Xbox surround sound: eARC, HDMI extractors and choosing between 5.1 and 7.1

Engadget recommends connecting the console to a TV that supports HDMI 2.1, and using a cable rated to the same standard, so that supported titles can run at 4K resolution and 120 frames per second while surround sound is active. The specific eARC port varies by manufacturer, the publication says, and the correct input is normally branded "eARC/ARC"; if it is not, the TV manual or the manufacturer's official specification page is the place to check.

Once a soundbar or home theater receiver is connected to that port, the console's audio settings are changed under Settings, then General, then Volume and audio output. Under Speaker audio, Engadget advises choosing the 5.1 uncompressed or 7.1 uncompressed option, depending on the home theater configuration. If either option fails, often because the setup cannot carry the required bandwidth, the guide suggests trying Bitstream out instead.

For Dolby Atmos systems, the guide says to install the Dolby Access app, which is free unless it is used with headphones, and then select Dolby Atmos for home theater, which produces a stronger sense of height in the soundstage on compatible games.

Older televisions without HDMI passthrough can still be used, though the process is less clean. An optical cable would be the obvious route, but neither Xbox Series X nor Series S has an optical output, so an HDMI audio extractor is required. Engadget cautions that buyers should pick a model supporting at least 60Hz, or 120Hz if the TV allows it, because inexpensive extractors are capped at 30Hz and would limit performance. The extractor splits audio and video, sending the first to the surround system and the second to the TV. The console is then configured under Settings, General, Volume and audio output, and Additional options/Audio setup, where a compatible format such as Dolby Digital is selected. Optical connections cannot carry 7.1 or lossless Dolby Atmos, the publication notes, but they handle 5.1 audio.

A second option for older equipment is to plug the console directly into an AV receiver that has HDMI inputs. The trade-off, according to the guide, is that older receivers generally do not support HDMI 2.1, so a 4K/120Hz signal is not possible and variable refresh rate frame smoothing is unavailable.

On the question of 5.1 versus 7.1, Engadget writes that 7.1 has a higher ceiling for immersion but that the gap between a well-calibrated 5.1 system and a budget 7.1 setup is small. A 5.1 arrangement uses a center speaker, a speaker on each side of it, a subwoofer and two surround speakers normally placed behind the listening position; a 7.1 system adds two more surround speakers, which can convey direction, such as footsteps, more precisely when a developer has paid close attention to a game's audio. The guide points to Gears 5, Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 6 as first-party titles that support Dolby Atmos, and notes that hearing cars approach through the surround channels can help players finish on the podium. It adds that 7.1 setups also carry practical considerations beyond the modest audio gain.