If we play on the computer, or we like to watch series and movies on the PC, we surely have good headphones. Although we are not going to achieve the same effect with headphones as with a real 7.1 equipment, the truth is that there are algorithms that achieve it quite well, although many times we have to leave enough money to be able to use them, or be limited to one type of headphones concrete. Luckily, Windows 10 brings its own surround sound algorithm that, in addition, we will be able to activate it for any type of speaker or headphones. So is Spatial Sound, or Windows Sonic .
What is spatial sound in Windows 10
Windows 10 Spatial Sound, also known as Windows Sonic or Spatial Sound, is a technology developed by Microsoft to compete directly with similar ones such as EAX (from Creative), THX (from Razer), Dolby or DTS. Broadly speaking, what this technology seeks is to allow us to obtain precise 3D positioning using virtual surround sound systems.
The Microsoft API supports up to a total of 17 different audio channels . In addition, they are not all the same height, but there may even be raised channels, reproducing sounds above and below the user, which is known as an 8.1.4.4 configuration.
The main window of this type of surround sound is that, unlike others, it is completely free. Any Windows 10 user will be able to activate it without problems, regardless of the headset (or speakers) that you connect, as long as it is stereo and uses the Microsoft drivers. Nor does it depend on any additional software to activate it, since we can start it with just a couple of clicks.
Microsoft uses this system in all its products, from Windows 10 to Xbox, including, of course, the Hololens.
How to activate Windows Sonic
Windows spatial sound is installed by default in all versions of Windows 10 after the Creators Update. To use it, all we have to do is connect headphones, headphones or speakers to the computer. No matter the shape, we can do it through the green connector (mini-jack) on the back of the tower, from the universal connector of the laptop, or via USB. It is also compatible with wireless headphones.
Once the cases are connected, all we have to do is click with the right mouse button on the audio icon, which appears next to the Windows clock, and select “spatial sound”. Here we will be able to see all the options that we can activate. The one that interests us in this case is ” Windows Sonic for headphones “.
Ready. We don’t have to do anything else. From now on, our stereo headphones will behave like immersive 7.1 headphones, allowing you to enjoy games or movies much more.
In case we want to deactivate it, we simply go back to the previous section and choose the “deactivated” option.
Enable DTS or Dolby
In addition to Windows Sonic, Windows 10 supports other types of spatial sound. For example, the most common are DTS: X and Dolby Access . However, both technologies are paid. We can download the respective apps from the store and activate them, but in order to use them we will have to go to the checkout.
Unless, our helmets already have the Dolby or DTS license as standard. This happens, for example, with the Logitech G935 (among others), which are already certified to work with DTS: X for headphones and, therefore, we can use this effect with said headphones for free.
To activate the effect, the process is the same as to activate Windows Sonic, since by selecting the spatial sound option we will be able to see the effects that are available, both DTS and Windows Sonic.
Enable spatial sound when unavailable
It may happen that when connecting headphones (for example, the Logitech that we have mentioned before) that, when trying to activate the spatial sound, we do not get available options. This is due to the fact that the driver installed by default is configured to take control of the device through specific software and, therefore, does not allow the use of other spatial sound systems.
Luckily, this has an easy solution: change the manufacturer’s proprietary driver to the generic Windows driver. To do this, what we must do is open the Sound window, where all the playback devices will appear. We double click on our headphones to open its properties window, and in controller information we will click on the “properties” button. Now we will see the driver window. We select the “Driver” tab, and click on “Update driver”.
If the option appears disabled, we need administrator permissions to be able to make this configuration change. Now, we will search for a new driver manually on our computer, and we will choose the one that appears as “audio device”, which is the generic one from Microsoft.
Ready. If you ask us to restart the computer, we do so to complete the driver update process. When the PC reboots we try to activate the spatial sound again, and we can see how now all the available options appear. In our case, the helmets are compatible with Windows Sonic and DTS: X for free , without having to pay any license.
We select the surround effect that we want to use and that’s it. Enjoy the new surround sound in our headphones. And best of all, without depending on other programs (such as those that manufacturers require us to install) for this.