Equalizer

[loud]

Yesterday i attend a party at a friends house. As usual a mini PA sound system was setup and we have sometime playing some of our favorite CDs on it. Because the originally used Behringer PA speaker sounded unmusical we switched it with the living rooms Pioneer HPM 100.

The system:
Pioneer DVD player (cant recall the model, cheap design with mic inputs)
Behringer 31band 2 channel pro equalizer
Behringer EP2000 poweramp

After taking sometime tweaking the equalizer, to our surprise, the music seemingly appeared more live and enjoyable compare to the living rooms system. Refuse to believe what we heard, many opinions were gave, suggesting the outdoor compound did not have negative acoustic feedback or the Behringer amp has more headroom. Out of curiosity, we decided to bring out the rest of the living rooms system to the compound and make some comparison.

The living rooms system:
Audiolab 8000CDM cd transport
Audiolab 8000DAC
Audiolab 8000S intergrated amplifier
Chord interconnects
QED silver XT speaker cables


The Audiolab intergrated amplifier was used as a preamp connected to Behringer poweramp driving the HPM100 for more power.
Link 1 DVD player analog out to EQ
Link 2 CD transport digital out to DAC

CDs tested:
Chris De Burghs into the light
Groundations young tree
Boney Ms the greatest hits

Yes they are all quite hot music since it was a party.


Switch between the 2 link and the difference was night and day. With the first link, the music can be fine tuned to get rid of digital glitch and still maintain crisp hi while tuning the lower octave to have a warm tube-like sound which isnt possible on the second link no matter how the speakers were toed and placed.

Was it magic or are we just amazed by something different? Still, no one wanna admit about preferring colored over flat sound but cant deny link 1 offers a more solid performance. Link 2 just sounded thin and bright in comparison. And i failed to notice how using tone controls cause the music to be out of phase since everything sounds ok on link1, at least to my immature ears

Although me and my friends are quite enthusiastic on audio stuff but none of us were experience listeners, thus i like to post a few question here hoping to obtain more knowledge before buying a better equalizer in a haste( i owned a 10band Marantz eq but it hardly ever achieved the fine tuning result like of the pro eq).


Does neutral matters that much since different DAC/speaker present different frequency curve anyway?
Why equalizer is essential in studio and stage music but often got reject in higher end home stereo?
People often claim they want to listen to the actual sound of the recording in accordance with the producers/engineers/musicians intention but how possible is that? It is not like our rooms and audio gears are identical to those use in the studio process of reproduction.

Appreciate any inputs, thanks.

 

[Shivam]

My music system doesn't reproduce very low frequencies and their is no punchy bass. The mid range to high frequencies, the response is good. I consider this also to be a colored system since it reduces the low frequencies but I find it enjoyable.
One of the best systems that I have ever heard was an active system incorporating a parametric equalizer tuned to the room's acoustics.

However most of the equalizers that I have heard tend to spoil the soundstage, mid-range (vocals) and if heavily manipulated they even take away the reality in the sound of instruments. I should however add that I have never heard any real high end equalizers or studio equalizers anytime in my life.

A lot of places where I have heard equalizers, the owners had set them in the classical 'hammock' configuration with lows and highs boosted and mid range cut down, without considering the room. This gives a good impact on club/party music but spoils the overall music.

 

[Audio_Freek]

Hello Loud,

Let me share my experience in working with Equalizer.Most of the audio fans love to listen to the neutral music and this would be possible with the original Source getting played in from a average setup going forward. I would say that the Equalizer played significant role (IMHO) When cassette's were dominating the music world. There were audio cassette studio who used equalizer for recording the tracks with added colours according to the customers request (Just adding bass, Rising the tone).I was been working in a audio recording studio, so i knew people were having different taste for a single track. In general, Music is music anyways but i love to hear music low bass and high tone during nights, High bass and mid tone during days and all would be turned to High when there is party. For same i prefer using Equalizer.

But you need to study some articles to completely understand on "How to use the Equlizer" when the are perfectly understood then you would become addiction sitting near the equalizer and keep starting reach on how you can make the track more beautiful for each and every track.

 

[jmascreen]

Will there be any difference using the equaliser plugin with foo bar etc?

 

[kanwar]

Aahah PRO AUDIO

Does neutral matters that much since different DAC/speaker present different frequency curve anyway?
Why equalizer is essential in studio and stage music but often got reject in higher end home stereo?
People often claim they want to listen to the actual sound of the recording in accordance with the producers/engineers/musicians intention but how possible is that? It is not like our rooms and audio gears are identical to those use in the studio process of reproduction.

In a way you have answered your Qs already.

Following are the key points why Equalizer is good.

1. Normal home environment is not a replica of studio environment.

2. Bass extension available at dedicated 'studios' are not seen anywhere in normal homes. People don't have large subwoofers to play with. They are happy with normal 10-12inchers. Those who have 21inchers at their homes are rare species.

3. The common audiophile notion of playing flat and listening to the so called flat response is an oxymoron in itself, the speakers are not guaranteed to produce exact replica of the concert/session just because of the lacking surroundings in home, you have reflections, limitations in system's response etc.

