Optimize Your CS2 Sound: The Best CS2 Audio Settings

dmarket

Good Counter-Strike players receive information from the game through eyes and ears alike. Sounds reveal the positions and actions of your opponents via footsteps, shots, and grenades. Learning to be attentive to all in-game sounds is crucial! To really hear them perfectly, you need to optimize your CS2 audio settings.

In this article, we explain each audio-related parameter in the game settings menu and highlight what to choose for your comfort and effectiveness.

All CS2 Audio, Voice, and Music Settings

If you head to the CS2 game settings menu, you’ll find a special tab for Audio in there. Click it to see all the available parameters. The game has quite a lot of them, and for players’ convenience, they are divided into three sub-groups. Let’s take a look at each of them.

Even on the settings page within the game, you can see a notification about the importance of good stereo headphones. Don’t underestimate the hardware factor! Take a look at the best headsets for CS2 and choose the one you like the most.

Audio Settings in CS2

These parameters are about all the audio you hear in Counter-Strike 2.

• Master Volume: 100%

It’s the general level of volume for all CS2 sounds. Keep it at the maximum level and use your headphones or computer to adjust the actual volume.

In theory, you can decrease the CS2 Master Volume and listen to something else in the background, like music. In practice, it’s not a good idea even for Deathmatch and training. You need to fully focus on the game!

• Main Menu Ambience Volume: 100%

The parameter is not too important for the game itself, so choose the volume level you feel comfortable with in the CS2 main menu.

• Audio Device: Default Device

You may need to use this parameter in some specific situations, when you use different audio devices for different needs. For example, you may direct music to speakers and the game audio to your headset.

This CS2 audio setting is the first to check if you hear no game sounds. Try to switch between the connected devices.

• EQ Profile: Crisp or Natural

Valve has created three equalizer profiles, and it’s really important to select the right one.

Crisp is the best choice for competitive play. All the sounds are very clear and easily distinguishable.

Natural applies less sound pressure on your ears and brain, so it’s a good choice for long, casual sessions or training. Pick it for Deathmatch and other modes where the game is too noisy.

Smooth is generally for a chill experience in Counter-Strike, but it can be helpful for training when you work on your specific skills.

Most players prefer Crisp for serious matches, like grinding through the new Premier season after the recent CS2 update. Switching to Natural is also common practice, so there is less tension during casual playing sessions.

• L/R Isolation: 50%

The technical explanation of the sound parameter is somewhat complicated. We can summarize it as going from the most natural settings with 0%, to the highest focus on the left/right direction difference with 100%.

Players who are used to CS:GO sound patterns prefer increasing this value. At around 50%, you hit a nice balance between the natural sound and the directional hearing.

• Perspective Correction: Yes

Counter-Strike 2 has the sound correction system to let you feel like being inside that world, at least in terms of audio. If you turn it on, your understanding of directions and distances should be more accurate.

In the game itself, Valve recommends turning this parameter off for players who position their eyes too close to the screen. CS2 sounds have more left/right emphasis, and the directions may be misleading.

• Play Audio When Game In Background: No

If you like to keep the Counter-Strike window open while you are busy with something else on your computer, you will not hear the game sounds. Obviously, this part of the CS2 audio settings doesn’t affect the game itself, so your best choice depends on your personal preferences.

Voice: CS2 Microphone Settings

In this section, you’ll find the audio settings directly connected to hearing voices in CS2 and to delivering your voice to others.

• Other Player Voice Volume: 100%

In most situations, you absolutely need to hear your teammates. CS2 callouts go through the voice chat to coordinate your team actions. To have them loud and clear, keep this parameter at 100%.

Still, it may be that other players are just annoying. Consider decreasing their voice volume for casual practice and game modes such as Deathmatch.

• Voice/Microphone Mode: Push-to-Talk

This setting is responsible for how your mic works during CS2 matches. Push-to-Talk means you need to press a special key to activate the microphone. It’s generally convenient for most situations, as you feel more relaxed about talking nonsense under your nose and having other sounds in your room.

Open Microphone may be better for very dedicated players who play in a silent environment. You don’t spend even an extra moment to share info with teammates.

