Glossary:Surround sound
Sound |
Sound card |
Surround sound |
For a list of games, see List of games that support surround sound.
Key points
- Surround sound is used to give an increased perception of the space around the listener compared to normal sound setups.
Related articles
More information
- PC Gaming Surround Sound Round-up @ Satsun.org
- List of games that use DirectSound3D
- List of games that use OpenAL or OpenAL Soft
- List of games that use other methods for binaural audio[Note 1]
Speakers
Discrete surround sound
Most modern games are capable of delivering discrete 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound to the listener's receiver without the need for any post processing.
Use an HDMI cable and a surround receiver with HDMI input |
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Use an S-PDIF cable and a lossy compression mixer, such as Dolby Digital Live |
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On Windows, with motherboards with more than 1 AUX output port on the back, 2-4 pairs of stereo speakers can be used to enable and/or emulate surround.[1] |
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Surround-compatible stereo
Also referred to as Dolby Surround (not to be confused with Dolby Surround Upmixer), Dolby Pro Logic II-compatible, Dolby Stereo, or 4-channel surround sound (not to be confused with 4.0 quadraphonic sound). This was first used in theaters in the 1970s, and was introduced to the home alongside VHS and Betamax in 1982, predating discrete surround sound. It was used in many venues and mediums until discrete surround sound became viable. One notable benefit of surround-compatible stereo is that it can be played back on any stereo speakers and still sound normal.
Use a surround sound upmixer |
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Use headphones |
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Content mixed in surround-compatible stereo will have a surround effect when listened to over earphones or headphones. |
Object-based surround sound
Since Windows 10 v1703, Microsoft exposed a new surround audio solution, called Microsoft Spatial Sound. To take advatage of it, games need to support it. Third party developers are allowed to publish their own implementations, with no additional game requirements.
Windows Sonic for Headphones
- Default free pre-installed plugin for Microsoft Spatial Sound.[4]
- It works best on stereo headphones.
- When games do not support Microsoft Spatial Sound output, it falls back on a virtual surround implementation, which might not be desired.
Dolby Atmos for Home Theater
- Dolby Atmos adds overhead sound by utilizing 2 or more in-ceiling or upward-firing speakers.
- Manual list of games that support Dolby Atmos
- The Dolby Access app does not require any purchase to enable the use of Dolby Atmos for Home Theater.
This requires a Dolby TrueHD capable sound card, a Dolby Atmos capable receiver and speaker setup (with at least 2 in-ceiling or upward-firing speakers), as well as Windows v1703 or later and the Dolby Access app.
DTS:X
- DTS:X adds overhead sound by utilizing 2 or more in-ceiling or upward-firing speakers.
- The DTS Sound Unbound app requires a purchase to use DTS:X with a dedicated home theater receiver.
Headphones
Binaural sound: HRTF
HRTF (Head Related Transfer Functions) refers to the way that the curvature of one's ears are used to localize sound in 3D space. Algorithms exist that can simulate this action, allowing for full 3D surround sound with just a normal pair of earphones or headphones. The resulting audio is refered to as binaural. While some games, such as CS:GO and Quake Champions include built-in HRTF options, many other games do not; requires external wrappers to enable. As such, it is not recommended for online usage. Listed are methods for adding HRTF using various APIs.
DirectSound3D
Use DSOAL |
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A pre-configured version of DSOAL that includes compiled HRTF tables can be found on PCGW, NexusMods and ModDB. Note that while listed as being for Fallout New Vegas, it can work with most DirectSound3D games.
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OpenAL
- OpenAL Soft is a free, open-source replacement for OpenAL.
- Better use of OpenAL to it's full extent by allowing more configuration.
- Includes the ability to use EAX and HRTF on sound all sound cards.
Use OpenAL Soft (Windows) |
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Notes
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X3DAudio
- A DLL that provides support for HRTF on games using X3DAudio.
- Uses OpenAL Soft HRTF tables.
- Can work for some XAudio2 games.
Use X3DAudio HRTF |
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Creating custom HRTF tables/profiles
Notes
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Rapture3D
Use Rapture3D |
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Custom quality wrapper for OpenAL games. Among various 3D techniques, provides also its own HRTF tables.
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Virtual surround
Some games do not support true binaural audio mixing (in simpler terms, stereo output with directional information). For these games, it may be beneficial to use a virtual surround sound solution (on stereo audio devices).
Windows Sonic for Headphones
- Default plugin for Microsoft Spatial Sound.[6]
- Works with any XAudio2-compatible game on any HD sound card and stereo speakers (but is designed for stereo headphones). When applications use the 5.1 and 7.1 virtual channel capabilities it exposes (not all do), it produces a stereo stream with the directional information from the multiple virtual channels.
