Since many seems to still have this issue, I'm posting the same thing I posted in the other thread so more people can see the solution. If you are experiencing low volume and you're listening to stereo speaker setup or headphones use the following settings as it seems Bethesda is not supporting stereo channel mixing correctly and it's NOT a specific hardware related issue:

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Realtek HD onboard interface:

EDIT: You should NOT need to use "loudness equalization" with the following config.

You plug the speakers or headphones to the "black" (if using speakers) or "green" headphone jack as usual and choose the appropriate speaker config you have in the plugged in device config list. Then set the speaker config in the Realtek HD audio manager to 5.1 speakers and enable both the "Full-range Speakers" settings; "Front left and right" and "Surround speakers". Now verify that you get sound out of all channels played in the "auto-test". You should be able to get a sound from all channels except the subwoofer with that config.

Screenshot: http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/6179/realtekhd.jpg

Other soundcards:

If you're not using Realtek HD onboard sound you can probably still find the same configuration in the soundcard drivers somewhere (NOTE: X-Fi users NEED to go via windows control panel as the driver interface speaker config and windows speaker config AREN'T the same and not linked to each other) but you can of course also just adjust it through windows control panel like this too:

Step1: http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/5456/speakerconfig1.png
Step2: http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/3153/speakerconfig2.png
Step3: http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/792/speakerconfig3.png
Step4: http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/228/speakerconfig4.png

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Also using 24 bit / 44100 Hz bit depth / sample rate playback results in slightly higher output volume and best possible quality for this game. On Windows Vista/7 you can choose this in the speaker properties and "Advanced" tab.

Screenshot: http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/7123/sampleratebitdepth.png


Seems like Bethesda needs to address stereo channel mixing of this game, above config works wonderfully for me though both delivering normal volume levels as well as very nice sound quality and positioning even as a headphone user.

I use a gaming headset and I have SigmaTel intergrated audio with Windows XP. I've never had sound problems in any of the current gen games except this one... sound is low. Really wish Bethesda would fix this or something. Any ideas how I can fix it?

So far turning up the sound volume by like x4 works fine, but then I have to be careful to remember to turn it back down or I'll get blown away by youtube or something...

Did you even read the above post, it described what to do. Since you're using Windows XP it will look different for you but you should still be able to find the speaker config in the windows control panel somewhere, I can't remember anymore exactly where to get it in Windows XP but should be there under the output device you use somewhere and set it to "5.1 speakers". The game seems to be unable to handle stereo channel mixing properly, works only correctly with 5.1 speakers.

This worked for me, thanks muchly

Realtek HD + headphones, sound is noticeably louder, I may actually have to turn it down a bit!

Reposting from the other thread to show my appreciation:-

@RPGWiZaRD

What can i say.. you, my friend are a gentleman and a scholar...

I tried out your settings (5.1 speaker config as well as 24 bit / 44100 Hz) with some trepidation and they totally worked for me..

I can now turn down my master volume settings inline with what i had set for my other functional applications.... Winamp and others remained tight with 5.1 sound... even on headphones...

So folks if you have similar issues, please try out RPGWiZaRD's solution... heck it should be stickied...

Thanks mate!

Using IDT High Definition Audio Codec with Headphones

Glad it worked for you! Now try pay attention to the improved positioning of the sounds as well, especially listen to people talking, you should be able to tell from which direction it comes from now too!

Would be nice to have this stickied as it's a problem that so many people are experiencing, but I'll keep bumping it once in a while to make sure as many people as possible sees it.

I actually recommend to use these settings all the time, I've been doing this for years as a headphone user, using 5.1 speaker config as it's kind of a trick to process 5.1 output downmixed into stereo output which results in better soundstage (read surround sound/positioning, you get a definition of "behind" and "in-front" of you on top of the side directions). Even audio and movies will sound great besides gaming like this and you don't lose out on any sounds as long as you've set it up correctly.

X-Fi users can still use "headphone" mode in the driver settings to be able to use "CMSS3D" for headphones but you should set it to 5.1 speakers like described above in windows control panel. There are several forum threads around the Internet which talks about this and they usually recommend it to set up like that, 5.1 speakers in windows control panel and headphone mode (or whatever speaker setup you're using) in the driver interface.

I can`t turn the 5+1 on:

http://i.imgur.com/Vu5Jr.png


Any idea? ( I use the latest realtek HD audio drivers)

Yea I see the problem there, unfortunaly your chip only supports stereo channels as to the right you only have the green headphone jack as well as a microphone jack. You're using a laptop right? That would explain things. Unfortunately for this to work the sound device needs to support 5.1 channels so Bethesda would still have to address the issue for people only being able to use "stereo" (read most laptop users for example).

EDIT: Try turning on the "Headphone virtualization" and see if it helps, you never know.

Sorry, I did read it, but I didn't look at the pictures because they were of a different OS obviously, but now that you just explained it like that I will be sure to try it.

Yes, I currently use the laptop, I think I have to wait for Bethesda to fix it... I turned the loudness equalization on, that temporarly fix the problem though don`t like it, don`t know why but it hurts my ears.

I find the above fix does not work with my Realtek HD Audio Chipset while using headphones and I specifically need Loudness Equalization enabled as well.

