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Software equalizer for use with REW on Windows

126K views 232 replies 54 participants last post by  ja00 
#1 ·
Hi,
this post is about Equalizer APO, an open source equalizer for Windows. (as it is free, this should not be regarded as advertising)

I have been using Room EQ Wizard for some time together with a BFD and with the kX driver but could not find a system-wide equalization solution in software that just works on all sound cards. When I adopted Windows 7 as my primary operating system I noticed its integrated home theater effects, which are available with many sound card drivers but which do not include a parametric equalizer. As I found out, it is possible to develop custom audio effects since Windows Vista and so I began working on this missing feature. I call the result "Equalizer APO".

Equalizer APO is a system-wide parametric equalizer for Windows. It is implemented as an Audio Processing Object (APO) for the system effect infrastructure introduced with Windows Vista. The reason I post this in the REW forum is that Equalizer APO can use the filter settings from REW with minimal effort by just exporting the filter settings as a text file, which becomes a configuration file for Equalizer APO. In contrast to most hardware equalizers there are virtually no limits on filter count and channel count.

You can find more information at http://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo and, of course, download the installer. I would really appreciate some feedback. If you have any questions or objections, please reply to this post.
 
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#36 ·
I've noticed a small issue, windows voice synthesis for Ease of Access is distorted, it might be because support for my sound card (Focusrite Scarlett 2i4) is experimental but when I disable EQ the Microsoft synth voice works properly again.

It's not a big problem, just a curiosity that I thought I'd report.
 
#43 · (Edited)
My system consists of a Pioneer VSX-1020K AVR, Pioneer SP-FS51-LR fronts, SP-C21 center, 2 Architech Pro AP-602 (in-wall) surrounds, Klipsch RW-12d sub, the sub from my old HKTS-14 set, and a DSP-1124P. Oh, and an HTPC!
I didn't separate the graphs, since I thought the results were more impressive and less confusing with them overlapping.
The red graphs are using REW, the DSP to the subs, and MCACC (which, of course, are different than they were before, but the mic is in a different place, the furniture has probably moved, etc.).
The green lines are the system with no EQ (DSP removed, MCACC memory cleared).
The blue lines are the result of taking the data for the green plot (no smoothing), selecting "generic" equalizer, "full range" speakers, "max boost" to max (15 and 12, respectively) [edit: John suggests leaving max at the defaults to avoid clipping], and exporting the resulting 20 filters (the program's max) to a text file that is read by Equalizer APO. That's it. Done.





I have since used the AVR to boost the bass back up 4dB. I haven't had a chance to use REW's new house curve feature, but I plan to try that soon, instead.
As you might imagine, the system sounds better than it ever has before, and the process is ridiculously simple.
Kudos to Jonas Thedering, the generous genius behind freeware Equalizer APO, and, of course, to John Mulcahy, of REW fame.
Michael
 
#44 ·
The blue lines are the result of taking the data for the green plot (no smoothing), selecting "generic" equalizer, "full range" speakers, "max boost" to max (15 and 12, respectively), and exporting the resulting 20 filters (the program's max) to a text file that is read by Equalizer APO.
You should be quite cautious with allowing high levels of overall boost. You would need to make sure there is a gain adjustment in the equalizer to prevent clipping, and it would be best to measure at a few other positions near the listening position to check the result as the response can vary significantly over quite short distances.
 
#58 ·
Good to see you too. Hitachi RP HD CRT! hehe though mine sits in the basement these days.

Yeah REW looks pretty complicated, part of why I haven't dived into it yet. I really need a mic though. Thinking of the UMIK-1 from MiniDSP so I don't have to buy an SPL meter too (though I should).

I did install the software EQ on my main PC rig to test with it but I haven't played around with it too much. Like I said I need a mic then I'll install it on my HTPC. One of these days pretty soon, I got the tweaking itch.
 
#51 ·
Hello !

I install the software for my sound card "profire2626", it works 2 minutes or less and then stops for no reason, no sound.
I then uninstalled the software, and the problem persists.
I reinstalled the software, and it still works randomly.
I have to turn off my profire then turn it on to get sound again.
I can not get any more either to use properly "ASIO" with my DAW.
Your software does wonders, but then I am forced to use the sound card integrated so that the sound does not cut.
I use my PC for live, and I hope not to have my windows formatter.

