This game seems to not support Surround Sound... or Stereo, for that matter.

[Felioats]

Which is kind of weird, given that there are licensed 7.1 SS headphones for sale.

 

http://www.razerzone.com/swtor/headset

 

I have these headphones, only better and minus the SWTOR logos (Razer Megalodon), and they use 7.1, too. Only it doesn't work in SWTOR. I don't see any audio options in the game to switch between mono, stereo, 5.1 and 7.1, either.

 

It works fine in every other game I have.

 

Switching to stereo mode doesn't even seem to work properly. Sometimes in space, ships coming from the right sound like they are on the left, and vice versa, but only sometimes.

 

EDIT: This thread was posted a long time ago. I now believe this problem is only in space, and only for a couple of ships that seem to be bugged. Boy, am I embarrassed.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Felioats

[Malgython]

I'm glad I found your thread. I was just about to buy the razor megalodon to use in the game.

 

Have you had any updates to this issue? Did you get any other surround sound to work?

[ArmchairMagpie]

I am using a more expensive setup than you and headphones instead of a headset and the game clearly uses surround.

[Descends]

The headphones I have used with this game...

 

Arctic Coolings 5.1 surround headphones

 

Coolermaster Storm Sirus

 

Corsaire Vengeance 1500

 

 

the amount of surround sound I have heard - 0

 

it does do stereo. thats nice, better than my grandpas phonograph.

[AmKhaibitu]

I have a 7.1 surround speaker set-up.

 

I can hear when things are behind me and in front of me.

 

I'm not sure if my side speakers are getting output, so I'd have to check.

 

But the game does support positional sound.

[ArmchairMagpie]

Headsets are not headphones. I am owning a Sennheiser 333D headset myself, setting it to 7.1 for games. The surround quality is lower than on what I am using but it is there.

The equipment I am using normally is a Asus Essence STX card with DT 770 Pro headphones using software to handle the surround. Quality is much higher there and source locations are much more distinct.

 

Using Balmorra with its guns there, a good test as it has many static sources.

[Descends]

Headsets are not headphones. I am owning a Sennheiser 333D headset myself, setting it to 7.1 for games. The surround quality is lower than on what I am using but it is there.

The equipment I am using normally is a Asus Essence STX card with DT 770 Pro headphones using software to handle the surround. Quality is much higher there and source locations are much more distinct.

 

Using Balmorra with its guns there, a good test as it has many static sources.

 

you obviously have no idea what you are talking about in headset vs headphones arguments.

 

Headsets ive used actually have multiple speakers in them for true 3D sound.. and have a lot of depth with films etc...other games, sure..this game...nope. I usually use the big turrent in civil war to test.

 

have not tried on surround sound speaker setups...ill give it a try...but i think lucas arts should have extended its dolby digital license to this game.

[ArmchairMagpie]

you obviously have no idea what you are talking about in headset vs headphones arguments.

 

Headsets ive used actually have multiple speakers in them for true 3D sound.. and have a lot of depth with films etc...other games, sure..this game...nope. I usually use the big turrent in civil war to test.

 

On the contrary, I do quite have the right idea about it. Why else would I invest so much money into audio equipment and be so selective about it ? And even go as far as safely state that both are not the same thing in terms of quality. Because I am absolutely ignorant? Yeah, right.

I own several headphones and owned several headsets of all classes myself. A decent headphone trumps any headset in the same league. I use headsets when playing multiplayer in a team, for the rest I am going back to headphones.

 

The number of drivers is irrelevant when it comes to the delivered quality really. I take properly done HRTF over quality headphones with reference class drivers over "true surround" of cheap headsets any day. At least I won't have crossover issues.

 

have not tried on surround sound speaker setups...ill give it a try...but i think lucas arts should have extended its dolby digital license to this game.

 

Lucas Arts holds a Dolby Digital license?

 

Are you referring to THX? THX is a quality standard to ensure that sound is replayed exactly the same way and quality it has been mixed and recorded. It is not an audio standard. Dolby Digital is a lossy audio compression system which supports multiple discrete channels. You actually don't even need a license to provide Dolby Digital encoded sound.

Edited February 19, 2012 by ArmchairMagpie

[Mannic]

Not sure if it supports surround sound.

 

If you think it doesn't support stereo, but your headphones on backward (I do this occasionally if I'm not paying attention) and try to do something like Huttball.

[Descends]

On the contrary, I do quite have the right idea about it. Why else would I invest so much money into audio equipment and be so selective about it ? And even go as far as safely state that both are not the same thing in terms of quality. Because I am absolutely ignorant? Yeah, right.

I own several headphones and owned several headsets of all classes myself. A decent headphone trumps any headset in the same league. I use headsets when playing multiplayer in a team, for the rest I am going back to headphones.

 

The number of drivers is irrelevant when it comes to the delivered quality really. I take properly done HRTF over quality headphones with reference class drivers over "true surround" of cheap headsets any day. At least I won't have crossover issues.

 

 

 

Lucas Arts holds a Dolby Digital license?

