PC Surround Sound not working

[Maxtehcat]

Hi there, I have my PC connected to a Marantz receiver and a 5.1 speaker system via HDMI from the RTX 3090 video card, and have had this system for years with no problems - all games and movies work fine with proper 5.1 surround, including MW2 up until the Season 2 update.

I go into audio settings and the "Speaker Output" setting is set to "Stereo". When I change it to "Windows Default" and exit the settings menus it reverts back to "Stereo". I can not get it to stay on "Windows Default", it always reverts back to stereo no matter what I do!

It only started this after the Season 2 download. I have the latest video card drivers.

Please Help!!

[TondeR-CH]

Same here on Blizzard Battlenet version with RTX4090 latest driver

[RStark]

Originally posted by TondeR-CH:

Same here on Blizzard Battlenet version with RTX4090 latest driver

I have sent a bug report in.

I have created a few Reddit posts also on this, but some are saying they are getting surround audio ok.

But I have seen now 5 posts on steam, all reporting the same issues.

The stereo setting in the menu, I am sure there was an actual surround/7.1/5.1 setting, I cant remember now before the update.

Even with the dolby atmos and DTX apps, the game is only sending 2.0 stereo into these apps, so i am getting 0 surround/directional (left and right only).

I know people are commenting that dolby atmos should be set to stereo, yes for your windows audio yes, but the game still has to send the multi channel audio into these apps, and right now its not! its sending 2.0..

I feel they have just disabled the multichannel audio from the game.

[jnikoley]

Originally posted by Maxtehcat:

Hi there, I have my PC connected to a Marantz receiver and a 5.1 speaker system via HDMI from the RTX 3090 video card, and have had this system for years with no problems - all games and movies work fine with proper 5.1 surround, including MW2 up until the Season 2 update.

I go into audio settings and the "Speaker Output" setting is set to "Stereo". When I change it to "Windows Default" and exit the settings menus it reverts back to "Stereo". I can not get it to stay on "Windows Default", it always reverts back to stereo no matter what I do!

It only started this after the Season 2 download. I have the latest video card drivers.

Please Help!!

This was mentioned in a previous blog post. It's intentional. Using "7.1", "surround", etc., will result in sound being improperly handled. Every different "3d" audio that outputs to headphones is a gimmick. The game is properly coded to output the correct native stereo sound to headphones. Using any 3rd party audio processing other than native stereo can mute things such as footsteps. This was a big complaint before, but most PC players couldn't figure out how to or refused to switch the output to stereo. The developers solved this by making it not optional.

That said, there was no reason to force it on people. If they want to die for not hearing footsteps to feel like they are listening to (insert gimmick name here) "surround" sound on headphones, let them.

[RStark]

Originally posted by 50 yr old Dad:

Originally posted by Maxtehcat:

Hi there, I have my PC connected to a Marantz receiver and a 5.1 speaker system via HDMI from the RTX 3090 video card, and have had this system for years with no problems - all games and movies work fine with proper 5.1 surround, including MW2 up until the Season 2 update.

I go into audio settings and the "Speaker Output" setting is set to "Stereo". When I change it to "Windows Default" and exit the settings menus it reverts back to "Stereo". I can not get it to stay on "Windows Default", it always reverts back to stereo no matter what I do!

It only started this after the Season 2 download. I have the latest video card drivers.

Please Help!!

This was mentioned in a previous blog post. It's intentional. Using "7.1", "surround", etc., will result in sound being improperly handled. Every different "3d" audio that outputs to headphones is a gimmick. The game is properly coded to output the correct native stereo sound to headphones. Using any 3rd party audio processing other than native stereo can mute things such as footsteps. This was a big complaint before, but most PC players couldn't figure out how to or refused to switch the output to stereo. The developers solved this by making it not optional.

That said, there was no reason to force it on people. If they want to die for not hearing footsteps to feel like they are listening to (insert gimmick name here) "surround" sound on headphones, let them.

I believe the stereo button they added, it seems to be defaulting to that. So selecting the default windows audio button doesn't apply or stick, because when you go back into the menu its back on stereo.

Maybe just an oversight.

