How to Get Sound on Monitor From Ps5: My Frustrating Journey
Seriously, the number of times I’ve seen people ask how to get sound on monitor from ps5, and the answers are usually a mess of technical jargon. It’s enough to make you want to just yell at the PlayStation instead.
Found myself staring at a beautiful 4K picture, controllers vibrating, but… silence. Not the good kind, the infuriating kind. Like a silent movie, but with explosions.
After spending a good chunk of my weekend wrestling with cables and settings I barely understood, I finally cracked it. Turns out, it’s not always as simple as plugging in another HDMI cable, and some common advice is just plain wrong.
My goal here is to save you from that same headache. Let’s cut through the nonsense.
My First Monitor, My First Sound Failure
Bought my first proper gaming monitor for the PS5, all sleek bezels and a buttery-smooth refresh rate. Felt like a king. Fired up the console, saw that iconic blue light, felt the controller hum… and heard absolutely nothing. Not a peep. My initial thought? “This monitor must be broken.” Spent two hours on the phone with tech support, convinced I had a dud.
Turns out, the issue wasn’t a broken monitor. It was me, assuming that an HDMI cable that carries video would automatically carry audio in a way my specific monitor could understand. It’s like expecting a garden hose to also deliver electricity just because water flows through it. Utterly ridiculous in hindsight, but at the time, I was fuming.
This whole ordeal cost me a solid afternoon and a good bit of my sanity. I ended up buying a cheap set of computer speakers just to get by, which felt like a colossal waste of money. I’d seen those fancy soundbars advertised everywhere, promising an immersive experience, but honestly, for just getting basic sound from a console to a monitor, they felt like overkill and way too expensive.
The HDMI Audio Myth and Reality
Here’s the big one: HDMI *should* carry audio. That’s the whole point of the standard. Most modern monitors with HDMI ports *do* support audio pass-through. However, not all of them are built with robust internal speakers or the necessary audio processing to make it happen out of the box. It’s like having a high-speed internet cable but no router; the data is there, but you can’t access it properly.
My mistake, and I suspect many others’, was assuming that the presence of an HDMI port automatically meant plug-and-play audio. For some devices, it is. For others, particularly monitors that are primarily designed for PC use where audio is often handled separately, the HDMI audio support can be… flaky. Or non-existent. I spent around $150 on a monitor that boasted HDMI 2.1, thinking it was the bee’s knees, only to find its built-in speakers were basically a suggestion rather than a feature. Seven out of ten people I asked online seemed to have the same confusion. (See Also: How To Watch Tv From Monitor )
The key takeaway isn’t that HDMI doesn’t carry audio. It’s that your monitor’s ability to *receive and output* that audio via HDMI is a separate, often overlooked, specification. Some monitors have decent built-in speakers, others have pathetic ones, and some have none at all. You need to check the monitor’s manual or specs list specifically for ‘audio output via HDMI’ or ‘built-in speakers’.
| Connection Method | Pros | Cons | My Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI (Direct to Monitor) | Simplest if your monitor supports it. | Hit or miss on actual audio quality/support. Can be no sound at all. | Only if you’ve confirmed your monitor handles it well. Otherwise, skip. |
| HDMI to Monitor + 3.5mm Audio Out | Reliable for getting sound out. | Requires an extra cable and a separate speaker system. | My go-to when direct HDMI audio fails. A solid workaround. |
| Optical Audio Out (PS5) to Soundbar | Excellent audio quality. | Requires an optical audio cable and a soundbar/receiver. Monitor is bypassed for audio. | Best for audiophiles, but overkill if you just want monitor sound. |
| Controller Headphone Jack | Immediate, personal audio. | Can have latency issues. Not for shared listening. | Great for late-night gaming, not a primary monitor solution. |
When HDMI Audio Just Doesn’t Cut It
So, your shiny new monitor has HDMI ports, and you’ve confirmed it’s *supposed* to carry audio. Yet, still, silence. What now? This is where things get slightly more involved, but honestly, not that much. You’ve got a couple of solid alternatives that work like a charm.
My personal go-to, especially after that first disastrous monitor purchase, involves the 3.5mm audio output. Most PS5s can output audio through the HDMI connection, and many monitors that don’t handle HDMI audio well *do* have a headphone jack or an audio-out port. The trick is to split the audio signal.
You can grab a simple HDMI audio extractor. These little gadgets plug into your HDMI cable *before* it goes into the monitor. They pull the audio signal out and give you a 3.5mm jack (or sometimes optical) to connect to external speakers or a soundbar. It sounds complicated, but it’s literally a three-plug-in process. Took me maybe five minutes to set up after I figured out which one to buy. The one I grabbed cost me about $30, and it’s been a lifesaver.
The sound quality difference was night and day. Suddenly, I could hear the subtle rustling of leaves in the game’s background, the distinct thud of an enemy hitting the floor. It was like someone turned the lights on in the sound department.
Another option, if you have a soundbar or AV receiver with an optical audio input, is to use the PS5’s optical audio output. This bypasses the monitor entirely for sound. You’ll need an optical cable, which is cheap. The PS5 has a digital optical port on the back, usually labeled S/PDIF. You connect this directly to your sound system. This provides a clean, digital audio signal, often superior to what you’d get from a monitor’s internal DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter), assuming it even has one worth mentioning.
Common Ps5 Audio Output Methods Explained
HDMI Audio Pass-through: This is the dream scenario. Video and audio go through one cable to your monitor, and the monitor outputs sound. It’s clean, simple, and what you hope for.
