Equalizer APO keeps losing devices after Windows updates
A system-wide equalizer for Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 / 11
Brought to you by:
jthedering
Menu
▾
▴
Equalizer APO keeps losing devices after big Windows updates when devices get re-initialized. The problem is that you don't see that plugins stop working. Like noise suppression plugins for microphones. And you need to manually configure and restart the PC each time. Is there any way to make this changes:
Automatically install APO on the device after these events by looking not only device guid but, for example, name or any other id.
OR
Implement windows notifications / email notifications when installed device is deleted from Windows. So that I can at least see the problem and configure APO manually again.
Problem discussion on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/EqualizerAPO/comments/1i84mt1/equalizer_apo_keep_losing_device/
Last edit: HystriX 2025-04-02
Currently there isn't. It could be that the developer will introduce this.
Btw. The Peace equalizer interface does show a notification if Windows updates. Like I many have set that Windows let Peace start on Windows startup so this notification immediately pops up. Then it's usually a matter of starting the Device Selector / Configurator which automatically repair things. Or repair it yourself by using these apps. For easy access Peace has a button on its main screen to start up these apps.
Thank you. Maybe I'll try your interface on weekend.
I tried Peace a couple of weeks ago. But today I was surprised that it totally overwritten my set config for EqualizerAPO with its default config. And noise supression was not working. Why did you do it in such way? Glad I had config on another PC, restored it manually and backed up.
I needed Peace only to have notifications about updates which remove devices from EqualizerAPO. And actually Peace totally overrides the config and it's not very obvious.
How I see the correct behavior for Peace: on the first start it should automatically import current config of EqualizerAPO and notify user about it. Definitely not overwrite current config without clear notification.
If I understand correctly, Peace doesn't support VST plugins which I use for noise cancelling. So Peace is not suitable for my situation at all. Do you have plans to implement VST plugins support?
Sorry to hear you were confronted by the overwriting by Peace. 11 years of Peace (and half million users) no one has complaint about this. Therefore i was under the (perhaps wrong) impression that the message given was good enough. But I do want to take what you're saying serious. It seems a good idea to make the message more clear. And perhaps creating an automatic import is a good idea too. As it happens the upcoming update version 1.6.9 will have an enhance import interface (under the Import button) which may also serve as this import feature. It must be semi-automatic so the user gets control if an import is needed. Most Peace users only install Equalizer APO and don't use the Configuration Editor. It can be confusing when they are confronted by the import interface. They won't all understand this step (at initial starting up Peace). Anyway, I need to resolve this somehow knowing that Equalizer APO after installation does already have a default example config.
Also, by controlling and using the Configuration Editor of Equalizer APO version 1.6.9 will have VST plugin support. VST's will be a stored as part of your Peace config, making a config a combination of EQ's, effects (on the Effects panel), VST's and commands.
Thank you for your constructive feedback. I started using pure EqualizerAPI for VST noise cancelling plugin only several months ago. After discovering the problem I stated in this topic, I wanted to find a way to have notifications about windows updates which remove devices from the configuration. And I thought Peace could be this way. But today I discovered that noise cancelling was not working at all :(
Thank you for developing your product with love and listening to users!
If you allow one more low priority feature request - I noticed that on my 4K display the app window looks heavily pixelated. I use non-standard DPI setting of 200%. I know that Windows has compatibility settings to try and fix high DPI modes for specific apps. But maybe there is a way to implement modern DPI handling inside the Peace itself?
Peace monitors any change in Windows version (due to updates). But as you have noticed it's only a nice or even needed part of this app in order to direct the Peace to check if Equalizer APO still works. I could consider making a tiny app without the tons of Peace features. An app which only monitors, basically. It would be handy app sitting in the tray area. On the other hand, I'm guessing there are such (free) apps available on the web. But if you can't find such an app or find a convenient one, I could have go at making it.
Having VST plugins support in Peace is the only long outstanding feature (which bothers me btw.). Although I have a good notion of a specific Peace interface unfortunately it proves to be difficult to develop, mainly caused by the programming language I use (AutoIt) but also caused by the complexity of opening and controlling a VST plugin (programming code wise and due to lack of good documentation). But the solution I've made by using the Configuration Editor seems to work just fine. If you will you could test this, although I'm in the middle of creating the import interface.
When talking about DPI perhaps can you direct to this Windows DPI setting of 200%? I want to check it out. Is it the scaling setting? I have it on 125% btw. Because I'm using GDI+ (an old way of drawing graphics which is nicely supported by AutoIt the graphics may look a bit pixelated. I'm not sure why this is as I'm having GDI+ on its highest setting. I'm guessing it is about DPI of modern Windows versions which aren't well supported by GDI+, I think. It is a low priority by Microsoft as to be expected.
So to answer your question. No, there isn't any (at this moment) as Windows, AutoIt and GDI+ do this for me and without providing some DPI settings I can tweak and offer to the users.
Yes, above the resolution setting. Scaling 200%, native resolution 3840 x 2160.
Right, then I can see it myself by setting it to 200%. I'll report back to you here.
When I set the available max of 175% Peace looks okay (see 175% screenshot). But by setting a custom 200% the images on the interface does look more pixelated (see 200% screenshot). I'm not sure why this. It could be a matter of resolution although the change is low (1457/1080 at 175, 1392/1080 at 200). I guess it's also about the finetuning by Windows. The available 4 options (in my case 100, 125, 150, 175) may be optimized?
I'm wondering what will happen when I make the resolution of the Peace images much higher (say double on both axes). Perhaps at 200% the images will look less pixelated.
Hey, I'm not sure this helps, but every time windows screws my settings, I simply open the Configuraation Editor tool, it detects that stuff are uninstalled and allows me to reinstall them. Then I simply unplug and plug back in the earphones/speakers from behind the computer and the new settings applies.
This applies to my onboard audio system. It "knows" when I plug and unplug to either the back or front jacks and disables the driver in Windows. I can visualize that if I have the Volume Mixer open. If I unplug, it "empties". Well, then if I plug back in, I have to re-open the volume mixer cause it is a bit dumb.
One of my screens also have audio and I started using them. For them, it is enough to power cycle the monitor, or reconnect them (well, this scrambles a bit my desktop). Usually windows go back into place but there are a few exceptions.
And when I don't want it to bork my windows away, I can disable and re-enable the [b]Sound video and game controllers > NVIDIA High Definition Audio[/b], in Windows' [b]Device Manager[/b].
For those who are still interested - I abandoned the idea of using Equalizer APO for microphone noise cancelling plugin. The working alternative for me is NVIDIA Broadcast which works and doesn't turn off suddenly.