Game Too Loud and Browser Too Quiet? Build This Desktop Volume Mixer
Build CHWTT’s desktop volume mixer to control every program's audio output independently.
Modern computers are multitasking machines designed to run a whole bunch of programs simultaneously. It is ludicrous that most people are constantly adjusting their PC’s master volume to try and suit the program in use. To leave such absurdity in the past where it belongs, you should build CHWTT’s desktop volume mixer.
This is a hardware volume mixer that sits on your desk and lets you independently adjust the volume of up to five different programs with physical sliders. You can, for example, increase the output volume of Teamspeak and decrease the volume of the game you’re playing. Or if you’re a creative type, you can even mix multitrack audio.
Best of all, the volume faders are motorized and the device has presets. Press a button to switch between presets and the faders will automatically move to the positions you set previously. Then you can tweak them from there if you like.
On the hardware side, this requires five Behringer X32 motorized faders. An Arduino Micro board on a custom PCB monitors their input and can adjust their positions by controlling their motors through L293D drivers. Six buttons let you toggle each channel and swap presets. The enclosure is a 3D-printed box topped with a CNC-milled aluminum panel. That panel could also be 3D-printed if you prefer.
The Arduino sketch for this device works with MIDI Mixer, which is free software for Windows that offers really powerful control over all audio on the computer. After setup, you shouldn’t ever have to hunt around for an individual program’s volume control again.