Hello, i came here because i'm a bit confused by bethesda work on Skyrim, there's a major issue on PS3 version (French PAL, but it just does the same with english version).Some sounds are really compressed whereas some other aren't, the flame spell sounds horrible and weapons attack too when the pnj voices and some weapons doesn't have this issue.

Just compare with PS3 flame spell sound and PC flame spell sound and you WILL definitely notice the huge gap of quality between the two sounds.

Of course, i tried to resolve it : uninstalled reinstalled the game twice, uninstall reinstalled the patch (which is not 1.1 for me but 2.0)
, tried on a different audio settings (DTS, dolby surround, PCM 2.0, ) tv speakers and home cinema speakers, tried on another PS3 with different disc and nothing changes it, sound issue still here

I'm being tired of issues on bethesda games that are never fixed, i really hope this one will be fixed and really soon, because 70 euro for a game that have the mention "DTS" on the box for people to think that it has great sound and when you play at it you listen to horrible sounds that are even worse than mp3 64kbps , it's REALLY annoying


Sorry for my english, i'm french

I have this as well. I especially hear it when I strike enemies with my weapons. Terrible sound quality.

I was wondering about this as well, some of the weapon sound effects are just so bad that it must be a bug, sounds like I'm hitting sand when I land my axe against iron armor.

the music have this issue too, in fact almost 80% of the sounds in skyrim on PS3 have this issue, it's kinda lame really.Sound is not as important as texture issue for people i'm sure, and we can still hear the sounds even though it's compressed like MP3 32 kbps but since nobody cares about sound i don't even know if bethesda will even try to look at this issue ... I'm kinda sad because Skyrim has great vibes with amazing songs and sounds in PC, and PS3 version ruins everything (but it's too late since i already buyed it), it's kinda unacceptable to let a game with this kind of issues

I really hope a bethesda tech will pass by and answer to this thread

PS : I tried to restore PS3 filesystem, restore ps3 database and nothing changes too.Definitely bethesda's game issue.

I agree, very annoying and disappointing bug, hope it'll be fixed this week. I will never buy a bethesda game at day one again (or at all)

Yea half the time I grab a potions, gold or any other items from a chest it sounds like someone stepping on dirt and sometimes plays the correct sounds.

I also noticed this issue when I compared the 360 version I got from Gamefly with my just purchased PS3 version. Much crisper audio across the board on the 360 version. This makes me angry because I purchased the PS3 version, like I do with most multi-platform titles, soley for the superior audio(DTS/LPCM). It's like the audio has been downsampled somewhat (RAM limitations?).


Like the original poster stated, most people don't notice or care about audio fidelity, but to audiophiles like myself, we will overlook minor graphical mishaps if the audio is superior. But since it appears that the 360 version both looks and most importantly, imo, *sounds* better than the PS3 version, I'm making a swift trade later on today.

Either your Skyrim is completely different than mine or that is a huge exaggeration, to put it lightly. The only SFX I've heard that is definitely compressed is the sound of a weapon hitting a wall or other objects, and even then it's not everything. The music sounds fantastic. 80% of the sounds? Not even 8%...

Which are your settings ? (PS3 firmware, ENglish, french, german spanish version)so much people are experiencing this issue and i'm surprised you aren't, and you definitely aren't because it's so compressed that someone compared it as "megaphone quality" sound and another person as"sound from the 20's" (and it really sounds like that)

no issues with my sound, so must be an intermittant issue with installs?

I agree with the sound clips being really bad quality. When you strike someone it sounds like its an extremely low bit rate with the mid range pumped up so high.

Did anyone actually test this game for the PS3?

that's what i was wondering

new info : it only happens withe european disks of the game, but with every european version.Thank you bethesda, really

UK version of the game here, no sound issues using the TV speakers (Onkyo Sound System) on a Toshiba FD355.

i think uk version is like us version of the game,that they share same sound file (they are both in english, why the hell would they make different sounds xD).It's more for french/german/spanish, but specially french.And a lot aof people does'nt even notice that because they don't care about sound a all, some even mute the game.so to notice difference of quality in two sounds, you have to care a bit aboute sound olol.

I have worked in video editing and completed sound engineering courses at the BBC, I think I care about sound.

I do think it's strange how the EU versions of the game have shipped without English support, is this the norm with games these days?

i don't know why they did that, it's quite unusual, specially with blu ray disks...

I think it's because of the frame-rate drop.. It was really good when I started I remember.. And thats if you mean late sound effects.. Like slash guy and 10 seconds later you hear a slash and a scream..

No sound issues for me to be honest. The game sounds really good, probably the best sound effects/soundtracks I've come across. It's one of the things I love about the ES series, the sound level is usually at a high quality when compared to other games. I mean look at Crysis 2 on the PS3.. it was a disaster.

I hope they fix it for the European guys (if it can be fixed).

I really hope so, but seeing all the issues of skyrim, i don't know what will happen for us, specially when we only are "a minority" for them