Help! Razer Nari loudness issues
Hi,
I'm hoping someone has come up with a solution to the loudness issue with the Nari or has something else I can try. The issue appears to be with Synapse 3, which I know is beta, but support appears to be denying the issue and I'm getting close to my cut out point to just return them. I've gone through the whole, "Its not synapse, its the hardware, followed by no, its not the hardware its the software, we can't reproduce it, sorry" bounce around. I've installed, reinstalled, wiped, installed, reinstalled, done a dance, and sacrificed a chicken, but nothing offered has helped...
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This happens on two computers, one razer blade and a generic asus. Both have the same symptom and workaround.
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The symptom is that while playing music, there is loudness normalization that occurs that drops the vocals. Its slight and not something really noticed in game, but something steady like a music beat easily reproduces it. If I uninstall synapse 3, the issue doesn't happen. The drivers remain, so I'm assuming that the loudness normalization just doesn't turn off and Synapse 3 is the cause. So what I've done is used a 3rd party equalizer to make it actually sound nice (btw synapse EQ truly blows, and sound quality with THX is actually offensive on a personal level, independent of this issue...but one problem at a time), and the headset actually sounds phenomenal. Almost studio quality in a wireless. I'm using dolby atmos with this setup for surround and game sound is equally as awesome in game. The microphone doesn't work this way, even though the driver shows that it can hear sound, it doesn't seem to make it up to an application layer. I'm guessing it needs synapse to work right.
So I'm at an impasse, I know how amazing these headphones can sound with proper equalization, and with this price, why shouldn't they sound amazing, and I'd really hate to return them. I bought these for an all around headphones for games, music and some home studio stuff. The 3.5mm line is lacking, but with some external eq I can correct it too. I'm 100% certain its synapse that's the problem, and can make the headphones sound extraordinarily awesome all around with some massaging.
Has anybody had the same problem, or can you try to reproduce it? Maybe if we can make enough noise someone will take it seriously. Maybe get some reassurance that they'll fix it in the next release? There are reviews of people who returned them for the same reason and I'd really like to make these work right if possible. The headphones themselves are pretty nice, the small wireless dongle for example is just great.
Thanks
oktronic
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- I am the Lightbringer
- 4792 replies
Hey @oktronic, do you have any sort of enhancement enabled on both Synapse and Windows Sound Settings/dedicated sound card app when testing? Synapse does not always play well with those yet so I highly recommend unticking them. Just to make sure that we're on the same page though, does your headset work properly without Synapse running in the background and can you describe how the vocals or the mids sound? In any case, please send me a PM with your ticket number along with a link to this thread for reference.
Razer.CazielHi, Thanks for the reply. The issue doesn't happen without Synapse 3 installed. This happens on two computers. While the windows default driver does have an enhancement tab, the driver that replaces it when Synapse is installed doesn't, so I'm not able to disable the enhancements. However, once Synapse is uninstalled, the issue doesn't happen. I can install an APO on the driver, like Equalizer APO, but after a period of time, it disables any APOs installed. I've tried all sorts of random things such as disabling Realtek, registry tweaks, etc. I'm just sort of out of options. I'm pretty sure the issue is in Synapse. My Kraken 7.1 headset doesn't have the issue as well as another competitor headset which also doesn't have the issue. Since you asked, the default sound quality is quite bad. Without Synapse, its just bad quality with the mids being nonexistent and bass being overblown, but with Synapse it just gets so much worse. Even tweaking the EQ, it just doesn't sound right and if you turn on THX, its just offensive. I was playing a game with my kraken 7.1 and it sounds great, but with the Nari it sounds like everyone is playing in a tunnel and my machine gun sounds like a pop toy. To get pretty decent sound, I'm currently using the default windows driver which allows the APOs to stay installed and using Equalizer APO. The default driver has a random static issue though and the mic doesn't work, so its not really a long term solution. With this setup for games, it sounds better then the Kraken and I installed Dolby Atmos for the surround sound. Unfortunately, I feel that the software isn't anywhere near ready to support the hardware, which is sad because the hardware is pretty good. I'll PM my case number, thanks
Hey @oktronic, do you have any sort of enhancement enabled on both Synapse and Windows Sound Settings/dedicated sound card app when testing? Synapse does not always play well with those yet so I highly recommend unticking them. Just to make sure that we're on the same page though, does your headset work properly without Synapse running in the background and can you describe how the vocals or the mids sound? In any case, please send me a PM with your ticket number along with a link to this thread for reference.
