Peter Verbeek

Usually it's about a few things: Check if the exclusive usage of the mic is disabled (see screenshot). Set the audio enhancements on "Default device effects" (Windows settings -> System -> Sound -> Mic properties -> Advanced settings -> Audio enhancements -> Default device effects"). Try other APO techniques available in the "Install as" dropdown box. Are you familiar how to do this?

Do you have the config.txt file in c:\program files\equalizerapo\config? This is by default but it is possible to change this folder to another one having config.txt although most users don't know how. And I don't advise it. Anyway, I'm not sure what to make all of it but I think I've seen a similar issue in posts on this forum. I don't know how or if it was resolved. When it works (after an installation) is there any indication that the config.txt is being processed by EqualizerAPO.dll? Note that...

“Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device” This one should be off. If an app is using an audio device in exclusive mode (WASAPI exclusive) all APO's including Equalizer APO will be bypassed. But this probably isn't the issue. A few other things can be done after restarting: Check if the DisableProtectedAudioDG key value of the registry key HKEYLOCALMACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Audio remains set to 1. Uncheck (if not greyed out) the 2 Use original APO checkboxes...

The Device Sekector/Configurator of Equalizer APO does a few things. To allow APO's on all kinds of audio devices it changes the key value DisableProtectedAudioDG to 1 of the registry key HKEYLOCALMACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Audio. This ensures that unsigned APO's can be installed and run. This also means that DRM or security related issues could arise. But in practice those issues don't arise. Other issues can be related to the existing APO's of the audio devices which may...

The Device Sekector/Configurator of Equalizer APO does a few things. To allow APO's on all kinds of audio devices it changes the key value DisableProtectedAudioDG to 1 of the registry key HKEYLOCALMACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Audio. This ensures that unsigned APO's can be installed and run. This also means that DRM or security related issues could arise. But in practice those issues don't arise. Other issues can be related to the existing APO's of the audio devices which may...

Yeah, I know. Sorry about my quick fingers typing.

That's alright. We now know that there aren't any other APO's interfering with Equalizer APO. So now try SFX/MFX and after it (if available) SFX/EFX. It's long shot but worth to try. If one of them work (your Equalizer APO commands work) then try if the distortion is lessened or gone.

In your case I would first uncheck bothUse original APO checkboxes. These are so-called troubleshooting options of an audio device which are available in the Device Selector app of Equalizer APO. After selecting the target device and checking the Troubleshooting checkbox those options appear (see screenshot of those options for a mic). It could be that these checkboxes are already unchecked and that's fine. Note that after setting such options you must click the "Ok" button. After the above also...