Gaming surround sound effects, dynamic and static

[admin_exported]

I have a question for anyone that is in the know about how game surround is handled. I recently thought I had a problem with my surround speakers.

Stereo panning effects were working in the rear channels, however certain sounds didn't sound right and wouldn't pan. Sometimes sounds would come out of one rear but I couldn't replicate it if I turned my character the other way.

I have tried this out in quite a few games both on the PS3 and 360.

Say if you are standing in Modern Warfare 2 and you drop a tactical insertion, if you stand with your back to it you can hear the sound panning left to right or right to left in the rear channels. This is dynamic and reacts to the player however I think that some are either static or just triggered in one or the other.

I thought I had a problem with my speakers but I think this is just how game audio is.

Wondered if anyone else had more of an insight

I have found a lot of surround effects seem to be coming from the right hand side rather than the left

 

[Andrew Everard]

stu_d:Say if you are standing in Modern Warfare 2 and you drop a tactical insertion

Golly, these games are clearly more frightening than I'd imagined...

 

[Anonymous]

My little lad can clear a room when he 'drops a tactical insertion'.

 

[Andrew Everard]

If a joke's worth telling, it's worth spelling out...

 

[Cookie Monster]

Hi,

Some games are possibly better encoded than others. Batman Arkham asylum is stunning in 5.1 with clear positioning of effects.

Can't see a list of you're kit but worth checking all you're speakers with a 'test tone' to ensure wiring is correct. Also, set you're console to 'bitstream' the audio to allow what is generally the superior amplifier to decode it. Also check codecs as to me it sounds like you are outputting 2 channel PCM and getting 5 speaker stereo. Ensure amp is reading 'dolby digital' not PCM and that the setting for the HDMI/ Optical out on you're console are set to include Dolby Digital and not just Stereo PCM. Also check in game setting for seperate surround option over stereo output.

Hope it helps.

 

[Anonymous]

Cookie Monster:
Hi,

Some games are possibly better encoded than others. Batman Arkham asylum is stunning in 5.1 with clear positioning of effects.

Can't see a list of you're kit but worth checking all you're speakers with a 'test tone' to ensure wiring is correct. Also, set you're console to 'bitstream' the audio to allow what is generally the superior amplifier to decode it. Also check codecs as to me it sounds like you are outputting 2 channel PCM and getting 5 speaker stereo. Ensure amp is reading 'dolby digital' not PCM and that the setting for the HDMI/ Optical out on you're console are set to include Dolby Digital and not just Stereo PCM. Also check in game setting for seperate surround option over stereo output.

Hope it helps.

Thanks for the reply,

I have a Denon 1910

QAcoustics 1050i fronts 1000ci centre, 1020i rears

I have my consoles connected via HDMI, my 360 always says Dolby 5.1 however my amp says multi in on the PS3, it is using PCM, when I look in the audio status in the amp it says 3/2 .1 which I assume is the un-compressed sound you get from PS3?

I am finding stereo pans to sound right however certain sounds seem to work in one and not the other. I seem to pick up sound more from the right channel. I have a Radioshack SPL meter for setting the levels. I usually have the rears a little louder as I tend to sit on the edge of the sofa when gaming.

I have my rears wall mounted pointing down so they fire over my ears.

Like you say as well all sound engines seem different there doesn't seem to be great parity between titles.

 

[sonycentre]

It's also worth noting that you may need to go into the audio setting's in the game menu,I have found that when you play some of these games online that the audio may change too.I have both the xbox 360 elite and ps3..ps3 games with amazing audio are wipeouthd,uncharted 1 and 2 have stunning audio mixes..even including pcm 7.1 surround sound..wipeout hd(with the 3d update) is simply awesome..we use that instore to demo to the right customer using our surround sound and in 3d too.Happy gaming.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply,

I have noticed that my PS3 seems to have picked up a habit of turning my centre speaker off at random points in games or on the XMB, only happens with the PS3. Some more weirdness

 

[sonycentre]

Do you own a ps3 slim,or the older fat one?.

 

[Anonymous]

I have the Slim