YouTube sound quality - not what you may think

[gez]

Anybody else here noticing that YouTube videos often have random soft clicks in the audio?

Sometimes they're clearly associated with video edits, but other times they're seemingly random, only they're not because if you go back and replay the same section of video the click happens in exactly the same place. I'm watching YouTube on a built in app on my smart TV. I've never noticed it before. i.e. not on my laptop, not when playing YouTube through my Arcam amp (though at that time I mostly used TV > CD > Analogue input to the Amp. I did use TV > Digital input to the Amp, but I can't recall noticing any clicks. But ever since I've been watching YouTube TV > Digital input to my Hegel I've started to notice these clicks. Obviously my first thought was that it was something going on with either the inbuilt DAC or maybe the TV optical output was somehow the cause and the Hegel DAC was somehow more senstive to a problem. But it only happens on YouTube. When I watch Broadcast TV, or Netflix, Amazon Video, Disney + etc on my TV through the amp I don't get the issue.

I'm at a loss. Is it just YouTube?

NB: it only ever seems to happen in actual YouTube content, not during any of the Ads on YouTube, and it doesn't happen in all videos.

 

[Tony L]

I watch endless hours of YouTube and haven’t noticed this at all. I just run the Sony (Android) TV’s headphone/line output into as Audio Synthesis passive pre and a Quad 303 into Spendor S3/5R speakers, so no digital re-processing here. My suspicion is that will be where your problem lies.

PS I pay the ‘Premium‘ fee to get rid of the ads.

 

[gez]

I watch endless hours of YouTube and haven’t noticed this at all. I just run the Sony (Android) TV’s headphone/line output into as Audio Synthesis passive pre and a Quad 303 into Spendor S3/5R speakers, so no digital re-processing here. My suspicion is that will be where your problem lies.

PS I pay the ‘Premium‘ fee to get rid of the ads.

It certainly sounds like digital related clicks. Unfortunately I have no way to output analouge audio from the TV.

I have another optical cable. I give that a try and see if it helps.

The bit that's confusing me though, is that it's consistently repeatable on an affected video. I can back track and replay the section and get exactly the same click at the same point in the replay. Which would seem to indicate there's something in the content itself that's the root cause, but is somehow being passed through to my Amp now when it wasn't before.

 

[Tony L]

Has the TV got inbuilt speakers? If so cross-check with those. That would narrow it down a bit.

To be honest I know nothing about TV sound standards these days, I’ve no idea what audio formats YouTube accepts for upload and whether there may be a range of formats a DAC has to cope with etc. It really isn’t my knowledge area, I’m staying analogue as long as I can!

 

[gez]

Good idea, don't know why I hadn't thought of that.

Anyway, somewhat unsurprisingly a different optical cable has not made a difference.

Edited to add. On one video at least, it's also happening through the TV speakers, so I can rule out anything to do with my amp etc.. So maybe it's a bug in the YouTube app. I'll try reinstalling it.

 

[ToTo Man]

I get occasional 'clicks' from the digital output of my Virgin V6 box regardless of what channel I'm watching. However, I'm pretty sure this is because I'm routing the audio through the optical input of my Mac Mini (I do this so that I can record the audio if I wish to). My hunch is that the Mac Mini's digital input is very sensitive to imperfect optical data streams. My parents have the optical output of their V6 box connected to a Marantz amp and they don't experience clicks. Another issue that's plagued me with routing the V6's audio through my Mini is that it often takes several attempts of engaging Input Monitoring in Audacity to produce audio output that's not imprinted with a subtle but annoying 'swooshing' sound. I keep meaning to record a sample of it to illustrate what I'm talking about, because I haven't come across this issue anywhere else!

 

[les24preludes]

I watch endless hours of YouTube and haven’t noticed this at all.

I watch hours and hours of YouTube and the sound is perfectly fine. No complaints except looking for ways to defeat the ads. I use my Mac Pro as source for everything, then into my Dac and directly into my SE valve amp.

 

[Tony L]

I watch hours and hours of YouTube and the sound is perfectly fine. No complaints except looking for ways to defeat the ads. I use my Mac Pro as source for everything, then into my Dac and directly into my SE valve amp.

The Mac may well be significant as IIRC MacOS resamples everything to 16/48, so will be giving the DAC one task to do. Given the nature of YouTube and the plethora of sources I’m not sure what its format is or whether it resamples everything. I have a feeling there are multiple supported audio formats on YouTube.

 

[John]

YouTube primarily uses AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) for its audio streams, but it can support PCM as well. When watching YouTube videos, the audio is typically encoded in AAC format, but if you have a device that supports PCM audio decoding, it should be able to play YouTube audio in PCM format as well.

However, it's worth noting that YouTube's audio quality is generally optimized for streaming, so the differences between PCM and AAC may not be very noticeable in this context.

The quality of YouTube audio through the analog output on a TV can vary depending on factors such as the TV's digital-to-analog conversion capabilities and the quality of the analog connection (e.g., RCA or headphone jack). Generally, the audio quality might not be as high as with digital connections like HDMI or optical, but it should still provide acceptable sound for casual viewing. However, if you're an audiophile or looking for the highest fidelity, you may prefer using a digital connection if your TV and audio equipment support it.

