How “Windows Sonic” Spatial Sound Works
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Jun 22, 2018, 6:40 am EDT| 4 min read
Microsoft added “Windows Sonic” spatial sound to Windows 10 back in the Creators Update. Windows Sonic for Headphones is disabled by default, but you can enable it for virtual surround sound. This option is available on the Xbox One, too.
How khổng lồ Enable Windows Sonic
You can easily toggle this feature on or off from the sound icon in your notification area. Right-click the speaker icon, point lớn Spatial Sound, và select “Windows Sonic for Headphones” khổng lồ enable it. Select “Off” here to lớn disable Windows Sonic.
If you don’t see an option to lớn enable spatial sound here or in the Control Panel, your sound device doesn’t tư vấn it. For example, this option won’t be available when using built-in máy vi tính speakers.
You can also access this feature from the Sound Control Panel applet. To launch it, head to Control Panel > Hardware & Sound > Sound.
Double-click the playback device you want lớn enable Windows Sonic for, click the “Spatial Sound” tab, and choose “Windows Sonic for Headphones” in the box. You can also enable Dolby Atmos for Headphones on the same dropdown menu. This is a similar spatial sound công nghệ for headphones. However, it uses Dolby’s technology, and requires a $15 in-app purchase to lớn unlock.
You can also toggle the “Turn on 7.1 virtual surround sound” option on or off on the Spatial Sound tab.
On an Xbox One, you’ll find this option at System > Settings > Display & Sound > Audio Output. Choose Windows Sonic for Headphones under Headset audio.
What is Spatial Sound?
As Microsoft’s developer documentation puts it, Windows Sonic is a “platform-level solution for spatial sound tư vấn on Xbox on Windows.” Application developers can use spatial sound APIs lớn “create audio objects that emit audio from positions in 3 chiều space.” All applications can take advantage of this—new UWP apps, traditional Windows desktop applications, standard PC games, và Xbox One games.
This is exactly the data that Dolby Atmos-enabled receivers need lớn mix their spatial sound, so Windows Sonic enables full Dolby Atmos support in the latest versions of Windows 10. When paired with a Dolby Atmos-enabled receiver và speaker system, sounds you hear can be positioned in 3 chiều space—vertically as well as horizontally—for an improved surround sound experience.
So, for example, if a sound is coming from above you and to your right in a movie, TV show, or clip game, the upwards-firing or ceiling mounted speakers on the right side of your room will place the sound in that location—assuming you have Dolby Atmos.
The Dolby Access ứng dụng in the Store will help you set up Dolby Atmos trang chủ theater audio with a Windows 10 PC.
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RELATED: What is Dolby Atmos?
How Does Spatial Sound Work in Headphones?
This spatial data would normally only be useful if you have a Dolby Atmos system that can actually use it. Even if you have a traditional 7.1 stereo surround sound system, you’re just getting normal surround sound with eight channels of audio—seven speakers plus your subwoofer.
However, this positional data can provide spatial sound in any pair of headphones. You just need khổng lồ enable either “Windows Sonic for Headphones” or “Dolby Atmos for Headphones.” Both work similarly, but Dolby’s version uses Dolby’s technology and has a price tag, while Windows Sonic uses only Microsoft’s technology và is included for miễn phí with Windows 10 và the Xbox One.
When you enable one of these features, your Windows PC (or Xbox One) will set the audio using the positional data, providing a virtual spatial sound experience. So, if you’re playing a game & a sound is coming from above your character và to the right, the sound will be mixed before it’s sent khổng lồ your headphones so you hear that sound as coming from above you & to the right.
These spatial sound features only work with applications that provide the spatial data lớn Windows.
RELATED: How khổng lồ Use Dolby Atmos Surround Sound on Windows 10
What About 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound?
When you enable Windows Sonic for Headphones, the “Turn on 7.1 virtual surround sound” feature in the Sound Control Panel is also enabled by default. On the Xbox One, this feature is named “Use virtual surround sound.”
With 7.1 virtual surround sound enabled, Windows will take 7.1 surround sound audio—in clip games or movies, for example—and set it to stereo sound, taking into account the position of the objects, before sending it lớn your headphones. 5.1 surround sound will also work.
To use this feature properly, you’ll need to set your trò chơi or clip player to đầu ra 7.1 surround sound, even though you’re using headphones. Your headphones will function as a virtual 7.1 surround sound device.
Unlike with true surround sound, you’re still using a standard pair of stereo headphones with only two speakers—one for each ear. However, the virtual surround sound provides more better positional audio cues, which are particularly useful when playing PC or Xbox games.
These tai nghe features function similarly to surround sound technologies for gaming headphones like Dolby Headphone, Creative media Surround Sound 3 chiều (CMSS-3D Headphone), và DTX tai nghe X. But they’re integrated into Windows and work with any pair of headphones.
The virtual surround sound feature works with all applications that provide 7.1 surround sound audio. Many games and movies that don’t provide spatial sound bởi have 7.1 surround sound support, so this is compatible with many more applications.
How Many Applications Provide Positional Data?
With the “Turn on 7.1 virtual surround sound” feature enabled, you’ll get some mixed positional audio in your headphones with any 7.1 surround sound signal. However, for the best positional audio, you’ll need applications that actually provide that positional audio data to Windows (or your Xbox One.)
It’s unclear just how many applications now support this. However, Microsoft’s documentation says that “many app & game developers use third các buổi party audio rendering engine solutions” và that “Microsoft has partnered with several of these solution providers to implement Windows Sonic in their existing authoring environments.”
One thing is clear: Any game or application that advertises support for Dolby Atmos will also provide spatial data to lớn Windows Sonic for Headphones.
Either way, with Windows Sonic for Headphones enabled, you’ll still get positional sound as long as you have the 7.1 virtual surround sound feature enabled và you’re using applications with 7.1 surround sound. Some applications will just have better positional sound if they provide the data khổng lồ Windows Sonic.
Image Credit: ktasimar/Shutterstock.com.
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