VR Surround Sound

[Unionjackstar]

Hi,
since i`ve got my Oculus Rift, racing got me to the next level. I would never like to go back racing with a single monitor. Despite of screendoor effect, it`s the beste investment for virtual racing i`ve ever done.

But i was struggling a bit with the sound. The Oculus headphones are fine, but i was messing with "light" immersive sound from ACC. In AC the sound is not immersive at all. So looked up for solution and found it with the "Spatial Sound Card". It`s a software, written by a german sound engineering office. It can produce up to 7.1 channel binaural audio. Binaural means, that the Audio will be produced in 3D Stereo for both ears. It`s a clear more realistic 3D audio.
For example you sit in Lamborghini or Bentley and the software produces a sound of the engine around your ears, not in your ears. You can hear the sound of rumbling over the curbs outside your ears left or right. You can hear your opponents left or right behind you, left or right next to you. In replay mod you can move your head and the sound will come to your ears steady from the direction of the cars that are flying by.

You can get the software for free at https://spatialsoundcard.com/

 

[Gadaga]

Hi,

Sounds too good to be true!

Has anyone else have the same positive experience?

Does it work with ACC only or with AC as well?

In what extend is this different than Dolby Atmos?

Thanks

 

[Unionjackstar]

I use it for nearly one year now with my Oculus Rift. It works with AC, ACC and everything else. I would neuer drive without it again. It produces a very good 3D stereo sound around your head and not inside your head.

You can buy this software on Steam for 9,- Euro and you'll get a lot more options.

 

[Insert Coin]

Do you need separate headphones for this?

 

[Unionjackstar]

No, the software works with every normal stereo headphones, also the headphones from Oculus Rift.

Here is a demo of the software, switching between 3D Surround and Stereo on the fly (you have to wear headphones). It`s counterstrike, but you are able to hear what the software is capable of:

 

[JoelGL]

Doesn't seem to work well with Open Composite. Tried it with R3E but the game runs slowmo with it. Would have been nice.
EDIT: It must be my setup...even in ACC, no sound comes out. I have it selected to Speakers (Spatial Surround Card). Is there any other peculiar thing to set up?

 

[Insert Coin]

Tried it with AC: sounds very hollow, lacks treble and the bass is amplified to much to my opinion. Opponents are hardly heard behind me, but that may be a problem of AC and not this sound driver (surround sound in AC is weak by itself). Maybe it works better with other games.

 

[cerebralvortex]

Doesn't seem to work well with Open Composite. Tried it with R3E but the game runs slowmo with it. Would have been nice.
EDIT: It must be my setup...even in ACC, no sound comes out. I have it selected to Speakers (Spatial Surround Card). Is there any other peculiar thing to set up?

I had the same issue but you have to reselect your output device on the surround sound control panel. That fixes it. I have the same when launching AC.

 

[cerebralvortex]

I also tried it with AC and I don't like it.

Tried it with AC: sounds very hollow, lacks treble and the bass is amplified to much to my opinion. Opponents are hardly heard behind me, but that may be a problem of AC and not this sound driver (surround sound in AC is weak by itself). Maybe it works better with other games.

I also tried it with AC and I agree. Sounds hollow, distant.. Crew chief also sounded weird. It's better without it IMO.

 

[Cote Dazur]

Thank you @Unionjackstar I will try it and report.

 

[JoelGL]

I had the same issue but you have to reselect your output device on the surround sound control panel. That fixes it. I have the same when launching AC.

Sorry, where's that? Is it the tick mark for 'Headphone Surround'? If so, I already had that ticked. TIA.

 

[magzire86]

Pcars2 has amazing default 3d sound in vr

 

[cerebralvortex]

Sorry, where's that? Is it the tick mark for 'Headphone Surround'? If so, I already had that ticked. TIA.

Not in front of my PC, but you have to open more options somewhere, and then you should see your output device.

 

[Cote Dazur]

Thank you @Unionjackstar I will try it and report.

OK, so I tried it, seems interesting for listening to my favourite jazz station, but in AC I get a crackling sound that makes it unusable for me.

 

[Case_]

This might be interesting for some - IMO the best headphone surround sound option currently available for PC (because it includes most currently available algorithms to choose from, since everyone's ears are different and what suits one person might not be the best for someone else), and it's also completely free.

Works with any game or movie, BTW, as long as it gets at least 5.1 source (but 7.1 is definitely better).

https://sourceforge.net/projects/hesuvi/

 

[Unionjackstar]

This might be interesting for some - IMO the best headphone surround sound option currently available for PC (because it includes most currently available algorithms to choose from, since everyone's ears are different and what suits one person might not be the best for someone else), and it's also completely free.

Works with any game or movie, BTW, as long as it gets at least 5.1 source (but 7.1 is definitely better).

https://sourceforge.net/projects/hesuvi/

Hey Martin,

found it today and i did not know that you posted something about it here. I tested it and, yep, it`s awesome and free and a lot (!!!) more options the Spatial Sound Card.

You need to download the "APO Equalizer" and the "HeSuVi" Addon for the APO Equalizer.

You can download both them from here

https://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/
https://sourceforge.net/projects/hesuvi/


Then just follow the instructions on https://sourceforge.net/p/hesuvi/wiki/Help/#71-virtualization get the 7.1 speaker set up for your headphones.

With the HeSuVi Addon (Headphone Surround Virtualization) you will get a lot of virtualization possibilities like Doby Atmos, Sennheiser GSX 7.1, Nahimic Surround, DTS Headphone X, etc.. You also got a ton of equalizer presets for headphones. I`ve got a a Sennheiser MM400. Unfortunately there is no preset for it, but i took the Preset from the Sennheiser HD 600 and the Sennheiser GSX virtualization. I also tested some other virtualization setups. They all sound different, but they all do there job in virtualizing a stereo sound into 7.1 headphone sound.

 

[jfeelders]

I'm using this 'APO Equalizer' and 'HeSuVi'-combo with my Oculus Rift and I've been testing different virtualisations. I've found 'Dolby Home Theater v4 Headphone Surround Virtualizer' giving the most natural surround sound. Which virtualisation do you use?

 

[Case_]

Which virtualization sounds the most natural to you depends on many very subjective things including the shape of your head, ears and other things, so it's kinda pointless to ask others for their preference, as their preference might sound completely wrong to you, and vice versa.

 

[jfeelders]

Being a former sound-engineer, I'm familiar with the physics and interpretation of sound. I was specialized in mixing live-performances and the field of surround codecs for headphones is unknown to me. I noticed several differences in the list of virtualisations and I can imagine some will work better with simracing. Perhaps some have investigated the various options perhaps even in combination with an Oculus Rift. We're here to exchange experiences and to learn. Best practice might not be to everyone's taste but it surely gives a point to start.

 

[Case_]

There's no such thing as "work better with simracing".
Also, they're not codecs.