How to connect Equalizer to Stereo Amp?

[metalbandit]

Hi All,

I just got an Onkyo TX-8511 Stereo Receiver (100 W per channel), and am thinking of connecting it to an external equalizer to improve the sound output. Need some pointers on how to go about it, and whether it would really make a difference in the sound.

Thanks.

 

[dinyaar]

Hi Metal bandit,
It will affect the sound. It alters the frequencies (boosting/lowering). Would not suggest u do this but if u want to then this is the way.
U need one more(pair) of interlink cables. Connect your source(cdp/dvd etc) to the input of the EQ and connect the output of the EQ to the stereo receiver. So the chain is CDP-EQ-RECEIVER-SPEAKERS. Hence the signal is altered before it is amplified.
Rgds

 

[neo]

Hey! I think the eq can only alter the sound & not improve the sound out put.
What do you find lacking in the sound?
Which eq are you looking at? How Much are you goin to spend?
All the best.
Cheers

 

[metalbandit]

Hey! I think the eq can only alter the sound & not improve the sound out put.
What do you find lacking in the sound?
Which eq are you looking at? How Much are you goin to spend?
All the best.
Cheers

The sound was too harsh from my Polk Audio floorstanders. I am thinking whether it can be softened a bit. Not yet singled out any brand as such. Budget is around 4-5 K.

 

[metalbandit]

Hi Metal bandit,
It will affect the sound. It alters the frequencies (boosting/lowering). Would not suggest u do this but if u want to then this is the way.
U need one more(pair) of interlink cables. Connect your source(cdp/dvd etc) to the input of the EQ and connect the output of the EQ to the stereo receiver. So the chain is CDP-EQ-RECEIVER-SPEAKERS. Hence the signal is altered before it is amplified.
Rgds

Thanks for the quick reply dinyaar.. will definitely try this out...

 

[dinyaar]

Hi Again,
If u are playing it flat(no tweaking treble/bass) the sound is aggressive? What had u heard the speakers thru earlier when u liked the sound?
Am asking all this as i would not advise u to just go buy an equalizer as it can sound artificial and i dunno if any decent ones are available anymore.

Maybe u could try some cables and see if it tames the set up.(speaker cable/interlink etc)
Rgds

 

[smedhavi]

I think you are affected by the typical Onkyo sound. Which is impressive for the first few minutes (demos), but sounds harsh once you actually start listening for l.nger durations. Polk doesn't help too much in taming that.

What is the source that you are using?
The first step would be to use a warm sounding CD player.

Thanks,
Sharad

 

[metalbandit]

Hi Again,
What receiver is it? If u are playing it flat(no tweaking treble/bass) the sound is aggressive? What had u heard the speakers thru earlier when u liked the sound?
Am asking all this as i would not advise u to just go buy an equalizer as it can sound artificial and i dunno if any decent ones are available anymore.

Maybe u could try some cables and see if it tames the set up.(speaker cable/interlink etc)
Rgds

I had heard the speakers through a Denon 2308. Will try to change the interconnects which are local. Speaker Cables I am using are Illusion Audio Reference Speaker Cables, which are known to be very good.

 

[gobble]

Hi All,

I just got an Onkyo TX-8511 Stereo Receiver (100 W per channel), and am thinking of connecting it to an external equalizer to improve the sound output. Need some pointers on how to go about it, and whether it would really make a difference in the sound.

Thanks.

I too like my music on the PC equalized for "classical" or "rock" presets. but I do not feel the need for it on my dedicated audio setup. Yes it might help on the many CDs with bad recording that I am planning to junk becoz my audio setup brings out their flaws but I am not going to find out.

One problem I have with 10-band equalizers is that I start fiddling with the many controls when a song begins and find myself still fiddling when the song gets over and I realize I'd forgotten to listen and enjoy the music in the process

A parametric equalizer might help better where room acoustics need correcting.

Cheers

 

[surfatwork]

you could also try using a "warmer" source like some yamahas. that might attenuate the high end a bit.

 

[marsilians]

I had heard the speakers through a Denon 2308. Will try to change the interconnects which are local. Speaker Cables I am using are Illusion Audio Reference Speaker Cables, which are known to be very good.

Hi Metal B

You are looking at the wrong options to tinker with to reduce the harshness. Have you tried the reco's from Cranky? Also have you dampened your room with carpets, thick drapes etc.? Go ahead and post your listening area size, room/floor treatments, speaker placement, DSP settings, furniture etc. This is a cheaper and more tangible solution option than ICs and cables.

 

[marsilians]

you could also try using a "warmer" source like some yamahas. that might attenuate the high end a bit.

Where did you get that info from? Harshness is not localized to the high end only.

 

[neo]

Hey! Metalbandit
Try out what dinyaar & cranky have suggested.
The illusion cables may be good. But it is all about component matching so changing may help.
Since you are on limited budget try the cables form belden. They might help.
Also what is your front end?
All the best.
Cheers

 

[thevortex]

Metalbandit, for what it is worth, I dont hold out too much hope for taming that combination. Both of the components - Receiver and Speakers - are bright. The Polks, I would even describe as a tad harsh.

