[New EQ Software] Mega Switcher for Equalizer APO, with 15.000 EQ presets

[Jose Hidalgo]

Mega Switcher 1.0 is now out, and it's free ! Check it out here : https://sourceforge.net/projects/mega-switcher/

Spoiler: What is it ?

Mega Switcher is a new interface for Equalizer APO :
- It's geared towards listening sessions (for 1 or 2 users simultaneously),
- It provides an easy way to manage your own collection of audio devices and all their EQ presets, using the power of Equalizer APO.
Full control is at your fingertips!

Headphones (AE-OE and IE) and Loudspeakers are supported. HeSuVi is supported too.

Everything is managed via a simple interface, keyboard hotkeys and a Tray Menu, so you can quickly switch EQ presets and sound modes. The small unobtrusive GUI (that you can hide, disable and reposition) gives you just the right amount of info at any given moment.

Mega Switcher automates a lot of things, making your listening sessions more enjoyable. Try it !

Spoiler: What can it do ?

Here's what it allows you to do :

• Multi-users : 1 or 2 listeners can be active at the same time on the same computer. 2 listeners can use 2 stereo DACs for Dual Listening.
  
  
• Multi-devices (headphones or loudspeakers) : an unlimited number of headphones (AE-OE or IE) or loudspeaker sets can be defined : currently 10, more on demand.
  
  
• EQ preset database : 15.000 headphone EQ presets are included : Harman presets (thanks to the AutoEQ and Oratory1990 databases) and Optimum HiFi presets (derived from the Harman presets). A 7-band parametric EQ helps you fine-tune settings even further on the fly. Custom presets can be added easily. Loudspeaker presets aren't included yet, but I'll be happy to add them in the future if people are kind enough to provide them using the Database Manual instructions.
  
  
• Multi-modes : a mode is a collection of EQ presets that match a specific target response curve. For example for headphones, all "Harman" mode presets match the Harman target curve, and "Optimum HiFi" mode presets match the Optimum HiFi target curve. An unlimited number of sound modes can be defined and customized (currently 6, more on demand).
  
  
• Multi-presets per mode : each individual device can have up to 9 presets per mode (for example 9 Harman presets, 9 Optimum HiFi presets, and so on). A priority system helps you to easily switch presets.
  
  
• 7-band parametric EQ for fine-tuning : this EQ can come on top of any enabled preset, and helps you fine-tune sound on the fly for any given song. Each of its 7 bands (we call them "enhancers") can be composed of one or several parametric filters. A "1K Tilt" band is also included, as requested by several people.
  
  
• Useful add-ons : two enhancer sets allow you to quickly compare different 7-band EQ settings. A Left/Right inverter helps you to never hear things the wrong way.
  
  
• Highly customizable : many things can be customized : interface, hotkeys, and lots of settings. But you don't need any of that to enjoy Mega Switcher. Just enter all your devices once and for all (e.g. "Sennheiser HD 600"), and you're good to go !

Spoiler: Do I need it ?

You may find this app useful if :

• You have several headphones and/or loudspeakers (but it would still be useful with only one pair)
  
  
• You like playing with EQ and optimizing sound to your liking (EQ beginners welcome, the app is easy to use)
  
  
• You are already an Equalizer APO user
  
  
• You love music

Spoiler: Some screen caps

Thanks to the many people who helped me with this app, and pushed me to make it better than I ever thought it would be !

 

[jensgk]

Looks good, congratulations! I will give it a try in the weekend.

Can it do crossfeed too, or will I have to use HeSuVi for that?

 

[Jose Hidalgo]

Looks good, congratulations! I will give it a try in the weekend.

Can it do crossfeed too, or will I have to use HeSuVi for that?

Thanks jensgk Mega Switcher doesn't do any crossfeed by itself, so you'll have to rely on HeSuVi for that.
If HeSuVi is installed, one of Mega Switcher features is to act as a quick on/off toggle for HeSuVi. No need to open HeSuVi GUI.
You can always access mega Switcher settings either via hotkeys (which remain active even if the app runs in the background with no visible GUI) or via the Tray Menu.

 

[jensgk]

Thanks jensgk Mega Switcher doesn't do any crossfeed by itself, so you'll have to rely on HeSuVi for that.
If HeSuVi is installed, one of Mega Switcher features if to act as a quick on/off toggle for HeSuVi. No need to open HeSuVi GUI.
You can always access mega Switcher settings either via hotkeys (which remain active even if the app runs the background with no visible GUI) or via the Tray Menu.

Great, thanks for the reply. Good that it works well with HeSuVi.

 

[JediMa]

I used it when it was beta and it was already amazing, now it's simply fantastic, so easy to use and so useful.

