plugging/unplugging Headphones

[Squee]

Are there any bugs are situations known where plugging/unplugging headphones as an effect on the feedback the wallpapers get? I have had a few reports a few weeks ago with weird problems mentioning a change in behavior in the wallpaper, but I have one with a screenshot now ..

I am unsure of the persons system, so can't mention everything. All i know is its a realtek and using ROG audiowizard for it.

There were 2 situations in this case:
1. with the headphone plugged in ( via audiojack not usb ) the wallpaper responded kind of normally, but the values received from wallpaper engine are really low ( it is as if the volume just got turned to 5% of max ).
2. the other is when the audiojack is pulled out, the audio data looks like this screenshot: http://prnt.sc/elaal5 . You can see in it that the mid section ( which are the high frequencies are completely cut out ). I suspected a change in playback frequency but I was told that was not the case.

What I know is what I was told ( so am unable to completely verify any of this ) .. The volume in windows didnt change. The playback frequency hasnt changed .. The only thing that changed was plugging in or unplugging a headset .

Just wondering if someone can explain it, so I can explain it to people that report these problems to me :)

[Loso3svk]

if you need any more info, i can provide some, i wanted Squee to write report as he know more about this topic. But if info on my pc is needed i will provide

[Rhy]

I also experience this. Might be related to the software changing the audio output. I have a Rig 515 and a build in one(also Realtek). Both have software which has an effect on the output.

[Loso3svk]

my laptop has an aplication that came with driver called Asus RoG AudioWizard, it changes equivalizer a bit, but the output is still the default realtek speakers, out put does not change when i plug headphones or unplug.

[Biohazard]

At least it works at all, many of these audio enhancing applications completely break the recording :/

So what I know is the theory of how WASAPI is *intended* to work:
1. The master volume in Windows does not matter, usually this is what changes when changing devices.
2. The volume of applications matters (Youtube, Spotify).
3. The loopback recording feature in WASAPI is supposed to deliver a perfect digital copy of the output (shared mode, so the mixed output). In order to achieve this, the recording endpoint automatically matches the format of the playing endpoint, WASAPI automates this.

I don't know how these audio enhancing applications work exactly, but I guess they don't fulfill the contract under 3. Maybe they just intentionally ignore it (because how many users would notice?) or they're just not aware of the issue.



With Realtek you can alternatively select the 'stereo mix' input. This does not use the WASAPI loopback system. There is a chance it works better.

[Loso3svk]

@biohazard, the thing is when i plug in the jack, the enchancing app is still running and enchancing the jack. Basicaly nothing changes in the setup, same windows output, same volume, same aplication volume, and same enchancing app

[Biohazard]

Does it make any difference if you restart Wallpaper Engine after plugging in the headphones? Have you tried it without the enhancing app (if it's possible to genuinely disable it at all)?

The picture looks like a mismatched sampling rate (I think that is what Squee suspected too) - but I can't really change anything about it, since it's not something I set, it's coming right from the audio driver.

Did you try it with the Stereo Mix input? It should show up in the audio recording device options in Wallpaper Engine. If it doesn't show up, it might be disabled in the Windows audio settings.

[Loso3svk]

restarting the wallpaper did not helped, i cant disable the audio app, it is part of the driver for this laptop, and i dont see any stereo mix input

[Loso3svk]

also my problem is not with plugged in headphones, but unpluged one, when pluged in the bass ring of squees wallpaper works, but without headphones it does not

[Loso3svk]

actually i found an option to stop the sound enchancing program and it changes nothing in wallpaper. it is just an EQ for the output

[Loso3svk]

interesting, i just changed the speaker setup in realtek audio to 5.1 instead of stereo and sudenly volume is much louder and the bass ring works again o.O

[Biohazard]

The stereo mix input may be disabled then, maybe you can find it by right clicking the Windows speaker icon in the tray and then 'recording devices'. If it works with those new settings it's fine too though.

[Loso3svk]

nope not there, also i have been trying to install different drivers, and with my laptop i get that maxx audio enchancing thingy every single time, even if i let windows install default driver

[Loso3svk]

i cant controll it now tho, as there is no app, but in files i still found the maxx installer

[Loso3svk]

and no bass ring still does not work in stereo
in 5.1 it sounds strange, ugh stupid drivers

[Loso3svk]

what the hell... i just turned on the stereo mix thingy and the sound is just artifacts and disortions