Surround sound systems come with a minimum of 5 channels, which means you need more than five surround speakers for an immersive experience.
But now you can achieve almost the same quality with virtual surround sound software.
While a few software are free to use, and a few come with premium plans. But you can freely use those premium virtual surround software with limited access.
Quick list of virtual surround sound software
While most virtual surround sound software comes with a free trial (limited feature), many are free. For our readers, we divided those software into two lists.
Virtual surround sound software free
1. Steelseries Sonar
- Available for free.
- Supports 7.1 surround sound
- Available for Windows 10 RS5 or newer
- EQ with the click of a preset
As a gamer, this virtual surround software will be a game changer for you. It will amplify specific sounds of the game to hear footsteps, gun reloads, starting vehicles, etc.
They have separate presets for Games, chats, and microphones. You can easily download it from the home page of the official website. This is one of the best virtual surround sound software that is freely available for Windows 10 or newer.
Visit the official SteelSeries website and click on the Free Download.
2. Equalizer APOÂ
- Freely available to download,
- Supports from 5.1 to 9.1 speakers
- Capable of producing immersive audio,
You need to visit the installation folder on your Windows 10 PC, open the configuration TXT file, and install the software. This software may look very simple and effective.
3. FX Sound
- Available for Free.
- EQ with adjustable effects
- Boost sound quality, volume, and bass
- It has a 4.8/5 rating on the Microsoft Store
This virtual surround sound software was formerly known as DFX audio enhancer. After applying various audio processing technics, it produces immersive audio for music, games, and videos.
It has an easy-to-use interface and capable of producing surround sound for the virtual gaming world.
Virtual surround sound software premium
1. Boom 3D
- Price $12,
- 30-day free trial.
- Using 3D Surround technology,
- Most used virtual surround software.
- Available on both Windows and Mac.
If you are unhappy with your headphone’s sound that is connected to your PC, try Boom 3D. Boom 3D is an audio enhancement software, known for the virtual surround sound quality.
Without any special headphones or surround sound system with the boom 3D software you can experience games and movies. It’s an award-winning pro audio enhancement software and it has the most downloads in this field.
2. SBX Pro Studio
- Free PC/Mac Software for Sound Blaster Roar Series
- Price $39.99 (price may change when you read this)
- Convenient control panel and user-friendly UI
- Provides crystallizer,
SBX Pro Studio is one of the best virtual surround sound software used to create immersive sound and deep bass.
SBX Pro Studio after processing the audio through its algorithms, produces a surround sound even if you’re using two stereo speakers or standard headphones.
After using SBX Pro Studio you may feel like you’re in a live action. This is one of the best virtual surround sound software that I have had to use for a long time.
3. Spatial Sound Card
- Free with limited access,
- $9.99 for pro feature,
- Windows 7 64bit
- Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon or newer
The software used advanced audio processing technology to create multichannel audio from games, movies, etc. They claim to provide 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound quality with stereo headphones or speakers.
For a basic use case, try its free version. Looking for an equalizer preset and more customizations, use the pro version. I used it on my old gaming PC and guess what?
The software is installed on my Windows 7 (64-bit) Gaming PC very smoothly. My expectations are quite low but it performs better than my expectations.
4. Razer Surround
- Only available on Windows 10 64bit,
- The software works with Razer headsets,
- Not works without an activation code,
It’s a software that is available for Razer headset users. It can produce 7.1 surround sound for superior positional audio and gaming experience.
If you have a Razer headset that did not come with the activation code, register your product on Razer ID to receive 20 gidit activation code.
5. Dolby Atmos
- Limited-time free trial
- One time pay $14.99 (Might be different in your country)
- Capable of producing 128 channels of sound
- Supports up to 34 speakers
- It can work with soundbars
Dolby Atmos uses a channel-based approach to mix sounds for better pinpoint sound sources. Dolby Atmos software can easily convert stereo speakers or headphones to surround sound.
As you know, Dolby Atmos can produce 128 channels, which is enough to experience immersive audio quality. I used it for a long time with a smart TV, and it works very well.
Bonus list of virtual surround software
1. Windows Sonic
If you don’t know, Windows Sonic is a spatial sound solution available in Windows 10 or more upgrade versions. Windows Sonic can enhance your gaming experience but is not for watching movies(I have bad experience). It’s an inbuilt option for Windows users.
You can easily turn on this feature from sound settings on Windows. Before trying to enable this feature, ensure you have updated Windows 10.
2. DTS Headphones :X
DTS Headphones :X uses a few sound technology that aims to provide a surround sound experience through headphones. This technology is used in gaming or multimedia headsets to give an unfair advantage to gamers.
Especially when it comes to open-world games, it will perform even better. Because I did not use this, will not recommend you to buy this.
How does virtual surround sound software work?
Most of the virtual surround sound software gets input from audio sources. Using advanced audio technology creates an immersive surround sound which can feel the sound comes from different sources.
HRTF is a main component of virtual surround sound software. Through the inter-aural time differences (ITDs) and inter-aural level differences (ILDs), virtual surround software can identify the direction of the sound source.
However, all virtual surround sound software does not follow the same process. New technology evolves every time and it comes with new technology to provide you with immersive surround sound quality.
Final Word:
Without having a surround sound system, you can enjoy virtual surround sound through the software. A few virtual surround sound software are freely available with limited access and few come with premium plans.
If you don’t have that much budget to set surround sound, this software may fulfill your needs. This software is capable of working with stereo speakers or headphones. A free virtual surround software may be enough, but for accuracy and EQ customizations use paid software.
I’m sourav, a music lover and sound enthusiast. After experiencing multiple sound qualities, I thought many people searching regarding this topic, but there is not enough detailed information on it. That’s the main reason why I created this blog.