 

[MerlinGS]

Nice APP, had a small problem during installation. I had to manually move the HeSuVi and Eq folders into the Config folder within EQ APO to use the Mega Switcher app; otherwise, the app would not work. Must have done something wrong during the installation process. I should note that none of these apps were initially installed on my PC; i.e. I installed them just prior to installing Mega Switcher (since the apps were required).

 

[Thalis]

Looking forward to try this soon. So I have to remove Peace first and redo the config file?

 

[Jose Hidalgo]

Hi @MerlinGS , thanks for your feedback. The Installation manual is quite clear about it.

@all : please read the Installation manual BEFORE installing anything : it's attached to this message and also on SourceForge.

@Thalis : no, it should be compatible with PEACE, as tested by Peter Verbeek himself (I haven't tried personally). Like PEACE, Mega Switcher uses its own configuration file. It just adds a single "Include:" mention in EAPO config.txt on startup, and it erases that mention on quit.

 

[Thalis]

@all : please read the Installation manual BEFORE installing anything : it's attached to this message and also on SourceForge.

@Thalis : no, it should be compatible with PEACE, as tested by Peter Verbeek himself (I haven't tried personally). Like PEACE, Mega Switcher uses its own configuration file. It just adds a single "Include:" mention in EAPO config.txt on startup, and it erases that mention on quit.

Do I turn Peace off and click Done before clicking on Mega Switcher? Just want to make sure... thank you.

 

[Thalis]

I think I got the gist of it so far... the keyboard shortcuts do make things faster but so many to remember

I do have have a question... how do I remove or add the devices? Eg I do not own the Senn HD600 nor the Etymotics and wish to remove them and add the headphones I do own from the \Devices\AE-OE \ folder.

Edit: Oops... I meant the \EQ Presets\AE-OE\ folder.

 

[Jose Hidalgo]

Do I turn Peace off and click Done before clicking on Mega Switcher? Just want to make sure... thank you.

You don't need to do anything : both should be compatible. With that said, IMHO there's no reason for using them both at the same time.

I think I got the gist of it so far... the keyboard shortcuts do make things faster but so many to remember

You also have a dynamic Tray Menu with all possible options, so you don't have anything to remember.

About the hotkeys, just think "keyboard rows" : First row (QWERTY) = selecting a device / Second row = selecting a sound mode for the selected device / Third row = additional options / etc.. The keyboard diagram (User Manual, page 3) should be easy to remember. It didn't take me long to get used to it.

I do have have a question... how do I remove or add the devices? Eg I do not own the Senn HD600 nor the Etymotics and wish to remove them and add the headphones I do own from the \Devices\AE-OE \ folder.

Edit: Oops... I meant the \EQ Presets\AE-OE\ folder.

Setting your own devices is described in the User Manual, page 17 ("Basic Customization"). That may be improved in a future version, but it's already easy enough for most people. It only takes a minute and it only has to be done once. Go for it !

Do you have any headphones that are NOT in the 15.000 presets database ? If so, then just read the Database Manual to add them, it's easy.

About the EQ Presets database itself, I recommend not deleting anything, even if you don't own the devices. It only takes 8 MB anyway. Just set your own devices once and for all as described by the User Manual.

 

[Thalis]

You don't need to do anything : both should be compatible. With that said, IMHO there's no reason for using them both at the same time.


You also have a dynamic Tray Menu with all possible options, so you don't have anything to remember.

About the hotkeys, just think "keyboard rows" : First row (QWERTY) = selecting a device / Second row = selecting a sound mode for the selected device / Third row = additional options / etc.. The keyboard diagram (User Manual, page 3) should be easy to remember. It didn't take me long to get used to it.


Setting your own devices is described in the User Manual, page 17 ("Basic Customization"). That may be improved in a future version, but it's already easy enough for most people. It only takes a minute and it only has to be done once. Go for it !

Do you have any headphones that are NOT in the 15.000 presets database ? If so, then just read the Database Manual to add them, it's easy.

About the EQ Presets database itself, I recommend not deleting anything, even if you don't own the devices. It only takes 8 MB anyway. Just set your own devices once and for all as described by the User Manual.

Thanks... got it

Also managed to download some PNGs for the headphones I own and put it in Devices folder. Will try to add some that do not exist in the database next time... like the Koss KPH30i.

 

[Jose Hidalgo]

Great ! Feel free to email me your custom PNGs as long as they fit the specs, like explained in the Database Manual. I hope Mega Switcher can become a collaborative effort, so the picture database can become better and better.

 

[MerlinGS]

Hi @MerlinGS , thanks for your feedback. The Installation manual is quite clear about it.

View attachment 136227

@all : please read the Installation manual BEFORE installing anything : it's attached to this message and also on SourceForge.

