Help Needed: ReaComp VST Won’t Work in Equalizer APO (Initialization Failed)

[MichaelDunn]

Hi everyone,
I’m a blind user and I rely heavily on Equalizer APO to make my laptop’s speakers usable. My speakers sound absolutely terrible by default, and I also need a system-wide compressor because phone calls exaggerate dynamics — quiet sounds are too quiet, loud sounds are too loud. Previously, raising the preamp in Equalizer APO would automatically compress everything, which worked perfectly for me.
After a recent soundcard update, that automatic compression broke. Increasing the preamp now causes clipping and sometimes silence. I tried installing ReaComp from Reaper to get an actual compressor, but it won’t work. When I try to select the plugin in Equalizer APO, it gives an **“Initialization failed”** error, and nothing is compressed.
I’m including my current Config file for reference:
Preamp: 60 dB
Include: example.txt
GraphicEQ: 20 -15; 25 -15; 31.5 -15; 40 -15; 50 -15; 63 -15; 80 -15; 100 0; 125 0; 160 0; 200 0; 250 0; 315 0; 400 0; 500 -3; 630 -12; 720 -12; 800 -12; 1250 -6; 1600 -6; 2000 -4.5; 2500 -6; 3150 -3; 4000 -6; 5000 -6; 6300 -6; 8000 -6; 10000 -5; 12500 -3; 16000 0; 20000 0
VSTPlugin: "C:\Program Files\EqualizerAPO\VSTPlugins\ReaComp.dll" ratio=20 threshold=-1 attack=0 release=250 knee=0 makeup=0 precomp=0 rmsize=0 detector=0 auto=0 limit=1
Additional context:
* VoiceMeeter is completely inaccessible for blind users, which is why I need Equalizer APO.
* EQ works perfectly, it’s only the ReaComp plugin that fails.
* The plugin path is correct, and there’s a space after the filename.
* Preamp and EQ settings in Equalizer APO are applied correctly.
Has anyone successfully used ReaComp (or any other VST compressor) with Equalizer APO? How do I make it work system-wide? Any tips for getting around the “Initialization failed” error would be massively appreciated.
Thank you so much!
—Michael

[Vincent Burel]

REM: Voicemeeter can be accessible to blind users by using the third party NVDA VOICEMEETER application (Voicemeeter remote control app for visually impaired users). https://onyxandiris.online/nvda-voicemeeter

[lobanov]

If ReaComp isn't working it is posibble it won't work at all.

You can try any other compressor. This one is excellent and free:

https://jonvaudio.gumroad.com/l/fircomp2

jsCompShaper is good too:

https://electric-snow.net/plugins/

[MichaelDunn]

Vincent:
Well, I've never gotten the NVDA accessible version to work. Every time I change a setting my entire audio becomes muted and I literally can't even use the laptop anymore until I restart. In fact I don't even know how to even get started with it.
And for the other compressors: How would I get started with those? I'm not sure which parameters to actually plug in though. Or will it appear in the edit fields when I open Equalizer APO? I'm very new to using APO so cut me some slack.

[MichaelDunn]

Still looking for step by step help with using these other compressors that were recommended here. I don't want to accidentally type in a wrong parameter. If anyone's still there I'd appreciate your help with this. Now I HAVE heard of some people who have had success with using Reacomp with APO, and that's ultimately what I want to try to get working. And of course I could tell Freedom Scientific (who make Jaws) about Voicemeter so they can develop accessible scripts for using it. JAWS is my primary screen reader.

[RexXx]

It seems you are trying to use the "wrong" ReaComp plugin (Reaper`s DAW plugin instead VST plugin).
Tested with Win10, Equalizer APO 1.4.2 (x64), ReaPlugs VST v2.36 64-bit.


First, if Equalizer APO crashes on startup delete the VST entry in config.txt or rename/delete the config.txt:
C:\Program Files\EqualizerAPO\config

Download ReaPlugs (ReaComp VST is included) from:
https://www.reaper.fm/reaplugs

Install it and in APO select as VST:
C:\Program Files\VstPlugins\ReaPlugs\reacomp-standalone.dll


Also, you could try other System-Wide EQ`s if they works easier for you:

* DeskFX Audio Enhancer (a free version for home users is available):
https://www.nchsoftware.com/deskfx

* FxSound (free):
https://www.fxsound.com

[MichaelDunn]

Thanks! Yeah, I've been using just the Reacomp DLL file to see if that would do anything. Again I've never had to install a compressor before because up until last week everything worked perfectly, and the compressor somehow worked like magic. And you're right. I'm running version 1.4.2.

[MichaelDunn]

YAY!!!!!!! Got the compressor to finally work!!!! It's the worst thing that I had no idea I was simply using the wrong file! I'm so glad whoever told me it was in a different folder than the standard Reaper plugins in the Reaper folder itself, that saved me all the bother!
But, I’m trying to recreate a very specific effect I used to get before my audio driver updated. Back then, I could turn up the preamp in Equalizer APO way above 0 dB (even +200 dB) and nothing ever clipped, because something downstream was acting like an instant brickwall limiter. Everything - quiet sounds, loud sounds, and even the gaps between syllables - got raised to the same level in real time. It behaved like:
Ratio: basically infinity
Attack: essentially 0 milliseconds (instant)
Release: around 0.5 seconds
Makeup gain: automatic and extremely strong
Goal: absolutely no clipping no matter how high I turn the preamp
Behavior: rapid compression that reacts fast enough to pump between individual syllables
After a recent driver update, that invisible limiter disappeared. Now when I raise preamp above 0 dB, everything clips immediately.
I am looking for a plugin (VST) that can recreate that old behavior:
• A true brickwall limiter or hyper-fast compressor
• Zero-sample or “lookahead” attack
• Auto makeup gain or very high gain without clipping
• Release around 0.3-0.5 seconds
• Reacts fast enough to “pump” between syllables
• Works in Equalizer APO
I’ve tried ReaComp, but even with attack and release set to 0, it’s not fast enough and doesn’t allow the extreme gain - boosting without clipping that I used to get.
What plugin should I be using for this?
Is there a dedicated limiter or maximizer that can behave this way inside APO?
Thanks in advance!