Which filter type should I use in the PEACE configurator?

[inhahe]

I see a bunch of options for filter types (shown graphically as curves) for each frequency band setting in PEACE. Which one is the normal one to use?

I'm asking because I have a problem where my audio output fluctuates between different volumes when playing music. It only does this when playing through my bluetooth device, not my usb speaker, and the bluetooth device is the only one I've set equalizer settings for. The fluctuations seem to happen in step with the beat of the music (maybe it just seems that way?).

I don't really know if it's Equalizer APO that's causing the problem because I'm not going to try to compare the sound output with and without APO because it only seems starts happening after I've been playing music for a while, maybe hours, and also the effect is subtle so it's hard to distinguish for sure when it's happening. I mean I've noticed it a lot, even to an annoying degree, before, but I've since gotten too used to it. (I know it's not just my imagination because my mom's pointed it out before too, it even annoyed her enough that she asked me to change it.)

Any advice on where to look in APO settings that could be causing this problem, or ideas on what else might be causing this problem, would be welcome. (Since I'm not really sure Equalizer APO is the problem at all my main question is just about which filter type to use..)

[Juha]

Does issue go away when not using EqualizerAPO?

1st thing to come in mind is lowering the output level (it's quite common error to have too much total +gain for active filters). This is done through command Preamp: -n dB in config.txt (where n is the amount in decibels (example: Preamp: -6 dB)).

BTW, there are couple utilites you can use for to monitor the output level:
Simple - http://jiiteepee.blogspot.fi/2016/03/peakmeter.html?view=sidebar
Advanced - http://www.orban.com/orban/meter/

2nd possible reason is bandwidth of your BT device ... (older BT standards may not work properly with unencoded music) but if the issue appears only after few hours of listening then it might be other hardware issue in question.

EDIT: Normal filters to be used ... no rules ... depends on what do you need to do there to achieve the proper correction. Web is full of tutorials ... here's one https://www.presonus.com/community/Learn/Equalizer-Terms-and-Tips

[Peter Verbeek]

As Juha is mentioning and in my experience it's a high gain causing the fluctuations. Anyway, the "normal" filter is the peak filter, the first one of the list. This filter is often used for equalization. But graphic equalization, activated by the small EQ button, is also used for equalization and is a sharper filter so perhaps this is to be preferred.

[inhahe]

Thanks for the help guys.

i'm not sure how much is too much gain.

Would this possibly entail too much gain? This is my current config.txt (actually, my config.txt says only"Include: peace.txt", and this is my peace.txt):

Device: Bluetooth Audio Device Speakers {efa9baa0-ac82-47ec-862d-62fa9b299d17}
Channel: all
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 10 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 1.41
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 21 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 1.41
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 166 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 1.41
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 333 Hz Gain -15 dB Q 1.41
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 577 Hz Gain 10 dB Q 1.64
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 1000 Hz Gain 10 dB Q 1.41
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 2000 Hz Gain 12 dB Q 1.41
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 4000 Hz Gain 12 dB Q 1.41
Filter 11: ON PK Fc 8000 Hz Gain 30 dB Q 1.41

As for whether it still happens without Equalizer APO, I don't know, I could try turning it off the next time I notice it happening. That might be a while from now. (how do you turn Equalizer APO off anyway?)

Thanks again.

[Juha]

I kind of was able to replicate your issue (w/ using normal headphones).

If you use the "Peak Gain" value found in Configuration Editor as the parameter for Preamp command you should be fine. In your config case Preamp: -32.6 dB should keep the output peaks below 0dB (depends on your audio source ofcourse).

[inhahe]

My preamp was set at 0, I just changed it to -6 dB since that value was mentioned, I'm not sure if that was implied to be a reasonable value to prevent too much total gain.

[Peter Verbeek]

-6 dB is good value to begin with. Juha's suggestions are a good help. Looking at your equalization the gains (sliders) are set quite high so the pre amp could be set even lower. Or the gains can be lowered because high gains of (lower) frequencies can cause distortion. If you don't notice it or mind, it isn't a problem but in your case the volume fluctuations are probably the result of these high gains. In other words experiment a bit until you get a good result.

I must say the default configurations in Peace such as Bluetooth 1 or Bass Boost are a bit high in gain and aggressive. I've lowered them for the next version.