Spatial Sound "Windows Sonic for Headphones" = Bad audio levels

[This ranking makes no sense.]

Finally, got around to troubleshooting this issue.

Normally I have this enabled so the system and media sounds "fuller" on my setup (headphones), but having it enabled is causing issues with the game.

Dialog is barely audible and sometimes it will spike to normal levels (Leon using binoculars and commenting on whatever for example, will sound loud), but as soon as you take control of the character, the audio will sound low again. I was playing with the volume cranked and every other application turn way down to 10% in order to play and hear the dialog.

Changing this setting while the game is running and the difference is like night and day. There's background noises and some ominous effects I didn't even experience on my previous play-throughs.

[This ranking makes no sense.]

Originally posted by Munithe EXT:

I haven't noticed any problem with it. You're using virtual surround headphones?

I have no idea, 5.1 and 7.1 are greyed out on the volume tray icon on Windows and 3D audio is greyed out on the game, so I guess not?

I'm using a Sony XB550AP, which sounds okayish with everything else, but with my default settings the volume did sound really low with the game, conversations with Hunnigan were barely audible.

[This ranking makes no sense.]

Originally posted by Eldin:

It’s not the game. That particular option has been known to often cause sound to be lower than what it should. Usually have it off.

First time I have experienced such issues, granted I do not play that much, having only played Cyberpunk 2077, RE3 Remake and Ace Combat 7 as "recent" releases. No issues with them or the other older games on my library. Anyway, it's sorted.

Originally posted by Munithe EXT:

Sonic is for virtual surround / surround. It's probably quiet cause it's trying to use speakers that don't exist.

Always kept it enabled without issues before, but that does make a lot of sense. Another thing, the Dolby Atmos option is gone for me, it was here before when I started using Windows 11. Oh well.

[randir14]

I tried enabling it since the audio settings said the game uses spatial audio depending on your PC setup. And yeah it sounded awful. RE2 remake had an option for binaural headphone audio, I don't get why it wasn't included here.