AAEQ Documentation

Everything you need to install, configure, and master AAEQ for high-fidelity audio processing.

Installation

Windows

  1. 1. Download the MSI installer or ZIP archive from GitHub Releases
  2. 2. Run the MSI installer or extract the ZIP to a folder
  3. 3. Launch AAEQ from the Start menu or desktop shortcut
  4. Note: For system audio capture, Windows includes WASAPI loopback support natively. Select any output device marked "(Loopback)" in the audio input list.

macOS

  1. 1. Download the DMG installer from GitHub Releases
  2. 2. Open the DMG and drag AAEQ.app to Applications
  3. 3. Launch AAEQ from Applications
  4. System Audio Capture: macOS requires a virtual audio driver. Install BlackHole (free, recommended) then create an Aggregate Device in Audio MIDI Setup combining your output device with BlackHole.

Linux

  1. 1. Download the AppImage or tar.gz from GitHub Releases
  2. 2. Make the AppImage executable: chmod +x aaeq-*.AppImage
  3. 3. Run: ./aaeq-*.AppImage
  4. System Audio: AAEQ automatically detects PulseAudio monitor devices. Look for devices ending in .monitor in the audio input list.

Quick Start Guide

Step 1: First Launch

When you first open AAEQ, the main window will appear with four tabs: Now Playing, EQ Presets, DSP Server, and Profiles.

The application will automatically connect to your media player (if supported) and display current track information in the Now Playing tab.

Step 2: Configure Audio Input

Go to the DSP Server tab to set up your audio processing pipeline:

  1. Click the Input dropdown
  2. Select your system audio source:
    • Windows: Choose a device with "(Loopback)" suffix
    • macOS: Select your BlackHole aggregate device
    • Linux: Choose a device ending with ".monitor"
  3. Devices marked with 🔊 icon capture system audio

Step 3: Select Output Device

In the same DSP Server tab, choose where to send processed audio:

  • Local DAC: Direct to your sound card
  • AirPlay: Stream to AirPlay devices (auto-discovered)
  • DLNA/UPnP: Stream to compatible network devices
  • ANP Node: Stream to dedicated ANP receiver (coming soon)

Step 4: Create Your First EQ Profile

Switch to the EQ Presets tab:

  1. Click Add Custom EQ
  2. Choose between Bands (traditional sliders) or Curve (Bezier curve editor)
  3. Adjust the 10-band parametric EQ to your preference
  4. Name your preset and click Save
Tip: The Curve editor is best for smooth, broad adjustments (like bass boost or treble roll-off). Use Bands mode for precise multi-peak adjustments.

Step 5: Start Streaming

Back in the DSP Server tab:

  1. Select your custom EQ preset from the dropdown
  2. Configure Headroom (recommended: -6 dB to prevent clipping)
  3. Optionally enable Dithering for bit-depth reduction
  4. Click Start Streaming

You'll see real-time waveform visualization and level meters as audio flows through the DSP pipeline!

Advanced Features

Automatic Profile Switching

AAEQ can automatically apply different EQ presets based on what you're listening to:

  • Album-based: Apply specific EQ to entire albums
  • Genre-based: Different EQ for Rock, Classical, Jazz, etc.
  • Track-based: Per-song EQ customization

Configure profiles in the Profiles tab with priority order and fallback rules.

Real-Time Monitoring

The DSP Server view provides detailed signal analysis:

  • Waveform Display: Visual representation of audio signal
  • Level Meters: Prevent clipping with dB meters
  • Pipeline Status: Monitor latency and performance

Troubleshooting

No audio devices appear in the input list

Windows: Make sure your audio drivers are up to date. WASAPI loopback is supported on Windows 7 and later.

macOS: Install a virtual audio driver like BlackHole. Native system audio capture is not available without additional software.

Linux: Ensure PulseAudio or PipeWire is running. Run pactl list sources to verify monitor devices are available.

Audio is distorted or clipping

Increase the Headroom setting in DSP Server. We recommend starting with -6 dB, especially when applying EQ boost.

Watch the level meters - if they're consistently hitting 0 dBFS, you need more headroom.

Streaming has high latency or stuttering

Check the Pipeline Status in DSP Server view. If buffer underruns occur:

  • Increase the buffer size in audio settings
  • Reduce CPU usage by closing other applications
  • Check network quality for AirPlay/ANP streaming
EQ presets not switching automatically

Verify that:

  • Your media player is supported (check Now Playing tab for active connection)
  • Profile rules are configured correctly in the Profiles tab
  • The track metadata (album/genre) matches your profile rules
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