Fixes the horrible sound quality of Anomaly by making sure OpenAL configuration is ok on your computer, by disabling HRTF, and changing Anomaly custom openAL config for a deeper sound and still ok 3D sounds.
[1.1.1] Better Sound for Anomaly 1.5.1
DESCRIPTION
Anomaly has an horrible sound quality since HRFT has been introduced. You can notice it especially if you have a good sound setup (I noticed it very easily with my iFi DSD Nano Black Label + HD6XX combo).
Anomaly suffers the same problem as what is seen on this video:
Streamable.com
Everything feels muffled and pitched relatively high, the game's sound is missing deepness somehow.
This addon fixes it by making sure you have a proper configuration of OpenAl on your computer (mainly to increase quality and set values to default) and by changing Anomaly OpenAl configs.
I paid a particular attention to keep a good 3D soundstage despite the removal of HRTF by tweaking the crossfeed parameter.
INSTALLATION
Everything is described the README.txt file, but let's add it here too, it's very easy to setup, only step 4 is required for the add-on to work most likely (other steps are to make sure OpenAL is correctly configured on your computer):
0. You can use Mod Organizer 2 to load this archive. This should do the trick.
1. If you don't use MO2, extract the archive somewhere and load copy paste the bin folder (which contains alsoft.ini file) to your Anomaly folder. Replace files if asked to (backup files are provided with the .back extension).
DON'T copy the bin folder from openAL (which contains Win32 and Win64 folders).
Just to be sure, you can also follow these extra steps to modify your computer openal soft configuration (can affect other games!). This is optional and could give a better result in Anomaly, but might also screw up the sound in other games !
2. Double click on openal-soft-1.21.1-bin/alsoft-config/alsoft-config.exe of this mod archive.
3. Configure the Playback and HRTF panels according to the picture Config.png (see below).
4. Click "Apply" now close OpenAL Soft Configuration.
Enjoy a much deeper and better sound and spatialisation.
Config.png
![Config 1]()
FRAMERATE IMPACT
None detected yet but I have a beefy computer (10700KF + RTX 3070 + 32Gb RAM). Reducing the quality sliders might help if you have sound delays or frame rate loss.
CREDITS
Thanks to Kennedith for pointing me out the right direction.
CHANGELOG
1.1.1 : made the archive compatible with Mod Organizer 2
![[1.1.1] Better Sound for Anomaly 1.5.1](https://media.moddb.com/images/downloads/1/209/208267/Sans_titre.png)
it seems very interesting, cool!
i give it a try later - sounds promissing
thanks Grok
How to open alsoft-config.exe at full size? And then a mini window opens and nothing is visible
There should be a black window and a white window as displayed on the tutorial picture.
Yup, there's a massive difference. Thanks!
Be sure to upgrade to 1.1.0 and follow instructions again. I added some new stuff for proper 3D sound and number of sound sources.
May or may not be useful but what I did to fix the audio issue was to install EqualizerAPO and then with HeSuVi select dtr in HRIR tab (no Matrix Upmix - set Content Format to Automatic) then equalize it to your liking then in connection tab make sure to have your equalizer enabled with panel set to Virtualization.
In the Anomaly's default alsoft.ini I set #channels to channels = surround51, also I disabled hrtf and hrtf-mode in the ini (though I'm not sure if the game was using any).
So far the game sounds good.
The game uses HRTF. It's when you disable it that everything is changed and much better
I guess but for me I started see a difference when I changed channels to 5.1 or 7.1.
That's worth mentioning for headsets simulating 5.1, thank you.
It's possible it sounds better if you set stereo-mode from headphones to speakers in alsoft.ini, but I'm not 100% sure.
It's possible yes, I will try it.
With default alsoft.ini it's a work around to disable HRTF (which is enabled only in headphones mode).
10/10.
I knew there was something ****** up, I have a G933 Artemis 7.1 headset and I can't thank you enough
does it have any conflict with JSRS or SoundScape or it has nothing to do with those
I have JSRS 3.5 P.1&2, no issues.
No conflict
dont know if the mod does anything on my game O.o
Perhapse the headset i borrowed is just ******
but didnt had an "alsoft.ini" file in the first place in my bin folder (game version 1.5.1.)
searched in windows and only found one in my old game folder from RC23
and i found out that after i changed the openAL settigs another game wich uses openAL (Warhammer40K:Gladius) lost all sound :D
but jeah. was easy to set it back to default
1.5.1 archive on torrent at least has alsoft.ini
i got it from the torrent in the discord link . strange ... i look into that further
somehow i got it fixed :D i think it was a problem on my end with my headset software . sounds realy nice now !
Thanks again :)
10/10
Hi, I have an error with the 1.1.0 update, caused by the alsoft.ini. This is from the log's stack trace if it helps:
[error]Arguments : LUA error: .../s.t.a.l.k.e.r. anomaly\gamedata\scripts\xr_logic.script:81: attempt to index local 'ini' (a nil value)
When I removed it, the game loaded fine.
do you have an add-on adding xr_logic.script in your gamedata folder ?
No, I don't
Anomaly 1.5.1 ?
Yeah, of course :D I have two addons that modify the sound in the game, but I don't think it could affect it in any way - JSRS and Propaganda back to the zone.
Just double checking, the only difference in alsoft-config settings, is the removal of the profile path in the HRTF tab?
JSRS is changing a bunch of thing I didn't test compatibility perhaps it is the issue.
Quality changes also.
