Automatic volume leveling during audio playback

Anonymous
2009-11-05T13:16:13+00:00

This is really annoying:

Quiet sound is amplified to sound at a reasonable level. Then when a loud part of the song comes on the level automatically drops making the quiet parts sound annoyingly loud & the loud part annoyingly quiet... Sorry that's the best way I can describe this... again:

Only happens when its had a few seconds on silent (eg. pause) - at that point the system starts to "think" for itself creeping the base volumes up. Then when the song begins again you are treated to loudness that is quickly quietened when the system realises there is a higher level of sound coming through...

This is very frustrating because I use my computer to record & as such need to have the audio playing at its proper level - not the level the computer thinks it should be playing at...

I have combed through the settings looking for an "auto off" option, and have spent a long time searching for an answer online. 

Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Music, photos, and video

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Anonymous
2009-11-05T22:23:05+00:00

Hi pablo647,

Welcome to Microsoft Windows 7 Answers Forum!

We would like to get a little more information from you to help troubleshoot your issue.

Are you using any Sound Card on the machine?

You can try playing the same song to a differnet Headphone or the Speakers.

I suspect it could be a problem with the sound card drivers.

You can update the drivers for the sound devices and try after that.

  1. Click Start and then click Control Panel.
  2. Click System and Maintenance, click System, and then click Device Manager.

Note If Control Panel is in Classic View, double-click System, and then click Device Manager.

  1. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.
  2. In Device Manager, expland "Sound Video and Game controllers", right-click the "Sound Video and Game controllers" and go to properties.
  3. Browse to the Update tab and then click on update driver.

You may also check on the Sound card manufacturers web site and verify if they have any updated drivers for Windows 7 and try to install it.   

Hope it helps.  

Thanks and Regards:

Shekhar S - Microsoft Support.

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-04-21T17:21:55+00:00

    You know exactly whats wrong with this. Microsoft decided in their most brilliant move yet to remove even more functionality from windows by adding an auto volume leveling mixer. What is the point of this? I am quite capable of turning down my volume, if it is too loud, thank you. I am sick and tired of trying to use my computer and windows stops me at every turn by making sure I don't do something I shouldn't. I know what I'm doing thank you. I don't need to be asked if I'm sure, I don't need windows to do it for me, because some moron 13 year old deleted their system32 folder. **** OFF WITH THIS BULLSHIT. Windows 7 was not my idea, it was the idea of some barely functional retard. The ONLY reason I use this piece of **** operating system is because I like to play games and seeing as you monopolise every area of the gaming OS market, I'm not left with a choice.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-04-21T08:55:12+00:00

    Hi,

    You all are talking about windows 7 but no body is talking about windows XP.

    Is there any software of automatic volume control for loud volume.

    Thanks & Regards,

    Aman Garg

    Hope to get +ve ans.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-04-18T03:07:38+00:00

    This was part of the solution for me as well as setting the default speakers to my installed sound card not the dumb MS speakers. It seems that MicroSquish has gotten everything screwed up as they can possibly make it.

    Another point to check is the Output selection of what ever software you use, check the settings there as well because they too might need to be changed to your sound card.

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-04-13T00:28:56+00:00

    Well, I found what was the problem with my system at least, don't know if it's the same as you guys, but very often windows would simply lower my winamp volume on the mixer for no apparent reason.

    There is a tab on the sound config window(right click on sound icon and chose playback for example) which is called communications, basically it says that when windows detects that you're making some kind of call it will reduce all other sounds, so I just set that to "do nothing"(it was in "reduce by 80%" by default) and now my problem is solved.

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