• Voice Input Audio Device: Default Device

Like with the general CS2 audio settings, you may need to specify which microphone you are going to use.

• Hear My Own Voice: Off

The ‘on’ option is strictly technical: to check your mic. Beyond that, it should be off—hearing your voice during matches is a totally weird experience.

• Streamlined Push To Talk: Yes

When you enable this option, your microphone is activated and ready for use right after launching Counter-Strike. This can be helpful to reduce all sorts of lags or freezing because of other apps. With No, the mic activates only when you press the voice chat key for the first time. This option is suitable for many players—even in competitive mode, depending on your hardware.

• Microphone Trigger Threshold: -100

This option is needed only if you choose Open Microphone for Voice/Microphone Mode. In this case, it creates a safety threshold, so that other noises are not noticeable in the game. You can decrease the threshold if you have other sounds in your room, and you want only your voice to activate the communication.

Music

Sure, Counter-Strike is not your adventure experience with a deep soundtrack. Still, the game has music, and some essential sounds are also reflected in this section of the CS2 audio settings.

Most parameters here are pretty straightforward. They are all about your personal comfort and do not directly affect gameplay. It is a good idea to keep the default values and then pay attention to yourself during matches. If something annoys you or doesn’t feel right, come back to the CS2 music settings and adjust them.

• Main Menu Volume: 20%
• Round Start Volume: 0%
• Round Action Volume: 0%
• Round End Volume: 40%
• MVP Volume: 40%
• Bomb/Hostage Volume: 20%
• Ten Second Warning Volume: 20%
• Death Camera Volume: 40%
• Mute MVP music when players on both teams are alive: No

Best CS2 Audio Settings

Within the variety of audio settings in CS2, some are not worth your full attention. For example, Main Menu Ambience Volume depends on what you want to experience between matches. Voice Input Audio Device should be checked only in case of technical issues.

Other settings are pretty important—and we highlight them in this section. What are the best CS2 audio settings for you to adjust for better effectiveness in the game?

• EQ Profile: Natural
• L/R Isolation: 50%
• Perspective Correction: Yes
• Other Player Voice Volume: 100%
• Voice/Microphone Mode: Push-to-Talk
• Hear My Own Voice: Off
• Streamlined Push To Talk: Yes

Pro Settings

While it is always a good idea to discover your own best audio settings in CS2, you may want to try out the parameters of pro players. Those who make it to the Austin Major 2025 highlights certainly know a thing or two about the in-game sounds. Then, you will be able to make your personal adjustments.

ZywOo

• EQ Profile: Crisp
• L/R Isolation: 50%
• Other Player Voice Volume: 45%

NiKo

• EQ Profile: Natural
• L/R Isolation: 55%
• Other Player Voice Volume: 35%

s1mple

• EQ Profile: Natural
• L/R Isolation: 40%
• Other Player Voice Volume: 50%

If you like keeping your CS2 settings safe and transfer them between computers, check out how to create an autoexec file in our dedicated guide.

Windows and Hardware Settings

Most audio settings are available directly in the CS2 menu. Still, some options are present in the Windows settings. Specifically, you may need to make sure your hardware is working properly.

In most cases, it is enough to open the Windows Settings menu and make sure your output and input devices are selected correctly.

Windows Settings -> System -> Sound -> Choose your output/input device.

Here, you can also set the Master Volume and test your microphone. Press the ‘Advanced Sound Options’ for more detailed adjustments, like volume in different applications.

Also, you should disable Spatial Sound for a better CS2 experience. It’s turned off by default, but you may want to check it.

Device properties in the sound settings -> Spatial sound format: Off

Having your CS2 audio settings nicely optimized is important for your progress as a player. You should feel comfortable with the in-game sounds, and they should deliver you all sorts of important information: specifically, the positions of your opponents and their actions.

For beginners to Counter-Strike, the default settings work well. After gaining some experience, you may want to adjust some parameters to feel the difference. In our section of the best audio settings, you’ll find universally optimal CS2 sound options. Another approach is to copy the settings of esports professionals. In both cases, you still need to add your personal touch—it is your game, and your experience.