 

[x21]

YouTube primarily uses AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) for its audio streams, but it can support PCM as well. When watching YouTube videos, the audio is typically encoded in AAC format, but if you have a device that supports PCM audio decoding, it should be able to play YouTube audio in PCM format as well.

However, it's worth noting that YouTube's audio quality is generally optimized for streaming, so the differences between PCM and AAC may not be very noticeable in this context.

Incorrect. Youtube has switched to using OPUS as the primary codec. Not once have I seen PCM be used.

 

[John]

Opus and AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) are both audio codecs commonly used for compressing audio files and streaming audio over the internet. Here's a comparison between the two:

1. **Compression Efficiency:** Opus generally offers better compression efficiency than AAC, especially at lower bit rates. This means Opus can deliver comparable audio quality at lower file sizes.

2. **Versatility:** Opus is more versatile in terms of its ability to handle a wide range of audio applications, including speech, music, and general audio. AAC is primarily designed for general audio encoding but is also widely used for streaming and storing music.

3. **Latency:** Opus has lower latency compared to AAC, making it suitable for real-time applications such as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and online gaming.

4. **Openness and Licensing:** Opus is an open, royalty-free codec, which means it can be used freely without licensing fees. AAC, on the other hand, requires licensing for certain uses, although it's widely supported and licensed by many companies.

5. **Compatibility:** AAC is more widely supported by devices and platforms, especially in the context of commercial music distribution and streaming services like iTunes and Apple Music. Opus is gaining traction but may not be as universally supported in all devices and software applications.

In summary, Opus generally offers better compression efficiency, lower latency, and more versatility compared to AAC, but AAC has broader compatibility and support in commercial applications. The choice between the two depends on specific requirements such as desired audio quality, target platform compatibility, and licensing considerations.

 

[x21]

The only platform that will likely default to AAC is Apple devices running safari as it is practically the new Internet Explorer.

 

[John]

1. Audio Compression: Both YouTube and Spotify use audio compression to stream music over the internet. YouTube primarily uses AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), while Spotify uses the Ogg Vorbis codec. The bit rate and quality settings for these codecs can affect the perceived sound quality.
2. Bit Rate: The bit rate of the audio streams on each platform can influence sound quality. Spotify offers different quality settings, with the highest quality typically being 320 kbps for premium subscribers. YouTube’s audio bit rate can vary depending on the source material and streaming resolution but generally ranges from around 128 kbps to 256 kbps.
3. Content Source: The quality of the original audio source uploaded by content creators on YouTube can vary significantly. Spotify maintains a library of songs from various artists and record labels, which are typically encoded at a consistent quality level.
4. Device and Playback Quality: The quality of audio playback also depends on the capabilities of your playback device (speakers, headphones, etc.) and the quality of the digital-to-analog conversion.

Overall, Spotify’s highest quality settings generally provide better sound quality compared to YouTube, especially for music listening. However, individual preferences and use cases may vary, and YouTube offers a vast library of content beyond just music.

 

[x21]

Did you have ChatGPT write that for you?

 

[davidsrsb]

Checking the nerd info, the YouTube streams I looked at all use the Opus CODEC.
My thought is that timing errors should not be repeatable. A CODEC bug generating digital overflows is more likely.

 

[John]

Did you have ChatGPT write that for you?

Yes, I couldn’t be bothered to summarize it myself but thought it was information worth sharing.

You seem to have questioned the accuracy of some of the information regarding AAC. I’m not convinced you’re correct regarding the usage of ACC with YouTube. It appears to me that ACC provides better sound quality for music so I’m hoping you’re wrong!

 

[x21]

Yes, I couldn’t be bothered to summarize it myself but thought it was information worth sharing.

You seem to have questioned the accuracy of some of the information regarding AAC. I’m not convinced you’re correct regarding the usage of ACC with YouTube. It appears to me that ACC provides better sound quality for music so I’m hoping you’re wrong!

1. I didn't question anything about AAC. I do however know the formats google is currently using. (PCM is not one of them)

2. As for AAC sounding better this is also not the case. OPUS sounds far better at every bitrate. In fact I would put 112kbit/s OPUS above AAC at 256kbit/s for sound quality.

3. Finally one place I know youtube uses AAC by default is live streams. That's about the only time they default to it over VP9 and OPUS. (That and Apple)

Here's a list of every format for a video.

I would guess the 73kbit/s opus is comparable to the best AAC on the list.

 

[John]

What is the source of your information?

 

[x21]

What is the source of your information?

I'm currently using yt-dlp to list the formats.

 

[Riotvan]

Yeah i hear some weird things as well sometimes, sounds like digital clipping. Happens on the tv connected with optical to my stereo and also on my desktop. It’s repeatable for a given video. They’ve been messing so much with it lately trying to fight the ad blockers and that’s when the problems started for me. I even get delayed starts etc even though i have premium.