Prerequisites
Ensure PipeWire and the PulseAudio compatibility layer are installed. This should already be the default for most modern distros.
sudo apt install pipewire ...
Get Required Files
First, choose and download your HRTF preset (the specific surround sound simulation you want).
Note: Choose the "Download WAV (HeSuVi)" option on the database page. It will
download as a .zip file.
Place Files
Create the necessary directories and move your files into place.
Enter the name without the .wav extension or .zip extension (usually they share the same name).
1. Create Folders
mkdir -p ~/.config/pipewire/filter-chain.conf.d ~/.config/pipewire/hrtf
2. Unzip HRTF
unzip atmos.zip
3. Move WAV File
mv atmos/atmos.wav ~/.config/pipewire/hrtf/
4. Download Config
wget https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/pipewire/pipewire/-/raw/master/src/daemon/filter-chain/sink-virtual-surround-7.1-hesuvi.conf -O ~/.config/pipewire/filter-chain.conf.d/99-virtual-surround.conf
Apply Configuration
We need to update the config file to point to your specific HRTF wav file used above.
sed -i ...
Restart Services
Restart the PipeWire user services to apply changes.
systemctl --user restart ...
Setup Complete!
Your virtual surround sound should now be active.
Final Step:
Open your system sound settings (or your specific game/player settings) and ensure the output device is set to: