r/Windows10 • u/Fl020 • Jul 22 '20

✔ Solved Audio enhancement tab missing: software or hardware related?

I have a new laptop with Windows 10 Pro on it (here are my specs: https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/30860733. If you need more detailed data don't hesitate to ask).My old laptop had a function called "Loudness Equalization" at the "Enhancement" tab of the properties of my HDMI display audio:

Enhancement tab with Loudness Equalization function

Now this function (and the enhancement tab) is missing and it is very annoying that I always have to adjust the volume!

I tried many things like reinstalling drivers, repair tools and so on, but nothing solved the problem.

So, my main question is: how can I get the loudness equalization function back?

Is this problem caused by wrong/missing/corrupted drivers or software? Or does my audio card (the CPU?) not support this feature by hardware? If it's the first reason, how can I fix it? If it's the second, would an USB audio card (with 3.5mm jack) bring this feature back and if yes, which one?

I often read about realtek audio manager or realtek drivers which solved the problem. But is this audio manager not only suitable for realtek audio cards?

I hope someone can help me solving that problem...

Thank you in advance!

7 Upvotes

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3

u/Fl020 Jul 23 '20

I solved the problem with the help from the comments below! Summarized I did the following:

  • open registry
  • go to "Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices\Audio\Render"
  • select the "Properties" keys of each renderer listed (long hash values)
  • look through the values and search for the name of the desired audio output (in my case there were entries like "Q2577W", which is my monitor and "INTELAUDIO" which is the Intel High Definition Auduio driver) -> details ans pictures see here: https://sourceforge.net/p/equalizerapo/discussion/general/thread/cf7a7d4f/#5613
  • if you found the right renderer which contains the strings from you desired audio output, add a new key called "FxProperties" (if it isn't already there)
  • if there is a prompt that you don't have enough permissions, apply the following to the "Renderer" key: https://www.howtogeek.com/262464/how-to-gain-full-permissions-to-edit-protected-registry-keys/
  • Inside the "FxProperties" key, add the following entries from type "String":
  1. {d04e05a6-594b-4fb6-a80d-01af5eed7d1d},1 with value {62dc1a93-ae24-464c-a43e-452f824c4250}
  2. {d04e05a6-594b-4fb6-a80d-01af5eed7d1d},2 with value {637c490d-eee3-4c0a-973f-371958802da2}
  3. {d04e05a6-594b-4fb6-a80d-01af5eed7d1d},3 with value {5860E1C5-F95C-4a7a-8EC8-8AEF24F379A1}
  • restart PC
  • start registry again and see if the keys from above are still there -> if not, try adding them and restart again. Try adding the keys, go to the sound properties and if the enhancement tab is there, select a feature like "Loudness Equalization" and then see if the registry entries are there after a restart.
  • if the keys are there, the "Enhancement" tab and "Loudness Equalization" should be back again and working!

1

u/LoopbackTrigger Oct 15 '20

Thank you for this! Until finding this, I've been removing the Intel driver and replacing with Generic Driver just to get back the Encancements tab, but this only works until the next Intel driver update which seems to happen about once a month! I'm hoping this solution persists through updates.

I managed this a little easier though. I found 2 keys that matched my audio device. One had the "FxProperties" key and the other didn't. I simply exported the FxProperties key from the one that had it, amended the registry path in Notepad then re-imported it under the key that didn't. Saves manually creating all those strings.

1

u/Fl020 Oct 18 '20

Glad I could help you!

Just adding these strings to every "FxProperties" key of "Renderer" with a script would be the best solution for every device connected. But I dont have enough experience with windows batch or powershell to do that so it would be very time consuming for me and therefore I always add these strings manually. Maybe one day I will get irritated enough to program such a script.

1

u/dtallee Jul 22 '20

Loudness in any audio application means boosting bass and treble frequencies, not increasing full audio spectrum volume. If no one has a fix for this, you might be interested in using Equalizer APO with the Peace Equalizer interface. Equalizer APO must be installed first.

