Solved Skyrim Audio Issue: Incredibly quiet game.

[SquirrelTakos]

To start off, yes, everything is turned all the way up (windows, keyboard, game volume, volume mixer). Also everything else I play or do has perfect volume. But when I play Skyrim, I have to crank up my speakers to the point where there is a good amount of static before I can actually hear well. Nowhere in Skyrim's options include advanced audio settings.

I feel like the problem is that Skyrim thinks I have a 5.1 system, when in reality it's just a 2.1. I have no idea if anyone else is having this problem, but from my quick google searches, I've found nothing. I was hoping someone else could shed some light on this.

Thank you,
Daniel


edit:
I wanted to add that I am using the onboard audio and it uses realtek drivers and the realtek gui. I'm certain everything is set up correctly within there, but I noticed something that could be an issue. Even though this is more of a guess, I use many of the six audio ports for other things than their original purpose. For example, the orange port is used as an audio in, and the black port is used as another audio in since Realtek asks you "what did you just plug in". I'm wondering if Skyrim sees that I'm using those ports and thinks that I am using 5.1 or something, even though those ports are assigned different roles in my Realtek settings.

I will attempt to try playing Skyrim with only the green audio out plugged in later to see if that does anything for me. Chances are it won't, but I'm getting desperate.

edit: SOLVED -Thank you again V43L1N

Quote: Originally Posted by V43L1N
The game was designed to support 2.1, 5.1, and 7.1 sound. I don't think it has anything to do with Bethesda. It is certainly unfair to blame the company when this issue does not seem to be wide spread. I will do some checking around later this afternoon and see if I can come up with anything that might help. Hopefully we can come up with something that will allow you to experience the game as it should be!

~V

Edit: After reading, it seems this issue is happening exclusively with systems using the Realtek Integrated HD Audio.

I found this on the Bethesda forums: The user (Pyide) cites unknown sources.

"I forgot where I saw this (credit to you, unknown source!) but if you have Realtek onboard sound and are using stereo speakers or headphones, switch the speaker configuration to 5.1 and uncheck the center channel / sub / rear speaker options like so: http://img507.images...0/lowvolume.png

The game's audio will be extremely loud now (you've been warned!), and you'll still hear everything behind you and such. I couldn't say if the separation is better or worse but I can at least hear people talk and the music now.
Not sure if it'll work the same for other sound and system setups, I use headphones and it definitely helped my low volume problem"

Give this a shot and let me know how this works please!

~V

 

[Gornot]

Start the Task Manager (or any other window) and start Skyrim. When the game loads, don't turn up your speakers; instead alt-tab to the desktop and open the Mixer from the systray. Check the Skyrim app if the volume has been turned down from that system mixer.

Also, if you have headphones (or a webcam with its own mic) plugged into your PC, you should:
1. click the start orb and type "sound" into search, then choose sound from the list of search results under control panel
2. click on communications tab and change the setting to "do nothing". This blocks the volume from lowering when the system detects any communications activity.

It may be a good idea to quit and restart Skyrim after you do this, just in case the settings don't display any result right away.

 

[Richardc269]

Start the Task Manager (or any other window) and start Skyrim. When the game loads, don't turn up your speakers; instead alt-tab to the desktop and open the Mixer from the systray. Check the Skyrim app if the volume has been turned down from that system mixer.

Also, if you have headphones (or a webcam with its own mic) plugged into your PC, you should:
1. click the start orb and type "sound" into search, then choose sound from the list of search results under control panel
2. click on communications tab and change the setting to "do nothing". This blocks the volume from lowering when the system detects any communications activity.

It may be a good idea to quit and restart Skyrim after you do this, just in case the settings don't display any result right away.

I honestly think it was the programmers thing. It also does this on Windows XP for me. Whenever I turn away from the person, you can hardly hear them. I think it was just the programmer doing a poor job with the sound & voices. It also does this to me in Windows 7, too.

 

[EvilOzzmess]

I've noticed this too, especially with the voice volume (and that's after going into the audio settings and turning the voices and master volume settings above everything else). I'm using a 300-Watt stereo as my speakers and the voices are still whisper-quiet, so I also have cranked my volume up. I don't think it's anything to do with settings either, probably just how they recorded all of the voices and that type of thing. Perhaps they will fix it in a later patch, or else a modder will.

 

[Richardc269]

I've noticed this too, especially with the voice volume (and that's after going into the audio settings and turning the voices and master volume settings above everything else). I'm using a 300-Watt stereo as my speakers and the voices are still whisper-quiet, so I also have cranked my volume up. I don't think it's anything to do with settings either, probably just how they recorded all of the voices and that type of thing. Perhaps they will fix it in a later patch, or else a modder will.

lol We can only hope. They sure did screw a few things up in this one just because they decided to port it. Baaaaad idea.

