Stereo Tool

Luckily BreakawayOne can run Stereo Tool as a VST plugin. That's how I've been using it for a few years now. Though I'm pretty certain Stereo Tool can do what you need once it's configured properly.

Well, I'm only using the audio processing of Stereo Tool and bypassing the audio processing of BAO. I use BAO to route audio to multiple devices and stream audio around the house. But Stereo Tool does all the heavy lifting when it comes to sound quality.

I've got a Windows 10 PC with a multiport audio interface as well as a stand-alone SPDIF interface. I use a Virtual Audio Cable as my primary default audio source for an HD core of BreakawayOne. I also use SPDIF to get my PS5 audio processed at low latency via ASIO in BreakawayOne. Both sources combine at the mixer in BAO to the Input stream, which is what's affected by VST plugins (Stereo Tool, 32 bit windows). I then to output, I have it set to use my headphones (interface) as the primary "Output" in BAO (kernal streaming), and on the "Speaker" output, I have my motherboard's built-in Realtek to drive the amp for my Buttkicker (kernal streaming with a slightly different buffer size to match latency). I also have the ASIO set to output to my SPDIF interface so it goes to my HDMI receiver which powers my speakers.

The BreakawayOne processing is disabled entirely. I used to use its clipper and bass clipper instead of the one in ST, but it rolls off the bottom end just a little too much at any setting I could try. So it's basically a multi-output host for Stereo Tool at the moment.

I also have another BAO Pass-through core in Trial mode set to repeat processed audio to an Internal server for my home network, so I can listen or hear alerts while I'm away from my PC.

For low latency microphone processing and monitoring I use the stand-alone version of Stereo Tool.

Let me know if I need to clarify anything.

With the old Behringer interface I use to get optical audio out of my PS5, the levels seem to be the same. For example, Spotify at 100% volume is identical coming from the website, windows app, or PS5 app. But yes, I do like to push the AGC to somewhere between +18 and +32dB.

Games are indeed very high dynamic range and require more lift than music. I like to stage my volume in this order of loudest to quietest: Narration Voice > Character Voice > Sound Effects > Music > Ambient effects. This makes it so when everything is quiet, the ambient audio is nice and present. Then the music pushes down the ambient when it kicks in. Then a Sound effect happens and lowers the music. If a voice happens during a bunch of crashing or gunfire, it'll push down the sound effects to let it through. It's like setting a priority of what sounds you find more important to hear over others. But the amount depends on the game itself.