Why Your Gaming Rig Needs a 3D Sound Upgrade

With the dawn of battle royale games like Fortnite, PUBG, and APEX Legends, many gamers are making the shift to virtual surround sound headphones. Why? Because virtual surround offers gamers an enhanced, immersive experience. If you haven’t heard virtual surround for yourself, we understand you might have a few more questions. Like: What is virtual surround? How does it work? Is it right for me?

What is Surround Sound?
Surround sound is a method of multi-channel playback over a set speaker arrangement. There are many forms of sound playback, but some of the most-known configurations are mono, stereo, 5.1, and 7.1.

• Mono: Just a single speaker.
• Stereo: Two speakers — one placed on either side of the listener.
• 5.1: Five speakers placed around the listener, and a subwoofer.
• 7.1: Seven speakers placed around the listener, and a subwoofer.

Each speaker layout is more immersive than the next, with 7.1 being the most immersive (and therefore best for gaming) on our list.

What are Surround Headphones?
Surround headphones, on the other hand, are a form of technology that connect to a dsp box/dongle, decoder/processor in a gaming console, PC, or some other external device. Some headphones even pack a whopping 10 drivers into their earcups, driving up the ticket price, and, in some cases, unintentionally muddling the audio. Because perception of sound is dependent upon directionality, multiple drivers firing off audio in a compact space can obscure a user’s listening experience. While surround headphones can aid in immersivity,

What is Virtual Surround Software?
Surprisingly, virtual surround sound can be generated by any set of headphones. It just takes a little magic. Using software like AUDIO ROYALE can actually take advantage and process your soundcard’s surround sound output, offering you a superior sense of direction in your games. Don’t do default.

Is Virtual Surround Worth it?
If you like saving money, then yes. Because hardware has very little to do with virtual surround, you can use any headphones to reap the benefits. All you need is a program to “unlock” the surround sound from the game you’re playing with. Immersivity awaits!

If you’re interested in trying surround sound for your game, download a free trial of Audio Royale here.