Arctis Nova has weird "3D audio effect" in LabyMod 4

Piipperi8000

2024-01-06 16:52:59

2 Votes

Description

With LabyMod 4, my SteelSeries Arctis Nova headset has audio issues in-game. It seems almost as if there's a surround sound-effect enabled that doesn't really work (or it sounds extremely weird and distracting).
I've got 2 videos that I recorded linked below, one from LM4 1.8.9 and one from Vanilla 1.8.9:
https://youtu.be/bW_0vZ6ekLU
https://youtu.be/nJst4eVvCbM

This was seemingly confirmed to be an issue with LabyMod 4, and for some reason with my particular headset. The Discord support ticket I had open was #8465, but here is what I have tried so far:

Made sure no audio enchantment software is enabled (SteelSeries Sonar, Windows Sonic, Audio enchantments, etc.)
Tested with different bit-depths and kHz, no change.
Tested on a whole different computer that previously hasn't had LabyMod installed on it in any way shape or form, issue still occurs.
LabyMod 3 has no issues with audio, and the computer's internal speakers or internal 3.5 mm output sounds like normal.
Tested using Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2. No difference.

Operating System: Windows 11
LabyMod Version: 4.1.11
Minecraft Version: 1.8.9
Installed Addons: Tested without any addons installed

Comments

Endergamer44
2024-01-17 11:03:13

Having the same Problem here ✋

DaddyPandaa
2024-01-18 21:41:54

Exactly the same problem i have

Staff LabyStudio
2024-12-17 10:49:38

Looks like an audio setting (probably Spatial Sound) that is enabled in the Windows settings of your audio output device. LabyMod forces Minecraft to use the latest OpenAL version, that's why it supports sound settings like that.

Piipperi8000
2025-08-02 11:48:56

Nope, none are enabled.

Piipperi8000
2025-08-03 11:09:29

I found the cause, and a fix! And it's a feature a part of OpenAL called HRTF.
There's a thread on the Hypixel forums documenting on how to enable it, and you can use the same trick to force disable it: https://hypixel.net/threads/hrtf-will-change-your-life-and-heres-how-to-enable-it-effort-post.4012273/ (to disable HRTF, on step 3, write 'false' instead of 'true')

HRTF is supposed to apply a spatial sound effect to your game sounds, but it just really does not work for me. Just makes the sound really distracting as they seem to come from all over the place.