[RStark]

Originally posted by 50 yr old Dad:

Originally posted by Maxtehcat:

Hi there, I have my PC connected to a Marantz receiver and a 5.1 speaker system via HDMI from the RTX 3090 video card, and have had this system for years with no problems - all games and movies work fine with proper 5.1 surround, including MW2 up until the Season 2 update.

I go into audio settings and the "Speaker Output" setting is set to "Stereo". When I change it to "Windows Default" and exit the settings menus it reverts back to "Stereo". I can not get it to stay on "Windows Default", it always reverts back to stereo no matter what I do!

It only started this after the Season 2 download. I have the latest video card drivers.

Please Help!!

This was mentioned in a previous blog post. It's intentional. Using "7.1", "surround", etc., will result in sound being improperly handled. Every different "3d" audio that outputs to headphones is a gimmick. The game is properly coded to output the correct native stereo sound to headphones. Using any 3rd party audio processing other than native stereo can mute things such as footsteps. This was a big complaint before, but most PC players couldn't figure out how to or refused to switch the output to stereo. The developers solved this by making it not optional.

That said, there was no reason to force it on people. If they want to die for not hearing footsteps to feel like they are listening to (insert gimmick name here) "surround" sound on headphones, let them.

But there is another issue with their implementation of the Stereo only button.

Dolby Atmos / Windows sonic / and DTS apps all require you to set windows audio to stereo. This is going to confuse people. because they are also going to think you also use the stereo button on the in game menu.

This is not the case as the Spatial audio apps need to be fed the proper multichannel audio from the game, and if its set to stereo in game, then that's all the Spatial audio apps are going to out put. There will be no down mixing into HRTF

[jnikoley]

Originally posted by rdalcroft:

But there is another issue with their implementation of the Stereo only button.

Dolby Atmos / Windows sonic / and DTS apps all require you to set windows audio to stereo. This is going to confuse people. because they are also going to think you also use the stereo button on the in game menu.

This is not the case as the Spatial audio apps need to be fed the proper multichannel audio from the game, and if its set to stereo in game, then that's all the Spatial audio apps are going to out put. There will be no down mixing into HRTF

I don't believe the game ever sent the correct digital stream for Atmos or other Surround modes. This resulted in the selected surround mode "making guesses" how the native stereo audio should be processed into a multi-channel signal. To make it worse, those "surround" modes have to output it back to stereo for headphones (always a pseudo surround results).

Only .5% of gamers actually have the 9 interdependent speakers, sub-woofer, and Atmos receiver to produce true Atmos. This resulted in the sound being re-produced incorrectly and muting certain sounds like footsteps. The only solution was to set everything to stereo, and turn off any Windows surround or Dolby surround effects, and run straight stereo. Gamers refused to do this. The developers chose to force the correct sound mode on them. They posted about it.

I'm sure they'll put it back after the backlash. No one pays attention to forums or blogs unless they have an issue. We'll just go back to people complaining they can't hear footsteps.

[RStark]

I never had any issues with Atmos over headphones. It was great in warzone 1 and it was ok in warzone 2. Going back to stereo is very jarring to me.. I like when i can hear behind me.

[Whala Beast]

Originally posted by 50 yr old Dad:

Originally posted by rdalcroft:

But there is another issue with their implementation of the Stereo only button.

Dolby Atmos / Windows sonic / and DTS apps all require you to set windows audio to stereo. This is going to confuse people. because they are also going to think you also use the stereo button on the in game menu.

This is not the case as the Spatial audio apps need to be fed the proper multichannel audio from the game, and if its set to stereo in game, then that's all the Spatial audio apps are going to out put. There will be no down mixing into HRTF

I don't believe the game ever sent the correct digital stream for Atmos or other Surround modes. This resulted in the selected surround mode "making guesses" how the native stereo audio should be processed into a multi-channel signal. To make it worse, those "surround" modes have to output it back to stereo for headphones (always a pseudo surround results).

Only .5% of gamers actually have the 9 interdependent speakers, sub-woofer, and Atmos receiver to produce true Atmos. This resulted in the sound being re-produced incorrectly and muting certain sounds like footsteps. The only solution was to set everything to stereo, and turn off any Windows surround or Dolby surround effects, and run straight stereo. Gamers refused to do this. The developers chose to force the correct sound mode on them. They posted about it.

