How to play sound out of both monitors' speakers?

[Lurking]

I have two monitors  hooked up to the DP ports of my B850m DS3H MB. I use W11Pro. I can play sound out of either monitor, but not both. How do i make it so sound comes out of both the same time and volume? 

 

While researching I came across this post suggesting a software from github called Audio-router. This seems to work. BUT it has to be set every time i turn on the PC. and when I change volume (on mouse or keyboard buttons), it only changes it on one monitor. i also tried the Voicemeter software someone else suggested. But I couldn't get that to work at all. it also seemed to be something that needs to be set every time I turn on the PC. 

 

i want a solution that:

- once set, works all the time

- allows me to change volume on both monitors the same level and ideally with my keyboard/mouse controls. 

 

is there some way to do that? 

 

and sorry if this is the wrong forum..it isn't clear if this is an audio or Windows problem. 

 

[MrSimplicity]

This has been a thing that has almost never been solved for a VERY long time. I looked into this like 10 years ago and never found a solution that wasn't cumbersome. Your best bet is to just buy a set of desktop speakers. The Voicemeter setup is the only one I ever found and just opted for speakers instead.

[Psittac]

There is a thing called "virtual cables" I never looked into it but heard about it a couple of years ago

 

*I'm asking about it in an audio telegram

[MrSimplicity]

2 hours ago, Psittac said:

There is a thing called "virtual cables" I never looked into it but heard about it a couple of years ago

 

*I'm asking about it in an audio telegram

 

That seems to look like it's just taking the audio output of one program and turning it into an audio input (like a microphone) for another program to use. Doesn't look like it has the ability to join two different output devices together to act as one output.

[MrSimplicity]

However, I found this thread Windows Stereo Mix that explains how to output an input device to 2 separate outputs. Along with the virtual cables program you could theoretically take the output from your computer to make it an input for Stereo Mix and output that to both of your monitors. Keep in mind you won't be able to achieve a stereo like sound stage as both left and right channels will be playing out of both monitors simultaneously.

 

I don't have to means to test this right now or else I definitely would but it seems like something you could look into.

[MrSimplicity]

Okay... scratch all that... kind of. Just enable Stereo Mix and select the playback device to be your second (non-default) monitor. I was playing around with it and I have issues with getting sound to come out of my laptop speakers to begin with so I didn't think it was working but ultimately it is. Any questions just ask.

[MrSimplicity]

Alright after further testing and figuring out my own problems... The only thing Stereo Mix seems to send to the second device is vocals. Not sure how they managed that but playing a YouTube video played all audio out of my speakers but only vocals out of my headphones. Probably go back to that virtual cables theory.

[Lurking]

9 hours ago, Psittac said:

There is a thing called "virtual cables" I never looked into it but heard about it a couple of years ago

 

*I'm asking about it in an audio telegram

"Virtual cable" is part of the Voicemeter software from the software i tried in my OP. i didn't get it to work...

10 hours ago, MrSimplicity said:

This has been a thing that has almost never been solved for a VERY long time. I looked into this like 10 years ago and never found a solution that wasn't cumbersome. Your best bet is to just buy a set of desktop speakers. The Voicemeter setup is the only one I ever found and just opted for speakers instead.

i went great lengths to de-clutter my desk and don't want to add speakers/cables. i rather just listen to a single monitor... 

 

This sounds like it is a really easy problem to solve for Microsoft. But it seems hard to do from outside Microsoft (or there isn't enough demand)

[MrSimplicity]

9 hours ago, Lurking said:

This sounds like it is a really easy problem to solve for Microsoft. But it seems hard to do from outside Microsoft (or there isn't enough demand)

There just isn't demand for it. The only technology that seems to support multiple outputs is bluetooth. and even then it's super finicky.

[xxoklmnxxoojr]

Hey there, So a good option is using Voicemeeter. You can setup each monitor as a output and just select it to send to both outputs A1-5 correspond with the outputs selected in the top right. Im happy to help you set this up if you need help 

[Lurking]

23 hours ago, xxoklmnxxoojr said:

Hey there, So a good option is using Voicemeeter. You can setup each monitor as a output and just select it to send to both outputs A1-5 correspond with the outputs selected in the top right. Im happy to help you set this up if you need help 

I was able to make it "look" like sound is playing (in W11 audio settings)

i also think i set it up so both monitors are output. but no sound is coming put

I'm also not able to just set it back to play normally through one monitor. 

 

huh?

[xxoklmnxxoojr]

37 minutes ago, Lurking said:

I was able to make it "look" like sound is playing (in W11 audio settings)

i also think i set it up so both monitors are output. but no sound is coming put

I'm also not able to just set it back to play normally through one monitor. 

 

huh?

You gotta add the audio on line 1 or 2. (circled blue in the picture). also make sure you have your default audio output setup as a virtual audio cable. feel free to add my discord if you need more help - discord is -forever_wow
  

[Lurking]

23 hours ago, xxoklmnxxoojr said:

You gotta add the audio on line 1 or 2. (circled blue in the picture). also make sure you have your default audio output setup as a virtual audio cable. feel free to add my discord if you need more help - discord is -forever_wow
  

thanks so much! I now have sound from both monitors. For some reason i only needed to add one input. I assume i only need to use multiple inputs if I want to mix/blend sound. Like a microphone for karaoke. I actually have another PC i use for karaoke and may try that there. It plays from my mp3 software, and youtube. So I assume it plays any source. For some reason i expected the fader gains under output would each control volume to one monitor. But only the left one (circled) does anything

 

But now my keyboard/mouse volume control don't work. Using the volume buttons on the keyboard still shows me the volume bar moving. Is there a way to get that to work? 

[xxoklmnxxoojr]

Haha, just responded to your DM before seeing you response on post. As far as im aware that is a no, i personally use my stream deck and a plugin from Barraider to control the volume from my stream deck however you can just tab to vocie meeter or control the audio in whatever app is playin sound. 

[Lurking]

6 hours ago, xxoklmnxxoojr said:

Haha, just responded to your DM before seeing you response on post. As far as im aware that is a no, i personally use my stream deck and a plugin from Barraider to control the volume from my stream deck however you can just tab to vocie meeter or control the audio in whatever app is playin sound. 

That's too bad. i sometimes adjust volume sine some YT videos (or some of my music) are in different volume. and i also remote into work from this PC. So if i play music, I then have to go out of the remote session to change volume. Maybe not the greatest deal... but certainly a step back. 

 

I still try to figure out if I want to use the monitor speakers since they are poor in sound. I also play music (and YT etc.) through my phone and a good BT speaker. Or I get separate PC speakers.