EqualizerAPO not applying to Bluetooth devices on Windows 11 Insider Preview
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#171 EqualizerAPO not applying to Bluetooth devices on Windows 11 Insider Preview
Bluetooth devices have stopped working with EqualizerAPO after an update to the Windows 11 Insider Preview (22000.51 and 65). Devices are properly installed and show up inside the configurator, tried both the default LFX/GFX and the optional SFX/EGX and MFX modes to no avail. Windows 11 apparently no longer has an audio enhancements option in the playback devices menu and defaults to toggling on and off individual inbuilt enhancements. There's an enhancements toggle in the settings app that does nothing when toggling on and off.
The new Windows 11 settings app Sound tab also suffers from massive lag and unresponsiveness whenever I try to open it when playing audio through a Bluetooth device with APO running, no idea if that's related or not.
This reminds me of the early days of Windows 10. Microsoft tinkered a lot on the audio system too. Equalizer APO couldn't work until Microsoft made all alright, I mean according to the specs they set themself. In other words, just wait until Microsoft has stabilized Windows 11. Could be a long time though.
I managed to make it work under the SFX/MFX mode (the other two still don't work), but Peace profile switching is very finicky, setting some profiles will sometimes make the headphone make distorted popping and buzzing sounds until it stops receiving any audio at all until you change the profile back to the one it had set before setting the audio device to the BT one. So right now the only way I can make sure it works is to set my desired EQ profile first and then select the BT device after, and not change it unless I change device/turn it off, change profile, then change device back to the BT one.
Could this whole thing be somehow related to Windows adding AAC support in Windows 11? I noticed my BT devices are using it now instead of SBC or AptX.
Last edit: David R 2021-07-11
Great that SFX/MFX is working. Btw. As Peace is just an interface its profile switching isn't the issue. It's either an Equalizer APO (in case of the popping) or a Windows problem (in case of the Bluetooth device selection). For instance, if a Bluetooth device doesn't stay connected Windows creates a new device each time this Bluetooth device is paired. This means that every time this new Bluetooth device needs to be selected. Perhaps Microsoft has changed the Bluetooth connection/pairing method. Or it isn't implemented correctly. Or it's about what you're saying: A different protocol/codec.
Can also confirm that SFX/MFX resolved the issue for a set of galaxy buds+ on windows 11 build 22000.194. (Far too hot at the moment for the MDR-XB1000's during the day!)
This wasn't an issue on previous versions, and is still no issue with other devices. Strange... but thanks for the tip.
Last edit: Alex Charles 2021-09-24
Can confirm my Bluetooth device is still broken in the stable Windows 11 build from yesterday (22000.194)
Tried all combinations of LFX/GFX, SFX/MFX, SFX/EFX - the "Enhance Audio" setting in Windows Settings doesn't seem to have any effect, but it does disappear when using LFX/GFX
Extremely distorted, random sounds as described by David
Headphones are Sony WH-1000XM3
Just a bit of an update, only found out about Peace today so gave that a shot and the Peace equalizer works just fine under SFX/MFX
HeSuVi and the built-in 15 band equalizer are both broken for me however, just white noise comes through
If you're talking about the 15 band equalizer in the Configuration Editor of Equalizer APO, this uses a technique called GraphicEQ (convolution) which differs from the default peak filters technique in Peace. Some people on this forum have reported that GraphicEQ doesn't work properly. That's because convolution isn't working. Unfortunately the cause of this is unknown. HeSuVi also uses convolution to do its magic so it isn't surprising when GraphicEQ fails HeSuVi can't work either.
I gotta add, the first Win11 update sorta broke everything. I solved it by reinstalling all drivers pre-Win11 update; exact steps I mentioned here but this time I got no luck. None of the possible configurations are working either.
Tried waiting for the last cumulative update last Thursday I think? but also no luck. I've reinstalled everything many times to no avail.
Algo gotta point out that I've tried three different bluetooth headsets plus one Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker. None working with APO.
The exact same thing was happening on Windows 10 when it was in development. One update Equalizer APO was working (maybe after some fixing) then the next update is was unfixable. Fortunately, yet the next update all was back again. Knowing Microsoft this will probably happen again.
I made a post on Reddit about the solution for bluetooth headphones. Disabling the Handsfree Telephony feature seems to be a workaround.