How to Make Any Gaming Headset Use Surround Sound on a PC

Updated: Jun 27, 2022 11:13 PM
How to Make Any Gaming Headset Use Surround Sound on a PC

Knowing how to make any gaming headset use surround sound on a PC provides an immersive experience that brings your game to life. Positional audio is available to anybody who uses Windows and has minimum technology knowledge.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • First, disable any in-game settings that control audio and spatial sound. After that, right-click on your sound icon.
  • Click on “Spatial Sound” and then navigate to “Windows Sonic for Headphones,” which will allow you to receive spatial sound to your over-ear headphones.
  • Purchasing true surround sound headphones might be more convenient, especially if they have 7.1 surround sound.

Even the best gaming headset might underperform where audio quality is concerned. Luckily, this article will show you how real experts use audio settings to balance game and computer audio.

What is Built-In Surround Sound Software?

Virtual surround sound mimics the 3D audio technology from multi-speaker systems, like THX spatial audio. The vast majority of 7.1 surround sound uses Dolby Atmos technology.

Sound quality is always better with multiple audio streams, whether you have a wired or wireless gaming headset.

Insider Tip

Most headsets for gaming also work with your mobile devices.

How to Make Any Gaming Headset Surround Sound on PC

If you want to balance a game’s audio experience with chat audio, a windscreen will help. You can quickly learn how to make a gaming headset windscreen if you don’t already have one.

STEP 1

Make sure that your favorite games’ built-in surround sound options are off. The computer and gaming headset deals with audio quality, so using two systems can mess everything up.

STEP 2

Navigate to the sound icon in the bottom right of your taskbar. Right-click the sound icon, and some options will pop up.

STEP 3

Choose the “Spatial Sound” option, and then choose “Windows Sonic for Headphones.” You can play with the sound profiles by changing the sliders to find the perfect balance for your spatial sound.

STEP 4

You should now have excellent sound quality. Stereo sound is only half the battle, however. A wired or wireless headset produces limited volume. Knowing how to make your gaming headset louder improves your experience.

Warning

If you want a comfortable headset, a premium gaming headset like the SteelSeries Arctis will be your best bet.

F.A.Q.S

Are wireless options and connection types better than USB headsets?

Yes, but there are a few questions to ask before investing in wireless technology for audio devices:

  • Is that mic quality fit for engaging in chat audio?
  • How many hours of battery life are desired?
  • Will this be a more comfortable headset for you?
  • Do they use Dolby Atmos 7.1 surround sound?

Are 7.1 surround sound options like Dolby Atmos worth the price?

Dolby Atmos by Dolby Digital is the preferred system of 7.1 surround sound, especially for built-in surround sound. Gaming audio is better with expensive options like 7.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos.


Are the SteelSeries Arctis true surround sound headphones?

The SteelSeries Arctis line is an excellent option for virtual surround sound headphones. For a sense of directionality, the award-winning Arctis sound is known for producing spatial sound.


Do I need to buy a premium gaming headset?

A budget headset won’t produce the same audio quality as a Dolby headphone option or the award-winning Arctis sound headsets. However, there are ways to make your budget headset better


STAT: The rapid proliferation of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and other Peer-to-Peer (P2P) audio services provide vast opportunities for covert communications. (source)

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