I'm sure they'll put it back after the backlash. No one pays attention to forums or blogs unless they have an issue. We'll just go back to people complaining they can't hear footsteps.

could you please link the blog post

[Whala Beast]

Originally posted by BEAST:

Originally posted by 50 yr old Dad:

I don't believe the game ever sent the correct digital stream for Atmos or other Surround modes. This resulted in the selected surround mode "making guesses" how the native stereo audio should be processed into a multi-channel signal. To make it worse, those "surround" modes have to output it back to stereo for headphones (always a pseudo surround results).

Only .5% of gamers actually have the 9 interdependent speakers, sub-woofer, and Atmos receiver to produce true Atmos. This resulted in the sound being re-produced incorrectly and muting certain sounds like footsteps. The only solution was to set everything to stereo, and turn off any Windows surround or Dolby surround effects, and run straight stereo. Gamers refused to do this. The developers chose to force the correct sound mode on them. They posted about it.

I'm sure they'll put it back after the backlash. No one pays attention to forums or blogs unless they have an issue. We'll just go back to people complaining they can't hear footsteps.

could you please link the blog post

Never-mind I've seen it https://www.callofduty.com/blog/2023/01/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-II-warzone-2-0-season-02-community-update#Multiplayer

[jnikoley]

Originally posted by rdalcroft:

I never had any issues with Atmos over headphones. It was great in warzone 1 and it was ok in warzone 2. Going back to stereo is very jarring to me.. I like when i can hear behind me.

Heads up, I've noticed for whatever reason after the update, all my sound devices had windows "enable sound enhancements" turned on. The sound was way off until I turned that off again.

[TondeR-CH]

It's clearly a bug. I tested the other COD's Cold War, MW1 and Vanguard, they are doing the real surround sound. It's worlds appart compared tp the stereo virtualized thing. These games dont switch back to stereo, they stay on system default device. Tested with Windows Dolby Atmos for Hometheater with 7.1 channels activated and downsampled to 5.1 THX Cinema on a 4000$ Onkyo PreAmp Receyver with a 5 x 200W Amplifier and Sub. With real surround my whole house almost explodes, With the stereo thingy it's just meh. All simulation with no real direction. While stereo does the job on a virtualized surround headset, it does not on a real 5.1 rig. A good receyver does the job perfectly to handle Atmos downsampling to 5.1. By the way all other tested games Control, Calisto Protocol, Uncharted etc. are doing it right, MW2 is the only one that does not.

[RStark]

Originally posted by TondeR-CH:

It's clearly a bug. I tested the other COD's Cold War, MW1 and Vanguard, they are doing the real surround sound. It's worlds appart compared tp the stereo virtualized thing. These games dont switch back to stereo, they stay on system default device. Tested with Windows Dolby Atmos for Hometheater with 7.1 channels activated and downsampled to 5.1 THX Cinema on a 4000$ Onkyo PreAmp Receyver with a 5 x 200W Amplifier and Sub. With real surround my whole house almost explodes, With the stereo thingy it's just meh. All simulation with no real direction. While stereo does the job on a virtualized surround headset, it does not on a real 5.1 rig. A good receyver does the job perfectly to handle Atmos downsampling to 5.1. By the way all other tested games Control, Calisto Protocol, Uncharted etc. are doing it right, MW2 is the only one that does not.

Even with dolby atmos for headphones it dosn't work. As Dolby Access app still needs the game to send the 7.1 multi channel audio + object based spatial sounds to the App so it can down sample it correctly for stereo HRTF for headphones to give the proper directional spatial audio. It does not work with a stereo signal from the game.

[jnikoley]

Originally posted by TondeR-CH:

It's clearly a bug. I tested the other COD's Cold War, MW1 and Vanguard, they are doing the real surround sound. It's worlds appart compared tp the stereo virtualized thing. These games dont switch back to stereo, they stay on system default device. Tested with Windows Dolby Atmos for Hometheater with 7.1 channels activated and downsampled to 5.1 THX Cinema on a 4000$ Onkyo PreAmp Receyver with a 5 x 200W Amplifier and Sub. With real surround my whole house almost explodes, With the stereo thingy it's just meh. All simulation with no real direction. While stereo does the job on a virtualized surround headset, it does not on a real 5.1 rig. A good receyver does the job perfectly to handle Atmos downsampling to 5.1. By the way all other tested games Control, Calisto Protocol, Uncharted etc. are doing it right, MW2 is the only one that does not.

