Windows 10: Headphone audio only comes through one side?

When I first got my pc windows 11 I had the same issue with my headphones only giving audio through the left side i cant remember how this was solved I believe it was by using a cable splitter in the back of my pc.Now I have a new headset Astro a10 and i have come across the same problem tried the splitter as your meant to use it still through one side. watched some tutorials uninstalled drivers and reinstalled checked for updates checked the physical condition Seems okay .I'm not sure what to try next?

:)

 

headphones directional audio issue

Hi

Welcome to Microsoft community.

It sounds like you've identified that your Razer Kraken headphones have suffered some physical damage that affects the directional audio, and you're looking for a way to make them usable by playing all audio through the working part of the headphones. Here are a few steps and suggestions you can try to achieve this:

Step 1: Enable Mono Audio and Adjust Volume

Since you mentioned that enabling mono audio makes the sounds incredibly quiet, you can try to increase the system volume and the application volume to compensate. Here’s how to do it:

1. Enable Mono Audio:
   
   • Open Settings.
     
   • Go to Ease of Access > Audio.
     
   • Toggle on Turn on mono audio.
     
2. Adjust System Volume:
   
   • Right-click the sound icon in the taskbar and select Open Volume mixer.
     
   • Ensure all volume sliders are set to maximum.
     
3. Adjust Application Volume:
   
   • Open the application you are using (e.g., Fallout 4).
     
   • Go to the audio settings within the application and ensure the volume is set to maximum.
     

Step 2: Check Realtek Audio Console Settings

Since you have Realtek Audio Console, ensure it’s configured correctly:

1. Open Realtek Audio Console:
   
   • Search for Realtek Audio Console in the Start menu and open it.
     
2. Check Speaker Configuration:
   
   • Go to the Speakers tab.
     
   • Ensure that the Headphone Virtualization and Front left and right full-range speakers are configured correctly.
     
3. Use Loudness Equalization:
   
   • Go to the Enhancements tab.
     
   • Enable Loudness Equalization to help balance out the audio levels.
     

Step 3: Hardware Fix (Optional)

If you're comfortable with a bit of DIY, you could try to repair the headphone cable. This involves:

1. Cutting the damaged part of the cable.
   
2. Soldering the wires back together or using a new 3.5mm jack.
   
3. Covering the exposed wires with electrical tape or heat shrink tubing.
   

There are many tutorials online that can guide you through this process. However, this requires some basic knowledge of electronics and soldering.

If none of these solutions work, it might be time to consider investing in a new pair of headphones.

Let me know if you need further assistance.

Best regards

Derrick Qian | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

 

[WTB][EU]   Beginner audiophile headphones

i would also recommend looking at the Audio Technica m50s if this is your first step into audiophile headphones.

most of the cans you listed will also need an amp to push them.

 

Move audio to one side for speakers but not headphones

Hello J1mmyth3F1sh,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

• Is your headphones getting detected in the Playback settings?
  
• Are you trying to play the audio on both Speakers and Headphones at the same time?
  

Ideally, if you have configured Sound settings to play on your left speakers, the same goes with the headphones. The sound starts playing only on the left side of your headphones according to the settings changed.

Meanwhile, we can try configuring the headphones and change the balance level in the sound settings and see if it works. Kindly check with the steps listed below and see if it helps.

Method : Run audio test for your headphones.

• Open Control Panel from the Start menu and click on
  Sound.
  
• In the Sound window, click on your
  Headphones and select Configure option at the bottom left.
  
• By running the test, check if both sides of your headphones are working fine.
  

If that doesn’t help, I would suggest you to check with the audio balance by following the steps listed below:

• Open Sound settings from
  Control Panel, and right click on the Headphones to open its
  Properties.
  
• Click on Levels tab and select
  Balance button. In the Balance window, you can use the slider to balance both left and right headphones equally.
  

However, I commend and appreciate you for recognizing this behavior. This is a valuable suggestion as there may be other users with a similar requirement. Hence, I suggest you to leave a
Feedback for this product so
that our developer team can look into this and check if it can be implemented in the future updates.

Regards,

Mala S

Microsoft Community - Moderator