When it comes to audio, I have very little to complain about. Bethesda did a phenomenal job with their game, from the iconic soundtrack to all the sound effects. But when it comes to modding, don’t fix it if ain't broken doesn’t apply.

Some of the mods on this list will enhance the audio, others will expand ways to make the experience better. I also have some that add certain options, or just make it fun. At the end of the day, the real reason we keep playing and modding Skyrim is because it’s so much fun.

15. Japanese Voice

Before you go around raising your eyebrows, let me clarify and justify this entry. Sure, it sounds like a bit of a joke entry, and it kinda is. But for the most part, I’m completely serious about this mod. Especially if you’re a fan of anime and can appreciate hearing a foreign language while reading subtitles.

This mod simply replaces the English voiced lines with Japanese ones. You might be wondering, why would I want to do that? The answer is because it’s pretty epic. The audio files are from Skyrim’s Japanese version, so everything is very high quality and professionally made. 

The biggest appeal of this mod is how dramatic everything seems. It makes you feel like you’re playing an anime. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the video! 

Download Mod: Special

14. Potty Mouth Thieves Guild

This mod is pretty straightforward. It changes certain lines of the Thieves’ Guild NPCs to make them swear more. To be more specific, there are lines where the characters use the word ‘muck’. I’m sure you can guess what the changes entail.

While there’s strictly no need for NPCs to swear, one could argue that it gives them character. These are the thieves of Riften after all, they live in the sewers. And while the swears of a fantasy world don’t have to be the same as ours, familiarity helps.

Download Mod: Special

13. Mute The Music

Jeremy Soule’s composition is a masterpiece. So it’s kind of inconceivable when people want to replace it. But it all comes down to preference, so I understand. This mod doesn’t replace the soundtrack, this one is for people who don’t want certain songs playing.

If you want to play the game without music, you do have the option of turning it off in the settings. With this mod, you’ll have fine control over which of the brilliant soundtracks will be playing. And it’s pretty easy to set-up, with everything being selected using the mod installer.

Download Mod: Special

12. Yggdrasil Music and SoundFX Overhaul

This mod has been out there for a while, so you might have heard of it. On one hand it adds a lot of new soundtracks to Skyrim, with a darker sound and a Viking feel. You have the option of using it as a replacer, or alongside the original soundtrack. I personally don’t think the two mesh well together because of thematic differences, so I’d recommend using the replacer if you want to.

If you’re like me and don’t like messing with Skyrim’s OST, this mod has more to offer. There’s a download file which only overwrites the sound effects, which is a godsend. Almost every obnoxious sound in vanilla Skyrim is replaced with something subtle and manageable. Now you can gorge on new ingredients without getting a headache from that sound playing over and over again.

Download Mod: Legendary | Special

11. More Painful NPC Death Sounds

Simply put, this expands all the sounds NPCs make before dying. A bit morbid, right? I agree, but I hardly think anyone who plays Skyrim will complain.

For starters, all the voice types in Skyrim will have sounds they can make before they die. These sounds will be louder compared to the vanilla screams, which still play when they’re killed in a sneak attack. On top of that, sleeping NPCs will not make any sounds when you kill them. More death sounds and immersion, then. Isn't that great?

Download Mod: Legendary | Special

10. Unofficial High Definition Audio Project

This one is a very subtle mod. After all, audio quality is something that might often fly under the radar. Still, once you experience the delights of higher quality audio, there’s no going.

This mod uses the PS4 version of Skyrim as source and replaces vanilla audio with the better quality one. How better, you ask? The audio quality in default Skyrim is 48 kbit, which we can all agree is a rather low number. This mod’s audio files are 192 kbit, a massive improvement. You can check out the comparison video to get a feel for what I’m talking about.

Download Mod: Special

9. Binaural 3D Surround Sound for Headphones - HRTF

There’s nothing more annoying than putting on your headphones, only to discover that your game’s sound isn’t coming from where it’s supposed to. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating. But we can all agree that it’s up there.

Skyrim’s handling of directional sounds is okay during dialogues, but this mod takes it so much further. Now you’ll truly be immersed in a surround-sound environment. Obviously, you’ll need to have headphones on. And you’ll have to play in first-person to get the most out of it. Check out the video for a better comparison.

