OpenAL: Cant Create Sound Device Thread - S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Anomaly mod for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Hello and thanks if anyone can help, I cannot find a fix for this issue that works for me. Have updated OpenAL, updated Windows, NVIDIA suggestions, basically I have tried everything that I can possibly find suggested on these forums and around the internet, or by asking on Discord etc.

I have installed the the latest version 1.5.1 with 1.5.2 update.

I can get the game to launch only if I swap my sound device. But this means that I cannot play the game with my preferred sound device (stereo speakers connected to interface and connected to PC via USB). When I reach the stalker anomaly game menu then swap back to my preferred sound device, Anomaly will keep running but without sound. Meanwhile everything else I do on my computer has sound with no problems.

In game options for sound there is one option in the dropdown for OpenAL. Nothing else. I cannot force the game to use my preferred sound device.

Only with Stalker Anomaly do I have any issue like this. No other applications have any issues. I have the vanilla Stalker games on steam and they work fine too.