HOW TO: Fix low sound volume : V - Skyrim

» Tue May 29, 2012 5:35 am

Since many seems to still have this issue, I'm posting the same thing I posted in the other thread so more people can see the solution. If you are experiencing low volume and you're listening to stereo speaker setup or headphones use the following settings as it seems Bethesda is not supporting stereo channel mixing correctly and it's NOT a specific hardware related issue:

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Realtek HD onboard interface:

EDIT: You should NOT need to use "loudness equalization" with the following config.

You plug the speakers or headphones to the "black" (if using speakers) or "green" headphone jack as usual and choose the appropriate speaker config you have in the plugged in device config list. Then set the speaker config in the Realtek HD audio manager to 5.1 speakers and enable both the "Full-range Speakers" settings; "Front left and right" and "Surround speakers". Now verify that you get sound out of all channels played in the "auto-test". You should be able to get a sound from all channels except the subwoofer with that config.

Screenshot: http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/6179/realtekhd.jpg

Other soundcards:

If you're not using Realtek HD onboard sound you can probably still find the same configuration in the soundcard drivers somewhere (NOTE: X-Fi users NEED to go via windows control panel as the driver interface speaker config and windows speaker config AREN'T the same and not linked to each other) but you can of course also just adjust it through windows control panel like this too:

Step1: http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/5456/speakerconfig1.png
Step2: http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/3153/speakerconfig2.png
Step3: http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/792/speakerconfig3.png
Step4: http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/228/speakerconfig4.png

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Also using 24 bit / 44100 Hz bit depth / sample rate playback results in slightly higher output volume and best possible quality for this game. On Windows Vista/7 you can choose this in the speaker properties and "Advanced" tab.

Screenshot: http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/7123/sampleratebitdepth.png

Seems like Bethesda needs to address stereo channel mixing of this game, above config works wonderfully for me though both delivering normal volume levels as well as very nice sound quality and positioning even as a headphone user.

Big thanks for this- works for me. I found settings I never knew I had... :thanks:

» Tue May 29, 2012 1:59 pm

switching to 16-bit 44100 KhZ made a big difference for me - thanks for the tip!

» Tue May 29, 2012 3:42 pm

This fix works for x-fi xtreme music in Win 7. Make sure you set the creative game panel to be using headphone mode. Haven't noticed any problems with other games/software doing this.

» Tue May 29, 2012 3:37 am

Got an xfi titanium and had sound issues since fallout 3. Turning off features like crystalizer and equalizer fixes it. SVM may also be guilty sometimes. I would say they eat up resources somehow.

» Tue May 29, 2012 5:02 am

Well, it worked for me!

Thanks!

» Tue May 29, 2012 12:09 pm

fAudioMasterVolume=1.0000 - This variable in SkyrimPrefs.ini is equivalent to the Master volume slider in the in-game settings. However here it can be adjusted above the 1.0000 limit which is imposed on the in-game slider, allowing people who find the sound in Skyrim to be too low to raise it. For example, try a value of 1.5000 or 2.0000. You can subsequently adjust the other volume sliders in-game as required, however adjusting the Master volume slider in-game will reset this variable back to the default maximum of 1.0000.

Source: Nvidia.

Although, I've only tried that on my computer with no affect, I get the feeling it wouldn't work for anyone as I think the game doesn't read past 1.0000

You changed it like this right on Windows XP ? http://worldwide.bose.com/productsupport/en/assets/images/articles/digital_music_systems/companion5_properties.jpg

Yes, that is how I changed it. No idea why it didn't work, I did not notice any changes in audio direction or volume. The audio seemed to preform exactly the same.

» Tue May 29, 2012 3:03 pm

Works fine here, I get sound coming straight ahead of me, seems like you're not getting the sounds coming from "center" channel when using 5.1 speaker setup, for me it does (even if I'm a headphone user). Did you instead of disabling, tick the box for "center" channel, maybe you need it activated while I don't need it ticked. I'm also suspecting it MIGHT have to do with what input you've plugged it in, it could be somehow be hardcoded to work in a certain way if you use the black "front" jack on the soundcard I assume as a stereo speaker user (perhaps this game only sounds correct in stereo if using the green headphone jack while set to 5.1 speakers) This is maybe something I could test as well.

I did some more testing and found on my headphones setup, having it on Stereo decreased the volume problems I had, but sounds still went WAY too soft if I moved too far from center. I tried ticking Center and using "Speaker Fill" on 5.1 and still found I needed to live with "Loudness Equalization" to be able to properly hear dialogue and sounds that surround me. Otherwise I could only hear sounds that are straight in my character's vision, like her ears are in the front of her head.

I have a huge library of games and I never encountered this problem before Skyrim, including older games that use Gamebryo (like Fallout 3, Fallout:NV, Oblivion, etc.), which Skyrim's engine is based on.

» Tue May 29, 2012 5:27 am

Sadly, this doesn't work right for me either. I'm having the issue where the center speaker stuff isn't being heard at all as well; this is both with following your directions completely and fiddling with the things I think might help. I suppose I'll try the ini edit now, as I hadn't though of that before but it's sure to work.

Edit: Sadly, the ini edit doesn't seem to have helped any, either.

» Tue May 29, 2012 1:48 am

I found in order to get the sound volumes to work properly for me I had to:

1. Follow this guide - i.e. set sound to 5.1 in the realtek control panel, then disable the speakers I do not have (I am using a 2.1 setup) - this fixed the music volume, but eveything else got quiet.
2. DISABLE the "Full range speakers" checkboxes
3. Make sure the other options are disabled as well (loudness equalization, speakerfill, etc..)

Sound is great now

» Tue May 29, 2012 1:07 pm

The problem for me was Digital. If I used SPDIF, HDMI, or Optical I get the low voices. If I use anolog it all works fine. I've chosen to deal with it in Digital because I am not going to go through the hassle of switching before & after each Skyrim gaming session.

» Tue May 29, 2012 9:42 am

Well thanks for all the help this has helpped me fix my low sound problem.
I ended up going from stero to 5.1 & turning off the other speakers that I don't have, and turn on loudness equalization.
You just have to play around with it some to get it to work for your system.

Thanks again to everyone :smile:

» Tue May 29, 2012 11:57 am

Anyone that has FFDAudio codecs can boost the volume if your not having much luck with the OP fix, this is for Windows 7, you can get the audio codec pack http://www.windows7codecs.com/
Click start, all programs, look down the directory list for Windows 7 - Codec pack, click "ffdshow Audio" when the program opens, look down the left hand list for Volume, check it and select it, in the right hand pane you will see Master volume, I currently have mine set at 150%, being partially deaf I need this level even with earphone's, in the same pane you will see Normalize, select it and Regain volume, Max amplification can lead to severe clipping if set higher than 200% in my experience.

Anyway, given that I'm partially deaf, this certainly worked for me.

» Tue May 29, 2012 3:04 pm

Well thanks for all the help this has helpped me fix my low sound problem.
I ended up going from stero to 5.1 & turning off the other speakers that I don't have, and turn on loudness equalization.
You just have to play around with it some to get it to work for your system.

Thanks again to everyone :smile:

Really annoying how this is the only program that requires loudness equalization.

» Tue May 29, 2012 12:16 am

Really annoying how this is the only program that requires loudness equalization.

I agree with you, when they will fix that ????