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Adding an Equalizer to Windows 10's System Audio


Anderton

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If you use Windows, then you probably don't want to miss this article. It came about because I'm using very small desktop speakers on my dining room table, as I oftenl set up my laptop and want to listen to music on something better than my laptop's speakers (or at least that's what they're called. I think they're more "mumblers" than "speakers," but that's a different topic).

 

You may remember that previous Windows incarnations had a media player with an equalizer plug-in that was removed for Windows 10, but frankly, the equalizer described in the article is a zillion times better. If you need to tune out speaker bumps, or just flatten the response of your laptop's mumblers - ooops, I mean speakers - a bit more, I think you'll find it useful.

 

If you have any trouble getting it to work, post here. I didn't get it to work right the first time, but the troubleshooting option solved that.

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I had a brief encounter with an HP Win 10 machine when this computer broke. It came with Realtek HD audio though and the graphic worked well enough for listening.

 

This is from my current Win7 audio but is the same as the W10 setting give or take.

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I tend to scoop for that "hifi" effect.

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I have mixed feelings about this. It's fine for casual listening, but doing a mix? No...

My Presonus 1818 VSL has a nice EQ I can insert into the Main Stereo out. While it's a nice 3 band parametric, it's nowhere near to being surgically precise enough to attempt compensating for acoustic inaccuracy in the speakers+room system. Even with a multiband zerophase EQ, I've found trying to do this produces mixes that translate to other playback systems poorly. I run now with no EQ at all on my monitors; the only thing I calibrate is setting the 0dBFS playback level to 85 dB SPL.

 

Better mixes, less setup work: a win-win...

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I have mixed feelings about this. It's fine for casual listening' date=' but doing a mix? No...[/quote']

 

Well that's exactly it. If you're using the Windows system audio instead of an ASIO interface, you'll probably in consumer-land.

 

I have a computer setup at my dining room table (I know, extra nerd points) with some Cerwin-Vega XD3 desktop speakers. They're really designed more for consumers and gamers, but they don't up a lot of space and look cool. With the EQ, I've tuned out the parts that make gamers happy to make me happy :) Now I don't have to get more expensive speakers.

 

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Oh, absolutely! When using a consumer system, it's a great way to compensate for inadequate speakers and for the Fletcher-Munson effect. I think there is no reason there couldn't be a compensation system for each Win audio output, and have it automatically kick in the correct one for each output type (I use a 40" TV as a monitor with HDMI input, so it ends up being the default audio output when I don't turn on my rack & get the Presonus I/O running).

 

In fact, I was looking for a FM compensator plugin of some sort a while back; never did find one. I guess for that to work one would need to accurately measure listening level and whatnot...

 

 

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