Why is Apple TV 4 movie audio quality so bad?

The only way to get decent audio for an iTunes purchased movie is to download it locally. Then when watching via ATV do not do so using ‘Purchased’ menu but go into Computer/ Movies. The sound is MUCH better. This is unfortunate though because not everyone can download 100’s of movies locally.

I know this thread is a little old, but I just wanted to add something I noticed recently.

I always felt the sound output from the Apple TV (v4) was missing some "oomph" especially considering it's connected to a very decent audio/video system.

The other day, instead of using the Apple TV, I did Airplay straight from my iPhone to the Denon Receiver. It sounds amazingly better - full of life and very punchy.

Same exact issue here. Apple does not support good quality audio. No DTS/Atmos or really even 7.1. It seems that Apple does not support bitstream uncompressed quality (which is really weird) as I would love to have high quality audio available through my pioneer receiver. The volume is 100% lower and crappier on the new 4k Apple TV compare to competitor services and devices. I have already returned my Apple TV because of the poor audio tracks for iTunes movies and tv shows. I really hope within the next month they update their lacking system for the high price of $179 (32gb). Give us the option to have uncompressed audio and support the newer audio formats please. I think the Apple TV 4k is really awesome but truly under developed as far as audio support. BITSTREAM UNCOMPRESSED please. DTS, 7.1, Atmos support needs happen ASAP. Truly lacking as one of the biggest companies.

That link does not do anything. My surround quality is already set to the best quality. The problem is that the ATV does not seem to be passing bitstream but decoding itself and sending multi channel lpcm at a much lower volume.

Mainly I find it most odd that audio on the auto setting is the most inconsistent as for audio quality. Dispite articles stating otherwise. Not sure why but it does seem to be linked to the Apple TV audio source. 5.1 setting seems to output more of a stable output.

Have you had a look here:

https://support.firecore.com/hc/en-us/articles/217735707-Audio-Options-tvOS-

So I’m happy to report it appears at least in my occasion the poor sound quality was attributed to the VUDU app. I tried using Netflix as well as my plex server and the audio was much much better. VUDU needs to seriously update their app

I have exactly the same problem with my ATV 4K. Volume in iTunes movies is too low. Even when I turn it up it seems to lack punch. Sounds muffled. I don't have this problem when playing two channel music through Apple music or Tidal. iTunes movie trailers are fine too. Seems to happen only to full movies with surround sound. On my ATV3, my receiver used to get Dolby digital plus. On this device it seems to get multi channel lpcm. Seems the ATV is doing the decoding itself and not sending bitstream to my receiver, and doing something bad in the process.

Has anyone solved it yet?

I’m trying to have consistent audio. It is now a known issue that the Apple TV 4k does not support good quality audio. Many users have to constantly turn up and down the volume, dialogue seems muffled (despite any enhancements I make via the receiver/speakers) and even more hilarious is that amazon prime app and vudu only support stereo settings. Apple is way behind in innovation when it comes to audio quality via the Apple TV. They finally enabled good quality as for streaming video but it’s almost pointless since the audio is garabage. Please update this Apple. They get away with it because many people use there tv speakers but still. Time to step up your game. This is not acceptable anymore.

I have the same exact receiver and issue with Apple TV content. Demo’ed a movie off “Purchsed Movies” last night for a friend and sound was kinda loud after turning way up but nothing like a Physical media. I have a gen 3 ATV and never really seemed to have issue in past. It is so much easier to pull up movie on ATV vs dig out media - but I am now wondering and thus search and finding this string. It is good to hear the ATV5 Gen foxes the issue.

I am going to try playing movie via - Computer/ downloaded streaming rather than purchased movies and see if that helps. If not I will have to swap to Gen 5. I cannot thank you enough for posting!

That is a good article but still shows it is not uncompressed bitstream formats. Testing other devices this is again the most unreliable as for audio goes. PCM format is the format on the receiver and I am not sure how or why the article would show otherwise. The Apple TV is doing the decoding not the receiver. Below average audio

I am having the same issue as well. This is my first time using any Apple TV product, I purchased the 4k one so i can play most of my 4K content. The first thing i noticed was that the Apple TV doesn't do pass through audio which lets the receiver do all the work. Every media player i have used and owned has this feature. I don't know why Apple wants to take full control of the audio and decode it itself? If Apple allowed pass through audio then we wouldn't have to also wait for them to implement Dolby Atmos.

Does anyone know why Apple wants to be in full control of the audio?

I tried a movie via “computer” streaming and the sound was MUCH better. Only thing I can tell is they must ‘pinch’ the audio signal when streaming from ITunes. I am not sure if I want to download every movie locally... while I have nowhere near the quantity you do, I do have a couple hundred so it would eat a fair amount of drive space. I may end up getting a new AT. At least I know that is now an option. Thanks again!

With my AppleTV, I downloaded the Spider-man: Homecoming movie and the voices sound like they are coming from an underground well. Very weak. Never had the problem with movies before. Good quality in the past. Other movies sound good... its just this one. YouTube plays well over the Apple TV. *head scratcher*

I performed a full reset and installed the latest software version. I assume this cleared any memory or movie cache storage. Voices still sound off and weak. Frustrating.