The Windows 10 Creators Update added support for spatial sound . It is an advanced surround sound system, which is not mixed into several separate channels, but instead, the sounds are mapped to virtual places in 3D space, and that spatial data is sent to the speaker system. We explain how to use it on your Windows 10 PC
What is spatial sound in Windows 10
Imagine the following situation: when you watch a movie or play games, you can hear the helicopters not only flying around you, but also flying directly over you. This situation is possible thanks to the spatial sound of Windows 10.
In general, traditional surround sound content will be automatically boosted to provide an enhanced audio experience . However, spatial sound will provide an enhanced atmosphere in three-dimensional virtual space, something that traditional surround sound formats cannot do.
Some games and movies can natively support spatial sound , which will provide the best level of audio immersion and location accuracy. However, if you turn on spatial sound in Windows 10, all your movies and games will sound better.
When Windows 10 spatial sound is enabled, your PC will mix the audio using position data, providing a virtual spatial sound experience. So if you're playing a game and you hear sound coming from above your character and to the right, the sound is mixed before being sent to your headphones or speakers.
There are two spatial sound formats in Windows 10
Windows 10 offers us two spatial sound formats so that we can choose the best one for us. These two formats are Windows Sonic for headphones , Dolby Atmos for headphones, and Dolby Atmos for home theater.
- Windows Sonic for Headphones : Choosing this option will automatically check the “Enable virtual 7.1 surround sound” box, allowing you to use any pair of stereo headphones to listen to content that was previously only heard in multichannel.
- Dolby Atmos for headphones and home theater: When you choose this option for the first time, you will need to download the Dolby Access app . It is a paid application, although it offers a free 30-day trial period.
Windows Sonic can be used with any headset , while Dolby Atmos can be experienced through headphones or through your Dolby Atmos-enabled television, soundbar or home theater system.
Both systems will make all your movies and games sound more immersive and allow games to deliver audio with pinpoint precision.
How to activate Windows Sonic
Windows Sonic is disabled on your computer by default. Therefore, you should enable it manually. Fortunately, this is something that you can do in a very simple way by following the steps that we explain below:
The first way to do it is very simple. Just right click on the volume icon in the taskbar and move the cursor to Spatial Sound (Off). After that, choose the Windows Sonic spatial sound format.
It's that simple to activate Windows Sonic technology on your Windows 10 computer. You will surely notice the difference. Remember that you can share the article to help us reach more users.