[mrip541]

To use Peace EQ you can't check "Disable all enhancements" in output device properties, as that disables peace adjustments. When left unchecked, there are 4 other optional check boxes to turn on bass boost, virtual surround, room correction, and loudness equalization. If I don't turn on any of those adjustments I'd think that all sound enhancements should be disabled, even though the global disable all box isn't checked. However, the sound of (i) checking disable all enhancements and (ii) not checking disable all but also not enabling any of the 4 possible sound enhancements, is not the same. So it seems that if I want to use Peace EQ I have to let Windows do some kind of unspecified sound enhancement behind the scenes. Am I missing something here?

 

[Crandall]

Nope, you've got it right. These audio enhancements (just like EQ APO) don't always have a visible box in the properties to check/uncheck. It's certainly possible that your audio device's driver has additional filtering that occurs whenever enhancements are unchecked and you cannot see them as they're at the driver level. I noticed the same thing when using EQ APO with my onboard Realtek audio, there was a slight but noticeable change in the volume level and high end clarity, and I just ended up compensating with EQ APO. I got a cheap USB DAC for my speakers not too long after which doesn't appear to have this problem, probably because it uses generic drivers.