Improve resolution of volume controls in Windows

In Windows 7/8/10, the volume control is tapered, so that you drag the slider and it skips many levels at the bottom. Is there any way to make the controls finer, so I can access the settings in between these? Either some hidden feature of the Windows control panel, registry, or using third-party software?

For example, my hardware supports 1 dB steps from -30 to +30 dB, but the Windows control only gives me access to -30 dB, then -7.3 dB, then -1.6 dB, etc. I want to access -30 dB, -29 dB, -28 dB, etc.

Speakers and Microphone gain controls in Windows 7

This is for testing hardware, not for casual listening, so I need to be able to reach each value, and preferably control the "playthrough" sidetone level, too.

endolith

Posted 2010-11-05T19:02:33.553

Reputation: 6 626

As you said, the levels are tapered, or logarithmic, the differences on the bottom end, if the volume faders are programed correctly should have the same perceptional difference as on the top end. If the volume control had a notch for every level, your top end would be very touchy as dBs are non-linear method of measurement. – sound2man – 2010-11-19T19:37:25.077

1decibels are logarithmic. The Windows controls are tapered in addition to the logarithmic dB taper, meaning that, although the hardware supports individual 1 dB steps, the slider skips steps at the bottom and provides too many steps at the top. I need to be able to access every individual 1 dB step. – endolith – 2010-11-19T19:48:30.193

Don't use the slider; you should just be able to type in a value. – Billy ONeal – 2010-11-19T19:55:27.970

@Billy: Type in a value where? – endolith – 2010-11-19T20:37:30.170

The textbox next to the slider. – Billy ONeal – 2010-11-19T20:46:00.483

It's not an editable text box, unless there's some special way to enable it. Do you have Windows 7? – endolith – 2010-11-19T20:56:39.163

Answers

I don't think that this will help (due to the logarithmic nature of dB discussed here, which I don't fully understand), but Volumouse from Nirsoft allows you to configure number of steps in a volume change. Any use?

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outsideblasts

Posted 2010-11-05T19:02:33.553

Reputation: 6 297

I've found this, actually, and it solves my problem for controlling inputs and outputs, but it doesn't seem to have an option for adjusting sidetone paths (the "Microphone" slider in my above image, meaning the level of the direct hardware path between microphone and headphones). OS X doesn't even have a slider for this path, though... – endolith – 2010-11-19T22:19:29.037

is there a way to make this application work with full screen applications? – None – 2013-01-06T23:56:52.453

It just doesn't want to work when I launch a game. this is frustrating. – None – 2013-01-07T00:04:30.363

-1

I don't think so, however, I find that I can generally get an acceptable level by tweaking both the main volume fader, and the individual source I am trying to control. This gives a little more control than just tweaking the master volume.

sound2man

Posted 2010-11-05T19:02:33.553

Reputation: 648

I want to adjust the actual hardware gain, though, not software gain. – endolith – 2010-11-05T19:12:05.100

The only way to adjust hardware gain is with an external attenuating box for input signals. For the most part you can only change software gain unless you are dealing with pro hardware - I'm a sound tech, with a 32 channel audio interface... – sound2man – 2010-11-18T20:26:28.333

@sound2man: That's not true. The hardware gain is often controllable from the computer. When you move the slider in software, it sends control signals to the converter ICs that adjust internal programmable gain amplifiers. It's not just software gain. Which interface do you have? – endolith – 2010-11-19T19:18:20.630

I have three, my main unit is a Yamaha 01V96 v2 with a mlan card, my secondary is a mAudio Delta 1010 rackmount, my portable is an ESI Quatafire 610 – sound2man – 2010-11-19T19:28:04.527

@sound2man: I don't think any of those has computer-controlled gains. The Delta manual says the computer-controlled mixer is after the ADCs, and just does digital attenuation, so I think the hardware gain only has two positions for +4 and -10. The QuataFire manual shows all the gain controls grayed out in OS X, and has physical gain controls, etc. – endolith – 2010-11-19T20:56:01.037

You are correct, the only device I have that I can computer control gains is my Yamaha 01v96. The Quatafire may have computer controlled gains, but I doubt it. For the most part gains are controlled using trim pots, even the Yamaha may not have true computer controlled gains as the trim pots are manual, but the faders can be digitally controlled. All of my equipment is in the sub $2,000 range, I don't have any truly high-end stuff. – sound2man – 2010-11-19T21:42:46.200

It's not really a matter of expense, just a matter of whether the device has physical knobs or not. Even cheap headset chips have computer-controlled analog gains. – endolith – 2010-11-19T22:25:08.207