Thank you in advance for your help.
(sorry for my English, it is translated by Google)
 
#52 ·
I install the software for my sound card "profire2626", it works 2 minutes or less and then stops for no reason, no sound.
I then uninstalled the software, and the problem persists.
If the sound card worked before installing Equalizer APO, but doesn't work after uninstalling it again, this could mean that the sound card driver has been corrupted. You could try to fix that by uninstalling the audio driver after uninstalling Equalizer APO und then reinstalling the sound card driver again. You could also try to use a different driver version and see if that works with Eq. APO.

As to the problem of Equalizer APO working sporadically, I don't know why that could happen. To help me, you could try to collect more information about the cause:
  1. Open regedit.exe and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EqualizerAPO, there set the value EnableTrace from false to true.
  2. Play sound and wait for it to cut after 2 minutes.
  3. Send me the file C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Temp\EqualizerAPO.log (via PM or upload to some place I can download from)
 
#53 · (Edited)
thank you for your help!
here is the log:

Spoiler
2013-05-05 23:04:26.909 BEAB2080 (EqualizerAPO.cpp:92): (TRACE) Initialize
2013-05-05 23:04:26.910 BEAB2080 (EqualizerAPO.cpp:114): (TRACE) Endpoint GUID: {471C3D15-B073-4DBA-8F9D-A202688B1DC8}
2013-05-05 23:04:26.910 BEAB2080 (EqualizerAPO.cpp:131): (TRACE) Child APO GUID: !KEY
2013-05-05 23:04:26.911 BEAB2080 (EqualizerAPO.cpp:197): (TRACE) RequestedInputFormat = { 00000003, 2, 4, 32, 44100.000000, 00000003 }
2013-05-05 23:04:26.919 652474B0 (EqualizerAPO.cpp:92): (TRACE) Initialize
2013-05-05 23:04:26.920 652474B0 (EqualizerAPO.cpp:114): (TRACE) Endpoint GUID: {471C3D15-B073-4DBA-8F9D-A202688B1DC8}
2013-05-05 23:04:26.921 652474B0 (EqualizerAPO.cpp:131): (TRACE) Child APO GUID: !KEY
2013-05-05 23:04:26.922 652474B0 (EqualizerAPO.cpp:197): (TRACE) RequestedInputFormat = { 00000003, 2, 4, 32, 44100.000000, 00000003 }
2013-05-05 23:04:26.924 652474B0 (EqualizerAPO.cpp:197): (TRACE) RequestedInputFormat = { 00000003, 2, 4, 32, 44100.000000, 00000003 }
2013-05-05 23:04:26.924 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:138): (TRACE) Loading configuration from C:\Program Files\EqualizerAPO\config\config.txt
2013-05-05 23:04:26.925 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:263): (TRACE) Setting preamp to -6 dB
2013-05-05 23:04:26.926 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:138): (TRACE) Loading configuration from C:\Program Files\EqualizerAPO\config\ecm8000.txt
2013-05-05 23:04:26.927 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 202 Hz, gain -10.7 dB and Q 4.91
2013-05-05 23:04:26.927 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 219 Hz, gain 6.1 dB and Q 5
2013-05-05 23:04:26.928 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 828 Hz, gain -7.5 dB and Q 6.7
2013-05-05 23:04:26.929 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 107 Hz, gain -12.3 dB and Q 11.21
2013-05-05 23:04:26.930 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 626 Hz, gain -7.3 dB and Q 8.89
2013-05-05 23:04:26.930 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 47.6 Hz, gain -3 dB and Q 8.6
2013-05-05 23:04:26.931 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 174 Hz, gain -7.4 dB and Q 18.1
2013-05-05 23:04:26.932 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 544 Hz, gain -8 dB and Q 24.12
2013-05-05 23:04:26.933 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 378 Hz, gain -7.6 dB and Q 44.99
2013-05-05 23:04:26.933 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 320 Hz, gain -4.8 dB and Q 45.52
2013-05-05 23:04:26.934 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 451 Hz, gain -5.6 dB and Q 2.42
2013-05-05 23:04:26.935 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 4968 Hz, gain -11.4 dB and Q 4.74
2013-05-05 23:04:26.935 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 5404 Hz, gain 4.7 dB and Q 2.69
2013-05-05 23:04:26.936 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 4171 Hz, gain 3 dB and Q 2.97
2013-05-05 23:04:26.937 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 1052 Hz, gain -5.6 dB and Q 8.17
2013-05-05 23:04:26.937 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 4287 Hz, gain -5.3 dB and Q 9.34
2013-05-05 23:04:26.938 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:248): (TRACE) Adding filter with center frequency 137 Hz, gain 6 dB and Q 10
2013-05-05 23:04:26.939 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:131): (TRACE) 17 filters loaded
2013-05-05 23:04:26.940 65247530 (ParametricEQ.cpp:118): (TRACE) Successfully created directory change notification thread for C:\Program Files\EqualizerAPO\config and its subtree