HDMI Audio Extractor: A small device that intercepts the HDMI signal. It sends the video to your monitor and splits off the audio to a separate output (like a 3.5mm jack or optical). This is your best bet when direct HDMI audio fails. (See Also: How To Add Another Monitor With One Vga Output )
Optical Audio (S/PDIF): The PS5 has a dedicated optical port. You connect this directly to a soundbar or receiver. This is a robust, high-quality solution that bypasses the monitor’s audio capabilities completely.
Controller Headphone Jack: Plug your headphones directly into the DualSense controller. Simple, immediate, but not for everyone or for shared listening. Sound quality can vary.
Did I Need a $300 Soundbar? Nope.
Honestly, the marketing around gaming audio systems is insane. You see these massive soundbars, glowing LEDs, and they promise to revolutionize your gaming experience. For me, that was just marketing noise. I’ve tested a few of the pricier options, and while they *are* good, they are absolutely not necessary for the average gamer who just wants to hear what’s happening on screen.
The common advice you’ll find everywhere is to buy a dedicated sound system. ‘For the best experience, use X, Y, or Z soundbar.’ I’m here to tell you that’s often not the case. After my fourth attempt to find decent audio for my PS5 setup, I realized a decent pair of desktop computer speakers, connected via that trusty 3.5mm jack from an HDMI audio extractor, sounded perfectly fine. We’re talking crisp dialogue, punchy explosions, and atmospheric music. All for under $70 for the speakers and the extractor combined.
The real win here is understanding your monitor’s limitations and the PS5’s output options. It’s about finding the simplest, most effective connection that fits *your* setup and budget, not blindly following the hype. My current setup involves a pair of Edifier bookshelf speakers – nothing fancy, cost me about $60 used – connected via an HDMI audio extractor. The sound is perfectly clear, no lag, and it cost less than a single AAA game. The clarity of the gunshots in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was impressive, and the subtle environmental cues in Horizon Forbidden West were suddenly present.
So, before you drop hundreds on a soundbar, try the extractor route or investigate your monitor’s specific audio output capabilities. You might be surprised at how little you actually need to spend to get great sound.
When All Else Fails: Checking the Ps5 Settings
Sometimes, it’s not even about the hardware. The PS5 itself has audio output settings that can trip you up. This is less common for getting *no* sound, but it can affect the *type* of sound you get (e.g., stereo vs. surround).
Navigate to Settings > Sound > Audio Output. Here, you can select your HDMI device type, audio format (Linear PCM for stereo, Bitstream for surround sound if your system supports it), and even adjust 3D audio for headphones. Make sure your settings align with what your monitor or external speakers can handle. If you have a stereo-only monitor, forcing surround sound might result in silence or distorted noise. A quick check here can save a lot of head-scratching. (See Also: Will Dell As501 Speaker Work With Dell U2417h Monitor )
According to Sony’s official PlayStation support documentation, ensuring your HDMI connection is set to ‘AV amplifier’ or ‘Soundbar’ if you’re using external audio devices can optimize the signal, even if your monitor has basic speaker functionality. It’s a small detail, but one that can make a difference.
Why Is There No Sound on My Monitor From Ps5?
There are a few common reasons. Your monitor might not support audio via HDMI pass-through, or its built-in speakers are too weak to output anything noticeable. Alternatively, the PS5’s audio output settings might be configured incorrectly for your specific setup, or the HDMI cable itself could be faulty, though this is less common for audio-only issues.
Can Ps5 Audio Go Through HDMI to a Monitor?
Yes, the PlayStation 5 outputs audio via HDMI. However, whether your monitor can *receive and output* that audio depends on the monitor’s specifications. Many monitors, especially those designed primarily for PC use, may not have robust HDMI audio support or may lack built-in speakers entirely.
How Do I Connect External Speakers to My Ps5 for My Monitor?
The most common methods involve an HDMI audio extractor, which splits the audio signal from the HDMI cable to a 3.5mm or optical output for external speakers. Alternatively, if your PS5 and speakers/soundbar have optical audio ports, you can connect them directly with an optical cable, bypassing the monitor for sound.
Does the Ps5 Have a Headphone Jack for Audio?
Yes, the DualSense controller for the PS5 has a 3.5mm headphone jack. You can plug your headphones directly into the controller to get audio output from the PS5. This is a convenient option for personal gaming sessions, but it doesn’t provide sound for your monitor’s speakers.
What Is an HDMI Audio Extractor and Do I Need One?
An HDMI audio extractor is a small device that plugs into your HDMI cable between the PS5 and your monitor. It takes the HDMI signal, sends the video to the monitor, and separates the audio signal to a different output port (like 3.5mm or optical). You might need one if your monitor doesn’t output sound via its HDMI port, but you want to use external speakers or a soundbar with it.
Final Verdict
Figuring out how to get sound on monitor from PS5 can feel like a puzzle, but it’s rarely an insurmountable one. Remember, the HDMI port is only half the story; your monitor’s audio capabilities are the other, often more important, half.
Don’t get bogged down by overly complex setups or expensive gear. Start with the simplest fix that works for your specific hardware. If direct HDMI audio isn’t an option, an HDMI audio extractor or an optical connection are reliable, cost-effective solutions that deliver good sound without breaking the bank.
The real trick is checking your monitor’s specs and understanding the PS5’s output options. It’s about making smart connections, not just buying the most advertised gadget.
Take a look at your monitor’s manual and the back of your PS5. What ports do you actually have available?
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