Beta Setup Guide

The first-run Setup wizard gets you from a fresh install to a working mix in a couple of minutes. This page is its companion reference: what each step does, what the optional third-party cables are for, and what to do when something doesn't line up. Open the wizard again any time from Help ▾ → Setup wizard; if you closed it half-way, the Finish setting up Aura button picks up exactly where you left off — even after a Windows restart.

Which path?

On the first screen choose what you want to set up (you can add the other one later):

Gaming — hear enemies in 3D

1 · Choose your headphones

Pick the headphones you actually wear — this is where the final 3D mix plays (the Main L+R bus). Optionally add a correction profile for your exact model to even out the tone: from squig.link, an imported .txt measurement, or the built-in browser of community profiles. It's optional — the 3D works without it.

2 · Install audio cable(s) (optional)

Aura Mixer hears your game directly — nothing needs installing for that. The wizard offers two free third-party cables (VB-Audio) for the extras; install either, both, or neither:

To install one: download it from vb-audio.com/Cable, unzip, right-click the setup and Run as administrator, and restart Windows if the installer asks. Reopen Aura Mixer afterwards and the wizard returns to this exact step with the cable shown as installed (✓). If you use a different cable, I use a different cable — continue anyway skips the check.

3 · Connect your game

Choose your game — the list shows games that have a tuned setup published in the Workshop (a creator's tuned config is applied when there is one; otherwise Aura's built-in 3D profile is used) — and pick its process from the list. Start the game first and let it play sound: if it isn't listed, press ↺ Refresh.

Aura captures the game directly while it's running and turns its surround into 3D. There is nothing to change in the game's own audio settings.

4 · Route your desktop sound (cable mode only)

This step appears only if you chose Advanced: use a cable instead on step 3. It makes the VB-Audio Virtual Cable your Windows default output, so everything except your game flows through Aura:

• In the wizard, pick CABLE Input (VB-Audio Virtual Cable) — the plain Stereo input, not the Surround one — and click Make it my default output.
• Or by hand: Windows Sound settings ▸ Output ▸ CABLE Input.

Aura hands your real output back automatically whenever it closes, so quitting the app never mutes your PC.

The check

Aura then builds the 3D audio, starts the engine and listens for surround channels from your game. When it succeeds, Hear the difference lets you flip 3D on / off to compare. If something is off, one of two rescue screens appears — both can be skipped:

• Your game is sending stereo, not 7.1 — Directional audio needs surround turned on inside the game. Set the game's audio to 7.1 surround, then click I changed it — re-check.
• One quick Windows setting — To send only the processed sound to your headphones (no echo), Aura needs exclusive access to the device. In Windows: Sound ▸ your headphones ▸ Properties ▸ Advanced ▸ Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device, then I enabled it — retry (or Open sound settings to get there; Skip leaves a little echo).

Capturing a game through a cable (advanced)

For a game that refuses direct capture, set the cable as the game's own audio output device inside the game's audio settings and choose 7.1 surround as the format. In the wizard, pick the cable under Advanced: use a cable instead.

Streaming — a clean, processed mic

The streaming path is simpler and, in the common case, needs no cable.

1. On the first screen, choose Streaming (or Gaming + Streaming to set up both).
2. Pick your microphone, then your output (where you monitor). Both steps can offer ready-made presets from the Workshop.
3. How should your streaming app get your audio? Aura puts your mic on a dedicated Streaming bus; choose how your app grabs it:
   • Application capture (recommended — no cable): in OBS, add an Application Audio Capture source and pick "Aura Mixer — Streaming".
   • Virtual cable: Aura sends the Streaming bus to a VB-Audio cable; capture that cable in OBS instead.

Step-by-step with routing and monitoring: Stream with OBS.

Gaming + Streaming

Aura runs the gaming setup above, then adds a single mic step on top. Your spatialized game stays on your headphones, while viewers get normal game audio (from OBS's own capture) plus your processed voice — the game is never doubled and your binaural 3D isn't sent to the stream.

Troubleshooting

Still stuck? Ask on Discord — during the beta it genuinely helps.