Are there any 3rd party audio apps for Loudness Equalization?

[NJW1979]

In the past, on both Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows 10, under the "enhancements" tab in the sound settings there used to be a loudness equalization option.  It no longer exists in Windows 10 and also isn't in Windows 11.

 

I own a Creative Sound Blaster X3 external USB sound card, connected to a set of Logitech z607 5.1 surround speakers, and use the Creative app as they stopped updating the old Sound Blaster Command app.  When gaming, I have some sound effects that are quiet and others that are really, really loud.  It's bugging the hell out of me.  I emailed Creative Support to request that they add this vital feature to the creative app.  I play a lot of games, both modern and retro.  One example of the volume issue is my copy of the MAME arcade machine emulator.   Some games are really quiet, some games are really loud and I also have a few ROMS that have a mix of both quiet and loud.  All games are affected, but it doesn't seem to be an issue for my Blu-Rays, my local movies, the Netflix and Disney plus Windows apps, or the TV program I use with my USB HDTV tuner (SichboPVR).

Are there any 3rd party solutions?  I did a full day of searching and most of what I found was just graphic equalizer programs (I already have one of those built into the Creative app).  The only program I found was called "Windows Audio Loudness Equalizer" or W.A.L.E.  It tried to do the job, oh how it tried, but the overall volume was fluctuating up and down.  Now the ONLY way I could get loudness equalization would be to ditch my Sound Blaster X3, and use the Realtek onboard from my Gigabyter X570 Pro WiFi MoBo.  I tried that, and my 5 speakers were tinny and the bass from my sub was flat.

Does anyone here know if there is a solution?  I know Microsoft won't add it back to the enhancements tab.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

[LHJKO]

I am not sure about 3rd party apps that do it but windows def still has the option under the enhancements tab.

[adm0n]

5 minutes ago, LHJKO said:

I am not sure about 3rd party apps that do it but windows def still has the option under the enchantment tab.

I have a similar device to OP, and it doesn't show up

Spoiler

An app, that would work, is EqualizerAPO, but I had to uninstall the driver for my soundblasterX4. Otherwise it would always have problems detecting. I frequently had to restart the PC, just for APO to grab it again. I don't need anything from the creative app, so it's fine for me though.

[191x7]

22 minutes ago, NJW1979 said:

In the past, on both Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows 10, under the "enhancements" tab in the sound settings there used to be a loudness equalization option.  It no longer exists in Windows 10 and also isn't in Windows 11.

 

I own a Creative Sound Blaster X3 external USB sound card, connected to a set of Logitech z607 5.1 surround speakers, and use the Creative app as they stopped updating the old Sound Blaster Command app.  When gaming, I have some sound effects that are quiet and others that are really, really loud.  It's bugging the hell out of me.  I emailed Creative Support to request that they add this vital feature to the creative app.  I play a lot of games, both modern and retro.  One example of the volume issue is my copy of the MAME arcade machine emulator.   Some games are really quiet, some games are really loud and I also have a few ROMS that have a mix of both quiet and loud.  All games are affected, but it doesn't seem to be an issue for my Blu-Rays, my local movies, the Netflix and Disney plus Windows apps, or the TV program I use with my USB HDTV tuner (SichboPVR).

Are there any 3rd party solutions?  I did a full day of searching and most of what I found was just graphic equalizer programs (I already have one of those built into the Creative app).  The only program I found was called "Windows Audio Loudness Equalizer" or W.A.L.E.  It tried to do the job, oh how it tried, but the overall volume was fluctuating up and down.  Now the ONLY way I could get loudness equalization would be to ditch my Sound Blaster X3, and use the Realtek onboard from my Gigabyter X570 Pro WiFi MoBo.  I tried that, and my 5 speakers were tinny and the bass from my sub was flat.

Does anyone here know if there is a solution?  I know Microsoft won't add it back to the enhancements tab.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

It's not Microsoft removing the enhancements tab, it's your driver not supporting it. You can check, your Realtek does have the enhancements tab.

 

As for the question of limiting volume, there's Sound LOcker and there's Voicemeter Banana.

[NJW1979]

27 minutes ago, 191x7 said:

It's not Microsoft removing the enhancements tab, it's your driver not supporting it. You can check, your Realtek does have the enhancements tab.