4. Equalizers helps in tweaking excessive peaking in mid/HF , and also helps in boosting of lower end to make authority in deeper notes. Responses such as warm, bright, harsh, thin, deep etc can be set with the help of EQ.[Rich audiophiles prefer cables and voodoo to achieve similar response]

YES, it is colored approach, but since the surroundings are itself lacking and systems not ideal, EQ is optimum tool if used with brains. It can make your system close to actual 'FLAT' or it can match the taste of an individual's listening preference.



My 3 cents

Kanwar

 

[kanwar]

i owned a 10band Marantz eq but it hardly ever achieved the fine tuning result like of the pro eq.

Thats why Pro-audio is called Pro:licklips:

You have options, you have tools, and there begins the FUN

 

[Audio_Freek]

Thats why Pro-audio is called Pro:licklips:

You have options, you have tools, and there begins the FUN

:clapping:
Its not only about the Tool, It matters how its been used. Every music director has a Studio and all of them never comes with same quality of ARR or Raja(Just for Example,i used the regional )

We have even audio engineering course, Interest, dedication and Knowledge would give a better feel.

I have seen few of my friends, who just colour the Music with their Equalizer,and gives fresh air to some music.I wonder, why the same was not thought by the music director too.

Pro Audio cannot be managed just like that.Some studies and research can do a lot,But some times you might be better than a audio enginner too with your skills in 10 band equalizer hyeah:

 

[loud]

Another common audiophile notion suggest that adding equalizer to the system's chain somehow degrade the sound quality because of circuit complexity, and the difference can only be distinguished in a highly transparent hi end system. It sounds logical and has been part of my belief for long but i'm yet to find an opportunity to observe the comparison in that hi end system. Anyone with direct experience can verified this?

 

[kanwar]

:clapping:
Its not only about the Tool, It matters how its been used.

We have even audio engineering course, Interest, dedication and Knowledge would give a better feel.

Pro Audio cannot be managed just like that.Some studies and research can do a lot,But some times you might be better than a audio enginner too with your skills in 10 band equalizer hyeah:

Agreed that the ignorance can lead to bigger pitfall.

I think those who are skilled in the art , never find it difficult to tune and if you are not, then even a 10 band EQ can ruin the listening as well.

But the fact remains that you have much more flexibility with Pro gear.[provided you know it how to use.]

 

[Audio_Freek]

Another common audiophile notion suggest that adding equalizer to the system's chain somehow degrade the sound quality because of circuit complexity, and the difference can only be distinguished in a highly transparent hi end system. It sounds logical and has been part of my belief for long but i'm yet to find an opportunity to observe the comparison in that hi end system. Anyone with direct experience can verified this?

I personally believe that only points to be noted when you like to decide upon using Equalizer.

1.If you have the FLAC\Original CD to Play all around? In this case there is No need for Equalizer as you dont need to colour it for your wish to bring back some thing laid back.
Eg: I have a Original CD for a track, so when its gets played i dont like to check out on the EQ settings at all the original would be better.
In case i play the same track in MP3 Now am sure some thing which is in Original cd would be missing in the MP3 Hence i try to boost that part to sound it bettter for me. Like hyping the tone or reducing the bass etc

2.Are you of such a nature that, Keep searching on some things in music when its getting played instead of Listening sometimes? Are you much interested in doing some crapy research and sommenting that, Ah this songs should have a High bass, this song is missing or hidden by Hi freq? etc


Your Point is absolutly right EQ interrupts the audio signal normally, but sometime for some sake i do love the interruptions toohyeah: but not always.Because i havent used any Hiend gear yet.

So Lets say Until i move to the complete FLAC or the raw format and with Hiend Setup I need to relay on EQ:lol:

 

[kanwar]

Another common audiophile notion suggest that adding equalizer to the system's chain somehow degrade the sound quality because of circuit complexity, and the difference can only be distinguished in a highly transparent hi end system. It sounds logical and has been part of my belief for long but i'm yet to find an opportunity to observe the comparison in that hi end system. Anyone with direct experience can verified this?

Yes, the direct path, its the shortest, its the cleanest, but what about the speakers, do they do equal justice with respect to surrounding environment.?

Direct path is good in electronics, but how would you define a direct path in acoustical domain? I can only imagine a direct acoustical path equals to listening to the instruments or the singer directly through your ears buy standing/sitting near to them.

Direct path won't enable you to balance the tonal details which are lacking in acoustical domain in which your ears hear the music. If the balance is disturbed by reflections and inadequate placement of speakers or the speakers are unable to produce desired frequencies, no amount of direct path can resolve it.

 

[loud]

Audio Freek :Are you of such a nature that, Keep searching on some things in music when its getting played instead of Listening sometimes? Are you much interested in doing some crapy research and sommenting that, Ah this songs should have a High bass, this song is missing or hidden by Hi freq? etc

Yes, the habit of finding fault in the music has grown more intense and i can hardly enjoy the music if the sound isn't right especially with the tone. Most of the time, i had to pick an album that sound good with my system rather than choosing the album i like.
I had given up using my 10band equalizer because the setting did not satisfy me but i was impressed with how the 31band pro equalizer altered the sound.

 

[anirbandd]

hmm.. so using an Eq is actually good depending on the person and the room?? good..