New Version doesn't work with 5.1 surround sound configuration?

[PLEASE_DELETE]

I can definitely confirm, that FxSound is working fine on 5.1 (Logitech Z906 here). However, as far as i know, there IS a still existing issue with the configuration of the speaker setup in Windows since it shows you two SIDE speakers and not two REAR speakers, when selecting 5.1. As i was told, this is a known issues which was once fixed in a older version but caused other issues and was therefore reverted. That said, there might be other multi-monitor issues open currently and maybe automatically solved with upcoming versions.

[Coconut]

I’ve come across issues with the app and 5.1 running X-Fi Titanium on DTS, in my case it seems specific to upmixing.

I’ve found that if the individual app supports upmixing then 5.1 works with FXSound, but if I have FXSound running and want to play music via youtube then my X-Fi Titanium settings for X-Fi CMSS 3D / DTS Upmixing are ignored and youtube plays in stereo, closing the FxSound App and re-launching my browser to youtube and Upmixing suddenly kicks in again.

Something in the FxSound app seems to be overriding X-Fi CMSS 3D or DTS Neo or both.

My solution at the moment is to only launch FxSound when I’m using my headphones via Volt 1 Interface.

My suggestion would be if its possible to add the ability to blacklist audio interfaces in FxSound so it doesnt touch them as regardless of what interface is selected, if the app is running it breaks Upmixing.

[doolhoofd]

Nice of you to report this, Dan. Appreciated.
I doubt, however, that the solution you proposed will be a priority fix.
Simply because it just doesn’t seem likely to me that a blacklist function in the app will be implemented anytime soon.
FxSound has always been a system-wide program, and I doubt that this will change in the future.
But please do note that this is merely speculation on my part.

[Coconut]

That’s understandable and makes sense, thank you for your reply. It would be a “nice to have”.

[Dolmatov]

It looks like these functions are related to the driver. There are similar Dolby/DTS features on some built-in realtek.
Running the program switches to its driver (audio device), disabling the functions of a sound card driver.
You can change the number of channels in the system settings for the DFX/FxSound audio device, but do not use the functions of another driver and the included software.

[markili114]

Count me in, whenever I changed the speaker configuration to 5.1 Surround it reverts back to stereo.

[doolhoofd]

@Franzinator: Any news yet?

[Franzinator]

Not yet. Waiting for a new house with rear speaker built in ceiling.

Of course, it will work perfectly!!!

[doolhoofd]

[doolhoofd]

Hello @bvijay;
User @maersovac is experiencing difficulties using FxSound with a 5.1 setup [EDIT: difficulties producing stereo output, actually]; see below.
My knowledge on that topic is quasi non-existent; could you take a look, and perhaps troubleshoot?
Thank you.

@maersovac

BUG: wrong channel configuration disables Realtek SpeakerFill option

Using chrome/edge with command line parameter --try-supported-channel-layouts in order to make it output sound in (first available) stereo instead of the configured 5.1

This is because otherwise chromium outputs Youtube (or any other) stereo streams to the left front and right front channels of the available 5.1, leaving the audio empty on the others, and then Realtek SpeakerFill does not activate, since it works only when the detected stream is stereo.

This works correctly as long as FxSound is not used, and the music plays on all speakers.

When using FxSound and giving it the Speakers (Realtek (R) Audio) device as output, the SpeakerFill no longer works.

It seems that FxSound is upmixing the stereo track from the browser into 5.1 by simply playing the left and right of the stereo onto the left front and right front of the 5.1.

Another possibility is that FxSound declares to the browser that stereo is not supported and gives it a 5.1 channel configuration, so the --try-supported-channel-layouts defaults to 5.1 and the SpeakerFill option cannot activate.

Any suggestion if this is fixable? Some workaround?
If not can it be fixed in the future?

By the way a SpeakerFill option would be a great feature of FxSound by itself, so people don’t have to rely on drivers or other software.

Right now, unfortunately I cannot use FxSound, because this is a deal breaker.

I don’t have a problem with surround sound itself. It works correctly for every app that outputs surround sound via FxSound.

My problem is if the app outputs stereo sound and my soundcard is configured in 5.1, then I woudl expect FxSOund to accept and forward such stream as stereo.

From what I see somewhere in the path via FxSound stereo is lost, making unavailable the soundcard feature to expand the stereo into surround, since it already is (but not upmixed).

Simply put: I lose the ability to listen to stereo music on all my speakers instead of just the front left and front right.

To clarify I can listen to stereo on all my speakers if I upmix stereo into surround in the app itself.

For example in Winamp or Potplayer this is possible.

However for the browsers there is no “upmixing” functionality.
Plugins have no access to that, only access to effects, like boosting or equalization.

The only way to achieve the functionality I want is to force the browser to think it has only stereo available, via the aforementioned command line switch, and subsequently enable the option in the sound card that expands stereo into surround, which works only when the soundcard is playing a stereo stream.

When using FxSound as the soundcard, it seems that this stereo from the browser either no longer works or the stereo sound when passing through FxSound is given in my default 5.1 channel configuration to the soundcard.

In both cases the soundcard is no longer able to upmix into surround.

[doolhoofd]

Added today by @spark:

(Bug) FxSound doesn't work with 5.1 Audio nor Windows Sonic for Headphones

I tried playing Mandalorian which has 5.1 audio using FxSound on MPC-BE Player but the volume becomes extremely low as FxSound likely doesn’t load all audio channels except 2 channels, nor enhances 5.1 audio nor sends it to Windows Sonic for Headphones. Switched back to Realtek HD Audio Manager enabled with Headphone Virtualization, Loudness Equalization, and Windows Sonic for Headphones enabled in Sound > Playback > Properties > Spatial Sound. (For 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound.) Now 5.1 Audio wo…

[zx12mark]

I had this problem and saw a comment about turn mono audio on in sound settings.I now have sound from all speakers.Don’t know if it’s proper 5.1 but for what I want it’s fine.

[doolhoofd]

I think we can all agree that that’s a pretty counterintuitive solution - but if it does the trick, I’m not going to argue with the results!
Thanks for sharing!

[Kaif096]

I have solved my issue by changing the default audio format to 24/96.

[doolhoofd]

Another user reporting issues with a 7.1 setup:

@Milincho

Just bought a Razer Kraken V3 Pro headphones, which feature 7.1 THX Spatial audio, and although FxSound works ok with the ‘THX Spatial Audio’ sound device, recognizes the 7.1 speakers

and puts itself in the 7.1 speaker configuration…

the side and rear speakers sound exactly the same. So the “spatial” effect is lost.
Without FxSound, the side and rear speakers sound clearly different. This is easily tested in the THX control panel.

[Milincho]

BTW, there is a ton of audio test files in all possible formats and all possible number of channels here: Audio Test Files - Google Drive