Getting as much information during a round is essential when playing Valorant. However, that info goes beyond just what you see on the monitor. You also get a lot of precious intel from what you hear in the game. Today, we’re going to talk about the best Valorant sound settings to make sure you hear everything important and increase your chances of winning.
The Best Valorant Sound Settings – Quick Reference
For those looking for a quick reference of the best sound settings for the game, we have something just for you.
Settings Under the Sounds Tab
| Setting | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Master Volume | 100 |
| Sound Effects Volume | 100 |
| Voice-over Volume | 75 |
| All Music Master Volume | 0 |
Setting Under the Voice Chat Tab:
| Setting | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Output Device | Your headset |
| Input Device | Your dedicated mic OR headset mic |
| Incoming Volume | 75 or lower than in-game sound effects |
| Mic Volume | Depends on your mic sensitivity |
| Mic Sensitivity Threshold | Depends on your mic sensitivity and ambient noise |
| Party Voice Chat | On |
| Party Voice Chat | On during casual games, off during scrims |
| Party Voice Activation Mode | Personal preference |
| Team Voice chat | On |
Setting Under the Voice-over Tab:
| Setting | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Gameplay | On |
| Agent Flavor | Off |
| Tactical Callouts | On |
| Announcer | On |
What Sounds Should You Hear?
Hearing as much from the game as possible is essential, but what exactly should you be keeping an ear out for? Here’s a list of what you should focus on when playing the game:
- Footsteps – Footstep will help you tell if a nearby enemy is moving. These could let you get the jump on them around a corner or behind a thin wall where shots can penetrate.
- Weapon sounds – Gunfire will give away a shooter’s location, while reloading sounds indicate that they are temporarily unable to shoot back.
- Ability sounds – Depending on the ability, hearing these sounds can help you tell whether you need to seek out an active device or get away from an imminent explosion.
- Team voice – Making sure you hear team callouts properly will make it easier to carry out more effective tactics.
The Best Valorant Sound Settings – Our Recommendations
The game’s sound settings are pretty straightforward, so let’s take a look at each option available.
Options under the Sounds Tab
Master Volume
This setting lets you control all in-game sounds. The setting also scales other volume options. For example, if your voice-over volume is set to 50%, it will be dialed down to 25% if this option is set to 50%.
Our recommendation – Keep this at 100% to make sure other settings are kept at maximum.
Sound Effects Volume
This one controls the volume for in-game sound effects, including footsteps, weapon sounds, ability sounds, and announcer sounds.
Our recommendation – Max this out; hearing footsteps and weapon noises are the most important things when setting audio.
Voice-over volume
This adjusts the volume for all in-game voice lines which include agent lines and the round announcer.
Our recommendation – Also keep this at max, but voice-overs will require a bit of tweaking thru other options.
All-music Master Volume
This setting adjusts the level of volume for all in-game music both in menus and during a match.
Our recommendation – Music could end up drowning out important info, such as strategy discussion in the lobby. We highly recommend turning this off. Otherwise, you will have to tweak it thru other options.
Menu and Music Volume
This option lets you set the volume of the music in the main menu and lobby screens.
Our recommendation – Keep this off or reduced to 50% to avoid missing out on important messages when using voice chat.
Agent Select Music Volume
This option will let you control the volume for the music playing when you’re in the agent select screen.
Our recommendation – Like with the previous setting, keep this at a low volume, only up to 50%.
Options under the Voice Chat Tab
Output Device
This option will let you select the speaker or headset that will be used to play all sounds.
Our recommendation – Pick your specific headphone model, especially if there is more than one audio playback device plugged into your computer. Picking Default System Device might cause the game to play sounds on a different speaker.
Input Device
This setting lets you pick which device to use for capturing your voice when speaking.
Our recommendation – Once again, pick the specific microphone instead of going default, especially if you have multiple audio capture devices. Some devices such as laptops and gaming headsets have built-in microphones, so you may have more than one recording hardware active.
Incoming Volume
Adjusts the level of volume for incoming voice chat.
Our recommendation – Tweak this option depending on how loud or faint the voice chat sounds. Set it to a level where everything is audible without voices drowning out nearby footsteps.
Mic Volume
Sets how loud your voice will sound to other players.
