Distorted audio with Dolby Atmos for Headphones

[rkneeshaw]

Hello, first time post here, love the software, but I think I might have encountered a bug.

With Dolby Atmos for Headphones enabled on the Voicemeeter Input in windows, I will get good audio followed by periods of terrible distortion when I am playing Call of Duty Warzone 2 if the audio settings have any kind of compression (e.g. using Home Theater, Headphones, PC, etc, anything other than "Cinema" as its audio mode)

The only way I can fix this is if I either turn off Dolby Atmos for Headphones on the VoiceMeeter Input in Windows, or if I change the Call of Duty audio mode to "Cinema". "Cinema" is described as having full dynamic range, and all other audio modes describe some form of reduction to the dynamic range (aka compression).

I tested without VoiceMeeter and the issue only occurs when I have VoiceMeeter in the audio path.

VoiceMeeter Banana v2.0.6.8 (also occured with v2.0.6.2)
Windows default speakers set to VoiceMeeter Input with Dolby Atmos for Headphones, 16-bit 48000hz
VoiceMeeter Input mapped to A1 bus, A1 bus output is assigned to Astro Mixamp Game (also 16-bit 48000hz)
No modifiers to the A1 bus audio in VoiceMeeter (no EQ, no compression, all volume levels set to 0db)
Buffer sizes left at defaults
Windows 11 current latest version with all updates installed


Things I've tried:
- Re-installed Voicemeeter according to forum instructions (de-install, reboots, re-install, more reboots, etc)
- Set all inputs and outputs to 16-bit 48000hz
- Tested WDM, KS, and MME drivers, all have the same issue
- Audio recorded using the VoiceMeeter recorder also has the distortion too
- The distortion is also passed through to my streaming PC when I add A3 to VoiceMeeter Input and assign A3 to my Elgato (the distortion ends up in my headphones and my elgato audio)

I have not been able to reproduce this issue with anything other than Call of Duty Warzone, but, I dont use this PC for anything but Warzone.

The only way this goes away is if I turn off Dolby Atmos for Headphones, or if I use the uncompressed audio mode in Call of Duty Warzone.
Or if I stop using VoiceMeeter.

Could something about Dolby Atmos for Headphones on the VoiceMeeter Input be causing distortion issues with a compressed audio source?

[Vincent Burel]

while playing audio, could you post a screenshot of Voicemeeter and its system settings dialog box ?

[rkneeshaw]

Sure, see attached.

Also upon further testing, the audio will still go crazy on "Cinema" mode too. It just happens less often. It seems the more compressed the audio source the more often it happens? Or it could be based on how loud the source is (the more compressed audio ends up sounding louder in my headset)? It does seem to happen more often when a series of very loud sounds occur.

Restarting audio engine fixes it until next time.

[Vincent Burel]

configuration seems to be ok, so the possible recommendation is to change the audio interface or audio device for output A1 (to find a more stable audio interface MME , ASIO, KS or another audio device).

what is connected to Audio Callback ? click on highlighted 'A' to know it.

[rkneeshaw]

I tried changing A1 over to the HD60X, but the same thing happens. After a moment or two in game the audio gets all distorted and robotic and cuts in and out. Almost seemed worse than using the Astro Game as A1.

Clicking the A shows that I have Equalizer APO connected to the BUS input. I installed Equalizer APO this last week in order to try to use the ReaPlugs compressor with the "Cinema" mode in game. So far this is the only way my audio system is stable. Running game in "Cinema" mode (aka no compression) and adding a ReaPlugs compressor with aggressive attack and release, with Dolby Atmos for Headphones enabled.

I could just leave the PC in this configuration, but it does seem like this is some sort of Dolby Atmos-related bug with Voicemeeter, and to be honest I'd prefer to use the Home Theater mode in the game instead of Cinema.

[Vincent Burel]

so i guess it's more on audio system level ...
maybe you should take a look on audiodg fix (set a single CPU to processor affinity) to see if it changes something...

[rkneeshaw]

Hi, I've tested with audiodg assigned to a single CPU, and I've also tried it with the priority set to High, but neither helped.

I did a test using DTS Headphone X instead of Dolby Atmos and DTS Headphone X works fine.

So it seems this is only an issue when trying to use Dolby Atmos for Headphones.