Windows Sonic for Headphones is available on Windows 10, but it’s disabled by default, so you’ll need to enable it first. It can also be enabled for Xbox users in your Xbox Settings menu. Windows Sonic vs Dolby Atmos: Which Spatial Sound Provider Is Best? What Are Windows Sonic Headphones? Windows 10 offers a game-changing audio feature, but you must know where to search to activate and use it. Spatial sound modifies the system’s audio profile, resulting in different audio outputs for the user. So, what is Windows Sonic, and how does it work? To answer this we first need to talk a bit about what spatial sound is. Spatial sound lets a listener more accurately determine where a sound is coming from. With it, you can hear not just the side an audio cue is coming from, but precise angle and elevation. As you can imagine, then, Windows Sonic for Headphones can be great for gaming. From the menu, hover over the Spatial sound (Windows Sonic for Headphones) option. This will show various options for spatial sound. If you want to disable Windows Sonic, select the Off option.

Windows Sonic is a platform-level audio application that simulates surround sound. However, Windows Sonic may also use spatial sound, which creates an immersive audio experience by positioning audio all around you. It’s always nice to get better sound for less money, but there are a few key areas where Windows Sonic for Headphones comes in handy. Movies: Movies with good picture quality and sound are always better. When you watch a movie with Windows Sonic for Headphones enabled, you have a better chance of hearing subtle nuances. This is applicable to all programs, including new UWP apps, old Windows desktop applications, normal PC games, and Xbox One games. Spatial Sound in Windows Sonic is specifically built for Headphones. It is essential to the software to ‘create audio objects that emit audio from 3D space positions’, which Microsoft puts it technically.Despite having only two ears, we can accurately pinpoint the direction of the sound. How is that even possible? No worries about getting those heavy speakers and audio systems to enjoy your movie. The software will do all the heavy-lifting with a seamless experience. Spatial sound APIs enable application developers to “build audio objects that produce audio from positions in 3D space.”

The software only handles sound effects in the presence of a headphone (as is with other softwares). So don’t expect it to work with exterior speakers of your Windows-powered device.

When Is It Most Useful?

Music: We are not talking much about music quality here because music is primarily synthesized as stereo audio for use in headphones. Some software (including games) support Dolby Atmos directly. This means that if you’re playing games like Call of Duty, you may find that setting up Dolby Atmos improves the quality of the audio more noticeably than you’d see if you switched to Windows Sonic. The fastest way to enable Windows Sonic is through the little speaker icon on your Windows 10 taskbar. All told, this only takes a few seconds. When something emits sound waves (creates sound), one of your ears detects it first. The delay information is then used by your brain to calculate an approximate direction of the sound. This is referred to as head-related transfer functions (HRTF). This is where spatial sound software, such as Windows Sonic for Headphones, comes in handy. It takes the positional data and converts it to fit standard 2-speaker stereo headphones.

Poor quality audio can take the buzz out of a movie you’re watching or a game you’re playing. Rather than settling for mono and outdated sound quality, you could think about upgrading your headphones to something a little better. The problem with that is, if your settings aren’t right, then you still won’t get the quality you’re after. When gaming, the positional aspect of Windows Sonic allows you to hear the direction of footsteps or gunshots. It’s extremely useful to be able to rely on both your ears and your reaction skills in multiplayer games. Sound designers spend a lot of time in games and movies carefully placing each sound where it should be, creating an immersive listening experience. Those sound mixes, however, usually work best with multi-speaker setups. How Does Windows Sonic for Headphones Work? How can I turn on Windows Sonic for Headphones on my computer?

The best way to experience spatial audio is usually with a pair of 7.1 surround sound speakers and something like Dolby Atmos. But those are expensive and can be disruptive to others. Windows Sonic, thankfully, also works with any pair of headphones – and a good pair of stereo headphones can sound surprisingly realistic. Windows Sonic for Headphones only works with applications, games, or movies that are capable of rendering to 7.1 channel formats. Some games and applications may not benefit from activating it. What Are Its Advantages?

Windows Sonic for Headphones works through virtual means, which is obvious because it has to fit the requirements of all devices. The actual workload is taken by the software rather than the physical hardware in the device. When used in conjunction with a Dolby Atmos-enabled receiver and speaker system, the sounds you hear can be positioned in 3D space—vertically as well as horizontally—for a more immersive surround sound experience. In recent years, spatial audio software has taken significant leaps. Thanks to advances in technology, it's now possible to accurately emulate a surround sound speaker experience with a regular pair of headphones. Microsoft's effort in this regard is Windows Sonic, a free tool built into Windows to enhance the audio experience. So you might be sceptical about what free software like Windows Sonic can offer in terms of quality and what the real-world performance will be like. Let’s have a look, shall we? Changes to your spatial sound settings will be applied immediately. Switching between Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, or DTS Sound Unbound will allow you to determine which option provides the best improvement to sound quality for your audio set up. Better Sound Quality in Windows 10A surround sound mix (song, game, or movie) and dedicated surround software to translate the mix to your headphones are required to experience the spatial sound effect. Spatial audio simulates the experience of listening to multiple speakers while using headphones with only two speakers (left & right). If you want to enjoy virtual surround sound but don’t want to spend money on subscriptions or additional equipment, Windows Sonic is the best option. However, not all audio content works well with it. You must understand when to use it and when to turn it off. Conclusion On What is Windows Sonic Headphones Consider it this way: The audio washes over you in a single horizontal plane when you utilize standard surround sound. You have a high level of audio immersion, but all noises arrive at the same level (depending on your setup, of course).