Total beginner here but I’m wondering how you set up your sound outputs.
My initial plan was to set up comms on my headset and have all other noises, aside from comms, through my monitor speakers. That way the headset will essentially muffle the engine noise (that is coming from the monitor) in the way that it would in real life. I’m lucky/unlucky that my cockpit is in a remote (and barely heated) garage so noise isn’t a problem as such.
That was my original plan. The more I read the more Im starting to think that noone else does that.
That is exactly what I do when I am using my headset but right now almost all of my play is without the headset and no mic so all sounds run through speakers of course. I do like the fact that having all external sounds being muffled and comms only coming in loud and clear is much more realistic. When I start flying on VATSIM that is the way I will go.
By adding 2 wireless speakers behind you… It’s an Atmos soundbar too, so it simulates overhead sounds as well. Which works wonderfully with MSFS Spatial sound effect.
I’ve got a Denon AVR 7.1 surround sound system. The PC outputs to that so I get the engine sound coming from where the engine is. I’ve also got a Phillips VDU with built in speakers so…VATSIM voice output comes through that, so that to me it sounds like the radio comms is coming from the radio in front of me…unless I’m in external view and then it’s an immersion breaker.
I use the Headphone Simulation option in the sound settings. Radio comms are at normal volume but external sounds are filtered to a lower volume. You end up with the same effect as having comms directed to your headset and external sounds directed to your speakers. But you also have the option to set it to Communication Output and radio comms play through the Windows default Communications Device and all other sounds play through the default Audio Device.
For me, it depends. I have a 5.1 setup. When I’m home alone, I tend to run in Communications mode where I’ll run the main game sound through the speakers, and run comms through my headset.
Otherwise, I liked using Headphone Simulation mode. The down side about that latter option is if you switch to an external view, your ears are suddenly blasted with a loud engine sound, which is rather annoying.
I do have another option which I prefer, but others likely don’t have. I run a Steel Series Arctis 5 headset, which has 2 audio channels - game and chat. On the cable, there’s a dongle that lets me balance the volume between the 2. So I can run in Communications mode and balance the volume of the 2 channels so I don’t get deafened when switching to external view.
Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like there are a fair few permutations. Going to give headphone simulation mode a try later. I can’t help but think that a 5.1 (and potentially Dolby Atmos) would be much more realistic than trying to simulate everything through a headset. I guess it all comes down to how much I want to annoy the rest of the people in the house!
I have a Next Level Racing seat which doubles as a flight cockpit. I envisaged getting a 5.1 system and mounting the surround speakers either side of the chair behind me. If anyone reads this and has done something similar, I would like to hear about it.