 

As for the question of limiting volume, there's Sound LOcker and there's Voicemeter Banana.

How does Voicemeeter Banana work for loudness equalization?  I looked it up on their web page and the image on their website confuses me.  I am by no means an audio expert.  When I tried WALE and the overall volume was fluctuating, I looked at the settings and couldn't understand them at all, so I uninstalled it.

I did try Equalizer APO, but it didn't really do anything, and I couldn't open any settings. 

Sound Locker caused problems.  The games I tried it on were silent and stayed silent after I uninstalled it.  I had to reinstall these games in different locations as if I install them in the same folder, they are silent.  Also from now on all Youtube videos on Firefox are almost completely silent.  From now on I need to use Chrome to watch Youtube, as I flat-out refuse to use Edge.

[Tanaz]

You can pipe in your desktop audio through an equalizer VST plugin using something like virtualcable + voicemeter banana. However what you should know is that whenever you're using software to manipulate audio you're adding latency. That's usually not an issue in a video player like VLC/MPC because those players synchronize the audio and the video automatically after you add an EQ/Compressor. But if you do it system wide you might find slight mismatches when watching YT videos and/or movies.

[191x7]

2 minutes ago, NJW1979 said:

How does Voicemeeter Banana work for loudness equalization?  I looked it up on their web page and the image on their website confuses me.  I am by no means an audio expert.  When I tried WALE and the overall volume was fluctuating, I looked at the settings and couldn't understand them at all, so I uninstalled it.

I did try Equalizer APO, but it didn't really do anything, and I couldn't open any settings.  Sound Locker caused problems.  The games I tried it on were silent and stayed silent after I uninstalled it.  I had to reinstall these games in different locations as if I install them in the same folder, they are silent.

Can you try updating your drivers using IOBit Driver Booster first? Maybe the options will come back if there are newer/better drivers available.

 

 

[NJW1979]

22 hours ago, 191x7 said:

Can you try updating your drivers using IOBit Driver Booster first? Maybe the options will come back if there are newer/better drivers available.

 

 

I am already on the latest Sound Blaster X3 drivers, from Creative.

[Edmond Dantes]

goldwave

[NJW1979]

I ditched the Sound Blaster X3 after a forced Windows 11 update completely broke Bass Redirection and went with my onboard audio on my Gigabyte B550 Elite AX V2 MoBo.  It has Loudness Equalization, but the bass redirection only works on my front left and front right speakers, not on my center, rear left, or rear right.  I am currently looking for a program to force bass redirection and LFE gain globally on W11 so I can disable Bass Management in the Gigabyte Realtek panel and use said program.

[silencer12]

I see Creative is still making bad drivers to this day. Creative made awful drivers in 2008 for Windows Vista but for their X-Fi cards. A user modified their drivers that fixed them.

 

 

Anyway.  Fxsound might help. It boosts sound quality. I use it for that. I don't know if it can redirect to what you are wanting. 

[NJW1979]

Does anyone know of any programs to force bass redirection and LFE gain to all 5 of my satellite speakers globally?

I've been using FX Sound for some time.  I use the clarity, bass boost, and dynamic boost.  Great program.

[silencer12]

11 hours ago, NJW1979 said:

Does anyone know of any programs to force bass redirection and LFE gain to all 5 of my satellite speakers globally?

I've been using FX Sound for some time.  I use the clarity, bass boost, and dynamic boost.  Great program.

Would the Goldwave software mentioned above by Edmond do what you need? 

 

https://www.goldwave.com/

 

 

I did a search on top audio enhancing software. It might help to look through the list. I do not know of any in particular that would do what you are requiring. I apologize for that.

 

Biongiovi DPS sounds like it might help though which is in the list on the second link.

 

https://windowsreport.com/best-audio-enhancers-windows-10/

 

[Mark Kaine]

On 7/27/2023 at 10:19 AM, adm0n said:

I have a similar device to OP, and it doesn't show up

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An app, that would work, is EqualizerAPO, but I had to uninstall the driver for my soundblasterX4. Otherwise it would always have problems detecting. I frequently had to restart the PC, just for APO to grab it again. I don't need anything from the creative app, so it's fine for me though.

tbh you dont have enable enhancements ticked on tho...