Sound effects cutting out randomly

[Relucto]

This has been happening to me all week. At random points in the game, sound effects and dialogue will completely cut out, leaving only ambient audios like music or breathing. All sounds relating to combat including attacks, shouts, and even footsteps will mute. It happens pretty randomly, but it usually comes back after a couple moments or so. I've noticed this happens a lot for me in Legends as well.

In Act 1, I didn't notice this problem much (if at all). But, I just entered Act 2 and started the Iki Island content. On Iki Island, it has now gotten so bad that I'm essentially playing without any sound effects. Worse yet is that this affects story dialogue too. I have tried to progress through the main quests, but this bug makes it so the characters literally do not speak at all in the in-game cutscenes, and it doesn't show the subtitles at all when this happens. I'm at the point where I can't really progress with the rest of the game without skipping out on audio.

Is there a place where the devs will post anything about updates? Or even a place to properly submit bug reports?

[Insomnyan]

turn off audio enhancement on your windows sound settings.

[Relucto]

Originally posted by DenpaNyan:

turn off audio enhancement on your windows sound settings.

Didn't work for me. Audio still cutting out :(

[Soolz]

I have exactly the same issue. Sound is cutting off during fights since act 2 and Iki island

[CW]

happens in legends mode aswell. pretty annoying on survivor when you need to hear audio ques for the different enemies and their attacks.

[Relucto]

Originally posted by CW:

happens in legends mode aswell. pretty annoying on survivor when you need to hear audio ques for the different enemies and their attacks.

Mhm. It happened to me occasionally in Legends. But I feel like after reaching Act 2 it's nearly constant. Happens on the steam deck too, but seems to be not as frequently?

[Jom]

Sound Settings -> Bitrate to dvd mode, 3 hours without issues since changing it.

[Relucto]

Originally posted by Jom:

Sound Settings -> Bitrate to dvd mode, 3 hours without issues since changing it.

Could you be a bit more specific? Where is this setting?

[Jom]

Originally posted by Relucto:

Originally posted by Jom:

Sound Settings -> Bitrate to dvd mode, 3 hours without issues since changing it.

Could you be a bit more specific? Where is this setting?

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-change-sound-control-panel-settings-in/5a70718b-7ecf-4547-a64a-22efda8da0c2

[Viper]

Yea sound of fighting will cutout when music is playing only after about 12 hours of playtime so far.

[Sharkon]

yep, sound mixer is weird in this one. I'm on surround (7.1 / Sound Blaster Z) and some samples like waterfalls are loud af. also the audio for combat sound is cutting out sometimes while the music and ambient keeps going. happens a lot on the DLC island for me now.

[Jom]

Originally posted by Nokrahs:

...happens a lot on the DLC island for me now.

Think it's the shamans. Thought i had completely fixed the issue with turning the bit rate down and it was fixed for smaller fights but had again some small issues with the big fight in sakai fortress with many of them chanting. Cut them down, sound was back.

[Relucto]

Originally posted by Jom:

Originally posted by Nokrahs:

...happens a lot on the DLC island for me now.

Think it's the shamans. Thought i had completely fixed the issue with turning the bit rate down and it was fixed for smaller fights but had again some small issues with the big fight in sakai fortress with many of them chanting. Cut them down, sound was back.

I just tried out the bitrate thing too. I think it definitely made some sort of difference. My headphone drivers only let me keep the bitrate the same but allow me to make it "studio quality" or something. I think it might be cutting out less, but still cutting out.
For me, it usually will last until combat is finished completely. Even if I take out the shamans and it's just a single grunt, still no sound effects until he's gone.

[Relucto]

Just for an update, I switched to my old headphones and the sound issues appear to have stopped.
I was using the Arctis Nova 7 in wireless mode (used its audio software called Steelseries GG, but I've never had an issue with this). Headphones I'm using now are just a regular pair of wired headphones. Didn't adjust the bitrate etc. Everything seems to be fine for now

[AnusMuncher40K]

yeah my audio is also cutting out, like you guys said,
it started when i got to iki.
i finished iko and got back to the other island/s
now there arent any shamans, and its still happening randomly

[Relucto]

Update: Switching headphones helped, but it's still cutting out in really big combat portions. Definitely still better than it was before, but still stanky.