And I see that this is not the fault of your software ... right?

The problem is systematic when I do right click in my task bar on a folder to open a new file.

I will uninstall the driver after equalizerAPO and check if it works.

Edit : Without EQAPO and Driver , still unstable ... I do not know where to look now !

Edit 2 : With driver and without EQAPO, more stable ... there is still the problem of the famous right-click, but less frequent

Edit 3 : forget the right click, it "works" even when I open a folder on my desktop.
 
#56 ·
Thank you for this nice piece of software!

Currently I use this equalizer solely for measurements with filters (to tune and optimize the filters), since I've found no other way of implementing the filters during REW measurements.

I eagerly await your v0.8 release with single channel equalization, since then it becomes a lightweight and systemwide solution for digital room correction. I guess your EQ will see some heavy usage on my PC then ;)
 
#57 · (Edited)
Hello,
I finally formatted my windows, installed my profire then installed EqualizerAPO ... and it works!
I had to change too many things in my search for perfect equalization and it probably made ​​my system unstable!

In any case, thank you very much for this great software.

Edit : After having format, I still had the same problem after a few days.

It is a problem in the Profire! many users have the same trouble with windows7 / 8 64bit.
I'm not saying it will solve the problem for everyone, but in the Preferences windows for sound playback in properties, remove the authorization to take exclusive control.
change the location of the firewire cable into your profire, and at worst, change firewire card. it has fixed my problem.

I hope it will help someone.
 
#60 ·
Here is the error it shows me:

http://hpics.li/3c18dcf
From your previous post I thought that you had already installed Equalizer APO successfully. Anyway, this error points to a special case that is not yet supported in the Configurator version 0.7. I implemented support for that case in version 0.8, which is coming very soon, so the easiest solution for you might be to wait for 0.8.
 
#62 ·
VERY nice program! I've tried using it under a 64-bit OS with quad-core processor nd it works great! Thanks! I like it well enough that I was considering building a front-end for it, based on the filter options present in REW, however I discovered that only the PK filters were usable. Any plans to implement 1 or more of the other filter types? Thanks!
 
#67 ·
I had an error in the configuration of the 0.8 :
http://hpics.li/c9d1c16
I tried to reproduce the problem and there was in fact still a bug in the Configurator for that case. As I do not want to create a new version for such a small fix I did a "rerelease" of version 0.8 (I know this is problematic, but it should not bother most users). Please redownload version 0.8 and try again.
 
#72 ·
Hey Matrix86
Just want to say that this is a great piece of software and it works great with my Asus Xonar STX. Just wondering if your planning of impementing other controls in your software such as delay and phase correction? At the moment I am using FFDShow to create my delays however It isn't possible to get all audio sources on the PC to use FFDShow.
THanks Again
Snarfty
 
#76 ·
Just wondering if your planning of impementing other controls in your software such as delay and phase correction?
Delay is basically something an AV receiver or the soundcard driver could do, but as it should be easy to implement, I might add it in the future. I'm not sure how to implement phase correction however.

is the EQ not running in WIN XP ?
Minimum requirement is Windows Vista, however only Windows 7 and 8 have been tested.
 
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