Audio cuts out unless you're directly facing audio source.

[Rancid Raccoon]

I can't hear Virals when they sprint up behind me as they make zero sound unless I'm actually facing them. If I'm talking to an NPC and I turn 180 degrees the other way, I can't hear them talking.

Is there a way to fix this?

[lx]

sounds like something is wrong with your audio settings.

[Rancid Raccoon]

I'm wondering if Windows 11 is forcing 7.1 surround on my stereo headset, but I can't for the life of me figure out where to go to see. Everything I see makes it seem like it's Stereo.

[lx]

was it always like that, or it happen recently?
maybe a pc restart could fix it.

[BAZ]

Windows 11 is the issue....as i did update to it a few days ago
On windows 10 works fine same drivers same settings

[lx]

are you plugging in/out speakers/headphones? some auto-detection might be broken

[Rancid Raccoon]

My issues have started since I started the game a few days ago. Restarting doesn't help. Realtek audio console says it's labeled as Stereo, but when I booted up Wolfenstein: The New Order, it said Realtek 7.1.

[lx]

realtek does not seem to have a win11 driver. this might be the reason. i dont have any experience with win11, as im using very old hardware.
maybe if you try different drivers, some of them will be less buggy. oem, realtek's.
i have onboard realtek but i have not used the game with it.

another thing is to actually switch to 7.1, i think it might have something like "virtual surround", which should work on the headphones. from the realtek manager, you can click the speakers and test if you hear all the speakers.

win10 has some virtual surround which is pretty bad, if win11 has that too, see if its turned off. spatial sound/windows sonic for headphones.

[Rancid Raccoon]

So, I think I fixed it (It's still a little quiet, but at least I can hear zombies sneaking up on me, unlike before).

I went to the Realtek Audio Console app and manually set my headphones to 7.1 Surround Sound instead of Stereo.

Then, I unchecked all the speakers except for Front Left and Right speakers.

I think it's running in 7.1 surround, but it's forcing only the Left and Right speakers like standard Stereo. I think either Windows or the game itself was forcing Surround Sound, even though I had Stereo enabled in Windows (No virtual surround or anything like that was enabled).

[lx]

i dont think you need to uncheck speakers. it should downmix to stereo automatically (if you have only headphones plugged in?).

watch dogs has somewhat similar problem - its way too quiet, if you are set to stereo at the os, but i think everything was heard, unlike here. so i had to switch to 5.1 for it. im still at 5.1 and using headphones, not on realtek.