Surround sound not working only for this game.

[Dante]

I've been a computer repair tech for 10 years. I'm stumped on this one.

Okay so here's the deal. I'm on a MSI z790 mag tomahawk motherboard. I have a surround sound set up composing of 2 sets of computer speakers and a subwoofer plugged into the three audio jacks on the motherboard

One front, one rear, one sub. I'll post a photo with shortly from my computer.

Windows configuration registers 5.1 surround sound. Other games, Red Dead redemption 2, cyberpunk, doom eternal, all recognize a 5.1 surround sound correctly.

All drivers are correctly installed, realtek control panel is installed, BIOS is current and all firmware is current.

The last of Us refuses to do anything but stereo. Just will not register surround sound and I've tried every recommendation I could find across any thread I could come across. So any insight into this would be a real big help

Oh and preemptively FYI, the whole setting where the output mode is in traditional was just one of the options that I've tested. I've gone through both different modes and it doesn't work with either one.

Game version is 1.3 .1
Windows 11 pro
Evga RTX 3080TI ftw 3
13900k


[Dante]

Anyone? any help?

[animal_PLANET]

So any setting you use in the last of us, sound options will not output any audio to your speakers? Whether mono, stereo, surround, etc.?

Does the last of us reflect the correct output device? What does it say in game?

Try this. With game running. Go to windows settings>sound>app volume and device preferences, and for the last of us select the default output to your sound system. So when the game loads it should than automatically change to that setting.

[Dante]

Originally posted by animal_PLANET:

So any setting you use in the last of us, sound options will not output any audio to your speakers? Whether mono, stereo, surround, etc.?

Does the last of us reflect the correct output device? What does it say in game?

Try this. With game running. Go to windows settings>sound>app volume and device preferences, and for the last of us select the default output to your sound system. So when the game loads it should than automatically change to that setting.

Basically when I go into any other game and in the system settings I see the correct 5.1 surround sound setup. But the last of us part one only shows a stereo dual speaker setup.

[animal_PLANET]

The game was patched to support more Audio Compatibility options as of v1.0.3. I see you do not own the game on steam. So if you are using a cracked version you may not have this.

Anyway, see this thread for more suggestions and help. As there are workarounds that seem to have solved this issue.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/1888930/discussions/0/6197556602755394246/

[Dante]

Originally posted by animal_PLANET:

The game was patched to support more Audio Compatibility options as of v1.0.3. I see you do not own the game on steam. So if you are using a cracked version you may not have this.

Anyway, see this thread for more suggestions and help. As there are workarounds that seem to have solved this issue.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/1888930/discussions/0/6197556602755394246/

Game version is 1.1.3 And is not a pirated copy. Me and my wife share games back and forth so we don't have to buy them twice.

Also I'm not using hdmi out for audio, i'm not using optical out, i'm not using a audio receiver unit. Simply using three headphone jacks in the back of my motherboard. Front speakers, one for rear speakers and one for subwoofer. Works every game configured with 5.1 flawlessly.

[animal_PLANET]

Originally posted by Dante:

Originally posted by animal_PLANET:

The game was patched to support more Audio Compatibility options as of v1.0.3. I see you do not own the game on steam. So if you are using a cracked version you may not have this.

Anyway, see this thread for more suggestions and help. As there are workarounds that seem to have solved this issue.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/1888930/discussions/0/6197556602755394246/

Game version is 1.1.3 And is not a pirated copy. Me and my wife share games back and forth so we don't have to buy them twice.

Also I'm not using hdmi out for audio, i'm not using optical out, i'm not using a audio receiver unit. Simply using three headphone jacks in the back of my motherboard. Front speakers, one for rear speakers and one for subwoofer. Works every game configured with 5.1 flawlessly.

If you had family sharing enabled than Last Of Us would still show in your recent game activity for your profile. It does not. That is why I speculated so.

Regardless, from what others are saying in that thread it could be a licensing issue. Can you not set the game to headsets? Others have said doing that enabled 5.1 for them.

This game is using brand new 3D spatial audio made strictly for PS5. So that maybe the issue with having a licensed receiver and you need up to date audio that supports Atmos/Spatial Audio.

[Dante]

Originally posted by animal_PLANET:

Originally posted by Dante:

Game version is 1.1.3 And is not a pirated copy. Me and my wife share games back and forth so we don't have to buy them twice.

Also I'm not using hdmi out for audio, i'm not using optical out, i'm not using a audio receiver unit. Simply using three headphone jacks in the back of my motherboard. Front speakers, one for rear speakers and one for subwoofer. Works every game configured with 5.1 flawlessly.

