No decent W8.1 Mixer - better result using a VM and Linux

Hi there
Music playing on Windows 8.1 seems to have no decent Mixer (HD audio).

I've got much better results by running the Windows system as a VM and then setting the mixer controls using the ALSA Mixer in the Linux Host.

Running the VM on an SSD gives it almost Native speed - --running the VM in Full screen mode one wouldn't actually realize it was a VM -- W8.1 runs really well as a VM.

Windows XP actually had a decent sound mixer built in -- we seem to have gone BACKWARDS as far as windows is concerned with mixers.

Another advantage of using Linux is that you get better sound control also with the HDMI output as the ALSA mixer controls the entire sound system. Just set the required VOLUME in the VM - adjust the other settings on the HOST (Bass, Treble, balance etc etc)- Plenty of other mixers in Linux - KMIX etc etc.

(I'm only using Linux as a means of booting up the VM to run totally from an external SSD so I've got a 100% genuinely portable windows system. I could run the music apps on Linux - but I've installed a tiny Linux system to maximize performance of the Windows Virtual Machine).

Cheers
jimbo