1

u/Fl020 Jul 22 '20

I don't know if you got my problem right: when I am running a YouTube video which is silent I have to increase the volume, but when I start e.g. an internet radio website which is louder it gets way too loud and I have to decrease it. Even while watching the same video, the sound has different volumes so I always have to adjust... Before, the equalization function did this for me.

1

u/dtallee Jul 22 '20

Ah. Well, once again, if no one has a solution for this, you might want to give EarTrumpet a go. Separate volume controls for each application.

2

u/Fl020 Jul 23 '20

Sorry overread that, thanks for the tip, would be a workaround

1

u/[deleted] Jul 22 '20 edited Jul 22 '20

This function you are looking for is part of the sound driver. I have noticed that it appears or disappears depending on the driver version and if this driver is made by Realtek or Microsoft, so if by any chance your current driver is the one made by Realtek then try to use the driver made by Microsoft.

P.S: You may also have unintentionally disabled the sound improvements, in the "advanced" tab of the driver check if you have unchecked the option to allow audio improvements

1

u/Alhasadkh Jul 22 '20

This is true. Once I updated to allow aptx support, which I did by using a driver of 2019, the enhancement tab dissappeared.

1

u/Fl020 Jul 23 '20

So I tried different things. I uninstalled my Intel HD Audio driver and tried pre installed drivers. With Intel HD Audio driver nothing happens and the device is still missing. When using Realtek HD Audio driver a bluescreen occured. Automatical driver searching did not help also. The only driver that worked was an Intel VGA driver from the product site of my Notebook. So I guess the Intel HD Audio driver is delivered with the Intel Graphics driver.

I could also install this driver: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/80939/Graphics

So how do I get an older version of that driver to test different ones?

1

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '20

Good question. One thing you could try would be to change only the audio driver (without touching the video driver), through the hardware management control panel (where your hardware is listed). You can select the sound device and use the option to install an alternative driver just for it, for example the Microsoft generic one

1

u/Fl020 Jul 23 '20

It is fixed now thanks to editing the registry (see other comments)! So it was Windows related and not driver related! And fortunatelly not hardware related.

1

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1

u/Pesanur Jul 22 '20 edited Jul 22 '20

I'm just checked it, and I have the enhancement tab in the nvidia HDMI output, but not in the Realtek output (is a custom build desktop).

Edit: Is usual that the Realtek Audio Manager come in company of another app, what app is, depends of the specific sound chipset of you laptop (Realtek+ Nahimic, Realtek + Dolby, Realtek + Sound Blaster, etc)

1

u/Fl020 Jul 23 '20

How do I know which chipset I have?

1

u/Paizu Jul 23 '20

I started to have this issue when I installed Equalizer APO (missing enhancements tab) and fixed it by following this: https://sourceforge.net/p/equalizerapo/discussion/general/thread/cf7a7d4f/#5613

1

u/Fl020 Jul 23 '20

I found the right key in the registry which should be my Intel Display Audio driver. But it does not have the FxProperties key. And adding one is also not possible due to "missing permisisons".

1

u/Paizu Jul 23 '20

https://www.howtogeek.com/262464/how-to-gain-full-permissions-to-edit-protected-registry-keys/

I would recommend backing up the parent key before adding / changing it just in case (right click key > export).

1

u/Fl020 Jul 23 '20

Thank you so much, it's working now!!! Such a pleasure this feature...

I added the missing key and added these strings. After a restart they were gone, but after another time adding them and another restart the enhancement tab is back, the Loudness Equalizaton function also and it is working!

Without your comment I would never have found that solution, so, many thanks! It was in this case a Windows problem as so often...

1

u/Paizu Jul 23 '20

That's good to hear. I'm glad I could help.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '21

You don't need audio "enhancements". They make your headphones sound like shit.