Windows 10 has a massive number of options that can improve the sound quality. What parameters should be changed – we’ll talk in our new article.
The sound quality of your computer depends on many factors. These are the headphones, speakers, hardware, software that you are using. All of this together affects the way you hear the music or soundtracks in the movie.
Of course, you can improve the sound quality by purchasing a high-quality set of headphones or a more powerful stereo system. But did you know that Windows 10 has a whole bunch of built-in features that can dramatically change the sound of your computer?
It’s time to take a look at Windows 10 options that will dramatically improve sound quality.
How to change sound settings in Windows 10
To access the list of sound enhancements, open System Preferences by clicking on the gear icon in the Start menu or holding down the Win + I keyboard shortcut. After that, go to the path: ” System “> ” Sound. ” There is also a faster way: right-click on the speaker icon in the notification area at the bottom right corner of the screen and select the ” Open Sound Settings” option to be in the same menu.
Next, from the drop-down list, select the device you want to configure for audio output. After that, go to the ” Device Properties ” section.
A new page will open before your eyes with several available options for configuring your current audio device. On the right side, you will find the ” Additional Device Properties ” section. If you don’t see it, expand the settings window ultimately.
Going to this section, you will see a new window in the old control panel interface style. On the ” Improvements ” tab, you can view all available audio output modes for your headphones.
Available sound enhancements in Windows 10
Let’s take a look at each of the possible sound enhancement options. Keep in mind that the number of choices available to you will depend on the audio device you select and the drivers installed on your computer.
We found that only the first three options listed below were available for our Bluetooth headphones during testing. They are general sound enhancements that Windows has by default. When testing a wired headset and stereo speakers, the Bass Boost and Virtualization options disappeared, but others became available. This happened thanks to the installed audio drivers from Realtek.
After changing the parameters you need, click on the ” Apply ” button to test how they affect the sound quality. Depending on your changes, you may need to pause or even restart some of the applications responsible for playing audio. This is necessary for the new settings to take effect.
Remember that you can turn off any sound enhancements if you don’t want to use them anymore.
- Bass Boost
The option name speaks for itself. If you want to add more bass to your music, turn this option on. It will boost the lower frequencies you hear, thereby boosting the bass in soundtracks.
Open the settings to change the bass frequency and bass boost level. When testing our headset, we boosted the bass to 9dB, making the sound too dark. However, you can independently select the desired parameter value to enhance bass and comfortable listening to your favorite songs.
VirtualizationWith this option, you can change the system’s parameters, making the sound surround – as if you are listening to a song through stereo headphones, which you do not have. You will be enveloped in sound coming from different sides, not just left and right. You may even hear an echo effect – the sound will seem to bounce off the walls of your apartment or house.
There are several options for setting this parameter: ” Jazz Club, “” Studio,” and ” Concert Hall. ” Test each one to find the most comfortable surround sound experience for you.
Sound smoothing
This option will help flatten the sound by minimizing the difference between the highest and lowest playback points. Thus, loud sounds (for example, explosions in movies) will not be audible as much, while quiet sounds will be played at times louder.
Try this setting if your computer’s maximum volume is poor. However, be careful – when using the sound smoothing effect, you will not feel the differences in the playback of certain melodies.
We do not recommend using this option when listening to music and playing games. The natural-sounding of melodies and sounds of the environment disappears – you will not feel essential differences in sounds in video games (for example, steps away from you will not be quieter than near you).
Adjusting the sound according to the room where you are
This option is not available for all types of equipment. Generally, you can only use it for stereo speakers. There are several settings that Room Correction includes. For example, this is ” Room Calibration. “
The system plays test tones through your speakers and then picks them up with a microphone. After that, it analyzes the received data to recommend the user the appropriate settings for listening to audio in the room.
Sound enhancements from Realtek
If you are using Realtek audio drivers, you will find additional sound options in the program window. Activate the ” Immediate mode “chance to test the new sound of the computer immediately after making changes.
Below are the audio improvements from Realtek. They are also available for activation via the Realtek HD Audio Manager app, which can launch via the notification area at the bottom right corner of the desktop. In addition, there is a user-friendly interface for quickly changing settings.
Environment
This function allows you to simulate listening to music in various places, such as a concert hall, seabed, carpeted corridor. It is an interesting enough option worth trying as an experiment, but it is unlikely to be suitable for permanent use.
Voice suppression
Using this parameter, you can try to silence the vocals in a song so that you can sing along to your favorite tunes as if you are in karaoke. Of course, it will not be possible to remove the voice from the audio track altogether since this can only be done with the help of specialized software.
Changing the pitch
With this option, you can change the pitch parameters. Four variations will make the tone of the melody higher or lower. You can use this parameter in combination with vocal suppression to bring the key of the desired karaoke track closer to your vocal range. In addition, you can play with how your favorite singer will sound by changing the pitch.
This parameter will be helpful in some cases and not for everyone.
Equalizer
The equalizer allows you to adjust the output sound parameters. You can select one of the preset options to suit genres of music such as jazz or rock or manually adjust each available level.
Windows Sonic headphone jack
There is another Windows sound improvement you should be aware of. The parameter is on another tab. It would help if you went to the Spatial Sound section.
In this menu, activate the ” Windows Sonic for Headphones ” option. This will help you adjust the sound to appear to be coming from above and below, instead of the melody being at the same horizontal level.
Conclusion
Now you know how to improve the sound in Windows 10 and what each setting is responsible for. It’s worth testing all of them, but the chances are good that you won’t be using any of them all the time. Most of the options have their drawbacks, as they distort the sound in some way. However, this does not prevent the features from remaining helpful in customizing the sound to suit your needs.