Download Mod: Legendary | Special

8. Eviscerate - Weapons Sounds Redesigned

If you read my article on dragon mods, you’ve seen the other mods by this author. Their work takes vanilla sounds and tweaks them to feel much more impactful. For this one, it makes the weapons sound much more real.

Maybe I’m not describing it well enough. The blades will now sound sharper. When wielding heavy weapons, the sound will convey the weight of the weapons. And of course there’s the sound of impacts! The files work for both Legendary and Special Edition. Check out the mod description for samples.

Download Mod: Special

7. Nordic Shouts -Enigma Series

This mod was made by the same author as the last one. So you know that I’m about to highly recommend this. And that it will make the shouts feel so much deeper.

Deep might just be an understatement. With this mod, the player’s shouts will feel more rumbly. But words can’t do justice to something that must be experienced. Sadly this only touches the male shouts. Check out the mod description for samples. And the same files work for both Special and Legendary Edition.

Download Mod: Special

6. Daedric Enigma -Daedric Princes Voice Rework

This mod is also by the same author as the last two, and I swear this is the last of their mods on this list. Besides their dragon sound mods, this one is the other one that I consider absolutely essential. Because this one reworks the voices of the Daedric Princes, the otherworldly and godly beings of Tamriel.

While the vanilla Daedra voices were good, with this one they will truly sound like something else. A lot of work was put into making them seem fearsome and unknowable, which is fair. When you listen to them, it almost makes you want to tremble. The mod description has links to the voice samples. And like all their other mods, the same files work for both Special and Legendary Edition.

Download Mod: Special

5. Immersive Sounds Compendium

This is a pretty old mod, but it’s still relevant because of quality and up-to-date patches. This mod takes everything from the vanilla sounds and just makes it better. The sounds have been replaced with something that sounds better, but that’s just the start of it.

What makes this mod stand out is that it adds so much to what exists. The pool of available sounds is expanded for almost everything, so you’ll hear so much more. On top of that, there are a lot of little touches. Like the faint difference in sound depending on what you’re wearing. We can all agree that it’s the little things that make the most difference.

Download Mod: Legendary | Special

4. Regional Sounds Expansion

Ambient sounds are a huge deal. It’s the kind of thing that you don’t pay attention to, but just having it  makes your experience so much better. This mod adds a heapload of ambient noises to the outside world.

According to the mod author, around 500 new ambient sounds have been added to the game. Of course all of these have been carefully placed, and they’re meant to be barely noticed. On top of adding new sounds, it also tweaks the vanilla sounds to make them better. And it removes sound overlaps and those that are out of place. This one is only available for Special Edition.

Download Mod: Special

3. Reverb Interior Sounds Expansion

The behavior of sound is slightly different, depending on whether you’re inside or outside. This mod aims to make the internal reverb and ambience much more believable and enjoyable. This mod was made by the same author as the last one.

The interior reverb is now dependent on the size of the room and the material of the surface, so you’ll notice the differences depending on where you are. New ambient noises have been added or edited to better match the outside world. The reverb effects have also been added to some exterior areas as well, where appropriate. This mod too is only available for Special Edition.

Download Mod: Special

2. Acoustic Space Improvement Fixes

Like the last one, this is also an interior reverb mod. And this one too was made by the same author. So why are they two different mods? Because they technically do two different things. Thankfully, they’re compatible, because the more, the merrier.

Instead of adding reverb effects, this mod is concerned with fixing. A lot of buildings look the same, but the interior reverb model happens to be different. This causes small rooms to sound like castles. This mod tweaks the templates so that the reverb effects are sensible. There were no comparisons available, so you’ll have to try it out in-game. You’ll have to try it out, but you won’t regret it!

Download Mod: Special

1. Audio Overhaul Skyrim

This is the last mod on this list, and was created by the same author as the last 3. I swear I’m not simping on the mod author, the quality of work is just that great. While this mod originally came out in 2013, it has received constant updates over the years. In fact, the latest update came out this year, making use of a new audio framework.

All the vanilla audios have been tweaked or remade to make it sound much, much better. All you have to do is take a look at the video linked above to get a feel for the difference. The audio effects over a long distance also sound much better. A lot of ambient effects were added to make the world feel much more lived in, on top of reverb effects to improve the feel. 

There are so many other changes that it’s impossible to write a list on it. The best part of it all is that this mod is compatible with all the mods I’ve featured in this list. But don’t listen to me, try it out for yourself and you’ll see what I mean.

Download Mod: Legendary | Special

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