I have no experience with equalizers other than on the PC. A slightly more warmer speaker may have done the trick for you I guess.

Are you using the RTi range of Polk or the Tsi?

 

[Asit]

Hi Metalbandit,

I do not see how you can reduce harshness by using a graphic equalizer. I have used a very good quality graphic equalizer for 19 years, and I would not understand how it could reduce harshness. Graphic equalizers and any tone controls are not really advisable for a well-recorded source material. I have some recordings from early last century, and sometimes (not always) the equalizer helps.

We need to know what exactly you mean by harshness? Do you mean the music to be too shrill, with too much high frequency components? In that case an equalizer would help.

But by harshness I would mean lack of consonance in music, that is simultaneous presence of frequencies which are not harmonically related, for example the frequencies which are in the so-called Wolf interval. If such things happen, I would presume they are happening from your electronics and perhaps also cables (because they actually have non-linear response to electric signals in general, although it is not really clear to me) and I would not know how to get rid of them through a graphic equalizer.

In some cases, sound also seems harsh if there are no extensions of the musical notes. Presence of non-consonant frequencies would actually mean a complete absence of resonance and therefore non extension and this has been discussed in the above paragraph. But it can perhaps also happen due to placement of speakers, at wrong positions (as Cranky suggested), or on wrong or bad stands. This has actually happened to me once, and for a long time I could not understand how come there were no extensions of the sound, it was all very dry. There was no forum like this in those days, I finally found out accidentally when I had to move the speakers for some other reason.

Best wishes!

 

[metalbandit]

Hi All,

Thanks a ton for all your responses. It has given me a lot of insights, and I have identified the following things that need to be added or modified. Please feel free to add any more suggestions.

1. The speakers are Polk Audio TSi 400, they are just about 10 hours old in terms of play time. So I guess I need to give them enough time for break-in. Ideally, what would be a sufficient time period for this?

2. I have to get some good Interconnects, right now I am just using a local one which I got from the neighborhood Electronics shop.

3. Add some damping material like carpets or heavy curtains to the room decor.

4. Experiment with Speaker placement in the room.

5. Try a different Amp if possible.

6. Get a good source, probably a CA, Marantz or NAD CDP, if my budget permits. Right now its just a Sony CD Walkman (I guess this is the root cause).

 

[surfatwork]

Where did you get that info from? Harshness is not localized to the high end only.

Oh, I agree. I was making an assumption there. Very often, "harshness" is a symptom of badly controlled higher frequencies, which results in screechy treble. Since the original poster hasnt really defined what he/she means by "harshness", and nobody has asked, I guess this is as good an assumption as anything else.

 

[Nath13]

I had heard the speakers through a Denon 2308. Will try to change the interconnects which are local. Speaker Cables I am using are Illusion Audio Reference Speaker Cables, which are known to be very good.

hi
you are intending to use an equalizer coz you feel that your polk audio speakers are sounding harsh.At the first place i would like to tell you that these speakers are for the high energy music like hard rock, metal and death metal.The designer would have purposly designed it with response being rough edged, so that the speakers are dynamic.Now if you play layed back music like jazz western classical etc it will be harsh and your ear fatigue will be soon. The second thing now is the use of equalizer is to make the entair audio system sound flat (keeep in mind flat means flat on your ears not on the system by keeping all control knobs at zero position) for a given room and speaker position.coz some of the speaker's spec provided will be the parameters measured in controlled environment. If you measure the response of the same speaker in your room it will different coz of your room accoustics,to overcome the affect of room on the system ( speakers+amlifier+source) we use th equalizer. you can still use it to reduce the harshness but it is not worth your investment coz you are not gonna use the EQ to it best
i hope you followed

 

[Nath13]

Hi All,

Thanks a ton for all your responses. It has given me a lot of insights, and I have identified the following things that need to be added or modified. Please feel free to add any more suggestions.

1. The speakers are Polk Audio TSi 400, they are just about 10 hours old in terms of play time. So I guess I need to give them enough time for break-in. Ideally, what would be a sufficient time period for this?

2. I have to get some good Interconnects, right now I am just using a local one which I got from the neighborhood Electronics shop.

3. Add some damping material like carpets or heavy curtains to the room decor.

4. Experiment with Speaker placement in the room.

5. Try a different Amp if possible.

6. Get a good source, probably a CA, Marantz or NAD CDP, if my budget permits. Right now its just a Sony CD Walkman (I guess this is the root cause).

hi
wat kind of music you listen to if it is jazz.classical,western classical and you find the sound is harsh, your speakers are doing their job for wat they are designed, these are for music with high energy like hard rock, metal, death metal.if you are hard rock, metal and death metal listener and you find the same harshness then treat your room wit whatever you have mentioned

 

[metalbandit]

hi
wat kind of music you listen to if it is jazz.classical,western classical and you find the sound is harsh, your speakers are doing their job for wat they are designed, these are for music with high energy like hard rock, metal, death metal.if you are hard rock, metal and death metal listener and you find the same harshness then treat your room wit whatever you have mentioned

Hi Nath13,

Yes, I do listen to a lot of Metal, and what you say is right, I will have to do some changes in my room rather than just go for the equalizer..