Best Vista Volume Level

JaylumX

Newcomer
What is the optimum Vista volume level. I have a Xonar D2X with Vista 64 and i have set it to 100%. Is that the best setting or should i set it a little lower? At my current level does Vista automatically apply some sort of automatic volume balancing.

Cheers

JaylumX
 
Uh the optimal vista volume level is whatever you want it set to. Unlike XP, Vista no longer takes away bits to lower the volume- reducing resolution so if you listen to music or whatever at a low volume it wouldn't sound as good as it does at high volume.
The Vista audio-stack does include a limiter if the volume level gets loud enough to clip. If you believe Vista is applying some sort of volume balancing then check to see if loudness equalization is turned on, if I'm understanding what you saying correctly.

Here a thread all about the new audio stack btw http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=713073&highlight=limiter
 
I've always pumped up the wave volume to max, and then control everything with the master volume.

Unlike XP, Vista no longer takes away bits to lower the volume- reducing resolution so if you listen to music or whatever at a low volume it wouldn't sound as good as it does at high volume.

Does this happen regardless of drivers? When does it happen?
 
No, when. How low does the volume have to be? Which volume? Only wave? Master volume too?
 
No, when. How low does the volume have to be? Which volume? Only wave? Master volume too?

This one is a bit tricky. Some applications use the kmixer to adjust volume (or an API that relies on the kmixer), others use their own system. Any application that uses the kmixer to lower the volume to anything other than 100% will technically have their quality reduced (this also includes any application that is affected by the master volume assuming the master volume is set to anything other than 100%). Whether this reduction in quality is perceivable or not is up to debate. However if one is attempting to bit-stream an audio format (dd, dts, etc) to an external source (and the application is using the kmixer), the volume has to be set at 100% or it will not work.
 
Something I noticed yesterday, that might be slightly off-topic.

If I play a .mid file through MPC (media player classic) it disregards any "software" volume control, either in MPC or Vista. Have to turn it down on the speakers. Just a bit of a funny.
 
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