 

Are you referring to THX? THX is a quality standard to ensure that sound is replayed exactly the same way and quality it has been mixed and recorded. It is not an audio standard. Dolby Digital is a lossy audio compression system which supports multiple discrete channels. You actually don't even need a license to provide Dolby Digital encoded sound.

 

Headsets and headphones can be identical. Just because it also has a microphone attached to it, does not mean its worse. I have a lot of different headphones and headsets. Your argument is just plain silly.

 

Second Dolby has advanced since the old days, Dolby True HD is not lossy. It does 8 channels at 18megabits.

 

You must have a license from dolby to feature this component in your games or films.

Most devices, including most computer sound cards, headsets, things like that...have special software features to accommodate dolby improving cross compatibility on different setups.

 

 

all of this is irrelevant to the original thread.

 

The point is, headphones or headsets can be the exact same...despite whatever you are telling yourself.

 

ive tried the game in several different headsets and headphones... and even on setups with 6 speakers inside the headphones themselves...I have not been getting much depth if any in 3d audio with this game. I tried 5 different soundcards... razer barracuda, onboard, xfi, and external ones provided by coolermaster, corsair, and arctic cooling, and I havnt had a good experience. "Debate" it however you want, it really doesnt matter to me.

[ArmchairMagpie]

Headsets and headphones can be identical. Just because it also has a microphone attached to it, does not mean its worse. I have a lot of different headphones and headsets. Your argument is just plain silly.

[...]

The point is, headphones or headsets can be the exact same...despite whatever you are telling yourself.

 

Eh, not silly. They are both designed for different purposes. It's car audio equipment vs. home cinema&audio. Headsets specialized as gadget for gamers and people using the internet for phoning and the other one as tool for audiophiles and studio workers.

It's even not up to debate, if you want to focus on audio experience your first search won't be for headsets. Just because they look similar and even have partially comparable specs it doesn't mean the end result is the same.

 

Second Dolby has advanced since the old days, Dolby True HD is not lossy. It does 8 channels at 18megabits.

 

You must have a license from dolby to feature this component in your games or films.

Most devices, including most computer sound cards, headsets, things like that...have special software features to accommodate dolby improving cross compatibility on different setups.

 

Now let's not be unfair and nitpick on details. I was of course being general in terms of the standard because I was genuinely confused. Lucas Arts' THX is what springs up most of the time besides its Star Wars license. Dolby Digital is another thing and that's what I was my point. Bioware would have to acquire a license themselves. I haven't found a hint in the credits for that they have actually been doing that. I was wrong about not requiring a license for recorded content though.

 

ive tried the game in several different headsets and headphones... and even on setups with 6 speakers inside the headphones themselves...I have not been getting much depth if any in 3d audio with this game. I tried 5 different soundcards... razer barracuda, onboard, xfi, and external ones provided by coolermaster, corsair, and arctic cooling, and I havnt had a good experience. "Debate" it however you want, it really doesnt matter to me.

 

Yeah, I won't be debating your experience. But I can share mine, on my USB 7.1 set the surround effect is there but due to its qualitative nature it's rather bland.

On my other equipment I can locate everything within 25m radius just fine, I can hear people passing by coming from behind clearly. It seems the game cuts off player sounds at 25m radius though and game object sounds at around 50m.

However it doesn't surprise me that the X-Fi didn't really yield much improvements either. As far as my experience go with that one is that CMSS3D was never good or even the least satisfying.

 

Not that I do mind Bioware improving on sound side, there are definitely fidelity issues, the hard sound cutoffs are actually immersion-breaking. But I can at least verify that it does support positional audio at least.

[Felioats]

I'm glad I found your thread. I was just about to buy the razor megalodon to use in the game.

 

Have you had any updates to this issue? Did you get any other surround sound to work?

 

Actually, it does seem to work, but not as well as I've heard it work in other games, such as shooters.

 

I think the big thing that drove me to make this thread was during a particular space mission, there is a starfighter that comes on the right but you hear it from the left. I should've listened more carefully and added more details.

[Blackardin]

I'm glad I found your thread. I was just about to buy the razor megalodon to use in the game.

 

Have you had any updates to this issue? Did you get any other surround sound to work?

 

My headphones are surround. Game sounds great in surround. Not sure what he is talking about.

[Blackardin]

Actually, it does seem to work, but not as well as I've heard it work in other games, such as shooters.

 

I think the big thing that drove me to make this thread was during a particular space mission, there is a starfighter that comes on the right but you hear it from the left. I should've listened more carefully and added more details.

 

I can confirm this also. when I hear rear right I aim left as they pass. I'm thinking its a bug, but yeah, its there.

[Kerploded]

Actually, it does seem to work, but not as well as I've heard it work in other games, such as shooters.

 

I think the big thing that drove me to make this thread was during a particular space mission, there is a starfighter that comes on the right but you hear it from the left. I should've listened more carefully and added more details.

 

This, yeah. I get positional audio but is frequently in the wrong position.