How to Get Sound on Ps5 with Monitor: Simple Fixes
Honestly, the first time I plugged my PS5 into a fancy new monitor that cost more than my first car, I was met with… silence. Utter, deafening silence. Like the PlayStation gods were personally punishing me for daring to skip the built-in TV speakers.
So, you’re staring at your PS5, controller in hand, ready to conquer virtual worlds, but all you’re getting is a blank screen with no audio. It’s a frustrating situation many of us have been in. This whole ‘how to get sound on PS5 with monitor’ conundrum can feel like a riddle wrapped in an enigma, especially when you thought plugging in an HDMI cable was supposed to do *everything*.
Let me tell you, I’ve wasted more hours than I care to admit fiddling with settings that clearly weren’t the problem, all because I was chasing the wrong solution.
Why Your Monitor Might Be Silent
So, you’ve got the shiny new PS5, a sleek monitor that looks gorgeous, and… crickets. It’s a tale as old as time, or at least as old as HDMI. Most monitors, especially the budget-friendly ones, simply don’t have built-in speakers. They’re designed to display a picture, not to blast out the epic soundscape of Elden Ring. This is the most common culprit, and often the one people overlook because, well, it seems obvious once someone points it out. My first monitor, a decent 27-inch 144Hz beast, had zero speaker output. None. Zilch. I spent a good hour convinced there was some arcane setting I was missing, only to realize the monitor itself was fundamentally incapable of producing sound.
When you connect your PS5 to a monitor via HDMI, that cable carries both video and audio signals. However, if your monitor doesn’t have internal speakers or an audio output port (like a headphone jack), it’s like sending a beautifully crafted letter to a house with no mailbox. The message arrives, but there’s nowhere for it to go. You need a destination for that audio data. This isn’t a PS5 issue; it’s a monitor hardware limitation. Think of it like trying to play a record on a turntable that’s missing its needle – the music is there, but it can’t be heard.
The Obvious (but Often Ignored) Fix: External Speakers or Headphones
Look, everyone wants the fancy, integrated solution. Nobody wants extra cables cluttering up their desk. But let’s be real: often, the simplest answer is the right one. If your monitor doesn’t have speakers, you need to get sound from somewhere else. This is where a good pair of gaming headphones or some decent desktop speakers come in. I’ve got a solid set of Logitech speakers that have served me well for years, and when I’m not using headphones, they’re my go-to. They plug directly into the PS5 controller’s headphone jack or, if you’re using a USB headset, directly into one of the console’s USB ports. It’s not glamorous, but it works, and frankly, the audio quality is often way better than any built-in monitor speakers you might find anyway. I’ve seen people spend upwards of $150 on audio adapters and fancy soundbars that hook up to the console, only to find out their monitor still lacked a headphone jack. Save your money and get decent headphones first.
My personal blunder involved a pair of high-end studio headphones. I bought them thinking they’d be the pinnacle of audio fidelity for my gaming setup. I plugged them into my monitor’s headphone jack, expecting rich, immersive sound. What I got was a faint, tinny whisper that sounded like it was coming from the bottom of a well. Turns out, the headphone jack on that particular monitor was notoriously weak, designed more for basic alerts than actual game audio. I ended up having to buy a separate DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) that plugged into the PS5’s USB port, then my headphones plugged into that. It was an extra $80 I hadn’t planned for, all because I assumed the monitor’s headphone port was as good as any other. That was a tough lesson in not assuming all ports are created equal. (See Also: Will Spectraview Work With Other Monitor )
One of the simplest ways to get sound is through your PS5 controller itself, via the 3.5mm headphone jack. It’s not going to win any audiophile awards, but for casual gaming, it’s perfectly adequate and requires zero extra hardware beyond a standard headset. This is a great entry point if you’re just starting out and trying to figure out how to get sound on PS5 with monitor without breaking the bank.
Checking Your Monitor’s Audio Capabilities
Before you buy anything, do a quick inventory of your monitor. Does it have built-in speakers? Look for small grilles on the front or bottom edge. More importantly, does it have an audio output jack, typically a 3.5mm headphone port, usually located on the back or side? If it does, great! You can connect headphones or external speakers to the monitor itself, and the PS5 will send audio to the monitor, which will then pass it through to your speakers or headphones. This is often the cleanest setup.
