Equalizer APO

This looks like super powerful software, just don't expect to install it, hit a few buttons, and have your sound output equalized. This, and the recommended Room EQ Wizard which is used with it, are complex programs and require quite a bit of time to understand and use correctly. I gave up after an hour. One would think that there could be a simple "wizard" mode where the software ramps the frequency sent to the speakers, reads the sound levels from the microphone, and generates the necessary magic eq configuration files automatically and done. Of course the mic should be calibrated, etc., but this would get someone going with this tool, and would be all many would need. The star rating is definitely user experience dependent: 1 star if the user needs something quick and easy, 5 stars for someone wanting precision and willing to spend time learning to use these tools.

restarted pc without asking, despite closing apps, not working, waste of time

Absolutely fantastic piece of software. I have pretty severe high-frequency hearing loss, partly genetic and then injury in one ear makes it worse on that side. The amount of freedom of customization that Equalizer APO offers is just incredible. I could see it being a little tricky to get the hang of for a complete beginner but its documentation is helpful, and the layout of the UI and its features is deceptively simple and easy to get a hang of. Just playing around on my own for about a half hour it was pretty intuitive to figure out how to tell it to raise the volume and specifically higher frequencies in the left channel, and just the higher frequencies to a lesser extent and without the overall volume adjustment in the right. Very cool! I've also seen the devs helping people out on reddit, the thread I found while looking for an equalizer specifically to help with my hearing issues was someone asking for a similar equalizer preset to what I've created, and one of the devs responded in the thread, asking to see their audiogram, and helping them set up an equalizer preset that would best compensate for their hearing loss. Just all-around great, thanks so much for this tool.

Works well and is intuitive and stable. Using 64 bit Windows 10 with Topping D50s USB DAC. Primarily Streaming hi-res audio via Amazon Music HD and Tidal Hi-Fi. I am an audiophile with ELAC bookshelves being powered by Denon AVR for a desktop system. I wanted a simple way to boost the bass in the digital domain and this works well. Highly recommended.

It works very poorly as it wont let me hear things and when it does its screeching. I uninstalled it but the equalizer still haunts me as it has crippled my microphone and has left it in a poor state.