Xbox Series X - Reversed surround audio - Front coming from rears

JoshForceOne · Mar 13, 2024

Hey folks,

My xbox series x 7.1 uncompressed audio constantly flips, front to back.

Details:

- Frequently when powering the xbox up from standby and/or returning to a game from another app my audio/soundstage is reversed, front to back. Although I have no center rear channel all L/C/R audio is coming from the 2 rear speakers/channels and only rear audio from the front L/C/R channels.
- Entering settings, switching to stereo and then back to 7.1 resolves the issue (temporarily)

- This issue did not exist initially for ~3 years prior with the same config: SeriesX-->LG TV-->shARC-->X4400H AVR

Settings
Xbox Series X: 7.1 uncompressed

LG GX Output: eARC + passthrough (both bitstream and multi-channel PCM supported on all inputs)

ThenAudio shARC: eARC extractor to regular AMP HDMI input (by far the best and most compatible HDMI audio extractor to date)

Denon X4400H: Regular HDMI input (although the amp supports eARC the shARC corrects many inter-vendor anomalies)

All my cables are passive 48Gbps [with ethernet] and everything is relatively short distance (2x 8ft cables, 1x5ft)

I gave up on Atmos years ago due to brutal lag and brutal customer support from MS and have been using uncompressed multi-channel audio since. I don't believe the same problem exists with bitstream but 7.1 bitstream is unusable regardless.

:)

kyle_m4496

Hi JoshForceOne. My name is Kyle and I'm an independent advisor.

Does this issue happen with other devices? For example if you use the media apps built in to your LG TV does the audio flip?

SwordofWhedon

my first suggestion would be the SHARC device, why are you using this?

It's something in the chain that probably would not have been tested.

If you wish to test I recommend for removing that from your chain and going directly into the receiver

psb962

Hi, as this thread is just a few days old I'll join with same issue. I have a new Xbox One X and noticed that sounds supposed to be coming just from rear surrounds are also coming out the fronts.

My set up is Xbox -> optical -> Denon receiver -> 5 speakers. Xbox set to TV audio off, Bitstream, and Dolby Digital (DTS has same issue as DD)

To test the system I first used the receivers own test tones to prove the speakers were wired correctly - they are.

Then, I used a DVD player which is connected to my receiver by optical. I used the 'Digital Video Essentials' test DVD to play the pink noise test tones from each speaker in turn - the tones from the DVD player also played to the correct speaker
- so the receiver is decoding DD and DTS correctly.

Finally, I put same DVD in the Bluray player in the One X and played same tones. Result: what a mess - every tone that should be coming out a rear surround is also coming out the respective front speaker, with the net result that sounds are never
behind you. It seems that the DD or DTS encoding in the One X is being done incorrectly.

For those using One X with 5.1 over optical, a simple check is to find a point source emitting a noise in any game, then turn so you are looking 180 degrees away from the noise. The noise should then be coming out your rear surround ONLY. It isn't.

@ Mister Kellogg - is there a definitive surround sound test app or some other tool that I can download to resolve this problem under your instruction?

WillyBurz

This has been a problem since the Ones release and not been fixed. Richie...ugh, Yes most are in 5.1, Sooooo the One should either matrix the rears, or duplicate the rears with the l/r surrounds. There should be sound coming out of the main surrounds,
NOT just the rear surrounds. For example- 5.1 should be coming out of the main surrounds, and matrixed to the rear surrounds, OR just duplicate the main surrounds to the rear surrounds as well in a 7.1 setup. Right now, all 5.1 from a directv receiver that
sends dolby is silent on the main surrounds, and only using the rear surrounds in a 7.1 setup. Ps. My system is setup correctly, so no bs checking setup posts, etc. Something is off on the coding, and needs to be fixed.

strykerzr350

Problem solved. I swapped over the sound settings to "bitstream out" and changed the signal to DTS Surround Sound. Now I have sound coming out of my rear speakers. Watch Dogs has a very weak rear audio track.

Xbox Series X - Reversed surround audio - Front coming from rears