Yeah, I read it too quickly and only caught the part about uniziping in EqAPO (missed the config part)

 

[Thalis]

Hi @Jose Hidalgo

After doing some very simple ABing between Peace and MS, I find that the MS presets are much lower in volume compared to Peace even though the preamp gain is the same. Eg, I am using the AKG K240 Mk II Harman5 in MS and in Peace it has exactly the same filters and the gain is set to -6.9 for both. But in MS it is significantly quieter.

Is there anything else going on in the settings?

Edit: Just to confirm... I understand a negative gain is already present when presets are off. So when I select the headphones' profile that initial negative gain is then added on to the active profile?

 

[Thalis]

Hi @Jose Hidalgo

I used a simple VUMeter to articulate the levels I am getting:

Headphones profile: AKG K240 MkII
Foobar playing 1kHz tone @0dB
Windows sound settings at 100%

Edit: Made sure Peace was Off and closed before turning on MS.

 

[Jose Hidalgo]

Hi Thalis. That is perfectly normal. I suggest that you read the User Manual, page 21. Just to be clear, in your case you may have :

• A -4 dB gain to prevent distortion from the Windows mixer, as recommended by DDF in his ASR topic.
  That's something that PEACE doesn't do, and you can disable it if you want (see "Advanced Customization").
• A -6 dB gain if the 7-band EQ is enabled.
  You can disable it too, but then you won't have the 7-band EQ.
• A -X dB gain if you're using a Harman preset (X depending on your device).
  That is of course mandatory and depends on each preset.

I could have done some dynamic stuff like PEACE (actually I started coding it in an earlier revision), but I discussed with some of the Beta testers, and in the end I decided not to, because one of the purposes of Mega Switcher is to be able to compare sound settings without inducing any loudness bias. That, to me, is the most important.

Bottom line : if you want, you can easily make Mega Switcher 10 dB louder. But Mega Switcher isn't about loudness first.

 

[Thalis]

Hi Thalis. That is perfectly normal. I suggest that you read the User Manual, page 21. Just to be clear, in your case you may have :

• A -4 dB gain to prevent distortion from the Windows mixer, as recommended by DDF in his ASR topic.
  That's something that PEACE doesn't do, and you can disable it if you want (see "Advanced Customization").
• A -6 dB gain if the 7-band EQ is enabled.
  You can disable it too, but then you won't have the 7-band EQ.
• A -X dB gain if you're using a Harman preset (X depending on your device).
  That is of course mandatory and depends on each preset.

I could have done some dynamic stuff like PEACE (actually I started coding it in an earlier revision), but I discussed with some of the Beta testers, and in the end I decided not to, because one of the purposes of Mega Switcher is to be able to compare sound settings without inducing any loudness bias. That, to me, is the most important.

Bottom line : if you want, you can easily make Mega Switcher 10 dB louder. But Mega Switcher isn't about loudness first.

Thank you so much for making it clear for me. Yes I have read thru the instructions but you made it clearer. I understand your intentions perfectly about gain matching and clipping and so on. I do the same when I am comparing in Peace by using the same gain for all of them for a particular headphone.

I just find -10 and the additional negative gain just a bit too much I guess and the K240 are not exactly very sensitive and since I prefer to keep the L30 at 0dB I find myself cranking it up all the way for not very loud stuff. I will try disabling the initial gain and then try also for the 7 band EQ since I don't use it.

Thank you so much again. This is very stellar work

 

[Jose Hidalgo]

Yes, I would suggest disabling the -4 dB initial gain in your case (Settings.ini > Set "UsePreamp" to 0) and you should be fine.
You can also disable the 7-band EQ (Settings.ini > Set "UseSliderEQ" to 0) but it's a pity that you don't use it.

Also, if gain matching is important for you (and it should ), just remember to adjust "Original Sound" mode gain by ear : User Manual, page 4, Tip n°2. That will definitely help with loudness bias.

I'm really glad you like it. Enjoy !

 

[Jose Hidalgo]

Mega Switcher has been updated to version 1.1 ! Here's an excerpt from the Changelog :

1.1 version :
- New "Check for Updates" feature on startup (can be disabled)
- New "MSWDevice" setting to enable Mega Switcher for either all devices in config.txt or only one of them
- Added two new EQ bands : "Punch" and "Hiss". "Air" has been renamed as "Airiness".
- If there's only one declared device in Devices.ini, it will be automatically activated on startup
- Corrected a bug related to text color in message GUIs
- Corrected a bug in ToggleGui function (now properly displays text GUI if required)
- Corrected a small non-bothering bug in Devices.ini file itself, for peace of mind
- Deactivated Up/Down and PgUp/PgDn keys when mouse is directly over the Slider GUI

As you can see, among the new features and the bug corrections, there's a new update mechanism that will automatically notify you of new updates on startup every once in a while. That can of course be disabled too.

As always, enjoy !