Ok, I tried placing back the alsoft.ini and it works! Maybe it was the specific save that I was testing it on that was causing crash, really strange..
Anyways, thanks for sharing this addon/tool!
I'm running FiiO E10K and Superlux HD681 (Budget chi-fi setup) and definitely notice the improvement, the sounds of Anomalies are deeper (especially treble), and spatial sound seems better simulated. Probably more things sound better, I just don't have the ears for it hehe.
Hi, This is amazing.
I tried it on RC15 and as "kinda expected" I had no result whatsoever.
But I then installed / tweaked my ini files after following your procedure on 1.5.1. I am not sure yet if sounds are that much better, especially for gunshots, I'd say yes but I need more testings :)
The spatialization however has significantly changed : I went to a campfire, turning cam left & right and well, you can tell much better if a sound is on your left or your right.
I am totally ignorant about those audio softwares, but this highlights an interesting point : will you keep making / looking for changes to improve the audio for the mod ? For instance, a great feature I've always been wanting for in anomaly (which was added in a long-forgotten mod such as R.A.D.I.U.M) was indoor reverb (they even had dry / wet profiles depending on the room size, as well as cyclic full auto firing, but that's another thing... haha)
I will not change the add-on further. What you ask implies engine edits I guess. This is much more complicated than this simple add-on baked in 1 hour.
Now sounds are much better, thanks!
Excellent work! Sounds great with my jsrs port. I tried to do something like this in a previous version but did not know what I was doing. You do. :)
Ótimo trabalho, deixou o gameplay ainda mais imersivo.
Obrigado :)
amazing mod. thank you. the sound always bugged me.
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Is it compatible with HeSuVi? Sourceforge.net
I never used it but I guess so.
Nothing will replace good stereo though.
I agree, except for 3D/FPS games (especially with proper 7.1 mixing, like Alien: Isolation, but a properly working EAX is also good, like SoC Memories of the Zone), it's just a world of difference in spatial positioning, when you move around. One example is when turning with stereo, one channel suddenly cuts out at some point, instead of gradually fading and getting "behind" you.
It's a world of difference, especially on a Sennheiser HD 600, you should definitely try it. A bit hard to set it up, but once done it's very easy to use. I recommend the DTSHX- or the CMSS Game- HRIR, as most of the others are too reverby. It will blow your mind:)
Actually I have tweaked the crossfeed OpenAL parameters to avoid this very harsh cutting. You can further tweak the parameter too if you want (look for crossfeed).
Thanks for the suggestion I'll give it a try :)
Hi, I used to use my SndBlaster XG6 SBX profile with custom acoustic engine and have a great amplified sound, however the 3d sound positionning was always... well, bad.
I tried your thing with waves- HRIR profile, and it's basically identical to my custom SBX profile but this time with much better positionning (I just tried it with the cordon's campfire, this is so great now !)
Thanks for the information, this will be life changing
Interesting you mention the HD600's. In general they have the narrowest soundstage and are the worst for positioning. At least as far as their reference line. I used to use them for fps games many years back but switched to HD650s, the difference was night and day as far as how wide the soundstage was and being able to position things in game. Still prefer 600's for everything else though, such an amazing headphone and unlike anything else I've experienced.
Why the update? What has changed?
Nothing, it's just that many people are missing this add-on :)
I changed the picture though !! :D
Also changed the installation part a bit to be more clear, and added the 1.5.1 sticker.
Weird I have HD650s and a pretty decent amp, never noticed anything detrimental, or like in the video. I'll give it a try and see what happens. Exciting stuff.
Edit: Make sure EAX is off for this?
It basically depends if you ticked the 'audio workaround' in the launcher once. If yes, then HRTF has been disabled.
But the profile provided here allows to have a better crossfeed between Left and Right than what the audio workaround is providing (which basically removes any Anomaly-specific OpenAL profile).
Awesome job. Works great.
So.. do you have any explanation for someone who just can't really seem to notice any change whatsoever?
Is it possible to just have sound drivers with good OAL compatibility, and good equipment all around, in-rig and externally, to the point where this modification would literally change nothing?
Edit: Right after I posted and proof-read, I thought "wait, this guy could just tell me my ears are broken," so I had to add, I've had my ears checked within the last decade, I'm only 33, and I cleaned them last night.. Pretty sure they're alright lol.
Edit edit: Then I just thought, "wait, it's possible that my drivers and sound equipment *aren't* compatible to a certain extent, and it's possible for them to just kind of be softlocked to a compatible config.."
That's probably the case.. Because I do have a lot of random crashes that go to the desktop with no error report, and it stops all sound on my system and requires a restart to fix it.. Not sure what causes the crash, but I always seem to get a little FPS dip when it happens.. Just odd that when it occurs, my PC's sound sometimes breaks.
Edit edit edit: And FYI I just wanted to mention that those crashes occured before *and* after I used this modification, so the mod didn't cause it. It's anomaly, another mod, or my PC.
To know if you can hear a difference. Watch the video in the description.
This addon might fix a bug in Anomaly with HRTF being activated. But it's only if there's a softal.ini file to replace. If there isn't (apparently depends of where you got 1.5.1, gdrive, moddb or torrent, or if you clicked "sound workaround"), the addon will only change the crossfeed parameter to something less harsh.
You can check proper OpenAL config with the tool inside this addon. Other than that, I don't know how to fix your issue. You can go into Anomaly/appdata and get the log file. Ask on the Anomaly Discord #addon-discussion.