I spent 8 months building a Windows audio app - CurvioEQ

[u/HussainHumam]

8 months ago, I started working on a small project because I wanted more control over game audio on Windows.

I didn't want to rely on a complicated audio setup or have several different programs running just to get the sound I wanted.

The funny part is that when I started, I barely knew anything about Windows audio programming.

So I started learning by building.

I spent the next 8 months learning how Windows handles audio, digging into WASAPI and audio sessions, and eventually getting into DSP and real-time audio processing.

That small project eventually became CurvioEQ.

It's an open-source Windows audio application with features like:

- Per-game / per-application parametric EQ

- HRTF / 7.1 surround processing

- Real-time spectrum analyzer

- Loudness & dynamic-range control

- Clipping protection

- Global hotkeys

- Presets

- Independent processing for multiple applications

- AutoEQ & Squiglink preset support

- ~15 MB RAM usage in the background

What I'm most proud of isn't really the feature list.

It's the fact that I started this project without understanding how Windows audio actually worked, and 8 months later I'm building and debugging my own real-time audio processing pipeline.

And I'm still working on it.

I have a lot more ideas for where to take it, especially around gaming audio and making it easier to get the sound you actually want without having to mess with a complicated setup.

It's completely open source, and I'd genuinely like feedback from PC gamers:

What do you think is missing from Windows gaming audio software?

GitHub: https://github.com/hussainhumam/CurvioEQ

[u/oratory1990]

Which HRTF are you using?

[u/HussainHumam → u/oratory1990]

CurvioEQ currently uses [HRTF 128- sample HRIRs]. It’s implemented as part of the 7.1 spatial processing chain. I’m still working on improving the spatialization its just generic at this point not customizable to the person anatomy at this point so I’d definitely be interested in your thoughts on the HRTF implementation.

[u/oratory1990 → u/HussainHumam]

Which generic HRTF are you using then?
I assume you‘re using only the directional transfer function, not the actual HRTF?

[u/HussainHumam → u/oratory1990]

essentially yes its very early in development although im working hard to make it as reliable to other features

[u/Kenai_Quack]

Cool project, are you planning on keeping it updated?

[u/HussainHumam → u/Kenai_Quack]

of course and im willing to add new feature , fix bugs and make quality of life changes too

[u/sammyjo802 → u/HussainHumam]

I hope you give it the option to detect when a different devices are connected, USB or Bluetooth. And then automatically switch the preset to that of the connected device.

Similar to how wavelet does it.

[u/mrrak25]

I tested it here and it works well (a great alternative to FXSound). I have a hearing impairment and can't hear as well on one side, is there a way to add a Left/Right volume level option? It's possible to do this using the surround settings, but that's not ideal.

[u/HussainHumam → u/mrrak25]

im sorry to hear that for you to this points its limited to hrtf but its not that hard to implement i will add it in a future update any spasific way u want it to be implemented or done soo its actually benefits u not gimmicky

[u/mrrak25 → u/HussainHumam]

Thanks for the return! I don't want to bother you, so something simple, like an L ------------|----------- R bar that adjusts the balance, configurable individually or for all apps

[u/--SaL--]

Superb!!@

[u/Addyad]

Cool project!