Updated on January 19, 12:45 p.m. (GMT+8): Added relevant guides.
Previously, Warzone 2.0 and Modern Warfare 2 shipped with several enhancements to their audio mix.
There was a focus on creating more immersive and realistic audio, with the team at Infinity Ward going out into the field to record real-world weapons, cannon fire, and even helicopters.
At the same time, the game boasts a new reverb engine to better simulate the feel of space, improved 3D directionality to better pinpoint enemy locations, and a new sound occlusion engine.
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While all that makes for a rich aural tapestry, it can sometimes mean that footsteps — arguably the most important audio cue in-game — can get lost amid the cacophony.
Fortunately, there’s something you can do about that. Here’s a look at the best audio settings for hearing footsteps in Warzone and Modern Warfare.
Warzone and Modern Warfare: Best audio settings for clearer footsteps
The game provides six different audio mix presets for various audio setups. Here’s a look at what they all do.
- PC — Tightest dynamic range and EQ for use with PC speakers.
- Headphones — Tighter dynamic range and EQ for use with headphones.
- Headphone Bass Boost — Tighter dynamic range and EQ with enhanced low-end frequencies for use with headphones.
- Sound Bar — Tighter dynamic range and EQ for use with soundbar.
- Home Theater — High dynamic range setting for use with home theater systems.
- Cinema — Highest dynamic range setting for use with cinema theater systems.
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While the obvious choice might be Headphone Bass Boost in order to increase the prominence of low frequencies and, by extension, footsteps, it may have the effect of muddying your audio mix further.
That’s because there are a lot of other competing low frequency sounds in Call of Duty. This can be anything from explosives going off near you to a killstreak raining down fury from the skies above.
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This means that enemy footsteps may get drowned out, so you never hear them coming until they’re in your face.
Instead, Home Theater is shaping up to be the best pick so far. It makes footsteps stand out more in the audio mix, while ambient noises come in slightly softer. However, one downside is its apparent focus on treble frequencies, so gunfire can sometimes sound a little shrill.
| SETTING | OPTION |
| Audio Mix | Home Theater |
| Master Volume | 50 |
| Music Volume | 0 |
| Dialogue Volume | 20 |
| Effects Volume | 100 |
| Hit Marker Volume | 20 |
| Speakers/Headphones Game Sound Device | Default System Device |
| Mono Audio | Off |
When it comes to fiddling with the volume numbers, a lot of that will depend on personal preference. However, the one thing you want to make sure is set to maximum is Effects Volume. This setting is directly tied to how loud footsteps sound, in addition to other sounds like gunshots.
It can also help to turn down sounds that are not necessary, such as music, dialogue, and hit markers.
The Master Volume will vary according to the setup or headphones you have. Warzone and Modern Warfare can get very, very loud, so you’ll want to find a level that still lets you hear clearly without blowing your eardrums out.
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