Yes, there are several third-party audio apps that offer loudness equalization features.
Yes, there are several third-party audio apps that offer loudness equalization features.
Previously, on Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows 10, the sound settings included a loudness equalization feature under the "enhancements" section. This option is no longer available in Windows 10 or Windows 11. I use a Creative Sound Blaster X3 external USB sound card paired with Logitech z607 5.1 surround speakers, and I rely on the Creative app since the older Sound Blaster Command app stopped receiving updates. During gaming, I encounter a range of volume levels—some quiet and others extremely loud—which is causing frustration. I reached out to Creative Support asking for this feature to be added to the Creative app. My gaming experience is affected by inconsistent volume, especially with games like MAME arcade emulators that have both soft and loud segments. While this issue impacts my Blu-Ray playback, local movies, Netflix, Disney+ apps, and TV shows via USB HDTV tuner (SichboPVR), it doesn’t seem to affect my streaming or general media playback. I’ve tried several third-party equalizers, mostly graphic ones, and the only one that worked was "Windows Audio Loudness Equalizer" (W.A.L.E.), though it caused volume fluctuations. Now I’m considering switching to a Realtek built-in equalizer from my Gigabyter X570 Pro WiFi MoBo. That option also didn’t work well—my speakers sounded thin and the bass was flat. There’s no official fix in the enhancements tab, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
I own a comparable device to OP, but it doesn't display Spoiler An. EqualizerAPO seems suitable, though I had to remove the driver for my soundblasterX4 because it kept causing detection issues. It would often require restarting the PC just for APO to reacquire it. I don't rely on the creative app, so that's okay for me.
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.
Voicemeeter Banana appears to be a tool for adjusting audio levels, but its interface is unclear. I found mixed information online—some pages show confusing images—and my experience with similar tools didn’t yield the results I expected. After trying WALE, it caused volume changes that were hard to control, and I couldn’t access its settings. Sound Locker also didn’t help, making games sound quiet even after uninstalling it. Some YouTube videos stopped working completely when I used Firefox, so I switched to Chrome for watching them.
You can connect your desktop audio to an equalizer plugin via tools like virtualcable and voicemeter. Keep in mind that using audio software introduces delays. This isn't typically a problem in video players such as VLC or MPC, which automatically sync audio and video after applying EQ or compression. However, using it across the system might cause minor timing issues when watching YouTube videos or movies.
I’m already using the newest Sound Blaster X3 drivers from Creative.
I switched away from the Sound Blaster X3 after a mandatory Windows 11 update severely impacted bass redirection. I opted for my built-in audio on the Gigabyte B550 Elite AX V2 MoBo, which includes Loudness Equalization. However, the bass redirection only functions correctly on the front left and front right speakers, not the center, rear left, or rear right. I’m now searching for a tool that can globally force bass redirection and LFE gain on Windows 11, allowing me to bypass Bass Management in the Gigabyte Realtek settings and use it effectively.
Creative continues producing poor drivers today. They released bad drivers for Windows Vista and their X-Fi cards in 2008. Someone changed the drivers, which resolved the issue. Fxsound could assist by enhancing audio quality. I use it for that purpose. It's unclear if it can achieve the desired outcome.