Optimizing Audio Playback for Streaming Sites Like brokensilenze with Equalizer APO

[natledasted]

I run a streaming website, brokensilenze, where users listen to music and audio content directly in their browsers. I’m interested in exploring how Equalizer APO can be used to enhance user audio experience across various devices and browsers.

Specifically, I want to understand:

Best practices for pre-configuring EQ settings for web streaming audio
Ways to reduce distortion or clipping for different genres or live streams
Techniques for consistent audio levels across multiple content types
Any recommended setups for browsers or system-wide audio when streaming

If anyone has experience using Equalizer APO in combination with browser-based audio streaming, or similar setups, I’d appreciate sharing tips or examples.

[Peter Verbeek]

I don't have experience in browser-based audio streaming with Equalizer APO. I use Firefox and most things work fine like watching YouTube. In other words, the first thing to do is to establish if the audio streaming of your website can be influenced by Equalizer APO with the most common browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Edge. For instance, it could be that DRM bypasses Equalizer APO or that dolby or any like this is bypasses Equalizer APO. Note that Equalizer APO can only deal with PCM streams, due to not having licenses and the technique. Perhaps this accounts for any Audio Processing Objects (APO's).

For purposes of making the audio level consistent by Equalizer APO commonly one uses a VST plugin. Equalizer APO does have a loudness correction commands but there isn't any documentation on this. Also, in principle such a VST plugin could also prevent/reduce distortion by clipping. Unfortunately I can't recommend one particular VST plugin. However, be sure to use a free one without a license. Ones with a license may cause problems, basically the plugin not finding its license due to APO's like Equalizer APO running in the Windows audio service.

This isn't something as best practice for EQ-ing streaming audio. EQ-ing is mainly about 4 things: correcting one's headphones, correcting one's hearing, audio taste and EQ-ing per song.