Winamp 5.66 Volume Issue

[Canon_Man]

Hi,

Been using WinAmp for a number of years now, on XP SP3, Win 7 and more recently Win 10.

My Lenovo T410 laptop migrated from Win 7 to Win 10 last year. WinAmp was fine and the volume was not an issue.

Recently, I had to reload Win 10 and wiped the partitions clean for a fresh build. Recovered all my data from backup and reloaded Apps, - including WinAmp.

Something that was 'grandfathered' on the old build made WinAmp and the volume work just fine. However, now that it is loaded on a fresh Win 10 the volume is 50% lower than before the reload. In order to listen to music (even with the Equalizer boost) I have to crank it to 50% to hear satisfactorily.

At that volume there is no clipping like you would expect if the input was already 'peaked' before being processed by WinAmp.

Running a Conexant 20585 driver for the sound card, - factory original.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Aminifu]

Hi,

If you are using the DirectSound output plug-in with Winamp, check the device tab in it's configuration options to be sure that the same sound device selected in the Windows sound utility is selected there.

While Winamp is running check the maximum volume allowed for Winamp in the Windows volume mixer. I think I read somewhere that a recent Windows 10 update did something to that feature.

[MrSinatra]

some other ideas in addition to that:

what format are the files? any midi by any chance?

also, any chat apps? windows sometimes tries to auto adjust volume when chats are started, and in my exp doesn't always switch it back.

if it were me, i wouldn't reload winamp from backups, i'd just install it fresh.

[Canon_Man]

Originally Posted by MrSinatra

some other ideas in addition to that:

what format are the files? any midi by any chance?

also, any chat apps? windows sometimes tries to auto adjust volume when chats are started, and in my exp doesn't always switch it back.

if it were me, i wouldn't reload winamp from backups, i'd just install it fresh.

I think there may be the odd FLAC file, but not necessarily in all playlists, and definitely not in the one I'm having an issue with.

The only recovery was data files, I did not recover the Apps from a back up, they were newly installed on Win 10.

No indication of Direct Sound mentioned by OP.

[Aminifu]

Originally Posted by Canon_Man

...

No indication of Direct Sound mentioned by OP.

What output plug-in are you using? Try switching to DirectSound to see if it clears up the volume problem.

[Aminifu]

This is the article I was talking about in post #2 above (http://www.ghacks.net/2016/04/10/win...-individually/).

For my computer, I use the remote control for my speaker system to control volume. I leave the Winamp volume level at 100% and I don't use Winamp's equalizer. I set the Windows volume mixer to 80% for Winamp. I have also used the "MP3Gain" app to set the track mode output level for all of my mp3s to about the same overall dB level. This approach works well for me and I don't hear any distortion, even when playing music very loudly.

I also use a DSP plug-in called "Stereo Tool" to slightly 'enhance' my lower quality mp3s when I'm listening to them. It contains an equalizer among it's many features and helps these lower quality mp3s sound better to my ears.

[Canon_Man]

Well, I didn't even know there were output plug-ins in WinAmp... never tweaked them before.

But having done so, it hasn't changed the volume quality. It still takes 50% more effort to get the same volume of sound.

I've got the following plug-ins:

* NullSoft DirectSound v2.64 (Default??)
* NullSoft Disk Writer v2.18
* NullSoft WaveOut Output v2.17 (also marked Default??)

I read the Ghacks article concerning the upcoming update release of Windows 10 this summer.

Will keep it bookmarked to see if there is an update or recommended tweaks.

[Aminifu]

Originally Posted by Canon_Man

...

I've got the following plug-ins:

* NullSoft DirectSound v2.64 (Default??)
* NullSoft Disk Writer v2.18
* NullSoft WaveOut Output v2.17 (also marked Default??)

...

Something seems wrong, you should have only one output plug-in selected as the default. You can run more than 1 at a time thru an output stacker plug-in, but the stacker should be the default in that case.

Use the Winamp Info Tool (http://koopa.meggamusic.co.uk/infotool/) to make an extended report of your installation and attach the zip file created (containing the report) to a post.

[Canon_Man]

Panda Security flagged it as a suspicious / positive trace for virus and neutralized it.

Since a virus is the reason I re-formatted and re-installed Win 10, I don't think I want to mess with this further.

I'll have to either uninstall WinAmp, or remove one of the plug-ins.

[Aminifu]

Originally Posted by Canon_Man

Panda Security flagged it as a suspicious / positive trace for virus and neutralized it.
...

False positives are a 'pain in the a--' !!!

I can assure you that the Winamp Info Tool is safe. For at least the last 3 years, the Winamp developers have officially requested the tool's report in order to quickly get the comprehensive information needed to solve problems that don't have obvious or simple solutions. The way the tool is designed to gather this information causes some AV apps to flag it as suspicious. Without the report, a lot of time must be spent asking questions and suggesting various remedies.

