[Ludivine Poussineau]

Hi

Try this if you're using Realtek HD (may work with other sound devices too, unable to confirm).

Set your speaker config to 5.1 even if you use stereo speakers or headphones (don't worry you don't miss out on any sounds, you get the "front" as well as "rear" channel sounds) and you actually get a bit enhanced surround sound like this compared to using stereo speaker setting (try hitting the test on that page and it sounds like the sound from rear speakers as it would come further back). If I had been using Realtek HD onboard as my main sound device I would always use 5.1 speakers even for headphones/stereo speaker setups as it simply sounds best like this in pretty much any cases anyway.

Picture: [img]http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/6879/realtekskyrim.jpg[/img]

EDIT: I also want to add that I get the best volume if set the output device to 44100 sample bitrate / 24bit playback (but the difference is small).

I would still like to use my other soundcard though but this will have to do for now, with the headphones I tested even 35~40% which is about normal volume when listening to music sounded sufficient ingame now! You get very good / normal volume level like this. Looks like Bethesda really has optimized this game for 5.1 use eh?

[josh evans]

Bumping this one up as I've seen many people with this issue, especially using Realtek onboard sound. Would be interested in knowing if it fixes it for you as well. I think it sounds now VERY good even if I'm not usually using onboard sound but in this game it works nicely with clear positioning of the sounds and stuff when set to 5.1 speakers as mentioned above.

[Sxc-Mary]

I've seen others reporting they had problems until they dropped down *from* 5.1 to a lower config. For me, my low volume fix involved enabling loudness equalization in the enhancements tab for my audio output.

[Andrew]

[img]http://i43.tinypic.com/122dxlu.jpg[/img]

This is all I can find in my computer and I don't have the same settings.
What should I do? The voices and music in-game are working but there's no footsteps or ambient sounds.

Help.

[T. tacks Rims]

I've seen others reporting they had problems until they dropped down *from* 5.1 to a lower config. For me, my low volume fix involved enabling loudness equalization in the enhancements tab for my audio output.

Toggling loudness equalization on fixed the incredibly low volume for me, too--I went from being able to hear maybe one out of every three words of dialogue to being able to hear everything properly. I have Realtek onboard sound as well.

[Melanie Steinberg]

[img]http://i43.tinypic.com/122dxlu.jpg[/img]

This is all I can find in my computer and I don't have the same settings.
What should I do? The voices and music in-game are working but there's no footsteps or ambient sounds.

Help.

There should be an option to select 5.1 surround sound in the Sounds and Audio Devices control panel (Speaker Settings - Advanced).

[Rachel Cafferty]

There should be an option to select 5.1 surround sound in the Sounds and Audio Devices control panel (Speaker Settings - Advanced).

Can't I just download the Realtek HD software (the one in OP's picture)? I can't find it for download in the Realtek website.
Would you happen to have it?

[Jamie Moysey]

Can't I just download the Realtek HD software (the one in OP's picture)? I can't find it for download in the Realtek website.
Would you happen to have it?

No, since your software looks different you probably have the older "non-HD" version of Realtek onboard sound. But you probably find it in the software somewhere. But if you don't you can do the same changes in Windows control panel where you choose the default output device, you just right click on the output device which probably says "Speakers" and choose "Configure Speakers" in case you're using Windows 7/Vista, don't know about Windows XP.

[Chris Jones]

No, since your software looks different you probably have the older "non-HD" version of Realtek onboard sound. But you probably find it in the software somewhere. But if you don't you can do the same changes in Windows control panel where you choose the default output device, you just right click on the output device which probably says "Speakers" and choose "Configure Speakers" in case you're using Windows 7/Vista, don't know about Windows XP.

Exactly, I'm on XP still.
I think I found the HD version, I'll give it a try.

[Chris Jones]

Exactly, I'm on XP still.
I think I found the HD version, I'll give it a try.

To clarify, the HD drivers are for Realtek HD onboard sound. So it probably doesn't work for you, it probably won't install and you shouldn't even attempt to do so because it's not configured for that hardware.

Realtek HD = newer onboard chips
Realtek AC97 = older onboard chips

But if you don't find the speaker configuration in the drivers you use, you can probably find the option in windows control panel and right clicking on the Realtek output device. I think on XP you might only find it there and not in the drivers.

[victoria gillis]

To clarify, the HD drivers are for Realtek HD onboard sound. So it probably doesn't work for you, it probably won't install and you shouldn't even attempt to do so because it's not configured for that hardware.

Realtek HD = newer onboard chips
Realtek AC97 = older onboard chips

But if you don't find the speaker configuration in the drivers you use, you can probably find the option in windows control panel and right clicking on the Realtek output device. I think on XP you might only find it there and not in the drivers.

