Are you an audiophile, a gamer, a music producer or just someone who wants to customize the sound to your preference on a Windows 10 PC? Then you might be on the market looking for a sound equalizer.
First off, what is a Sound Equalizer? A Sound Equalizer is a software or hardware tool that allows you to adjust the output of different sound frequencies.
You might want to increase the bass when listening to your favourite music or you might want to increase the treble of the audio, to better suit the acoustics of your room. In this post, we will be sharing some of the best Sound Equalizers for Windows 10 for you.
Best Sound Equalizer for Windows 10
1. Equalizer APO (Free)
First off on our list is Equalizer APO. It is one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful free Sound Equalizer for Windows 10. It has a lot of features like its ability to create an unlimited number of filters, multi-channel use, and support of 3D Sounds. It can create multiple profiles with different EQ settings for your headphones, speakers, etc., this allows you to change your EQ settings in a snap depending on the device you are listening on. The app has very low CPU usage so it runs smoothly on relatively old desktops or laptops.
One drawback of Equalizer APO is the fact that it does not come with a Graphical User Interface or GUI. You will have to either edit the filter in a TXT file or download a third-party Graphical User Interface like the Peace Equalizer.
Do note that the Equalizer APO operates as an Audio Processing Object (APO) and will not work if your Audio uses APIs like ASIO or WASAPI.
2. Viper4Windows (Free)
Viper4Windows is an open-source Equalizer software that runs on Windows Vista, 7, 8.1 and also Windows 10. It offers an impressive 18 bands which is the most you will be able to find on a Consumer-grade, free Equalizer software. The bands range from -120dB to 13dB.
You can create multiple profiles or use some of the built-in, preset profiles. It also offers features beyond the mere Sound Equalization like ‘Room Size’ which allows you to set the size of your room and Viper4Windows will automatically adjust the surround sound settings, ‘Distortion Control’, ‘Bass Boost’ Viper4Windows also offers a customizable extra bass boost for low-end sounds, ‘Reverberation Control’ this feature allows you to control audio damping, bandwidth, density and more.
Do note that you will need to run Viper4Windows as an administrator by right-clicking and selecting ‘Run As Administrator’ for the app to function normally.
3. Equalizer Pro ($29.95)
Equalizer Pro is another really popular Equalizer for Windows 10 mainly due to its clean and simple UI. It offers a 10 band equalizer which may seem less compared to other paid Equalizers on this list but it is more than enough for all except dedicated audiophiles who will be better off going for something with more features.
It comes with 20 presets, the ability to make your own profiles and a system-wide bass boost. It also comes with preamp volume control which lets you adjust a single band to boost low-end tones without the need to adjust each band individually.
The app, however, is not free after a 7-day trial, you will have to pay $29.95 to keep using the app.
4. FXSound ($49.99)
The FXSound app offers two tools in one app. It offers the Equalizer and a real-time audio processing feature.
First, let us talk about the Equalizer. It comes with 10 Bands that range from 110Hz to 15KHz. It also offers customizable sliders for ‘Audio Fidelity’ which lets you reduce muffled voice in compressed audio, ‘Ambiance’ which lets you add extra stereo depth, ‘Dynamic Boost’, ‘Bass Boost’, and ‘Surround Sound’. It also offers preset profiles like Alternative Rock, Rap, Dialogue Boost, Country, Techno and many more.
Now let us talk about Real-Time audio processing. This works best when you are listening to the audio on the web which is usually 16 bit. FXSound uses a 32-bit processor which automatically adjusts the Fidelity, the Surround Sound and Ambiance then re-dithers it into 16 bit. The produces better audio quality than regular internet audio.
FXSound also offers a 7-day free trial, after which you will have to pay a one-time payment of $49.99 to keep using the app.
5. EQ Audio Equalizer (Free)
Unlike the other Audio Equalizer we have shown you in this list, EQ Audio Equalizer is not a .exe file that you can download and run on your PC, it is a Chrome App.
Being a Chrome App comes with its Advantages and Disadvantages. One of its downsides being that it can only control the EQ of the Audio playing on your Chrome Browser. It can change the EQ settings of your entire machine.
Most users, however mainly use Chrome to listen to their audio, for instance, on Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube and many more. It also works on all your devices that run chrome and it is free. This is the perfect Equalizer for someone who mainly uses Chrome to consume their media.
6. Boom3D ($39.99)
Boom3D is a sound Equalizer app compatible with both Windows and macOS. It is built to listen with Headphones only.
Some of its features include turning any audio into 3D Surround Sound without additional hardware. It also offers one of the best EQ Controls with 31 Bands. It comes with many additional features such as Individual app volume control, Equalizer presets, you can also tune in to any of the 20,000 Radio Stations with Boom3D. The Boom3D can be purchased for $39.99 but right now it is available at a discounted price of about $11.99.
7. Voicemeeter Banana (Free)
Voicemeeter Banana is great if you work a lot with microphones, for example making podcasts, streaming gameplay or video calling. The App’s main selling point is the Advanced Audio Mixer, which lets you adjust both input and output.
It has a total of three bands which may seem less but it can do its best work with microphones, for example, it can make your voice louder and clearer if your microphone isn’t up to the mark. The master section of the app hosts all the EQ settings where you can play around with them. The app is free to use, although you can donate money if you like the app.
8. Bongiovi DPS ($4.99/month)
Eighth on our list is Bongiovi DPS, a great free Sound Equalizer for Windows. It features a clean and simple UI. It can automatically add more depth, clarity, bass and much more to your audio. It is also one of the few EQs that also offers stereo enhancements.
It comes with a Frequency Visualizer and a lot of control over your Treble and Bass with its EQ. Bongiovi DPS costs $4.99 per month and is available for both Windows and Mac.
9. Realtek HD Audio Manager (Free)
Realtek HD Audio Manager is also an open-source software for tuning Equalizer Settings for Windows Machines.
It gives users a lot of modification, it supports bands ranging from 31dB to 16kdB. It comes with a lot of default presets to change your audio experience within a few clicks. You can also choose between different environments such as rooms, forests, etc. You can change settings for speakers, microphones and also stereos.
Most Windows devices have Realtek HD Audio Manager installed, if yours doesn’t follow the link below to download it.
10. Adobe Audition ($22.86/month)
Adobe Audition is the most professional Equalizer here and rightly so, is the most expensive just like other Adobe products like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, etc.
It comes with two types of Equalizers: The Parametric Equalizer ( better control over frequency) and a Graphic Equalizer ( better control over phase settings). Adobe Audition comes with support for up to 30 Bands.
It also comes with a few audio presets. Adobe Audition is incredibly versatile and is recommended for professionals working in the audio department. It has tutorials for people new in this field, an essential sound panel, Adaptive Noise Reduction, a multitrack UI etc.
What’s the Best Sound Equalizer for Windows?
That ends our list of the Best Sound Equalizers for Windows 10, each app has its pros and cons. You should download one that is best suited to your needs, for example — Do you want more bands? or Do you want to get surround sound control? If you would like to recommend any other Sound Equalizer we have missed, write about them in the comments below.
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