Counter-Strike 2 has a new sound system and it feels really distinct from CS:GO. There’s a bunch of odd and unexplained audio settings in CS2 Sound Settings section. Today CS.MONEY Blog will tell you everything you need to know about audio and sound settings Counter-Strike 2, how to set the equalizer right, and what audio parameters you should enable in CS2.
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Audio Equalizer in CS2
In total, CS2 Sound Settings has four parameters of our interest, so let’s go through them in order from top to bottom. Let’s start our CS2 sound ultimate guide with the Equalizer, or EQ. Valve offers three equalizer presets:
- Natural
- Crisp
- Smooth
Each setting changes the sound just slightly. Don’t choose Smooth at all, as it interferes with determining the distance and direction to the sound source, making it really hard to detect your opponents. Crisp is best for competitive matches because it emphasizes the mids, which helps you hear gunshots and footsteps better, and that’s very important in terms of audio settings in CS2.
And Natural is the median version, basically the point right between the other two options. This sound setting in CS2 should be used when you’re training Deathmatches or other noisy servers with constant sounds of shooting and explosions. This audio CS2 EQ preset will reduce ear strain which is useful during long gaming sessions.
L/R Isolation in CS2
Counter-Strike 2 mixes sounds from the left and right audio channels. This makes the game sound different from CS:GO. Such a mixing has its advantages: it’s much easier to accurately determine the source. But there’s also a downside: CS2 might sound unusual. We recommend keeping this CS2 audio setting at 0% and relearning the new sound in CS2.
If you want to hear sounds in CS2 just like in CS:GO, use this slider to select something around 50 to 70%. Setting up the sound in CS2 like in CSGO will make it more difficult to accurately determine the sound source, but at the same time the game will sound closer to the previous part.
Perspective Correction
This audio setting in CS2 is similar to what we just talked about in L/R Isolation. Depending on the position of the sound source to the player’s field of view, you might hear sounds differently. And Perspective Correction should help determine direction more accurately. So if you’re more into “get me CS:GO sounds in CS2”, disable this parameter.
Note that Perspective Correction doesn’t greatly affect CS2 sounds. If you previously played with this option before (since it’s enabled by default) and had no discomfort, perhaps you should not disable it.
Microphone Settings in CS2
Enable you preferred mic setting here. We recommend choosing the option when your mic in Counter-Strike 2 is always on, not just activated by a button. It’s best to keep this setting enabled, but it’s not necessary. The thing is that Windows can jump microphones between active applications which could cause freezes on some computers. Obviously, this is unacceptable for Counter-Strike 2, where every frame can cost you a round win. So it’s better to leave this sound setting enabled in CS2.
Music Settings in CS2
There’s also a Music Settings section in Audio/Sound Settings in CS2. The volume of each slider should be adjusted individually and to your taste. CS.MONEY Blog has only one piece of advice: do not reduce the volume of the ten-second C4 countdown to zero.
10-sec bomb alarm is one of the few audio cues that could help both Attack and Defense better navigate the C4 timer. Considering the increased explosion radius on all maps, the signal to run away is a very useful thing. Therefore, adjust it correctly.
Best Audio/Sound Settings in CS2
Let’s sum things up. We’ve prepared two sets of optimal audio settings for Counter-Strike 2. To fully utilize the new CS2 sound system and the new capabilities Source 2, use the following settings:
- EQ: Crisp
- L/R Isolation: 0%
- Perspective Correction: Enabled
If you want to hear sound in CS2 as in CS:GO, choose the following audio settings:
- EQ: Natural
- L/R Isolation: 50-60%
- Perspective Correction: Enabled
In addition, we recommend turning off any additional thrid-party sound enhancers or whatever. Also, check if you have any additional effects activated in your Headphone Settings in Windows or whether your headset drivers are up-to-date with the virtual 5.1 and 7.1 sound affects. These things distort the CS2 audio and interfere with your gameplay.
