Why Your Gaming Audio Sounds Uneven (& How to Fix It)
Bring Home Theater Sound to Your Gaming Experience
Have you noticed that when you play video games, the sound is completely uneven? If you turn up the volume to hear environmental details like footsteps and background music, action scenes are far too loud the next moment. Then, when you turn down the volume, you’re unable to hear all the background sounds that make games feel immersive and lifelike.
If this is the case for your gaming setup, it sounds like you need better speakers, headphones, or an improved audio format.
As a home theater installer in Palm Beach, FL, we help homeowners improve their movie-watching and gaming experiences through state-of-the-art AV installations. Here are our tips for better home theater gaming audio.
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The Trouble with Gaming Audio
One common issue is that low, mid, and high-frequency ranges are all coming out of the same speakers. Bass often overpowers high frequencies, making them muddled and hard to hear. If you’re playing multiplayer online, the game’s sound, your headset's voice, and other voices are all competing, forcing you to constantly adjust volume settings across different software, which can be tedious.
How to Enhance Video Game Audio
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos is an audio format that provides a spatial, immersive listening experience. Each sound is no longer assigned to a specific speaker. Instead, sounds can move freely across the room through your speaker system. If an enemy is charging at you from behind, it will sound like they’re really behind you. Then, as they move into the center screen, you’ll hear their actions coming from in front. It all moves seamlessly like real life, thanks to Dolby Atmos technology.
To add Dolby Atmos to your home theater gaming, you’ll need:
- A TV or monitor enabled with Dolby Atmos.
- A gaming console or PC that supports Dolby Atmos
- Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, and Windows 10/11 all support Dolby Atmos
- Headphones, Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers, or a multi-speaker surround sound setup
Excitingly, more games than ever are being released with Dolby Atmos, including Halo Infinite, Call of Duty, Jedi Fallen Order, and much more.
Surround Sound
You may be wondering, do I really need multiple speakers? Will a soundbar be enough? It truly depends on how impactful and immersive you want your gaming audio to be.
Unlike a single soundbar, a surround sound system uses multiple speakers placed around the room to create a 3D soundscape. This setup allows you to hear sounds coming from different directions, making you feel like you are truly inside the game. With only one speaker, all audio will come from the same location, and you’ll lose that extra depth and clarity.
High-End Headphones
Prefer to play with headphones? High-fidelity (hi-fi) headphones can provide more detail to your gaming audio. Premium headphones with large internal drivers and noise-canceling features will make it feel like you have a personal surround sound system.
If you prefer a headset to chat with friends online, choose a noise-canceling microphone with decent voice quality that won’t pick up background sounds. Brands like Audeze and SteelSeries are often cited as the best headset brands.
Mixers for Online Multiplayer
When playing multiplayer games online, managing different audio sources can be challenging. A gaming mixer provides central control over all your sources. With a mixer, each feed (game audio, other gamer's voices, and your voice) — is managed by different volume controls, so you can easily adjust when necessary.
Ready to Bring Your Video Games to Life?
Whether it's through a surround sound system or high-end headphones, the right audio equipment will make your games more immersive and enjoyable.
If you're ready to elevate your gaming experience, contact First Priority Audio or visit our showroom near Palm Beach, FL. We'll help you design and install the perfect audio system for your home!