If you had family sharing enabled than Last Of Us would still show in your recent game activity for your profile. It does not. That is why I speculated so.

Regardless, from what others are saying in that thread it could be a licensing issue. Can you not set the game to headsets? Others have said doing that enabled 5.1 for them.

This game is using brand new 3D spatial audio made strictly for PS5. So that maybe the issue with having a licensed receiver and you need up to date audio that supports Atmos/Spatial Audio.

What do you mean by enable headsets? Would you care to elaborate please sir.

[animal_PLANET]

It was something on reddit I believe for same issue. Someone put output device type and channels for 5.1 headset and it worked for them.

[Dante]

Originally posted by animal_PLANET:

It was something on reddit I believe for same issue. Someone put output device type and channels for 5.1 headset and it worked for them.

In game setting or in windows?

[Dante]

Anyone have anything?

[Magic Tofu Cat]

check cable replace cable cechk connctions change cables rplace speakers reinstall drivers get new sound card.. like 700 page essay m8

[Dante]

Originally posted by Magic Tofu Cat:

check cable replace cable cechk connctions change cables rplace speakers reinstall drivers get new sound card.. like 700 page essay m8

Come on man seriously you got to be playing. Literally every other game works but this one. It's something specific to this game and if anyone knows I would really appreciate it.

[animal_PLANET]

Originally posted by Dante:

Originally posted by Magic Tofu Cat:

check cable replace cable cechk connctions change cables rplace speakers reinstall drivers get new sound card.. like 700 page essay m8

Come on man seriously you got to be playing. Literally every other game works but this one. It's something specific to this game and if anyone knows I would really appreciate it.

I already gave you plenty of things to troubleshoot. As well as linked to a older thread with same issue. Which seems you failed to read. As others say that you need to have the DTS Atmos license to use surround.

So if your sound card does not support DTS/Atmos/Spatial Audio. It wont work for you. As this game has new 3D spatial audio for surround. So it needs to be decoded to 5.1, which seems your sound card can not do if not using optical output.

Read the thread again and see if the other workarounds mentioned help at all.

[Dante]

Originally posted by animal_PLANET:

Originally posted by Dante:

Come on man seriously you got to be playing. Literally every other game works but this one. It's something specific to this game and if anyone knows I would really appreciate it.

I already gave you plenty of things to troubleshoot. As well as linked to a older thread with same issue. Which seems you failed to read. As others say that you need to have the DTS Atmos license to use surround.

So if your sound card does not support DTS/Atmos/Spatial Audio. It wont work for you. As this game has new 3D spatial audio for surround. So it needs to be decoded to 5.1, which seems your sound card can not do if not using optical output.

Read the thread again and see if the other workarounds mentioned help at all.

I realize what you're saying. I'm not using optical i'm not using hdmi. Therefore the thread you referenced me does not apply. I am simply using audio checks. Furthermore surround sound, dts and spatial audio work with other games therefore, it is specifically something wrong or different with this game.

[animal_PLANET]

Originally posted by Dante:

Originally posted by animal_PLANET:

I already gave you plenty of things to troubleshoot. As well as linked to a older thread with same issue. Which seems you failed to read. As others say that you need to have the DTS Atmos license to use surround.

So if your sound card does not support DTS/Atmos/Spatial Audio. It wont work for you. As this game has new 3D spatial audio for surround. So it needs to be decoded to 5.1, which seems your sound card can not do if not using optical output.

Read the thread again and see if the other workarounds mentioned help at all.

I realize what you're saying. I'm not using optical i'm not using hdmi. Therefore the thread you referenced me does not apply. I am simply using audio checks. Furthermore surround sound, dts and spatial audio work with other games therefore, it is specifically something wrong or different with this game.

You say other games work with spatial, but you do not have a spacial setup and said you are only using basic desktop speakers. You actually only have a 4.1 system than and not actual surround sound. As you are lacking a center channel. So you probably not getting true surround on those games either or its only sending 2 stereo channels. So you think you hear surround, but its not.

If it was the game. People with actual DTS receivers would also be having trouble, but they are not. Using the proper receiver/connections in order to have the correct channels/streams being sent out to all speakers is what you are lacking.

I will try again to help you from within that thread I linked. People said they got it to work by changing in-game settings to headset 5.1 with similar setup as you. I mentioned that above but you didnt say whether you tried it or not. Try this and see if it helps.

Output Device - Should be your default output for Realtek Audio.
Output Device Type - Set this to headset
Output Channels - Set this to 5.1
Dynamic Range - Whatever you like best
Mono Audio - Obviously off