2D Sound

https://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/

Is the download site. Simply install it, and look for configurator in apo equalizer section on start menu.

When you run it, you'll see a list of every audio device. You should see steel series gaming headset or similar. Select it, by clicking the box to the left. I think you also need to highlight the connector name or the troubleshooting box won't show at bottom. Once it does check the box and select Install as SFX/EFX from the drop down menu, and then apply and restart.

Now you still need to ensure all the other stereo settings are correct and 3d settings are disabled where applicable.

Something that was problem for me was installing the Sonar App in the steel series control panel. It creates a sonar Virtual audio device that supposedly mimics 8 channel stereo, which is also not good for FAF, but the problem was it would default to that audio device instead of the default Steel Series Gaming audio. Disabling it from the steel series had no effect, it would just reenable itself even if i disabled the audio device in device manager. So just uninstall Sonar.

Also make sure the steel series control panel isn't defaulting to 7.1 audio.

Thank you so much

Hey guys, wanted to let you know that it also worked for me.
I have an Astro A50 and I am using the Realtek SPDIF Optical Audio Output. I was just able to fix it by disabling all effects / equalizers. But then the sound was very flat and not good. I installed the APO Equalizer and now I can re-activate all effects and my ASUS equalizer. Sounds pretty nice now. Thank you!

If you want actual Virtual Surround Sound for your Headphones without using 5.1 / 7.1, i recommend using HeSuVi (which uses APO Equalizer under the hood).

I just upgraded my computer to and started having this issue. It kills the game having to deal with that, and just makes the entire game very noisy. My old computer didn't do this and I'm using the same headphones.

I have new computer install (Windows 11) and was having the same problems: When zoomed out, I was able to hear all the FX sounds on the whole map very loud but zoomed in I could barely hear any of the actions. I did not experience this on my old Windows 10 machine.

I fixed the problem by changing the following:

• Windows 11 setting: System > Sound > All sound devices > (Select your output device, your me it was "Speakers")
  - Audio enhancements: off
  - Spatial sound: off

I also have the additional sound drivers/software installed: Nahimic (by Steelseries). The following also help me:

• Audio > Effects On/off: did not seem to matter
• Audio > Gaming > Surround Sound > Disable: This is on, it creates an echo. Must be disabled.

@h-master said in 2D Sound:

I tried everything I could with a USB 3d sound headset. Didn't get it to work. In the end I am using 2 headsets. One for FAF and one for other purposes.

did you try windows accesebility setting for mono sound?

@zlo said in 2D Sound:

@h-master said in 2D Sound:

I tried everything I could with a USB 3d sound headset. Didn't get it to work. In the end I am using 2 headsets. One for FAF and one for other purposes.

did you try windows accesebility setting for mono sound?

Yes, I still hear all the game sounds even though I am zoomed out. For example, when playing a replay, I can hear all the buildings of all the bases being built.
When switching back to a 2.1 speaker set, everything is fine.

@h-master said in 2D Sound:

@zlo said in 2D Sound:

@h-master said in 2D Sound:

I tried everything I could with a USB 3d sound headset. Didn't get it to work. In the end I am using 2 headsets. One for FAF and one for other purposes.

did you try windows accesebility setting for mono sound?

Yes, I still hear all the game sounds even though I am zoomed out. For example, when playing a replay, I can hear all the buildings of all the bases being built.
When switching back to a 2.1 speaker set, everything is fine.

oh... weird, i thought you are supposed to hear pretty much everything that is in your view... i am not 100% sure, i don't remember how it is for me

@h-master I've just started getting tis too. Not sure whats changed but its a real problem.

@gyle

Are you using the same output device?

For me it's fine on the 2.1 speaker set, but the problem occurs on the 7.1 headset.

I've posted this previously on another post, but for me I have to install Equalizer APO. ( the other post specified my specific configuration, it takes a bit more than simply installing it to ensure it is working ) some trial and error might be required.
you can use the configuration editor to add a preamp to ensure it's working.
For the arctis 7 usb headset ( amongst others) that have their own quasi surround sound, this is the only method to fix this for me.
Even for this particular headset, disabling the 7.1 surround option, and setting it to 2.1 in windows has no effect.
A past version of their steel series software did not have this issue. I could set a profile to disable their surround setting for specific exe, but past a certain update, it stopped working, and uninstalling their software all together had no effect ( i suppose maybe it did something firmware wise on the headset, but who knows )
At any rate, there are some pretty nice addons for this software, PEACE GUI. there is also a 7.1 surround add-on called Hesuvi and with some tinkering you can switch back and forth from 2.1 to 7.1 profiles, but that is a lot more advanced and has it's own issues.

hopefully this helps.