I just started playing(a week late, I know!) on the PC and I have an incredibly annoying issue. The game is SO quiet! At 100 it sounds like my headphones are turned almost fully down. I tried putting on loudness equalization and it helps but it's still pretty low. These headphones are pretty powerful and most games like BF3 are too loud on full. Is this a bug or what? I can't play with it all bloody quiet. Yeah, huge dragon smashes something, barely hear a rumble of bass it's so low. Uh!

Try adding or adjusting fAudioMasterVolume under the [AudioMenu] property in your SkyrimPrefs.ini, located in C:\Users\Username\Documents\My Games\Skyrim\

For instance: fAudioMasterVolume=4.0000

This worked for me, though the audio balance still seems slightly off with voices being drowned by ambient sound.

Yeah I find the PC version has some pretty frustrating audio and visual issues. You could also try messing with the advanced settings for sound in the control panel.

This may sound stupid, but if this only happens with Skyrim, are you sure that the game's balance on Windows is OK? With the game running (preferably in a window), click the Sound icon in the taskbar (to the left of the clock), then click on Mixer. Make sure that Skyrim's volume is not lowered.

I find the sound fine for much of the game but yeah fighting dragons seems to be a little lacking. The low rumbles as it swoops overhead, distant echoes of it's roaring, and earth-shaking boom of it landing just aren't powerful enough in comparison to other sound effects. I wan't windows vibrating, but not because I just pump everything up to where I'm being smacked in the face with a wall of muddied sound. It's no BF3, that's for sure.

I'd like to hear it on a better setup though. It could just be my ancient system not quite giving it the oomph it needs.

Try adding or adjusting fAudioMasterVolume under the [AudioMenu] property in your SkyrimPrefs.ini, located in C:\Users\Username\Documents\My Games\Skyrim\

For instance: fAudioMasterVolume=4.0000

This worked for me, though the audio balance still seems slightly off with voices being drowned by ambient sound.

Yep. Have to turn my speakers up way past where I do for any other game.

if you are on windows 7. right click on the volume icon on your notification area,>playback devices>highlight icon with a green tick on it>properties>enhancement tab>Put a check next to Loudness equalization.Apply

if you are on windows 7. right click on the volume icon on your notification area,>playback devices>highlight icon with a green tick on it>properties>enhancement tab>Put a check next to Loudness equalization.Apply

Is there a sound fade variable that can be edited easily I wonder. I have 7.1 and it's still badass but seems like sound doesn't travel far enough.

Yeah I find the PC version has some pretty frustrating audio and visual issues. You could also try messing with the advanced settings for sound in the control panel.

Yep. Have to turn my speakers up way past where I do for any other game.

@Metal_Mills: Don't know about any other .ini variables which might help you. Did read that adjusting your sample rate and bit depth to 44100Hz/24Bit (under advanced speaker properties) worked for some people.