the real question you have to ask first if the topic consern audio quality experience is the compression format inused in the wireless system.
On the wiiU it’s a bluetooth low rez compression that destroy the rendering. I would definitly prefere plugging an haedphone on my tv to appreciate Masseffect 3…:)

What’s really good in the next gen concerning audio quality is actually simple: memory size. It’s huge so we can hope games will use more pcm sound than mp3.

wait and listen…

I dont think that’s entirely true Robert. The hardware inside consoles like the Super Nintendo’s Sony Audio Processor and PS3’s Blu Ray’s capacity have certainly helped deliver high quality (at the time) and memorable sounds in the case of the former and capability for more files at higher quality sample rates in the latter.

To be fair; headphones are much more of a requirement (or at least very common) on the PC since 5.1 Surround hardware is much more rare on PCs whereas headphones arent as much of a priority for console designers or console developers as they have 5.1 hardware output easily available. I don’t think anyone would deny that 5.1 capability in consoles has only helped the industry.

According to the PS4 website: “Built-in Mono Speaker and Headset Jack
Enjoy high-fidelity sound effects of games from both the TV and also from the controller. Chat with friends playing online with the bundled headset.”

I assume that means the same functionality as the Wii U. As “high-fidelity sound effects” does not mean mono sound.

The Xbox One seems to actually bring something perhaps more interesting to the table – the fact that you can “Picture In Picture” television and a game side-by-side. I don’t really understand how this won’t come out as a jumbled mess for audio, since you can’t PiP a sound. However, if Xbox were to implement a sound-through-controller-headphones, it would make a lot of sense to have the tv over the main output, for example, and the game through the controller’s headphones.

Very interesting and exciting times for console audio.

Wait… There is something wrong about that…
It is not 2003 today! It’s 2013!

PC users have been using headphones for decades. Another confirmation that pathetic consoles only hamper the industry.