Sound Physics
by thedocruby
Sound Physics changes how in-game sounds reach the player by tracing them through the surrounding blocks, so echoes and muffling follow the room a player stands in.
What it does
Sound attenuation is calculated with ray tracing. Each sound source casts rays through the world, and blocks that absorb or reflect sound shape the reverberation the player hears. A stone cave and an open field therefore produce different results for the same sound.
The mod is configurable, and it includes a preset field where tuned settings can be saved, cleared and reloaded. It is client-side only, so players install it alone and servers do not need it. Files exist for 1.17, 1.17.1, 1.18 and 1.18.1 on Fabric, with 0.5.5 for 1.18.1 as the latest file.
The code is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1 only and is open source, with public source code and an issue tracker. Development passed from the original author to vlad2305m and later maintainers, and the Fabric 1.17+ port incorporates contributions from several people.
Key features
Ray-traced sound attenuation
Sound volume and tone are computed by casting rays through blocks, so distance and walls change how a sound is heard.
Reverberation through blocks
Blocks absorb and reflect sound, producing reverb that matches enclosed spaces such as tunnels and rooms.
Configurable settings
Options adjust how strongly the physics model applies, and new configuration features have been added over time.
Saved presets
Settings can be stored as presets, cleared, and selected again from a display list.
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Immersive exploration
Caves, mineshafts and large buildings sound distinct, which suits players who want the world's acoustics to match what they see.
Proximity voice chat
The mod works with Plasmo Voice, so voice audio can carry the same room-based echo and muffling as game sounds.
Who it’s for: Players who want environmental audio on Fabric 1.17 – 1.18.1, and players who use Plasmo Voice for proximity chat.
How it compares
Physics Mod is a Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt mod for 1.16.5 – 26.3, client-side only, under All rights reserved, so it is not open source. ArgonVisuals is a client-side Fabric mod for 26.1.2 under a custom license, and is not open source. Better Block Sounds is client-side only and open source under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 only, with files for 1.18.2 – 1.20.1 on Fabric, Forge and Quilt.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound Physics | Fabric | 1.17 – 1.18.1 | Client-side only | 2022-01-21 |
| Physics Mod | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.16.5 – 26.3 | Client-side only | 2026-10-14 |
| ArgonVisuals | Fabric | 26.1.2 | Client-side only | 2026-09-05 |
| Better Block Sounds | Fabric, Forge and Quilt | 1.18.2 – 1.20.1 | Client-side only | 2023-07-29 |
Questions
Does Sound Physics need to be installed on the server?
Which loader and versions does Sound Physics support?
Does Sound Physics work with proximity voice chat?
In the catalog
Sound Physics is one of 12,078 Decoration mods on ModsFinder, and one of 6,982 Decoration mods for Fabric. 4,416 mods support Minecraft 1.18.1.
Similar mods
What the author says
Sound Physics is a Minecraft mod that uses efficient ray tracing to calculate realistic sound attenuation, reverberation, and absorption through blocks. It is fully configurable and new features are being developed all the time. It was ported to Fabric 1.17+ by vlad2305m and is maintained and developed by vlad2305m…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/soundphysics
- Owner
- thedocruby
- Published
- 2021-12-16
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2022-01-21
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15