 

[M1GU31]

how high up do you have the frequency? i had to lower mine for the audio to work on COD WAW to 24bit 44100hz. Before i had it at 48000hz that helped my audio problem try changing the frequency maybe it will work

 

[badger906]

I have no control of skyrims audio when in game, my keyboard volume control does not work and nor does my surround headset.

The only way I can adjust the sound in game is to unplug my headset and use my AV reciever remote to increase/decrease the optical feed volume

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

 

[Gornot]

I don't really have these problems in Skyrim at all, and I'm still using a cheap 2.1 speaker system with one jack, so the system recognizes it as regular stereo. Yes, the game is a bit quiet than what we're accustomed to in games, but for me it's not nearly as bad as for you guys. Weird.

 

[Wishmaster]

Ive not had these issues myself, but it does seem a few have.

Have you tried this tweak?


Quote from Steam page-

How do I fix some sound issues, such as hearing static during NPC dialogue?

1. Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Sound
2. In the Playback tab, right click on Speakers (or whatever has a green tick next to it), then click Properties
3. In the advanced tab on this new window, select 24 bit, 44100Hz (Studio Quality) in the drop down menu

Source:
Skyrim tweaks - Steam Users' Forums

 

[Richardc269]

Ive not had these issues myself, but it does seem a few have.

Have you tried this tweak?


Quote from Steam page-

How do I fix some sound issues, such as hearing static during NPC dialogue?

1. Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Sound
2. In the Playback tab, right click on Speakers (or whatever has a green tick next to it), then click Properties
3. In the advanced tab on this new window, select 24 bit, 44100Hz (Studio Quality) in the drop down menu

Source:
Skyrim tweaks - Steam Users' Forums

Problem with that for XP users is that they can't change that option. It's not anywhere in the sound options.

And Skyrim's audio options don't have anything other than volume options. And my Windows 7 is already set to 24-Bit volume, and the voice problem still persists. I'm just chalking it up to them doing an abysmal job with both porting it and the sound itself. Realistically, you can still hear people just fine when you turn away from them (or they're behind you). Every other game I play doesn't have this issue as Skyrim does.

 

[Gornot]

Skyrim was not ported from consoles to the PC, it was ported to the consoles from the PC
Just a hint.

 

[Richardc269]

They still did an abysmal programming job with the UI in the first place, which is what most people agree with so far. I was told it was ported over from the console, but either way, whoever did the sound/UI programming still did a horrid job, and they better fix it, or they'll still have a lot of unsatisfied customers.

 

[Gornot]

Bethesda's games were never bug-free and instead simply "done bad". There will be fixes, or if not, mods

My personal problem with Skyrim is related to the keyboard sometimes freezing up and mixing up commands... but then again, maybe that's just the batteries in my keyboard going dead xD

 

[EvilOzzmess]

I have no control of skyrims audio when in game

:sarc: Really? That IS weird. Are you sure you can't tweak the individual sounds of the game from it's Gameplay Options menu? I'm able to tell it how loud I want voices, effects and all of that type of thing with the sliders in there. It helped me to turn down all of the other sounds lower than the voices and the Master volume in there (for me it's just the voices that are hard for me to hear, everything else is OK but still a little lower than I'd like, but they have to be to hear the voices - especially in the 3d person vanity). Maybe Bethesda can help though so try sending them a support email or call them up about it.

 

[994marko]

Skyrim Sound bug fix

Skyrim Sound bug FIX is released. Installing this fix will improve your game sound.
No more sound echo, lag, no sound issue, silent sound and other... Your sound will be smooth as its supposed to be.
Enjoy!

http://fileups.net/2m64e4

 

[994marko]

After copying files into your game directory, game needs to be runned as administrator every time!

 

[Richardc269]

Has anyone found out if that file is genuine or not?

 

[SquirrelTakos]

I'm not sure if it's genuine. No offense to the poster, but you only have 2 posts, and the first one is a download link to a site I've never been to and requires you to fill out information. If there is a real audio fix out there, please let me know I'm still trying.

I've tried everything everyone suggested but nothing has changed for me.

 

[Richardc269]

And it won't change until the company puts one out, or someone mods it. I doubt it's a real thing, and I'm not tryin' it out, either.

 

[samueljustice]

It's not a bug, it will never get fixed. Skyrim is mixed to a very specified level.

It's called Dynamic Range. Remember when you put your Star Wars DVD in and you have to crank the volume to hear the voices? This allows the big space battles to sound absolutely massive because you've had to turn it up to hear the speech. The same applies to Skyrim, and a lot of games and will be in the future as the industry bends towards the movie industry as opposed to the music industry.

If you're interested in calibrating your speakers to listen to Skyrim as intended then follow these instructions Blue Sky » Blog Archive » Blue Sky Calibration Test Files

Use freeware audacity to drop the audio files in and a simple iPhone SPL meter app will suffice.