I recognize that being in the flight deck of an actual B738, that it's going to be very loud, given all the running avionics. I totally get that. However, in the sim world, there's gotta be a way to somewhat lower the volume on the noise that continues to remain unchanged no matter how much I adjust the FSX sound settings. I have turned down the following: engine, environment (thunder, wind, etc.), and the cockpit (switches, buzzers, alarms, etc...) and it does not seem to affect this other noise that continues in the cockpit. I dont know if it's APU, packs, or what... but it needs to be lowered so that I can hear the VATSIM comms....  

 

Any insight would be appreciated..

I made a video for threads like this,exactly:

 

Assuming you use FSinn:

 

If your using VATSIM, you can turn up the headset and speaker volume in the FSFDT control panel. ( The little traffic light icon on the taskbar)

 

FSFDT control panel -> Voice -> VATSIM -> Volumes 

 

 

 

Regarding Kyle's video. I'm not sure the voice sound setting works for VATSIM pilot clients. I have that on default.

Here's how I do it.

 

 

(Please note the exact appearance may differ... this was edited in MS paint on a machine that didn't have FSX installed as I am not at home currently. The general guide should get you to the right kinda place though).

 

FSX needs to be running before it will appear in the list of programs in sound mixer.

Thank you all for your replies. However, it doesn't address the other question of how to turn down the other ambient noise (not concerned with the ones I mentioned above - environment, cockpit, & engines) because the volume for those have no effect on this ambient noise. I need to know where to adjust that other "equipment noise" like something else is running. 

 

Then I found this today:http://forum.avsim.net/topic/365176-cockpit-noise-wind/

 

 

However, it doesn't address the other question of how to turn down the other ambient noise

 

Because that's not really the issue.  The issue is that you're having trouble getting off of this central "issue" of the noise being "too loud," based on the fact that you've made several posts all centering on it.  You're so hyper-focused on what you perceive is the root issue that you seem to be unwilling to accept that the issue actually lies somewhere else.

 

The issue isn't that the sounds are too loud.  The issue is that you haven't configured your machine properly.  If you've identified that the only option is to somehow reduce the noise, and not properly configure your hardware, then you've already answered that's your only answer.  If you've already given yourself an answer, why post here?

 

Seriously - what I mention in that video is pretty sound (pun intended):

1. While in the plane, your body is able to discern point sources - voices, noises from speakers, etc - from ambient sound because the ambient sound is generically all around you, while the point sources come from a specific location.
2. While in the sim, you do not have the separation between point source and ambient source - you only have point sources.  Since all sounds are crammed into two point sources (your speakers), trying to discern the various "channels" is nearly impossible.
3. To sidestep this issue, create new point sources by utilizing a headset for voice, and your speakers for FSX.

I think partly the issue may be that not everyone wants to fly all the time on headset....

This is true even in real life. It would be nice to be able to reduce the noise coming from the packs/air conditioning/wind just a little to be able to work with ATC without the need for headset.

Wear ANC headsets. Seriously though, 99% of the guys I fly with wear Bose of some sort. It's not a quiet plane.

Here's how I do it.

 

 

(Please note the exact appearance may differ... this was edited in MS paint on a machine that didn't have FSX installed as I am not at home currently. The general guide should get you to the right kinda place though).

 

FSX needs to be running before it will appear in the list of programs in sound mixer.

 

In my picture above, you reduce the FSX volume (Every sound, aircon, wind noise, other AI traffic, engines, beeps, warblers, trim noise, alarms) without touching the VATSIM ATC volume at all.

 

Heck you can even make it 1% and have it barely audible.

 

Thank you all for your replies. However, it doesn't address the other question of how to turn down the other ambient noise (not concerned with the ones I mentioned above - environment, cockpit, & engines) because the volume for those have no effect on this ambient noise. I need to know where to adjust that other "equipment noise" like something else is running. 

 

Then I found this today:http://forum.avsim.net/topic/365176-cockpit-noise-wind/

 

Oh but I just showed you with a picture how to turn down EVERY SINGLE SOUND FSX MAKES EVER, without effecting Vatsim sounds (ie: ATC voice on vatsim, teamspeak etc) in the slightest

 

 

Because that's not really the issue.  The issue is that you're having trouble getting off of this central "issue" of the noise being "too loud," based on the fact that you've made several posts all centering on it.  You're so hyper-focused on what you perceive is the root issue that you seem to be unwilling to accept that the issue actually lies somewhere else.

 

The issue isn't that the sounds are too loud.  The issue is that you haven't configured your machine properly.  If you've identified that the only option is to somehow reduce the noise, and not properly configure your hardware, then you've already answered that's your only answer.  If you've already given yourself an answer, why post here?

 

Seriously - what I mention in that video is pretty sound (pun intended):

1. While in the plane, your body is able to discern point sources - voices, noises from speakers, etc - from ambient sound because the ambient sound is generically all around you, while the point sources come from a specific location.
2. While in the sim, you do not have the separation between point source and ambient source - you only have point sources.  Since all sounds are crammed into two point sources (your speakers), trying to discern the various "channels" is nearly impossible.
3. To sidestep this issue, create new point sources by utilizing a headset for voice, and your speakers for FSX.

 

 

Thank you for your response, however it did not address the issue. I indicated that the sound was too loud and that I could not; could not find the source of the sound that was being unaffected by my adjusting of the said  volumes in FSX (engines, cockpit, environment, etc). Then I found that link that answered all my questions. Yours did not. Instead you chose to grandstand and pontificate. Thanks but no thanks. I give credit and owe gratitude to everyone else who was more gracious and responding directly to what I was asking about: hopskip, spin737, glutcheon, & Cpt Morgan. Thank you all again.    

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/41599-just-got-pmdg-737-but-major-cockpit-noise/