1 person likes this
- I am the Lightbringer
- 4792 replies
oktronicI have been using the Nari Ultimate for more than 200 hours now on CS:GO and aside from the initial setup and EQ tweaking, I haven't had any problems with it but that's probably because I only use it for FPS games. I'll be reviewing your case and coordinate with our Peripherals Team and Software Team to try to at the very least figure out what exactly is causing this phenomenon.
Hi, Thanks for the reply. The issue doesn't happen without Synapse 3 installed. This happens on two computers. While the windows default driver does have an enhancement tab, the driver that replaces it when Synapse is installed doesn't, so I'm not able to disable the enhancements. However, once Synapse is uninstalled, the issue doesn't happen. I can install an APO on the driver, like Equalizer APO, but after a period of time, it disables any APOs installed. I've tried all sorts of random things such as disabling Realtek, registry tweaks, etc. I'm just sort of out of options. I'm pretty sure the issue is in Synapse. My Kraken 7.1 headset doesn't have the issue as well as another competitor headset which also doesn't have the issue. Since you asked, the default sound quality is quite bad. Without Synapse, its just bad quality with the mids being nonexistent and bass being overblown, but with Synapse it just gets so much worse. Even tweaking the EQ, it just doesn't sound right and if you turn on THX, its just offensive. I was playing a game with my kraken 7.1 and it sounds great, but with the Nari it sounds like everyone is playing in a tunnel and my machine gun sounds like a pop toy. To get pretty decent sound, I'm currently using the default windows driver which allows the APOs to stay installed and using Equalizer APO. The default driver has a random static issue though and the mic doesn't work, so its not really a long term solution. With this setup for games, it sounds better then the Kraken and I installed Dolby Atmos for the surround sound. Unfortunately, I feel that the software isn't anywhere near ready to support the hardware, which is sad because the hardware is pretty good. I'll PM my case number, thanks
Mine is just the regular nari, not the ultimate, I'm not sure that make a difference. The two games I play the most are DOD:S and Day of infamy, which is the same engine as CS:GO. I understand that sound can be subjective, but the quality is noticeably bad in game. I have two USB headsets, the Kraken and a competitor, and about a dozen 3.5mm headsets just plugged into the standard jack of my blade, and the sound quality of the Nari is undeniably bad compared to them all with Synapse. Pretty much exactly what the reviewers have said online where is muted in the mids, and THX sounds worse. However, without synapse, and a little love in Equalizer APO, and the Nari is awesome. I'm focused on the loudness issue though, because I'm sure I can tweak the EQ to get the sound right.
The loudness issue, however, is really only noticeable with music. Just need something with a constant bass hit while playing vocals and the vocals will drop.
Also, I tried on a friends ASUS ROG machine, and it has the same issue, so that's 3 computers now.
Thanks for the help
Hi,
Just an update, I got an update for Synapse (v3.4.00115.010915), and the issue still happens. I also have another data point that might help, I noticed that when I turn on an enhancement, like voice enhancement, I couldn't turn it off. I could turn the switch off in GUI, but the effect remained.
The test song I've found myself using to reproduce the error is "Looking Out" by Brandi Carlie. Her voice goes from bright to muted when the normalization occurs. If I get my hands on a decent microphone, I'll take a recording between two headsets to demo it.
Hope that helps.
Thanks
- I am the Lightbringer
- 4792 replies
I do agree that Synapse can be rather aggressive with the bass boost but I was told that this is more of a software limitation at the moment and the best thing that we can have you do right now is either submit a feature request via the app itself for the devs to see or RMA so we can test your unit or both.
I have had a nightmare with my Nari Ultimate and Synapse. They sounded nice and loud until I installed Synapse. Now the volume is considerably lower. The equalizer and enhancements do not affect my audio in any way no matter what you try to adjust. I've removed Synapse but whatever it did became permanent. I really don't feel like reinstalling Windows though. I have been through the wringer with tech support. They don't seem to know what they're doing at all. This really seems to be a bad company.
- I am the Lightbringer
- 4792 replies
xryanx555Definitely not the experience we wanted for you to have. Please send me a PM with the case number you were given after reaching out to our Tech Support team so I can look into it.
I have had a nightmare with my Nari Ultimate and Synapse. They sounded nice and loud until I installed Synapse. Now the volume is considerably lower. The equalizer and enhancements do not affect my audio in any way no matter what you try to adjust. I've removed Synapse but whatever it did became permanent. I really don't feel like reinstalling Windows though. I have been through the wringer with tech support. They don't seem to know what they're doing at all. This really seems to be a bad company.
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