Our recommendation – This depends on your mic’s placement and sensitivity. You can test this setting with the next option…
Loopback Test
This setting can be set on or off. When set to “on”, you will be able to hear how your voice will sound when you speak. Turn this off when you are satisfied with your mic’s sensitivity and volume levels.
Our recommendation – N/A; this is mostly for testing your mic.
Mic Sensitivity Threshold
This one will let you set the level of sound needed before your mic decides if it will capture the audio.
Our recommendation – If you’re in a place with loud ambient noises (a noisy fan, somebody talking nearby, lots of vehicles nearby, etc.), raise this threshold to avoid making too much noise for your teammates.
Party Voice Chat
This option can be adjusted to restrict voice chat to members of your premade team.
Our recommendation – Leave this on. This option is not an issue if you’re not queuing with a premade.
Party Voice Chat During Custom Game
This setting allows you to set party chat when playing custom games.
Our recommendation – This one greatly depends on the type of custom match you are playing. Turn this off during scrims, when party-wide chat would give away your callouts to BOTH teams.
Party Voice Activation Mode
Lets you choose between push-to-talk or automatic voice chat mode.
Our recommendation – Unless you have a lot of background noise, this is up to personal preference. Setting this to automatic will let you freely talk with your party while still allowing push-to-talk voice chat with non-party team members.
Team Voice Chat
Allows you to talk to members of your team, even if they are not a member of your premade party.
Our recommendation – Keep this on so you can make voice callouts any time.
Edit Voice Chat Key Bindings
This opens up a new screen that lets you set key bindings for push-to-talk, mute, and voice chat volume adjustments.
Our recommendation –This is up to personal preference; bind keys as you see fit.
Settings under the Voice-over Tab
Gameplay
Allows you to toggle gameplay-related voice-overs like grunts or pain sounds.
Our recommendation – You can keep this one on. This could help you react better when you are under fire.
Agent Flavor
This option toggles voice lines related to agent banter.
Our recommendation – If you really want to focus on important sounds, turn this option off.
Tactical Callouts
This one will let you toggle voice lines such as reloading announcements and ability use.
Our recommendation – These lines provide info about your team, so you’d want to keep this on.
Announcer
This option will announce game start, time remaining, last man standing, and other lines related to the flow of the match.
Our recommendation – Keep these on as they can help you keep track of what’s happening in a game.
Best Valorant Sound Settings OUTSIDE the Game
Having the best Valorant sound settings can also go beyond what’s available in the in-game menu. Here is a collection of things outside the game that can improve Valorant’s audio experience.
System Volume
Found in the system tray, the system volume lets you adjust all the sounds coming from your rig, including everything you hear from Valorant.
Our recommendation – Keep this to full and manually adjust the volume using your headphone’s physical volume control.
System Sound Profile
This one is mainly dependent on your computer’s sound card. Some systems will have advanced audio controls that let you pick a profile that best matches your audio device. In most cases, it’s a pick between speakers, surround sound, or headphones.
Our recommendation – Unless your headphones specifically support surround sound (virtual or otherwise), pick either stereo speakers or headphones for better directional hearing in-game.
Use a Good Gaming Headset
Surround speakers seem to be an excellent pick for playing first-person shooters. However, most gamers agree that using a headset is the best way to enjoy games like Valorant. A good gaming headset will help you focus on game-related sounds. Furthermore, it will also prevent you from making too much noise if you’re not playing.
We recommend these affordable but powerful headsets
Update Your Audio Device Drivers and Software
Some audio devices will require a specific set of drivers to get the most out of the hardware. These files usually come packaged with the device or downloadable from the manufacturer’s website. For those with software, you may even be able to pick between DTS or Dolby virtual surround sound.
For Wireless Audio, Check Your Battery Levels
One of the worst things that can happen is to have your mic and headset running out of batteries in the middle of a good match. We strongly advise making sure your audio hardware has enough juice before playing. This is especially true if you’re planning a marathon or streaming some Valorant matches.
The Best Valorant Sound Settings – Conclusion
That wraps up our guide on helping you optimize Valorant’s sound settings. We hope this will help you fine-tune your setup for a perfect audio experience. Got other tips for optimizing your audio when playing? Feel free to share it in the comments section!