The Realtek icon in the CP leads to the same software as the one that is in the tray.
I took screenshot of all five tabs just as a last resort. In case someone sees something I didn't.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/5vbVF.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/H1IyJ.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/ZTiRJ.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/SkVwE.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/DN0Qk.jpg[/IMG]

[courtnay]

The Realtek icon in the CP leads to the same software as the one that is in the tray.
I took screenshot of all five tabs just as a last resort. In case someone sees something I didn't.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/5vbVF.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/H1IyJ.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/ZTiRJ.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/SkVwE.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/DN0Qk.jpg[/IMG]

I have the same software. In the Mixer tab make sure Front, Rear, Subwoofer and Centre volume are maxed and it should be a lot better.

[Lil'.KiiDD]

I have the same software. In the Mixer tab make sure Front, Rear, Subwoofer and Centre volume are maxed and it should be a lot better.

There's something really wrong here.
http://i44.tinypic.com/2eba987.jpg

As you can see, they're all maxed up but the only thing I hear in-game are still voices and background music.
The things in named in your post seem to be grey in my screenshot. Maybe they're mute even though they maxed. Is there a reason for that to be happening?
Also sorry about the foreign language.

[Damien Mulvenna]

There's something really wrong here.
http://i44.tinypic.com/2eba987.jpg

As you can see, they're all maxed up but the only thing I hear in-game are still voices and background music.
The things in named in your post seem to be grey in my screenshot. Maybe they're mute even though they maxed. Is there a reason for that to be happening?
Also sorry about the foreign language.

Are they maxed out in the Realtek software? Make sure to click on the little blue arrow to move across to see more sound channels.

Also you can try going into Control Panel, Sound and Audio Devices, at the bottom on Speaker Settings click Advanced and change whatever setting is at to 5.1 surround sound speakers.

[Gavin boyce]

The fix is to set your speaker config to 5.1 (for most people) even if you're using stereo or headphones, if you can't do it in the Realtek driver software, you can do it in the windows control panel where you select your output device. This is how it looks like in Windows 7:

[img]http://i41.tinypic.com/15rcc2q.png[/img]

[Danial Zachery]

Are they maxed out in the Realtek software? Make sure to click on the little blue arrow to move across to see more sound channels.

Also you can try going into Control Panel, Sound and Audio Devices, at the bottom on Speaker Settings click Advanced and change whatever setting is at to 5.1 surround sound speakers.

I've done that and they continue unclickable.
They're also maxed out in Realtek software.

[Dark Mogul]

The fix is to set your speaker config to 5.1 (for most people) even if you're using stereo or headphones, if you can't do it in the Realtek driver software, you can do it in the windows control panel where you select your output device. This is how it looks like in Windows 7:

[img]http://i41.tinypic.com/15rcc2q.png[/img]

http://i44.tinypic.com/mtt668.jpg

It's all set the way it supposedly should but the thingies are still unclickable.
Maybe you're supposed to restart the computer after changing the 5.1 thing? I'll give that a try.

[Richard]

http://i44.tinypic.com/mtt668.jpg

It's all set the way it supposedly should but the thingies are still unclickable.
Maybe you're supposed to restart the computer after changing the 5.1 thing? I'll give that a try.

Well looks like this may only be something that works with the newer Realtek HD onboard chips. I don't think Bethesda has tested their game with enough different sound devices...

[Red Bevinz]

Well looks like this may only be something that works with the newer Realtek HD onboard chips. I don't think Bethesda has tested their game with enough different sound devices...

Well now this is annoying.
I'll wait then, if that's the case.

[R.I.P]

I solved the problem, simply in this mode http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1267564-a-little-fix-to-raise-audio-level/page__p__19229478__fromsearch__1#entry19229478

[Emilie Joseph]

I've been using 5.1 on Realtek from the beginning. It's still really quiet, but luckily I have one of those little volume knobs that came with the setup. Just turn that up to around 75% and I'm good (it's usually really loud at 50%).

[Nims]

I solved the problem, simply in this mode http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1267564-a-little-fix-to-raise-audio-level/page__p__19229478__fromsearch__1#entry19229478

Yea that didn't work for me. I may also add that I get the very best volume if set to 44100 Hz sample bitrate / 24bit playback. Not THAT huge difference but it's noticable.

[Schel[Anne]FTL]

I solved the problem, simply in this mode http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1267564-a-little-fix-to-raise-audio-level/page__p__19229478__fromsearch__1#entry19229478

I don't think it has anything to do with Skyrim itself. It's a windows problem.
And I've done that too, didn't work.

Edit: It seems for me that for some really strange reason Skyrim is set to run with 5.1 settings only.
Couldn't one simply alter that configuration and set the game to simply run headphones?
The fact that you don't have access to more detailed audio configurations in-game bugs me greatly.

[Keeley Stevens]

If anyone else is having this issue, please post here with your windows version and if you have tried all the fixes I have so I can get some data on this.

[Sunnii Bebiieh]

Same issue here. Tried all of the common solutions without success.

Win XP SP3.