- Free and built in Windows 10 v1703 and newer.
- It might engage on applications that play stereo audio sources and try to make the sound more "full", which might be undesired.
- It might engage on games that have native binaural/spatial audio on 5.1/7.1, potentially making the audio quality worse due to an addition downmix.
Dolby Atmos for Headphones
- Successor to Dolby Headphone.
- Commercial plugin for Microsoft Spatial Sound.[7] Uses the Dolby Access app for Windows 10.
- Works on Windows 10 v1703 or newer.
- Requires a purchase after the trial period has expired.
DTS Headphone:X
- Successor to DTS Connect.
- Built into some headphones.
- Commercial plugin for Microsoft Spatial Sound.[8] Uses the DTS Sound Unbound app for Windows 10.
- Works on Windows 10 v1703 or newer.
- Requires a purchase after the trial period has expired.
Razer THX Spatial Audio
- New surround sound Razer solution.
- Uses a virtual audio output device exposing 7.1 virtual speakers, allowing games which auto-detect the speaker setup of the system to work with Razer Surround as well.
- Works with any stereo headset/headphone; not limited to Razer peripherals.
- Requires a purchase after the trial period has expired.
Razer Surround
Not to be confused for the newer locked-down virtual surround solution Razer 7.1 Surround Sound.
- Free. A Pro version was previously available for purchase that unlocked additional features, but the ability to purchase this version was removed following the product becoming end-of-life.[9]
- Uses a virtual audio output device exposing 7.1 virtual speakers, allowing games which auto-detect the speaker setup of the system to work with Razer Surround as well.
- Works with any stereo headset/headphone; not limited to Razer peripherals.
- No longer officially supported.
- Official support page
Razer 7.1 Surround Sound
Not to be confused for the now obsolete generic virtual surround solution Razer Surround.
- Limited to only Razer Kraken and Razer Kraken X headsets.
- Official support page
HeSuVi
- Virtual surround application that mimics the effects of most popular (and obscure) virtual surround and HRTF implementations.
- Requires 7.1 output in sound options on supported sound cards, otherwise a virtual audio device, such as VB-Cable, needed for virtualization.
- Setup video tutorial
CMSS-3D
- Exclusively for Creative X-Fi sound cards.
- Some manufacturers provide their users with Creative X-Fi MB software to use it without X-Fi sound cards.
SBX Surround Sound
- Available in SBX Pro Studio Panel.
- Exclusively for Creative sound cards having SB-Axx1 chipset as their main chipsets, such as Soundblaster ZxR, Soundblaster X7, etc.
- Some manufacturers provide various Creative softwares for their users to use this surround sound.
Pure Virtual 7.1/5.1 sound over driver with Windows for some cards
- Work on Windows Vista and newer.
- Configurable via the native Windows sound panel without dubious programs.
- Works on Asus Xonar series and Creative Sound BlasterX series, etc.
- It works only with the above cards and which have this support.
Pipewire Virtual Surround Sink
- Works on Linux
- Extremely low latency
- Requires a Hesuvi HRTF file
- Move and rename a Hesuvi HRTF file to ~/hrir_hesuvi/hrir.wav and add this script to ~/.config/pipewire/pipewire.conf.d/hrir.conf and then restart your computer
Issues fixed
Sounds not playing on rear speakers when listening to 5.1 content on a 7.1 or higher system
- The standard 5.1 setup does not have rear speakers. The "surround" speakers are actually placed close to where the side speakers on a 7.1 setup go.
Use a surround sound upmixer that supports 6.1 or 7.1 |
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Disable side speakers[citation needed] |
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Use the receiver's speaker layout configuration settings to disable the side speakers. Note that this is different from simply muting said speakers. |
Older games not using surround sound on Windows Vista or newer
See DirectSound 3D restoration software.
Notes
- ↑ This includes games from multiple systems, not just PC
References
- ↑ Verified by User:Dandelion Sprout on 2021-08-10
- ↑ Verified by User:Dandelion Sprout on 2021-11-25
- ↑ Verified by User:Dandelion Sprout on 2021-11-25
- ↑ Microsoft Spatial Sound - last accessed on May 2023
- ↑ X3DAudio HRTF: Fix for sounds playing at full volume at any distance - YouTube
- ↑ Microsoft Spatial Sound - last accessed on May 2023
- ↑ Dolby Atmos for Headphones - last accessed on May 2023
- ↑ DTS Sound Unbound FAQ - last accessed on May 2023
- ↑ Verified by User:Aemony on 2019-10-28
- Can't find anywhere to purchase the pro version nowadays.