Good Mixer App?

raid517 · Sep 1, 2006, 01:50 AM

Hi I have just bought a new laptop and as ever with laptops the sound is not fantastic. It isn't too bad I guess - but more than anything it is just a little bit too base heavy for my tastes.

So I was wondering if there was such a thing as a sound mixer app/graphic type equalizer that could live in my system tray and which I could use to cut the top end of the base on this system?

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Robert McClelland · Sep 1, 2006, 05:26 AM

I'm wondering I don't know kx drivers would work with our lab top or not.

jiiteepee · Sep 1, 2006, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raid517

Hi I have just bought a new laptop and as ever with laptops the sound is not fantastic. It isn't too bad I guess - but more than anything it is just a little bit too base heavy for my tastes.

So I was wondering if there was such a thing as a sound mixer app/graphic type equalizer that could live in my system tray and which I could use to cut the top end of the base on this system?

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

I suppose you use integrated audio codec. Have you installed bundled/downloadable software for your codec (there should be a mixer application and maybe an EQ too)?

For audio playback software (Winamp/Foobar/etc.) there are plenty of EQs available as plug-ins (software wise plug-ins, VST).

jiitee

raid517 · Sep 1, 2006, 01:22 PM

No KX drivers will not work with this sound chip - they are for creative (audigy?) sound chips only.

As for Winamp, Foobar, etc I am aware that these have EQ settings - but that wasn't quite what I was asking for - as what I would really like is a way to control the sound independently of whatever app. I am using.

The sound chip on this machine (which I believe is a Realteck sound chip/codec) does have a very basic mixer - but there are only something like 3 presets - one for internal speakers, one for external speakers and one for headphones - there is no way to control any more detailed settings - such as bass, tone, treble and so on.

As I said, ideally I would like some kind of small graphic equalizer/mixer app that lives in my system tray and that allows me to make adjustments to the sound on my entire system on the fly.

However this appears to be a harder thing to do than I originally thought - as after some time of searching I have been unable to find anything particularly useful.

GJ

**dj_stick** · Sep 1, 2006, 01:32 PM

the latest realtek drivers *should* have at least a 10band EQ built in… 'least the last driver set i dealt with did (for onboard on a PC though… )

check the realtek site for any updates

raid517 · Sep 1, 2006, 01:50 PM

Thanks... unfortunately things seem to be a little different in laptop land. The mixer app is exactly as I described it - although a 10 band equaliser would certainly be neat.

GJ

jiiteepee · Sep 2, 2006, 09:15 AM

Maybe you have tried this already - http://www.actualsolution.com/power_mixer/
Just a mixer app, no EQ.

jiitee

raid517 · Sep 2, 2006, 01:00 PM

Yeah thanks - I just did - but it does nothing to allow me to lower the bass levels. Really in my mind when I was asking about this, I had envisioned that there might be some kind of multiband software based graphic EQ that I could use - but finding something appears to be a lot more dificult than I had thought.

jiiteepee · Sep 2, 2006, 01:54 PM

Doesn't you have treble/bass sliders in Windows Play Control -> Advanced settings window?

start run... sndvol32

Also, there is another 3rd party mixer application, which seem to have least Bass Boost option - http://www.1000files.com/Audio/Utili...51_Review.html

jiitee

raid517 · Sep 2, 2006, 02:17 PM

No sorry - and thanks for trying - but I don't have that control. Also I tried the app you pointed me to - and that really is just bass boost - whereas I am trying to do the opposite and reduce the bass a little.

But again, thanks a lot for trying.

**dj_stick** · Sep 2, 2006, 04:36 PM

i read something about a program called pologue bidule (i think that's it) it seemed to be a software layer DSP - perhaps that might help?

raid517 · Sep 2, 2006, 05:44 PM

Again thanks.... you guys really are trying hard. But that app is really, really complicated - it loooks like something that was designed for a professional musician - and TBH I don't know where to start with it.

All I am looking is for a simple multiband graphics equaliser that any average Joe could get their heads around. But I am beginning to suspect that nothing like this exists.

