround sound. If that happens, try Dolby Audio instead of assuming the console or soundbar is defective.

When Dolby Atmos makes sense

Select Dolby Atmos when your soundbar supports Atmos and your connection path is designed for it. An eARC TV connection is often the simplest route when the PS5 plugs into the TV and the TV sends audio to the soundbar. A direct PS5-to-soundbar connection can also work if the soundbar has HDMI input and video pass-through that meets your display needs.

Atmos can add height cues in supported games and supported streaming apps, but it is not a universal improvement for every title. Test it with content known to offer Atmos, then look at the soundbar display or companion app to confirm the incoming format. For a full connection check, read Dolby Atmos Not Working on a Soundbar? Fix the Setup.

When Dolby Audio is the practical fix

Dolby Audio is often the safer choice when the PS5 goes to the TV first and the TV returns audio through standard ARC. Dolby bitstream formats such as Dolby Digital can be easier for older televisions to pass through to a soundbar than multichannel Linear PCM. The result may be more reliable surround sound even though PCM would be preferred in a direct, fully compatible connection.

If you select Dolby Audio, test a game, a streaming app, and the PS5 interface. You are looking for steady audio and correct channel placement, not merely any sound. If the soundbar reports Dolby Digital or Dolby Audio and the rear or surround effects behave correctly, the setting is doing its job.

Use this troubleshooting order

1. Confirm the cable route. Note whether PS5 connects directly to the soundbar or to the TV first. Read Should You Connect Devices to the TV or the Soundbar? if you are deciding between those paths.
2. Set HDMI Device Type to Sound Bar. Restart the console if the menu does not refresh after changing the connected equipment.
3. Try Linear PCM first when the PS5 goes directly to the soundbar or your eARC system supports multichannel PCM.
4. Try Dolby Audio when the PS5 goes to an ARC-only TV and Linear PCM delivers only stereo or unreliable sound.
5. Enable Dolby Atmos only after the base connection works. Verify that every device in the path supports it and that the content actually offers Atmos.

Use a dependable high-speed HDMI cable during testing. Loose, damaged, or very old HDMI cables can cause dropouts and handshake failures that look like a menu-setting problem.

TV settings still matter

When the PS5 connects to the television, open the TV sound menu as well. Select HDMI ARC/eARC, Receiver, or External Speakers. If the TV provides Pass-Through, Bitstream, or Auto, select it rather than forcing the TV itself to PCM. The TV needs to send the console’s chosen format onward to the soundbar.

If the soundbar keeps receiving the wrong format, power off the TV, PS5, and soundbar, unplug them for about a minute, then reconnect and turn on the TV first. That gives HDMI a fresh opportunity to exchange audio capability information. For broader ARC troubleshooting, see Soundbar eARC Not Working? Fix the Connection Step by Step.

Do not confuse game audio with chat audio

Headsets, party chat, and controller-connected accessories may use separate settings from HDMI game audio. Test with a game scene or a streaming title after disconnecting a headset. If surround works without the headset but changes when it is connected, review the PS5 chat-output and headset settings separately. A PS5-compatible HDMI cable may be worthwhile when you also need high-bandwidth video features.

Frequently asked questions

What PS5 audio setting is best for a soundbar?

Linear PCM is excellent for a direct, compatible soundbar connection. Dolby Audio can be the better choice through an older ARC television. Use Dolby Atmos only when your soundbar and connection path support it.

Should PS5 HDMI Device Type be TV or Sound Bar?

Choose Sound Bar when your console is connected directly to a soundbar or the system is functioning as one. The wrong device type can lead to an incorrect audio output.

Why does PS5 Linear PCM give me stereo only?

This usually happens when an ARC-only TV cannot pass multichannel PCM back to the soundbar. Try Dolby Audio, or use eARC or a direct soundbar connection if your equipment supports it.

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