A Reddit thread from the YouTube TV subreddit has received numerous user complaints. The reports center around an NBC audio volume issue across multiple local affiliates.
Sound is lower compared to every other channel they watch, with some users also reporting that sound isn't coming through the rear speakers at all in surround sound setups. Here's what they're doing to fix it.
Here's why your YouTube TV volume is acting weird
Affected affiliates reported across multiple comments include WOOD TV in Grand Rapids, MI, WITN in Greenville, NC, WHO TV 13 in Des Moines, WGRZ in Buffalo, NY, KRNV in Reno, NBC 10 in Boston, KSDK in St. Louis, WDSU in New Orleans, and KSHB in Kansas City.
The NBC audio volume issue appears to be happening nationally. One commenter, Equivalent_Round9353, seems to have identified the cause. Apparently, NBC stopped sending 5.1 surround sound audio to YouTube TV. They're now only sending stereo audio, but YouTube TV is still packaging the stereo audio inside a surround sound codec wrapper.
Your TV is receiving what it thinks is the original signal, and trying to decode it as such. 5.1 is a surround sound audio format. The “5” refers to five audio channels, such as front left, front right, center, rear left, and rear right. The “1” refers to a subwoofer channel for bass.
The format offers a cinematic and immersive effect as sound spreads across all channels. Stereo by comparison is just two left and right channels, which you'll commonly hear on basic speakers or headphones. It's noticeably thinner if you're used to surround sound.
One interesting comment claimed to have insider knowledge, and knows people who work at an NBC affiliate. According to them, NBC is deliberately taking the full 5.1 feed local affiliates send up to them.
Then they intentionally downmix them to stereo before passing them along to streaming platforms. These claims remain largely unconfirmed, and Google is yet to address the issue officially.
Stereo audio seems to be the best fix for now
A comment mentions a solution as switching to the secondary audio option restored normal volume through the rear speakers. You can also try it, or go into your YouTube TV audio settings and turn off 5.1 entirely. Either way gets you back to normal stereo audio.
It's not bad, except YouTube TV markets itself as a premium live TV replacement and costs $73 a month. Subscribers expect broadcast quality audio at the price point. Plus, watching NFL games on NBC with flat stereo audio on a surround sound system is not the best experience.
YouTube TV itself is Google's live TV streaming service. For the $83 fee, you'll get access to over 100 live TV channels streaming directly to any device. That includes major broadcast networks like NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox, plus cable channels like ESPN, CNN, HGTV, Disney Channel, and many more.
It also comes with unlimited cloud DVR storage, so you can record shows and watch them later, and you can stream on up to three screens simultaneously.
