@TechieTypeGamer wrote:
@DMoctezumaMaybe I didn't explain it very well. After all, I agree with what you said. Yes, the problem is a ME1 software issue, but I was able to move the dialog from my left-rear speaker to the central speaker.
Either the controller/receiver is processing the surround channels or the source is (PS4 in my case). If the controller is in straight through mode, it does whatever the PS4 wants it to do, regardless of whether it's good or bad. So, if you had 2.1 coming out of the source and the receiver is in straight mode, sound will only come out of the front two speakers even though you have 5.1 speakers. But if you were to change from straight to 5.1 on the receiver, it processes the surround configuration instead of the PS4. So, changing from straight to 5.1 changed the speaker configuration to be correct. That's why my dialog for ME1 is now coming out of the central speaker in front. Know what I mean?
The "5.1 ch stereo" setting on ANY receiver (also called 7.1, etc., or all-channel stereo depending on your model and configuration) will take a stereo signal and basically play it back through all 5 (or 7, etc.) +1 subwoofer (if present) speakers more or less equally, putting the same signal out to each speaker, usually with some light processing to try to "guess" what should go through the center and/or rear speakers. In your case, with your particular amp, it sounds like your amp's 5.1 channel stereo setting has lucked into processing the signal well enough to make it work for you. This is very YMMV, as some receivers may just mix left + right and apply that as what should come out of center in this mode.
it will degrade a normal 5.1 signal, but if you normally use STRAIGHT mode on your receiver you could just toggle on and off of that while you're playing, but that's kind of a pain.
All in all, it's an iffy hack, but it MAY work for SOME people. It doesn't fix the issue, just hides it, and it won't sound as good as a real fix would. It's also horribly inconvenient unless you keep your receiver's remote handy (I think most with receivers are using some sort of universal remote -- RIP Harmony) OR have a receiver that remembers presets based on inputs and have the PS4/5 connected directly to it (not via eARC from the TV) *AND* on top of all that, you're not switching between ME1 and some other game that has good sound all the time where you'd need to constantly be flipping it (another YMMV here: look for a "SCENES" setting on your receiver: you may able to store 5.1/7.1 ch stereo as a SCENE and "Surround Decode" as another, again ymmv a lot on how convenient this is to toggle all the time).
None of this should be necessary, because EA should be patching this for us.
