what is the difference between graphic and spectrum equalizer

vmscbe1974

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i was advised to get a spectrum equalizer than graphic equalizer for vinyl listening. iam confused about the difference as i have no input or idea for spectrum equalizer.
 
i was advised to get a spectrum equalizer than graphic equalizer for vinyl listening. iam confused about the difference as i have no input or idea for spectrum equalizer.

I must admit Iam hearing that word spectrum equalizer for the first time too. Know spectrum analysers, but not equalizers :D

By the way what are you trying to achieve with a graphic equalizer too. Iam just curious as I've never used one. Thanks for your time
 
i was advised to get a spectrum equalizer than graphic equalizer for vinyl listening. iam confused about the difference as i have no input or idea for spectrum equalizer.

The one who advised would have definitely asked you to go for a Graphic Equalizer WITH the Spectrum analyzer/display probably to derive some punch out of your old Vinyls.

A Graphic Equalizer, AKA, Equalizer is an optional audio component that allows you to have a control over the frequencies of your source. It is similar to any other equalizer embedded as part of the audio software in your devices. Here you are looking for a dedicated hardware component.

These Graphic Equalizers may/may not include the Spectrum Display/Analyzer, that allows you to have a look at the frequencies in the form of a display, usually a colored display for convenience. You can have a look at the lows, mids & highs right there on the graphic EQ.

Do google the images of the below models for

1) A Graphic Equalizer Without Spectrum Display/Analyzer:

Yamaha EQ-70

2) An example of a Graphic Equalizer With Spectrum Display/Analyzer:

Yamaha EQ-550

Hope this answers you.
 
I must admit Iam hearing that word spectrum equalizer for the first time too. Know spectrum analysers, but not equalizers :D

By the way what are you trying to achieve with a graphic equalizer too. Iam just curious as I've never used one. Thanks for your time
spectrum analyser is the old school 'dancing lights' for showing the level of loudness of each frequency. its a visualisation of the sound playing, while eq is a tool to manipulate the sound altering the loudness levels of various frequencies.
 
If you have a decent source, amplifier and speakers, equalizers are not required. As hifitoaster said, it is a device to manipulate sound. i used to have a Yamaha equalizer. I bought it because I fancied the dual spectrum analyzer dancing almost to the music. But the sound was totally corrupted.
Actually i too removed the equalizer from my set up. but got into dilemma after the info on spectrum/parametric/graphic equalizers. Still contemplating for parametric equalizer for reproducing music from 78 rpm records with less surface noise.
regards
srinivasan
 
Hi...how about a Mcintosh or Lyngdorf fully automatic Room Perfect processors. Set up the mic at your listing position and a few other positions through out the room for the processor/computer to get the knowledge of your speaker and listening space. Wait a few minutes to crunch some numbers and then you have everything voiced, either for just your listing position or for the total preferred listening area.
 
Hi...how about a Mcintosh or Lyngdorf fully automatic Room Perfect processors. Set up the mic at your listing position and a few other positions through out the room for the processor/computer to get the knowledge of your speaker and listening space. Wait a few minutes to crunch some numbers and then you have everything voiced, either for just your listing position or for the total preferred listening area.

Hello and welcome to the forum!


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Actually i too removed the equalizer from my set up. but got into dilemma after the info on spectrum/parametric/graphic equalizers. Still contemplating for parametric equalizer for reproducing music from 78 rpm records with less surface noise.
regards
srinivasan
Have you checked out the Puffin phono stage. Loads of features and also specific set of features for 78 rpm. Haven't personally heard that, but lot of rave reviews and plenty mention of how it works well with 78 rpm records. Check out the link.

Puffin by Parks Audio
 
The real reason for an equalizer is to reverse the coloring the the source / amp / speakers and the ROOM makes before the sound reaches ur ear. The freq of bands given on the eq represent the middle frequency of the octave they belong and it doesn't mean that alone is getting adjusted. The frequencies around it also get adjusted like an umbrella curve. The band's are chosen in such a way that each of them belong to a psycho acoustic frequency bin which will can be adjusted without messing up the near by bin.

For most us, its bassbosst and treble boost controls;) a 13 band eq is really a wonderful device if we know what we are doing and we know humans hear. Psycho acoustically the masking in frequency domain is always relative to what frequencies are present in the audio and how loud each of them are. Sometimes a masked frequency can be revealed by reducing the loudness of the frequency it makes or by increasing the loudness of it. The key is difference which makes us hear it as two different frequencies.

Sometimes if we have a bad speaker which has ridiculous peaks, to create this difference the masker can be raised above 0 level and masked can be reduced below zero level. So sometimes, when we look at curve it can look weird but it can sound alright. All zero is ideal only for an anechoic chamber with super flat system.

What eq cannot correct is the speed of the system, where the temporal masking comes in , so suddenly an eq cannot make a system perfect. But with fast amps and fast speakers which does not distort to the eq(hardware clipping in amp, speaker cone distortion, another new cabin resonance which we did not expect while boosting or reducing a freq) it can do wonders.

Some speakers may be already running at it's best glorious state turned by the manufacturer(may not be flat, even if flat under ideal room conditions). On these if we change anything sound can get screwed up.
 
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