Win11 APO not working for Realtek sound card (but works for audio interface)

A system-wide equalizer for Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 / 11

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Win11 APO not working for Realtek sound card (but works for audio interface)

Forum: General Discussion

Created: 2024-10-19

Updated: 2024-10-19

Erik - 2024-10-19

APO 1.2.1 on Windows 11

APO is installed for both the Realtek audio device and the Volt device.

The configuration works when the sound device is my UAD Volt 1. However, when switching to the motherboard sound card (Realtek Audio), APO has no effect on the output sound. For example, setting a -20dB preamp does not change the volume whether it is on or off.

In the device settings in windows, "device default effects" being on or off makes no difference. Spatial sound is off. On the UAD Volt, having "device default effects" turned off seems to bypass APO.

The Realtek driver is 6.0.9244.1 and there is no newer version available as far as Windows update is concerned. I have not checked directly with Realtek to see if there is a newer driver package.

Any thoughts on why there does not seem to be any equalization happening on the Realtek device?

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Peter Verbeek - 2024-10-19

It could be that the APO (audio processing object) technique Equalizer APO uses by default isn't compatible with the Realtek device. So try all 3 options of the "Install as" dropdown box of the troubleshooting options for an audio device in the Configurator. Do you know how to access these options? Anyway, start with "SFX/EFX" and every option change needs a computer restart to invoke the change.

In the new 1.4 version the above is a bit automated so it should work out of the box. And the Configurator is now called Device Selector (which doesn't select a device btw. so I'm not a fan of this new name).

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Erik - 2024-10-19

An upgrade to 1.4 and reinstall/reboot seems to have fixed things. I believe I'm using SFX/EFX now and it seems to be working - preamp and EQ changes affect what's coming out of the speakers.

Thanks for the help!

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Erik - 2024-10-19

So I may have spoken too soon. I had it working on the UAD Volt, and with the system speakers, and then I added an installation for my Logitech headset, rebooted my computer, and now NONE of the devices are working. I will attempt an uninstall and reinstall and will see what happens.

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- Peter Verbeek - 2024-10-19
  
  That's really odd. It suggests that something is blocking the audio engine of Equalizer APO (file equalizerapo.dll). Or perhaps this and other files are sandboxed by some anti-malware app?
  
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  - Erik - 2024-10-19
    
    I'm going to start a new thread. Your original suggestion mostly worked. Something else weird is going on.
    
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Erik - 2024-10-19

OK, totally user error.

ONLY changes to config.txt actually are played through the speakers. I assumed that loading a file would make that the active config. It does not.

Everything appears to be working at present.

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