YouTube TV viewers across the country are having trouble hearing NBC shows

Source: Android Authority

TL;DR

• YouTube TV subscribers are experiencing audio issues with NBC network stations.
• The volume is roughly half the level of other channels.
• It’s suspected that NBC may not be sending 5.1 surround‑sound audio to YouTube TV.

YouTube TV users are reporting a significant drop in volume and a reduction in audio quality for both local NBC affiliates and national NBC programming. The problem is not limited to a single region; reports are coming from viewers across the United States.

Reports

The issue has been widely discussed on Reddit (via Cord Cutters News). Affected subscribers say that NBC affiliate audio is about half as loud as other channels, forcing them to increase their TV volume dramatically. Some also describe the sound as muffled.

Possible cause

One commenter on the Reddit thread suggests that NBC has stopped sending 5.1 surround‑sound audio to YouTube TV. While YouTube TV still “wraps the (stereo PCM) audio in a 5.1 AC3 wrapper with surround‑sound metadata,” the lack of a true multi‑channel source may cause the stream to be downmixed to stereo, resulting in lower volume and diminished audio quality.

Impact and next steps

The issue is especially noticeable during high‑profile events such as the NBA playoffs, when many viewers rely on NBC for live coverage. Android Authority has reached out to Google for comment and will update the article as new information becomes available.