You can submit the Winamp Info Tool to Panda so that they can update their detection signatures, add it to Panda's 'whitelist' (if that is possible), or temporarily disable Panda long enough to download and then make the report (while not using, or disconnected from, the internet). Sometimes the info provided in the tool's report doesn't help solve the problem, so I can understand if you don't want to deal with the hassle.

[Canon_Man]

No problem... I understand why the tool would help.

Submitted the file this morning after Panda quarantined it, (actually pulled down a fresh one and compressed it).

Hopefully it will be added to the 'false positive' or exclusion list shortly.

I get back to the forum once I get this nitty problem sorted out.

[Koopa]

Originally Posted by Aminifu

The way the tool is designed to gather this information causes some AV apps to flag it as suspicious.

No, it is because the tool is based on NSIS and NSIS installers often produce false positives, because of the compression methods etc.

Same for Winamp's installer.

Just report the file to Panda and they will fix it in their signature updates. Already did the same with Avira, Bitdefender and Kaspersky in the past.

[DJ Egg]

Here's my usual de facto standard copy+paste reply....

Firstly, make sure Winamp's volume level is up high enough in the main Winamp window.

Secondly, make sure Winamp's volume level is up high enough in Windows Volume Mixer.
Whilst Winamp is playing, right-click the speaker icon in the notification area, and select "Open Volume Mixer".
Check that Winamp's volume level is up high enough....

If that's not the cause of the problem, then have you maybe enabled the ReplayGain feature in Winamp?

Go to: Winamp > Prefs (Ctrl+P) > Playback > Replay Gain tab
If "Use ReplayGain" is checkmarked, decrease the "Adjustment for files without RG" level so that it's closer to 0 dB.
e.g. The default value is -6.0 dB, so try a value of -4.0 dB first.

If it's not that, go to: Prefs > Plugins > Output,
Highlight (select): Nullsoft WaveOut Output
Close Prefs
Start playing a song
Make sure Winamp's volume level in the main player window is at 100%
Stop playback.
Go back to Prefs > Plugins > Output
Switch back to the Nullsoft DirectSound Output plugin (by highlighting/selecting it).
Click 'configure' and make sure your soundcard is selected as the output device (via the Device drop-down menu).
Click OK and close Prefs.

Try playing a song again.

Hopefully your volume level will now be ok

[MrSinatra]

Originally Posted by MrSinatra

also, any chat apps? windows sometimes tries to auto adjust volume when chats are started, and in my exp doesn't always switch it back.

chat apps?

[Canon_Man]

Originally Posted by Koopa

No, it is because the tool is based on NSIS and NSIS installers often produce false positives, because of the compression methods etc.

Same for Winamp's installer.

Just report the file to Panda and they will fix it in their signature updates. Already did the same with Avira, Bitdefender and Kaspersky in the past.

Signatures / exclusions still haven't been updated. Gets 'trapped' during install.

Sent the file via email about a week ago.

[Aminifu]

Originally Posted by DJ Egg

...

If it's not that, go to: Prefs > Plugins > Output,
Highlight (select): Nullsoft WaveOut Output
Close Prefs
Start playing a song
Make sure Winamp's volume level in the main player window is at 100%
Stop playback.
Go back to Prefs > Plugins > Output
Switch back to the Nullsoft DirectSound Output plugin (by highlighting/selecting it).
Click 'configure' and make sure your soundcard is selected as the output device (via the Device drop-down menu).
Click OK and close Prefs.

...

I wasn't aware of that procedure. I don't even have the Nullsoft WaveOut Output plug-in installed. I keep learning new stuff about Winamp and I love that (but it is a strain on the brain).

[Canon_Man]

Well folks, after playing with a bunch of things inside Winamp that I've never touched before, I think it is working better. I'm with Aminifu on this one, because in general I never play with the internals of WA, just load and play so all these fine tuning things, (you would hope) would be set to some default value each time it is installed.

Both Aminifu and DJ Egg had some really good tips, and I looked at RegainPlay, but didn't have to change these settings as they were default already. I think I may have nudged the gain toward 0 Db for one setting but that is all, and I didn't even know those settings were there until they were mentioned. I'm going, 'like who knew?!'.

Anyway, let's call this closed for now. Maybe I'll get bored one day and poke around the settings just to see what they are.... Part of me often believes, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!'...

Cheers!

[Aminifu]

Originally Posted by Canon_Man

Well folks, after playing with a bunch of things inside Winamp that I've never touched before, I think it is working better. I'm with Aminifu on this one, because in general I never play with the internals of WA, just load and play so all these fine tuning things, (you would hope) would be set to some default value each time it is installed.

...

If you install over a current installation, Winamp tries to maintain any preference changes that were made, to save you from having to make them again. The easy way to get back to the initial defaults is to completely remove the current installation and install fresh.

Sometimes the defaults are not the best for a particular usage and some tweaking is needed. Winamp has a ton of options and it's easy to forget over time about any changes made, so it's a good idea to keep notes.

Good luck, have fun and enjoy your music!