Sound Configuration

Master multiplier for all in-game audio output (weapons, footsteps, pickups, voice). Pros set this low (0.2–0.4) and compensate with external headphone amp or Windows volume to avoid engine clipping/distortion during overlapping loud events (quad + rockets), preserving clear positional cues and reducing ear fatigue.

Controls volume of background map music. Competitive players universally set this to 0 because music masks critical positional audio cues such as enemy footsteps, weapon switches, and item pickups.

Enables pitch-shifting 'swoosh' on passing projectiles (rockets, plasma) based on relative speed. Off keeps consistent pitch for accurate distance judgment by ear—competitive standard because doppler can mislead spatial awareness.

Changes the pitch of the damage confirmation beep when hitting an opponent. Ascending pitch (2) provides rising tone feedback that instinctively signals sustained Lightning Gun contact and helps maintain beam hold.

Selects the specific sound that plays when you score a frag. The classic 'Ding' (7) is the most common choice because it is short, distinct, and instantly recognizable during multi-kills.

Independent volume control for the kill confirmation sound. Pros lower this (0.6–0.8) to prevent it from overpowering footsteps or other critical cues during multi-frag sequences.

Selects the voice pack for in-game announcer events ('Excellent', 'Frag', 'Two Minutes Warning', etc.). The classic male voice (1) remains the most common in competitive play for familiarity and clarity.

Independent volume control for announcer voice lines ('Excellent', 'Time Warning', etc.). Pros lower this (0.4–0.5) so map announcements don't overpower immediate combat audio like footsteps or weapon switches.

Volume level for other players' in-game VoIP microphone communication. Pros keep this high (0.8–1.0) for clear team callouts in CTF/TDM while ensuring it doesn't overpower footsteps or hitsounds.

Plays a short notification sound whenever a player sends a message in global chat. On provides an audible cue for chat activity; Off reduces minor distractions.

Plays a short notification sound when a teammate sends a message in team chat. On ensures you hear important calls (weapon drops, flags); Off reduces audio clutter in busy games.

Size of the sound buffer in seconds (adds latency to ensure stable playback). Lower values (0.02–0.05) minimize delay for near-instant weapon firing and hit feedback on modern systems; higher values prevent crackling on older hardware.

Pre-build buffer step time in seconds, used with s_mixahead for smooth audio mixing. On modern systems, match this closely to s_mixahead (e.g., 0.02–0.03) for minimal latency while maintaining stability.

Internal audio mixing sample rate in kHz. 44kHz provides crisper positional audio and better spatial accuracy for footsteps and weapon sounds; 22kHz is the classic Q3 default with slightly muddier high frequencies.