5.1 Surround Sound Issues Please Help!

[teetzen_534]

I am having some issues with my 5.1 surround sound set up. Please look at the hardware specs below to assist. The issue I am having is all to do with my subwoofer. When I enter the Realtek Audio Console, I can change the 3.5mm audio jack inputs for the monitors and for the sub. To get the sub to play anything, I have to change the blue audio jack, which the sub is plugged into, from "sub/center" to "headphone." Even then, I have to have the speaker configuration set to stereo instead of 5.1 surround. When I do change it to 5.1 surround, and launch into a game like COD, I lose all ability to hear vocal frequencies. I can hear gunshots, explosions, footsteps, but not any voice. The only solution I have found is to keep the sub as a headphone output and the speaker configuration as stereo. However, I believe that this is causing some audio quality loss as it isn't hooked up as a true subwoofer. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Hardware:

MSI Z590 pro WIFI MB

I7-11700k CPU

2x16 G.Skill Trident Z 3600 RAM

Zotac 3080-ti GPU

EVGA Supervova 1000W Gold PSU

Seagate barracuda 2TB HDD

WD Blue SN550 1TB - M.2 drive with windows

WD Black SN750 1TB

Presonus 3.5in Studio Monitors

Presonus Eris Sub8

 

PS: Please don't break my bank if fixes require $$$ lol

[Noxitb]

48 minutes ago, teetzen_534 said:

I am having some issues with my 5.1 surround sound set up. Please look at the hardware specs below to assist. The issue I am having is all to do with my subwoofer. When I enter the Realtek Audio Console, I can change the 3.5mm audio jack inputs for the monitors and for the sub. To get the sub to play anything, I have to change the blue audio jack, which the sub is plugged into, from "sub/center" to "headphone." Even then, I have to have the speaker configuration set to stereo instead of 5.1 surround. When I do change it to 5.1 surround, and launch into a game like COD, I lose all ability to hear vocal frequencies. I can hear gunshots, explosions, footsteps, but not any voice. The only solution I have found is to keep the sub as a headphone output and the speaker configuration as stereo. However, I believe that this is causing some audio quality loss as it isn't hooked up as a true subwoofer. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Hardware:

MSI Z590 pro WIFI MB

I7-11700k CPU

2x16 G.Skill Trident Z 3600 RAM

Zotac 3080-ti GPU

EVGA Supervova 1000W Gold PSU

Seagate barracuda 2TB HDD

WD Blue SN550 1TB - M.2 drive with windows

WD Black SN750 1TB

Presonus 3.5in Studio Monitors

Presonus Eris Sub8

 

PS: Please don't break my bank if fixes require $$$ lol

ahhh is it possible you have damaged any part of the speaker cable or the motherboard and do you have the updated bios for your board 

[ShearMe]

Please explain how you have everything wired up... draw a diagram if necessary.

11 hours ago, teetzen_534 said:

I am having some issues with my 5.1 surround sound set up. 

 

Hardware:

MSI Z590 pro WIFI MB

Presonus 3.5in Studio Monitors

Presonus Eris Sub8

 

[cmndr]

So not particularly familiar with your set up.
One question I'd have... do you have a center channel? If not then you have a 4.1 set up not a 5.1 (also if you only have 2 speakers + sub then it's 2.1). If you only physically have the 3 speakers then setting it to 5.1 is WRONG. You want the sound card to take the game's signal and to convert it to stereo and to pass the correct sound to your speakers. As an FYI you'd also be losing out on the side surround channels if this is what you're doing.

For what it's worth it IS possible to have the center channel information spread to the L+R speakers, this is what I have for my current set up actually (I have a center, it's just not plugged in to save space on my desk). I'm using an AVR though and I have passive speakers.

----

As far as getting the sub to work properly... in an ideal world you have an active cross-over system of some sort (AVR). It looks like you either don't (not sure what realtek can do). In that case set the crossover on the back of the sub to 80Hz to match to the rated frequency of your L+R speakers. Then adjust the gain so that it's as loud as those speakers. I use decibelX (iphone app) for doing basic checks. Use a bass sweep. Ideally it's equally loud. If there's a "gap" in loudness near the crossover region  (and it's not a room null) then turn the crossover up a bit. If there's a peak around there, then try slightly lowering the crossover on the subwoofer.

Another possibility (if only using two speakers and THIS sub - https://www.guitarcenter.com/Presonus/Eris-Sub8-Front-Firing-8-Studio-Subwoofer.gc see plug a Y cable (Aux to RCA) from your computer into the sub input. Then take a pair of RCA cables from the sub to the speakers. Fiddle with the crossover as mentioned above (the speakers are rated down to 80Hz hence the recommendation) and see if you're able to use the high pass filter for the speakers (I assume that's HPF out).


Edit: https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/presonus_eris_e3_5/

 

Looks like the speakers in question have an artificially elevated peak at around 100Hz and then drop off I don't know where the "ideal" crossover region would be for you, likely 70-90Hz. That's a pretty jarring frequency response curve.


Erin suggests stuffing the port with something (clean sock, part of a t-shirt, etc.). Then:  Set the HF to “-6dB”. Set the LF to “+3dB”.

Which gets you this graph


Also be aware that these speakers are sensitive to VERTICAL angle. These either need to be right at ear level or they need to be angled right to your ears.

 

For context this is what I'm using (consistent frequency from ~80 - 20,000Hz) with no real dip until around 16KHz (which I am physically incapable of hearing much past anyway).

You want flat/smooth all the way down to the frequencies your subwoofer is doing.  (also be aware that those charts are best case scenario - think outside or in an anoechic chamber in the real world walls exist and the person listening isn't DEAD on center from where the tweeter in a speaker points)