In any case thanks for all the effort - and if you ever do come accoss anything, please feel free to let me know.

inteks · Sep 9, 2006, 08:23 PM

hiho,

i made my own little mixer app, try this

http://inteks.org/aMix.zip

have fun
inteks

jiiteepee · Sep 10, 2006, 09:32 AM

If your mixer app works w/ all cards (and not only (or even) w/ SBs) then just add/prepare an EQ (w/ 20-31 bands) and become a millionaire. Though, maybe it's not possible through this controll app directly but ... as most software includes a 7-10 band EQ ...

jiitee

inteks · Sep 10, 2006, 08:50 PM

hi,

with such type of "control" software you can only "control" the hardware features of you soundcard !!!

what you need is a "process" software what can "process" the sounddata befor its delieverd to the hardware!

this is mostly done by the application that produce the sounddata ie winamp

the only way to get a generally EQ that work for all Apps is the use of "VirtualAudioCable" http://www.ntonyx.com/vac.htm that can work as a virtual Soundcard and route the sounddata to an softwareEQ and then to the Hardware

have fun
inteks

jiiteepee · Sep 10, 2006, 11:00 PM

Yes, I know this stuff (VAC/VST/DX/etc.) pretty well (I have had a well equipped home studio running couple of (5-6) years already)... but, as in this my surfing/demoing PC, I have SB Audigy 2 card w/ 7 band (crap) EQ which affects 'globally' --> it's propably possible to program similiar w/ better functionality (least more bands is needed) --> is it done partly at driver level? ... (I'm just too lazy to do/check this on my own because of "no actual need"/"long time since C code", but, since so many others have asked/are asking better EQ ...).

BTW, I normally point people to use

- Winamp or Foobar w/ VST Host DSP (+Winamp bridge for Foobar) plug-in
or
- MyMP3PRO or MediaCenter (both has VST support 'build-in')

+ EQ VST plug-in (some good freeware listed @ KVR)

jiitee

Sep 1, 2006, 01:50 AM	#1
raid517 DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,518 Rep Power: 0	Good Mixer App? Hi I have just bought a new laptop and as ever with laptops the sound is not fantastic. It isn't too bad I guess - but more than anything it is just a little bit too base heavy for my tastes. So I was wondering if there was such a thing as a sound mixer app/graphic type equalizer that could live in my system tray and which I could use to cut the top end of the base on this system? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Sep 1, 2006, 05:26 AM	#2
Robert McClelland PAX Tweaker, PAX Expert. Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Somewhere in Wood County Ohio Same Town :) Posts: 10,613 Rep Power: 196 System Specs	I'm wondering I don't know kx drivers would work with our lab top or not. __________________ "XTREME AUDIO IS CRAP!" "There no support for it. It's crapist card on face of the earth it should be throw into the sun" http://www.speedtest.net/result/1949536385.png

Sep 9, 2006, 08:23 PM	#13
inteks HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 90 Rep Power: 0	hiho, i made my own little mixer app, try this http://inteks.org/aMix.zip have fun inteks __________________ 3820TG i5@3.5Ghz HD5650@700/900 Windows7 On Intel X25-M G2 Postville 160GB 3820tray --- 3820TG ATI vBios MOD --- 1810t TME MOD --- Acc Sensor Mod

Sep 10, 2006, 09:32 AM	#14
jiiteepee HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: FI Posts: 400 Rep Power: 0	If your mixer app works w/ all cards (and not only (or even) w/ SBs) then just add/prepare an EQ (w/ 20-31 bands) and become a millionaire. Though, maybe it's not possible through this controll app directly but ... as most software includes a 7-10 band EQ ... jiitee Last edited by jiiteepee; Sep 10, 2006 at 10:11 AM.