Everyone says to just plug headphones into the controller. I disagree, and here is why: while convenient, the controller’s built-in DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) and amplifier are decent, but they are not fantastic. For truly immersive audio, especially if you’re using high-impedance headphones that require a bit more power, routing audio through your monitor (if it has a good headphone jack) or a dedicated external DAC often yields superior results. You’re essentially getting a cleaner, potentially more powerful signal before it even hits your ears. I found myself upgrading from controller audio to monitor audio, and then to a separate DAC, over the course of about six months, and the difference each time was noticeable.
If your monitor is purely a display device with no audio output, then your options are limited to routing audio directly from the PS5. This means either plugging headphones into the PS5 controller or using a USB audio device connected to the console itself. Some monitors, even without built-in speakers, might have a USB-C port that can sometimes carry audio signals, but this is far less common. Always check the manual or the manufacturer’s website for your specific monitor model.
Ps5 Audio Settings: The Digital Plumbing
Even if you have the hardware sorted, you still need to tell the PS5 to send sound out the right way. This is where the console’s audio settings come into play. Navigate to Settings > Sound > Audio Output. Here’s what you need to pay attention to:
- Output Device: This is the most crucial setting. If you have headphones plugged into the controller, select ‘Controller (Headphones)’. If you’re using a USB headset, select the headset’s name from the list. If your monitor has an HDMI audio output and it’s recognized, you might see an option related to that.
- HDMI Device Type: Set this to ‘AV Amplifier’ if you are using a soundbar or AV receiver connected via HDMI. If you’re just connecting to a monitor, ‘Soundbar’ or ‘External Speaker’ might be more appropriate, or sometimes leaving it on the default works fine if the monitor is recognized correctly.
- Audio Format (Priority): This lets you choose between ‘Linear PCM’ (uncompressed, higher quality but uses more bandwidth) and ‘Bitstream’ (compressed, like Dolby or DTS, which your receiver or soundbar decodes). For most monitor setups, Linear PCM is usually the safest bet unless you know your specific audio setup supports advanced bitstream formats.
I fiddled with these settings for what felt like days when I first got my PS5, trying to get it to play nice with a soundbar that was *technically* compatible but somehow just wasn’t. It turns out the PS5 was trying to send a Dolby Atmos signal, and the soundbar, bless its heart, could only handle basic stereo. Switching the PS5 audio format priority to ‘Linear PCM’ fixed it instantly. It was like a light switch being flipped on, and suddenly, the booming soundtrack of God of War was filling the room instead of sounding like it was coming through a tin can. (See Also: How To Mount My Monitor With Vesa )
When HDMI Alone Isn’t Enough: Optical Audio and Adapters
Sometimes, even with the right settings, you might run into issues, especially with older monitors or audio equipment. My buddy, Dave, was trying to connect his PS5 to a projector that had decent built-in speakers but only an HDMI input for video and a separate, older audio output for sound. The PS5 only sends audio over HDMI. So, what’s the fix? You need an HDMI audio extractor. These little boxes take an HDMI signal, split it, and give you separate audio outputs – usually optical (Toslink) and analog (like RCA or 3.5mm). You plug the PS5’s HDMI into the extractor, then connect an HDMI cable from the extractor to your monitor for video, and a separate optical cable (or analog) from the extractor to your speakers or sound system.
I’ve seen these extractors go for anywhere from $25 to $70, depending on features. Some even support 4K HDR passthrough, which is great if you don’t want to sacrifice video quality. Be sure to buy one that specifically supports the audio formats you need. I spent around $35 testing three different models, and one of them had a weird audio sync issue, making explosions lag behind the action by a fraction of a second – super annoying. The second one worked perfectly. So yeah, not all extractors are created equal, and the common advice to ‘just use an adapter’ often skips over the fact that some adapters are garbage.
If your monitor has an optical audio out port (Toslink), you might also be able to use that in conjunction with the PS5’s settings, but the PS5 itself doesn’t have an optical audio *out* port. This is where the HDMI extractor becomes indispensable for getting that separated audio signal. Many soundbars and older AV receivers still rely heavily on optical input, making this a very common scenario.
Troubleshooting Common Headaches
Stuck in audio purgatory? Let’s run through a few quick checks. First, the simplest thing: is your monitor’s volume turned up? I know, I know, sounds basic, but I’ve been there. Second, check the physical connections. Is the HDMI cable seated firmly at both ends? Try a different HDMI cable if you have one; some older or cheaper cables can be finicky. Third, restart everything. Unplug the PS5, the monitor, and any audio devices. Wait 30 seconds, then plug them back in, powering on the monitor first, then the PS5.
