I'm wondering if anyone can help me with this sudden sound error I now have with the game.

I can no longer get the game to send sound to my headphones. The game will send audio to my speakers or nothing.

First I have verified that this issue is only with ES2. Several trials of other games / programs had no issue.

With ES2, when I boot up the game my headphones WILL get sound for the initial Amplitude / Sega logos, but once I am passed the first loading screen all is lost. If I use to my windows sound settings to enable + default my speakers, disable headphones or do any other action that causes the default volume out source to be my speakers, the sound will immediately start playing. However If I re-enable my headphones in any way the game returns to silence.

I have exhausted every in game option as well, and have since returned it to my default setting of headphones + 5.1 surround mode.

Simply using speakers is not an option because I am committed to a 3 person file.