Windows 10: audio ducking/stream attenuation setting doesn't take effect after system reboot

In the system we deliver, there is a long-lived communication application and we hope it won't affect the other audio playout in system no ducking experience at all, so we change the stream attenuation setting from "80% lower" to "disable" and it works immediatly.


Then we found that the setting won't keep working when system reboots, event the GUI setting is still on the disabled state -- it will work again if we mannually change it to other options and then change it back to disabled.


Currently we uses win10 1809 LTS, don't know if it's been fixed in the later release.


Also, similar problem has been reported in this avsim thread, looks like manual setting change will trigger some other background operation than the pure registry value UserDuckingPreference update.


ps. we have tried to use the method introduced in this win32 api doc to avoid the stream attenuation for a specified application developed by ourself, looks like the attenuation still happens to it not as much as 80%, maybe around 50%.

:)

 

Volume ducking does not work on Windows 10

This problem is seen across different products including Microsoft's Skype.

Setup:

• Windows 10 machine with latest updates installed
• Plantronics 350 USB headset (default comm. device)
• Realtek onboard audio (default device)
• Volume ducking (80% attenuation) enabled
• Using latest Skype version
• Using latest Audacity version
• Using latest RealTek drivers

Reproduction steps:

• 
  Using audacity or any other media player, start playing an audio clip to the default device (onboard speaker)
  
• 
  Using Skype or any other communication application, establish a (VoIP) call with a remote endpoint using the default communication device (USB headset with mic and spk)
  
• 
  Unexpected Error: Volume of audio being rendered to default device is not lowered.
  

Debug information (DxDiag):
http://wikisend.com/download/207162/Debug.zip

 

Audio Attenuation

Before this recent update for Windows 10, all my audio was level and no applications were getting some weird audio priority, however now this annoying attenuation problem keeps on happening. This is really annoying because sometimes
I can't hear anything in an application so either I have to turn up the volume or turn off the other applications. How do I turn off this stupid attenuation?

 

System-wide audio ducking

When using my speakers (connected via a receiver, which is connected to my computer via HDMI), Windows ducks the audio in every program - meaning when it detects vocals of any kind, it tries to lower the volume of the detected voice (which is usually the opposite of ducking). The problem only occurs on my speaker system, not my headphones. Here are the steps I have taken so far (copied from my unanswered Reddit post):

I have checked about 50 times under the communications tab to ensure it is set to 'do nothing'. I have quit out of every application and closed every background task I can think of (including Steam, Discord, Spotify, antivirus, etc.). I have restarted my computer several times. I have ran the audio troubleshooter several times as well. I also tried unplugging and re-plugging all HDMI cables from my computer and my receiver. Finally, I completely reinstalled my graphics driver.

If anyone can help with this problem it would be highly appreciated. I don't like having to use my headphones to hear anything...