Very few people will have a setup like that. Even with it, you need the Atmos bitstream/source signal to properly downsample for best results. On my PC, you can select Dolby Atmos for headphones with any source, which results in a lot of "guess work" by the sound processing. Other surround options will do the same thing. They only work correctly with the proper setup end to end, and anything less is only a guess at what the soundstage is supposed to be. Most PCs will have some sort of psuedo surround option enabled by default. This results in sounds being mishandles spatially and overemphasizes some sounds while muting others. The game is coded for stereo. That's why dev's are forcing it as the only option. Until they properly code all the competing surround systems as bitstream for external processing, were stuck with it as it is now.

[L.o.D.]

Originally posted by 50 yr old Dad:

Originally posted by TondeR-CH:

It's clearly a bug. I tested the other COD's Cold War, MW1 and Vanguard, they are doing the real surround sound. It's worlds appart compared tp the stereo virtualized thing. These games dont switch back to stereo, they stay on system default device. Tested with Windows Dolby Atmos for Hometheater with 7.1 channels activated and downsampled to 5.1 THX Cinema on a 4000$ Onkyo PreAmp Receyver with a 5 x 200W Amplifier and Sub. With real surround my whole house almost explodes, With the stereo thingy it's just meh. All simulation with no real direction. While stereo does the job on a virtualized surround headset, it does not on a real 5.1 rig. A good receyver does the job perfectly to handle Atmos downsampling to 5.1. By the way all other tested games Control, Calisto Protocol, Uncharted etc. are doing it right, MW2 is the only one that does not.

Very few people will have a setup like that. Even with it, you need the Atmos bitstream/source signal to properly downsample for best results. On my PC, you can select Dolby Atmos for headphones with any source, which results in a lot of "guess work" by the sound processing. Other surround options will do the same thing. They only work correctly with the proper setup end to end, and anything less is only a guess at what the soundstage is supposed to be. Most PCs will have some sort of psuedo surround option enabled by default. This results in sounds being mishandles spatially and overemphasizes some sounds while muting others. The game is coded for stereo. That's why dev's are forcing it as the only option. Until they properly code all the competing surround systems as bitstream for external processing, were stuck with it as it is now.

But their own blog states that occlusion was to be restored in season2. Going by what others have stated, that is not true.
But it's not like they've claimed other things were to be included that were not.
I have a 5.1 surround system using a brand new Yamaha receiver. Audio is set to home theater, but speaker output is stereo. Home theater and stereo are not the same.

[RStark]

Originally posted by L.o.D.:

Originally posted by 50 yr old Dad:

Very few people will have a setup like that. Even with it, you need the Atmos bitstream/source signal to properly downsample for best results. On my PC, you can select Dolby Atmos for headphones with any source, which results in a lot of "guess work" by the sound processing. Other surround options will do the same thing. They only work correctly with the proper setup end to end, and anything less is only a guess at what the soundstage is supposed to be. Most PCs will have some sort of psuedo surround option enabled by default. This results in sounds being mishandles spatially and overemphasizes some sounds while muting others. The game is coded for stereo. That's why dev's are forcing it as the only option. Until they properly code all the competing surround systems as bitstream for external processing, were stuck with it as it is now.

But their own blog states that occlusion was to be restored in season2. Going by what others have stated, that is not true.
But it's not like they've claimed other things were to be included that were not.
I have a 5.1 surround system using a brand new Yamaha receiver. Audio is set to home theater, but speaker output is stereo. Home theater and stereo are not the same.

They may have fixed the sound occlusion. But the new menu button "STEREO" in the menu Defaults to stereo, and will not let you select windows audio. If you do, then go out of the menu, and come back to the audio menu, you will see, stereo is selected again.

I think it just a scripting bug, when they introduced the new audio setting. nothing more.