For Windows 7 users (maybe Vista also): Right click your volume icon, playback devices.

Go to speakers - properties (or properties for whatever your listening through) - enhancements.

Enable Loudness Equalisation.


Note: this does not actually fix anything, and if you're an audiophile it will sound a bit off, also things like music will also sound a bit weird, so you'll have to turn it on and off depending on what you're listening to. I have a problem where ALL of my Windows audio is too quiet, and this setting makes it bearable.

Ahh.. i've discovered a slight niggle to your solution but it's unrelated to the game....

Apparently audio sources that are mono in nature(yes, mono), like oldish mp3s in Winamp or other media players don't produce any audible sound that i can hear on my headphones with your 5.1 settings. Everything else is still great though.. Just a heads up....

EDIT:- My bad it seems to be only a Winamp problem.. Carry on folks =P

I don't personally use Loudness Equalization and never will as it ruins the audio IMO (and some sounds are too loud comparable to some others), with the above config it should be disabled. I will edit that in to the post.

The fix didn't work for me =(

You changed it like this right on Windows XP ? http://worldwide.bose.com/productsupport/en/assets/images/articles/digital_music_systems/companion5_properties.jpg

I've tested this on two different output devices, Realtek HD onboard on Windows 7 as well as an Audigy 2 ZS and it worked. Tomorrow I might give it a try on my parents computer too which runs both Windows XP and 7 with an older Realtek non-HD (AC97) onboard chip.

It's a shame I don't own the Creative X-Fi Titanium HD and ASUS Xonar D2 cards I gave a try/comparision not long ago, otherwise I could have tried it out with those cards as well.

Well I'm saying if I don't use Loudness Equalization with headphones Skyrim's WAY too soft, I can barely hear anything. I've tried different headphones to no avail.

Your "fix" does absolutely nothing with my Realtek HD Audio Chipset + Headphones. I tried your fix with several different pairs of headphones, all the same result. Volume is turned up to 100% on both headphones and Windows.

Edit: Got your fix working, however it causes another problem -- the directional audio is seriously messed up. If I turn just slightly away from the source of a sound, it goes down to 10% of normal volume, becoming mostly inaudible. I'm not talking turning completely away from a source, but only slightly to the left or right. For now I'll have to keep it on Stereo and use Loudness Equalization.

This kind of work but now I can't hear talk when it's coming right in front of me, only when I turn left or right slightly. I have only 2 speakers and stereo is the default setting but when turning to 5.1 and disabling the unnecessary speakers I still don't hear the speak (or other sounds) which are coming right in front of me.

fAudioMasterVolume=1.0000 - This variable in SkyrimPrefs.ini is equivalent to the Master volume slider in the in-game settings. However here it can be adjusted above the 1.0000 limit which is imposed on the in-game slider, allowing people who find the sound in Skyrim to be too low to raise it. For example, try a value of 1.5000 or 2.0000. You can subsequently adjust the other volume sliders in-game as required, however adjusting the Master volume slider in-game will reset this variable back to the default maximum of 1.0000.

Source: Nvidia.

Works fine here, I get sound coming straight ahead of me, seems like you're not getting the sounds coming from "center" channel when using 5.1 speaker setup, for me it does (even if I'm a headphone user). Did you instead of disabling, tick the box for "center" channel, maybe you need it activated while I don't need it ticked. I'm also suspecting it MIGHT have to do with what input you've plugged it in, it could be somehow be hardcoded to work in a certain way if you use the black "front" jack on the soundcard I assume as a stereo speaker user (perhaps this game only sounds correct in stereo if using the green headphone jack while set to 5.1 speakers) This is maybe something I could test as well.

Changing fAudioMasterVolume past 1.0000 did nothing for me, only using 5.1 speaker config brought the volume up to normal levels and improved the positioning greatly too. The game has among the best working positional sound for me, sounds really great when walking around town and you hear the townspeople talking and you can close your eyes and tell yea he/she stands aproximately that far away to that direction etc.

Right I should give it a try and see if this 5.1 speaker config fixes it also on my parent's computer which has both Windows XP and 7 installed with an older onboard realtek chip (possibly an old audigy 1 card installed too) but there's so much on the TV today I wanna see so it's most likely gonna have to wait until tomorrow.

This helped. It increased the sound. But some sounds are still too low to be "enjoyed properly".

Loudness equalization is best I think. River, water, wind sounds and music that are so beautiful are all hearable then. Otherwise, they're way too low. And spell sounds are WAY too high. Loudness equalization helps with this.

Seriously though, Bethesda should step up and fix this though. We shouldnt have to find workarounds.

This is the only unsolveable problem for our desktop, we just use the volume .. PITA but hopefully it will be addressed in a patch.

Anyone else on windows XP know how to set 24 bit / 44100 Hz ?, I cant find an option for that anywhere in the control panel sound settings, advanced or otherwise. Similarly Loudness equalization does not seem to be an option either.

Hmm, the sound levels on ambient stuff like running water and wind etc are appropriate here IMO, very loud and clear. Perhaps I should record a fraps video for comparision's sake so you can compare if it's different for me or not.

For those having a Xonar card, it's dead simple :
Just open the Xonar Audio Center, and select "6 channels" in "Audio Channel". Done.