Multiple device support ?

[Mark Kovalcson]

I noticed that the syntax appears to show that multiple devices can be specified delimited by a semi-colon.

I assume that would be like the following.

Device: Realtec {Guid}; Audigy 5/RX {Guid}

1. Are multiple sound cards simultaneously supported ?
2. If so can all channels of both devices be specified independently?
3. If not would they be supported in pairs such that the FR channel of both devices would get the same filtering?

What I'm trying to get away from is people feeling the need to buy amplifiers with DSP processors in them which seems a bit crazy to me. Converting a digital signal to analog in the sound card and then the amp converting it back to digital to apply filters and then back to analog again seems very messy to me.

I haven't looked at the code yet. If it doesn't support independent channels for each device, would that be a reasonably straight forward extension, or is Equalizer APO intrinsically an 8 pipeline application ?

Thanks again!

[Peter Verbeek]

1. Not really. Maybe by using the "Stereo mix" device of Windows. Else you need VoiceMeeter
2. Depends what you need. Knowing the above point 1. one can't copy audio from, say the left channel of one device to another channel of another device.
3. For instance, if you want an eq on one of more channels of the current selected device but you want to apply the same eq when selected another device.

Btw. The feature to output audio to devices at the same time isn't really supported by Windows. This is because the hardware of a PC couldn't handle this. But nowadays it is made possible to do this by using specific soundcards (which mixes their devices) or by using virtual device driver apps like VoiceMeeter. They do the mixing/rerouting within their software. Equalizer APO doesn't have such virtual devices.

In short, your idea is one that is in high demand but PC hardware, Windows and Equalizer APO don't support it unfortunately.

[Mark Kovalcson]

Our end goal is to apply filters individually to channels across one or more audio cards.

Currently we are using a piece of free software called SimHub to drive all of these channels on any number of audio cards.

What you have said suggests that SimHub is actively routing signals to multiple cards and Windows doesn't have a hook for Equalizer APO to insert itself.

I wonder if it would be possible to create a plugin for SimHub that can apply filters to the signals it is routing to the appropriate hardware channels.

---

FYI, The signals are not music. These are audio effects generated by SimHub based on telemetry values to drive transducers.

https://www.simhubdash.com/

We are driving as an example.

Buttkicker Concert or LFE's
Clark Synthesis TST 329's
Dayton Exciters

We use equalization to make them work better and to filter out all harmonics that they wouldn't handle well.

For example a BK-CT can operate from about 10Hz-35Hz with authority and a TST 329 works well from about 60Hz-120 Hz and Exciters 100-200Hz. We are tweaking equalization curves to maximize the effects from them.

[Peter Verbeek]

If Equalizer APO doesn't need to reroute the audio from one device to another then it's capable of doing what you need.

And if the audio cards are shown as just Windows audio devices then everything is possible. Example of a (random) multi-device multi-channel command file:

Device: Realtek High Definition Audio Speakers
# boost base on all channels of my speakers
Channel: all
Preamp: -4 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 166 Hz Gain 10 dB Q 0.4
# a little bit more on the front speakers
Channel: L R C
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 166 Hz Gain 2 dB Q 0.4
Device: Another device
# again a bass boost as just an example
Channel: all
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 400 Hz Gain 5 dB Q 0.4
# etc. etc.

Also SimHub may have virtual devices like VoiceMeeter has. Although Equalizer APO directly support the A1 to A5 virtual devices of VoiceMeeter, it could be that you can select the SimHub devices in order to equalizer them.

[Mark Kovalcson]

Thankyou SIR !!!!!!!!

I think you just unlocked this for me! I'll test this out!

[Peter Verbeek]

Great! Let me know how you're doing.

[Mark Kovalcson]

Just to give you an idea. I'm actually down to 3 transducers at the moment, but that's going to change very quickly.

[Peter Verbeek]

Looks awesome. I have to admit that I don't know what transducers do, audio-wise speaking.

[Mark Kovalcson]

Transducers were originally created for home theater use. People wanted to feel an explosion. So they would attach transducers to their media room chairs and they would work like an extension of the sub-woofer and shake the chair.

For simulation rigs transducers are added for immersion. As an example I press the start button and the engine kicks over and falls into a lumpy idle. I can feel that. As the engine revs to redline I can feel it reving.

When I click a paddle shifter and change gears I feel a clunk. When my rear wheels start to loose traction my TST329 starts to vibrate to feel like the wheels are just barely sliding, but when I'm starting to slide more and need immediate corrective action the BK-CT kicks in at 18Hz and starts to feel like the wheels are sliding

Currently I have a TST429 on my front foot plate that lets me feel when the front wheels are starting to slide.

There is also rumble from the road and impacts if you hit bumps or the corners.

These and numerous other effects can be configured in SimHub which reads the telemetry values from numerous driving and flight games. It has full suspension data, engine rpm, traction loss, G forces and road texture.

You can configure effects based on this telemetry and specify the frequency range, noise, curves to ramp up based on the telemetry values and tune them for your rig to make if feel more like a real race care.

[Mark Kovalcson]

This is getting dated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7iOOP-1ykM&t=234s&ab_channel=MarkKovalcson

[Peter Verbeek]

Well, now I get it :) Thanks for the detailed explanation. Great setup! I've never seen that before. It's all about making it as genuine as possible, I guess.