Sep 10, 2006, 08:50 PM	#15
inteks HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 90 Rep Power: 0	hi, with such type of "control" software you can only "control" the hardware features of you soundcard !!! what you need is a "process" software what can "process" the sounddata befor its delieverd to the hardware! this is mostly done by the application that produce the sounddata ie winamp the only way to get a generally EQ that work for all Apps is the use of "VirtualAudioCable" http://www.ntonyx.com/vac.htm that can work as a virtual Soundcard and route the sounddata to an softwareEQ and then to the Hardware have fun inteks __________________ 3820TG i5@3.5Ghz HD5650@700/900 Windows7 On Intel X25-M G2 Postville 160GB 3820tray --- 3820TG ATI vBios MOD --- 1810t TME MOD --- Acc Sensor Mod

Sep 1, 2006, 01:22 PM	Thread Starter #4
raid517 DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,518 Rep Power: 0	No KX drivers will not work with this sound chip - they are for creative (audigy?) sound chips only. As for Winamp, Foobar, etc I am aware that these have EQ settings - but that wasn't quite what I was asking for - as what I would really like is a way to control the sound independently of whatever app. I am using. The sound chip on this machine (which I believe is a Realteck sound chip/codec) does have a very basic mixer - but there are only something like 3 presets - one for internal speakers, one for external speakers and one for headphones - there is no way to control any more detailed settings - such as bass, tone, treble and so on. As I said, ideally I would like some kind of small graphic equalizer/mixer app that lives in my system tray and that allows me to make adjustments to the sound on my entire system on the fly. However this appears to be a harder thing to do than I originally thought - as after some time of searching I have been unable to find anything particularly useful. GJ

Sep 1, 2006, 01:50 PM	Thread Starter #6
raid517 DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,518 Rep Power: 0	Thanks... unfortunately things seem to be a little different in laptop land. The mixer app is exactly as I described it - although a 10 band equaliser would certainly be neat. GJ

Sep 2, 2006, 09:15 AM	#7
jiiteepee HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: FI Posts: 400 Rep Power: 0	Maybe you have tried this already - http://www.actualsolution.com/power_mixer/ Just a mixer app, no EQ. jiitee

Sep 2, 2006, 01:00 PM	Thread Starter #8
raid517 DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,518 Rep Power: 0	Yeah thanks - I just did - but it does nothing to allow me to lower the bass levels. Really in my mind when I was asking about this, I had envisioned that there might be some kind of multiband software based graphic EQ that I could use - but finding something appears to be a lot more dificult than I had thought.

Sep 2, 2006, 01:54 PM	#9
jiiteepee HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: FI Posts: 400 Rep Power: 0	Doesn't you have treble/bass sliders in Windows Play Control -> Advanced settings window? start run... sndvol32 Also, there is another 3rd party mixer application, which seem to have least Bass Boost option - http://www.1000files.com/Audio/Utili...51_Review.html jiitee

Sep 2, 2006, 02:17 PM	Thread Starter #10
raid517 DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,518 Rep Power: 0	No sorry - and thanks for trying - but I don't have that control. Also I tried the app you pointed me to - and that really is just bass boost - whereas I am trying to do the opposite and reduce the bass a little. But again, thanks a lot for trying.

Sep 2, 2006, 05:44 PM	Thread Starter #12
raid517 DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,518 Rep Power: 0	Again thanks.... you guys really are trying hard. But that app is really, really complicated - it loooks like something that was designed for a professional musician - and TBH I don't know where to start with it. All I am looking is for a simple multiband graphics equaliser that any average Joe could get their heads around. But I am beginning to suspect that nothing like this exists. In any case thanks for all the effort - and if you ever do come accoss anything, please feel free to let me know.

Sep 10, 2006, 11:00 PM	#16
jiiteepee HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: FI Posts: 400 Rep Power: 0	Yes, I know this stuff (VAC/VST/DX/etc.) pretty well (I have had a well equipped home studio running couple of (5-6) years already)... but, as in this my surfing/demoing PC, I have SB Audigy 2 card w/ 7 band (crap) EQ which affects 'globally' --> it's propably possible to program similiar w/ better functionality (least more bands is needed) --> is it done partly at driver level? ... (I'm just too lazy to do/check this on my own because of "no actual need"/"long time since C code", but, since so many others have asked/are asking better EQ ...). BTW, I normally point people to use - Winamp or Foobar w/ VST Host DSP (+Winamp bridge for Foobar) plug-in or - MyMP3PRO or MediaCenter (both has VST support 'build-in') + EQ VST plug-in (some good freeware listed @ KVR) jiitee Last edited by jiiteepee; Sep 11, 2006 at 08:33 AM.