PCM vs Bitstream: Which Audio Output Should You Use?
Published on April 17, 2026
PCM (Pulse-Code Modulation) and bitstream are two ways to send audio from a Blu-ray player, game console, or streaming device to your receiver or soundbar. With PCM, the source device decodes the audio and sends uncompressed digital audio. With bitstream, the source sends the original compressed audio stream (Dolby Digital, DTS, etc.) and lets your receiver handle decoding. Both can produce identical sound quality. The right choice depends on your equipment.
How PCM Works
When you select PCM output, your player decodes Dolby Digital, DTS, or other surround formats internally and converts them to multi-channel PCM audio before sending the signal over HDMI. The receiver gets raw, uncompressed audio samples and plays them directly. PCM is the universal digital audio format. Every device that accepts digital audio understands PCM. The downside is that older HDMI connections (pre-HDMI 1.3) could only carry 2-channel PCM, losing surround sound. Modern HDMI handles up to 8 channels of uncompressed PCM without issues.
How Bitstream Works
Bitstream output passes the original encoded audio (Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD) directly to your receiver without touching it. Your AV receiver then does the decoding. This is the preferred setting when you have a capable receiver because it preserves the full audio stream, including metadata for features like Dolby Atmos height channels and DTS:X object positioning. If your player decodes to PCM first, that spatial metadata may be lost.
Sound Quality Differences
For standard Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1, PCM and bitstream produce the same audio quality. The audio data is identical; only the decoding location differs. The difference matters for lossless and object-based formats. Dolby TrueHD with Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio with DTS:X contain spatial metadata that requires bitstream passthrough to work properly. If you set your player to PCM, the Atmos height information gets mixed down to a flat 7.1 or 5.1 layout. For more on lossy vs lossless audio concepts, see our guide.
When to Use PCM
Choose PCM when you do not have an AV receiver, when your soundbar does not support Dolby or DTS decoding, when you connect directly to a TV, or when your HDMI setup causes audio dropouts with bitstream. PCM is also the right choice for gaming, since game consoles generate PCM audio natively and do not encode to Dolby Digital in real time (except Xbox with Dolby Atmos for Headphones). If you are working with audio files directly, our Compress Audio tool can reduce file sizes while maintaining quality.
When to Use Bitstream
Choose bitstream when you have an AV receiver or soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, or other advanced formats. Bitstream lets your receiver handle all audio processing, including applying room correction (like Audyssey or Dirac). It also displays the codec information on your receiver's screen, which is useful for confirming you are getting the surround mix. For most home theater setups with a modern receiver, bitstream is the recommended setting.
Related reading: Dolby Digital vs DTS compares the two main surround formats, DSD vs PCM covers the audiophile digital format debate, and 16-bit vs 24-bit audio explains how bit depth affects PCM quality.