Chaos Log Entry 7: Engineering the Sound of Reality

Moving Beyond the Robotic Drone
During the early testing phases of the Squawk Series, I relied on the basic MSFS Text-to-Speech (TTS) engine. It was functional for logic testing, but it was an immersion killer. I believe that to truly achieve that “in-the-cockpit” feeling, the voice in your headset needs weight, character, and environmental context.
The project has now fully transitioned to new level of audio fidelity. I’ve moved away from generic TTS and into high-fidelity AI voice synthesis with ElevenLabs for the raw vocal tracks, giving our characters—Dan and Alex—dedicated, bespoke voices.

The Audition Signal Chain: Simulating the Bose A20
While ElevenLabs provides the "soul" of the voice, the magic happens in Adobe Audition. I’ve spent a good time researching the acoustic profile of high-end aviation headsets like the Bose A20 to recreate that specific auditory experience.
To push the realism further, I’ve implemented a dynamic audio system: pre-engine start dialogues are "headset-free" with natural voicing. The characters will physically put on their headsets before engine start and remove them after parking. This means every mission features a mix of "open air" audio and processed "intercom" audio.
Regardless of the phase, every line of dialogue undergoes a post-production process. I’m not just playing a file; I’m simulating a communication system as best as I can. For the headset environment this involves:

• Parametric Equalization: Carving out the frequencies to mimic the limited bandwidth of an aviation intercom.

• Controlled Distortion: Adding that subtle "comms grit" that occurs during radio or intercom transmission.

• Ambient White Noise: Layering in a bespoke background floor to simulate the seal of a headset in a vibrating cockpit.

The result is a custom aviation headset filter that makes the dialogue sound as if it’s coming through a powered mic and into your ears.

Fully Voiced Foundations
I can proudly say that every bit of dialogue for the stationary checklists is now fully recorded, processed, and exported into the sim. Hearing Dan call out a "Prop Area CLEAR!" brings an incredible sense of presence to the Baron G58.
It’s a lot of extra effort in the backend, but the difference between "hearing a robotic text-to-speech" and "hearing your characters" is what sets this project apart.