Issues with 5.1 Surround Sound with Windows 10

Anonymous
2019-06-25T18:59:15+00:00

I can not get 5.1 Surround Sound to play for my computer with any audio player; i.e. DVD/CD optical drive, Pandora, etc. but when I run an audio test using the device manager it tests perfectly.  I have heard that there might be a compatibility issue with 5.1/7.1 Surround Sound and Windows 10.

Please let me know if anybody has had this problem and what the solution is.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-03-16T09:09:03+00:00

    I faced the same issue here.  I think the problem is MS new default sound scheme for 5.1 includes side speakers as the last 2 channels for a 5.1 setup, rather then rear speakers which is the correct setup for 5.1.  When you select 7.1, then the rear speakers are available.  If they would simply reverse the side channels for the rear channels for 5.1 scheme, then this wouldn't be a problem for anyone.  Having said that, the fact this has been an issue for this long, I highly doubt it will get fixed, and it's simply something you'll have to live with as most bugs with Windows 10 are.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-04-15T20:42:27+00:00

    I faced the same issue here.  I think the problem is MS new default sound scheme for 5.1 includes side speakers as the last 2 channels for a 5.1 setup, rather then rear speakers which is the correct setup for 5.1.  When you select 7.1, then the rear speakers are available.  If they would simply reverse the side channels for the rear channels for 5.1 scheme, then this wouldn't be a problem for anyone.  Having said that, the fact this has been an issue for this long, I highly doubt it will get fixed, and it's simply something you'll have to live with as most bugs with Windows 10 are.

    This is actually not true, the standard setup for 5.1 is to have a pair of side surround speakers, 7.1 adds the rear surrounds.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-02-19T22:19:13+00:00

    I seriously wish Microsoft cared... I have this same issue, windows refuses to send the sound from music through the appropriate ports. The test in sound setting in control panel is flawless, but then windows refuses to send music there, stuck in stereo.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-01-11T09:27:58+00:00

    Is there a fix to this yet?

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-12-20T14:12:17+00:00

    i think that it works but the apps wont support, it because when i listen to music on spotify i only get stereo but in games my subwoofer works.

    Thank you for your feedback however my subwoofer would play but I would only get sound out of 2 of my 4 speakers even though it would test properly.

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