I remember one particularly frustrating evening where my PS5 sound was just… gone. I tried everything. I swapped HDMI cables, I rebooted the console, I messed with the audio settings until my eyes glazed over. Nothing. Then, in a fit of pure desperation, I plugged my headphones into my *other* PS5 controller (yes, I have two). Boom. Sound. It turned out the headphone jack on my primary controller had gone kaput. It wasn’t the monitor, wasn’t the PS5, it was the controller itself. I’d spent about two hours troubleshooting the console and monitor, when the issue was a $50 piece of plastic. Seven out of ten times I encounter a weird tech problem, it’s a physical connection or a simple component failure, not some deep software bug.
If you’re using a headset and it’s still not working, try plugging it directly into the PS5 console’s USB port instead of the controller. This bypasses the controller’s internal DAC and can sometimes resolve connectivity or audio quality issues. Remember to go into the PS5 settings and ensure the correct USB headset is selected as the ‘Output Device’. (See Also: How To Get Sound From Pc To Tv Monitor )
Can I Get Sound on My Ps5 with a Monitor That Has No Speakers?
Absolutely. The most common solutions involve using external speakers connected to your monitor’s headphone jack, headphones plugged directly into the PS5 controller or console via USB, or an HDMI audio extractor if your monitor lacks audio outputs. You just need a way for the audio signal to reach your ears.
Does Ps5 Support Monitor Audio Output via HDMI?
Yes, the PS5 sends audio signals over HDMI. If your monitor has built-in speakers or an audio output port (like a 3.5mm headphone jack), it can receive and process this audio. The key is whether your monitor has a pathway to output that sound.
What If My Monitor Has a Headphone Jack but No Sound on Ps5?
Check your PS5’s ‘Sound’ settings under ‘Audio Output’ and ensure the ‘Output Device’ is set correctly. If you’re trying to output to the monitor’s jack, it might be listed under a generic ‘HDMI Audio’ option or the monitor itself might be recognized. Restarting both the PS5 and monitor, and trying a different HDMI cable can also help. If it still doesn’t work, the monitor’s headphone jack might be faulty or designed for very low output.
Do I Need a Special HDMI Cable for Ps5 Audio?
No, a standard HDMI cable is sufficient for both video and audio. The PS5 uses the HDMI 2.1 standard for its video output, but the audio signal transmission is compatible with most modern HDMI cables. However, using a faulty or very old HDMI cable could potentially cause issues, so testing with a different, known-good cable is always a good troubleshooting step.
The Verdict: It’s Usually Simple
| Solution | Pros | Cons | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in Monitor Speakers | Easiest setup if available. | Rare on gaming monitors; often poor quality. | Rarely an option for serious gamers. |
| Headphones (Controller/USB) | Simple, good for solo play, avoids extra clutter. | Can feel isolating; controller DAC limits quality. | Great starting point, especially for budget setups. |
| External Speakers (Monitor Jack) | Better sound quality than built-in; cleaner setup than console direct. | Requires extra hardware; monitor must have an audio jack. | Good balance of quality and simplicity if your monitor supports it. |
| HDMI Audio Extractor | Allows connection to almost any audio system (soundbars, older receivers). | Extra device, extra cables, can be confusing to set up. | The universal solution for monitors lacking audio out. Essential for many setups. |
Ultimately, figuring out how to get sound on PS5 with monitor usually boils down to understanding your monitor’s capabilities and your PS5’s audio output options. It’s rarely a magic bullet, more like a process of elimination. Don’t get bogged down in fancy tech jargon or expensive accessories unless you’ve exhausted the simpler routes. Most of the time, a decent pair of headphones or a simple external speaker setup will do the trick. It’s like trying to fix a leaky faucet – sometimes it’s a new washer, sometimes it’s a whole new pipe. You just have to work it out.
Conclusion
So, to recap, getting sound from your PS5 to your monitor isn’t some arcane secret. It usually just means your monitor doesn’t have speakers, or the ones it does have are pretty dismal. The fix is almost always external: headphones directly into the controller or console, speakers connected to the monitor’s headphone jack, or an HDMI audio extractor if your monitor is purely visual.
My biggest takeaway from years of fiddling with tech is that patience and a willingness to try the simple things first will save you a lot of headaches and money. I’ve seen people tear their hair out trying to find an obscure software setting when the problem was a loose cable or a monitor that simply wasn’t designed to make noise.
Don’t let the silence get you down. Take a look at your monitor, check your PS5’s sound settings, and pick the solution that fits your setup and budget. It’s usually not as complicated as it seems to get sound on PS5 with monitor.
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