Actually, you are probably helping hitech more by just leaving your system like it is (I think that's basically what he just said). If we all ran Sound Blaster Zs then HTC wouldn't even know there was a problem. But, if you are forcing 5.1, Dolby, Crystal enhancements, and so on then you might turn all that off and test again.
I ran tests on the Beta's 3D audio sound positioning using my SB X7 DAC-AMP set up in Direct Mode (in this mode the Creative's SBX is completely shut off so none of the sound enhancing capabilities are active so the DAC is receiving the sound as sourced from the Beta's FMOD system and does nothing to it except amp the signal as-is then sends it to output). With my speaker set up my DAC is set up in a std 2-channel L-R dynamic speaker layout using the speaker's existing built-in crossover for bass. My Sennheiser GAM4E Zero headset works in the same manner. This should present as clean of a test as can be run in the wild.
In the tests I've ran to date so far in aircraft the 3D audio sound positioning appears to be coming from the game as "accurate" and is being placed in the right places according to the original sound source presented (usually the plane's engine and guns which in single seater planes is originally mapped to be in front of the pilot) as heard thru my DAC-AMP.
The reason why I put the word accurate in "" is due to not having knowledge of the Beta's sound mapping to know the source placement of all generated sounds so I can only use sounds in the game that the mapped sound source placement within the game is obvious to pick out then test for positioning when I change the head position relative to the sound source.
It also does occur to me that any sound displacement of another vehicle\plane other than your own could be due to other variables to consider outside of the game or the sound device being used.
Just thinking out loud.........................
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When I get the time I will run similar tests in ground vehicles to see if the results change (have family visiting this week....on vacation).
This is what I've found so far on my end concerning this topic.