Solved Skyrim Audio Issue: Incredibly quiet game.

[fernian]

Dudes. You probably have one of these problems:

a) you have your 2.1 speakers set up as 5.1 or 7.1
b) you have your 5.1 speakers configured correctly but have a physical "matrix" button on your speakers pressed

The game is meant to be enjoyed on 5.1 audio or greater. It was all produced in surround sound channel format. Therefore you must change windows options on your computer to your correct speaker-set up value.

On win7 if you go to Sound in the control panel, choose your default speakers and press the configure button. From there set your speakers appropriately.

 

[Richardc269]

No, I don't have them setup incorrectly.

The company should have made an option in the game to set it up with either 2.1 or 5.1 sound. Baaaad planning.

 

[V43L1N]

5.1 Surround will cause voices to seem distant...

I've played Skyrim on both 5.1 and 2.1 speakers, and never run into this issue. I tested this last night, the only way i was able to reproduce it, was by having a 5.1 sound setting, and using 2.1 speakers. Speech seems to only come through the front middle. When I disconnected this speaker, I could still hear speech, in the FL,FR,RL,RR speakers but it was barely audible.

I'm thinking this would have to be either a driver, or setting issue somewhere. If you've gone through all the usual settings, one quick fix might be to just enable subtitles. You might not be able to hear them, but at least you can get an idea of what's being said.

~V

 

[Richardc269]

I've played Skyrim on both 5.1 and 2.1 speakers, and never run into this issue. I tested this last night, the only way i was able to reproduce it, was by having a 5.1 sound setting, and using 2.1 speakers. Speech seems to only come through the front middle. When I disconnected this speaker, I could still hear speech, in the FL,FR,RL,RR speakers but it was barely audible.

I'm thinking this would have to be either a driver, or setting issue somewhere. If you've gone through all the usual settings, one quick fix might be to just enable subtitles. You might not be able to hear them, but at least you can get an idea of what's being said.

~V

I'd rather have proper audio for my games. If the company can't even get that right, then the company obviously isn't worth my money. The average person has 2.1 speakers, and they obviously went for 5.1.

 

[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

 

[fernian]

If you are experiencing the problem in this way:

You have stereo 2.1 speakers, and you can only hear a person talk when not facing them (camera wise) and everything is echo-like, your speakers must be set up wrong. This is the case because I have to change my speaker settings from 5.1 to stereo if I want to use my headphones.

The game itself is fine although it could definitely use better audio options. Its your speaker set up. PERIOD! If however you are just complaining about low voice audio, go to your audio options, lower everything except for master and voice. Voila.

 

[V43L1N]

If you are experiencing the problem in this way:

You have stereo 2.1 speakers, and you can only hear a person talk when not facing them (camera wise) and everything is echo-like, your speakers must be set up wrong. This is the case because I have to change my speaker settings from 5.1 to stereo if I want to use my headphones.

The game itself is fine although it could definitely use better audio options. Its your speaker set up. PERIOD! If however you are just complaining about low voice audio, go to your audio options, lower everything except for master and voice. Voila.

This is not the case for quite a few people experiencing the issue, go have a look on the Bethesda forums. There is a thread 10-15 pages long. There seems to be a conflict between Skyrim and Realtek's audio drivers that cause this issue.

 

[Richardc269]

If you are experiencing the problem in this way:

You have stereo 2.1 speakers, and you can only hear a person talk when not facing them (camera wise) and everything is echo-like, your speakers must be set up wrong. This is the case because I have to change my speaker settings from 5.1 to stereo if I want to use my headphones.

The game itself is fine although it could definitely use better audio options. Its your speaker set up. PERIOD! If however you are just complaining about low voice audio, go to your audio options, lower everything except for master and voice. Voila.

This is not the case for quite a few people experiencing the issue, go have a look on the Bethesda forums. There is a thread 10-15 pages long. There seems to be a conflict between Skyrim and Realtek's audio drivers that cause this issue.

He's correct. My speakers aren't setup wrong. Every other game I play does NOT have this stupid issue. I really hope they fix this in a later patch or something. It's annoying.

 

[Monolith]

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

This fixed my problem! The sound is much louder and more audible now. Thanks a bunch mate!

 

[SquirrelTakos]

Thank you a million times thank you! Fixed

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

 

[bobbique]

I fixed this problem for me - maybe it will help others. First I loaded my game, then I alt tabbed to desktop. I right clicked on the speaker icon on the taskbar.

Choose "Open Volume Mixer".

Skyrim should be one of the Icons. Adjust the sound here.

If this does not work. Try clicking the speaker button, the speaker properties window should appear.

Click on Levels tab

and then balance.

Increase the level of where your speaker or headphones plug in. A little experimenting here should make the speech and other noises in Skyrim so much louder. It was such a difference I was blown away Hope this helps.

 

[snailmilk]

how would this look on windows xp?

 

[Richardc269]

Depends if you have the right hardware or not. But I think I tried it on XP for a bit, before I quit playing it not too long afterwords. And it worked fine.