Audio sounds distant

[Pvtanderson123]

Hi guys, I am currently using a Sennheiser PC 363D and have recently started using a Sound Blaster Audigy 5/Rx but I have noticed while gaming that the actual surround sound is amazing but it also sounds distant at the same time and I can't find any fixes for it?

[Mark.]

I know this will be vague but it may get you started or maybe looking in the right section, but I had a similar 'distant sound' years ago only when playing music and I had to turn off one the SoundBlaster's features like surround sound or bass boost or something like that.

never did get a proper resolution as that machine was replaced before SB brought out any driver update.
but you can also start with checking your drivers too.

[BC_Programmer]

Can only echo what Mark said- definitely check around in the Sound Blaster Control Panel.

[VintronNZ]

Something to try is to set the SB card to stereo mode not 7.1 mode. Then have the headphones do the conversion to 7.1 audio.
If the above doesn't change anything. Turn off Dolby on the sound card.

[BC_Programmer]

Actually, thinking about it- That seems to be pretty likely.

I've found my system (I also have a Creative Audio card) will reset the Speakers to 7.1 after a driver update and it causes very odd audio effects and sounding "far away" is one way I'd describe them. In fact, I was going to post recommendations of that sort but the way mine is setup I leave my headphones plugged in all the time and switch to it with the control panel, so in my mind I was thinking that headphone output wasn't possible with 7.1 enabled. But of course that isn't the case- It's just how I'm using it. I could just as easily plug my headphones into my headphone jack directly with an adapter (it's a large TRS connector which the breakout module supports) , at which point 5.1 or 7.1 or whatever will be "active" with the headphones, rather than the dedicated headphones mode.

[Mark.]

BOOM.... Dolby.... that was it.
(thank you VintronNZ, that rang a massive bell in the old memory banks)

[BC_Programmer]

Coincidentally, I had a strange audio problem over the last day or so (since a Windows Update). It didn't sound echoey or distance but was markedly different and seemed, just different altogether. I'd checked my audio card settings and everything was in order so I assumed I was just imagining things because of this very thread.

I just happened to, just now, click on the speaker in the notification area and notice that my active audio device wasn't my audio card, but My video card- it sounded different because it was being routed to my monitor which means it sounds quite different from my sound system.

I mention it because if you are using DisplayPort or HDMI with your monitor you could very well have had the active audio device change to point at your monitor and the "distant" effect could be a combination of the smaller speaker size as well as being "muffled" through the display bezel.