To EQ or not to EQ

gimpod

The real question is if your going to use an EQ ( )

will it be a Graphic (not as many buttons/sliders)



or a Parametric (Lot's of cool looking buttons/sliders)

txcoastal1

I have EQ'ed music using JRiver's EQ UI to improve usually hot, and poor recordings...Tweeks that should have been done during the mastering

Msabot1

Isn't that like covering up a bad case of BO with Old Spice??...it just does not work...if you start with garbage...the end result is garbage...

txcoastal1

I agree. My 2chnl systems are revealing and I like to listen to some of my music that is recorded badly (like Journey). So I do like cover up my BO...

"But when I do, I
use the best "Eau de Toilette"

Msabot1

Yea...I guess there is no perfect world?? You know some of those EQ's did their job.....And I like Dos XX......

Toolfan66

F1nut wrote: »

ZLTFUL wrote: »

But Jesse...he paid $4000!!!!

Slight correction, Ryan. They COSTED 4000 dollars.

OMG!!! That was funny!!!

schwarcw

I personally don't use an EQ in my system. There are a lot of folks that are using receivers for HT that are using EQ that come with the receiver such as Audyssey. I am impressed with the results of using Audyssey. I think another EQ technology that is making waves is Dolby's Atmos. I don't know much about it.

pitdogg2

I bought an EQ just for this troll so I can severely cut down on the whine coming from those B and W's
Look for a DBX 20/20 eq will give you everything YOU need...
I'm out.

tonyb

txcoastal1 wrote: »

I agree. My 2chnl systems are revealing and I like to listen to some of my music that is recorded badly (like Journey). So I do like cover up my BO...
"

Agreed.....also with the Journey comment of which I'm also a fan of. Such a good band ....such crappy recordings.

oldrocker

Please, I got my chops busted way more than that when I started here
That being said, these folks here do know a thing or 2 about audio.

tonyb

oldrocker wrote: »

Please, I got my chops busted way more than that when I started here
That being said, these folks here do know a thing or 2 about audio.

When we bust chops...it's all in good fun pal. Your OK in my book.

However, if you come in here with the proper attitude, act like a sponge and soak up some of the collective knowledge around here, you may learn a thing or too for yourself....and have some fun doing so. Speaking in general of course, not aimed at any one person.

One of the biggest things to learn on this forum imho anyway....is how to navigate the B.S. marketing and false info put out there and do away with some pre-conceived notions about audio. Once you get past that and start experimenting for yourself, your audio pleasure will increase 10 fold.

oldrocker

I just have to figure out how to "soak" up the knowledge without wetting my pants..

tonyb

oldrocker wrote: »

I just have to figure out how to "soak" up the knowledge without wetting my pants..

They have adult diapers for that...lol.

Many have crapped their shorts, had their sack blown back, soiled some tighty whitey's...that's the power of good audio.


Dang...that's sig material right there kids.

txcoastal1

When using software EQ you are not implementing anything to the hardware chain that create noise etc. IMHO just kinda remixing a poor recording at the source

tonyb

DSkip wrote: »

txcoastal1 wrote: »

When using software EQ you are not implementing anything to the hardware chain that create noise etc. IMHO just kinda remixing a poor recording at the source

Correct. Its all pre-processing.

....which goes back to the reason why nobody really uses hardware based equalizers anymore....and why they sell for 10-30 bucks on any craigslist. There are many software based equalizers out there, some better than others, but if a software based equalizer isn't cutting the mustard for you then your problems are elsewhere in your system.

Which again brings us back to the point we are trying to make to the OP, with little progress I might add.

jeremymarcinko

I agree the software itself doesn't cause noise, but rather the hardware used to implement it. Therefore the additional digital processing does in fact add noise. Every "AVR" that I have ever tested that has an auto eq will generate more hiss in the tweeters when the eq is on and the volume is up. Test it yourself. Pause your source put your ear close to the tweeter with the volume up, then compare with the eq off. Audyssey with dynamic eq on is the worst I have heard in this regard. Turning off dynamic eq will lessen the noise and even more if you turn the eq off. I first noticed this with my old Onkyo 705. I had it paired to a vintage Yamaha m60 with the large red meters on the front. Watching a movie at about -20 on the dial, when I paused it I noticed that the m60 meters didn't drop all of way down and was still showing approx. 2watts on the meter. I figured out just by turning off audyssey multeq the wattage meter would fall back to zero and back up to 2 just by turning audyssey off and on and of course the level of hiss in the tweeters would change accordingly. Since my Onkyo 717 had the same issue as well as my current Yamaha Rx-a1010 with the Yamaha being the quietest. Adding a panamax conditioner had no effect either and this is not ground loop related, just sayin.

txcoastal1

My EQ'ing is done from my software playback and file system...not AVR
Music is ripped to JRiver, EQ is in JRiver, Playback is from JRiver all decoded from source

B Run

txcoastal1

Oh BRun go catch your little rug princess and read her a story

B Run

txcoastal1 wrote: »

Oh BRun go catch your little rug princess and read her a story

She just turned 7 months and is already crawling so fast I can barely catch her!

vc69

Audio snob here, so for what it's worth:
B&W's have a certain sound. My old 801's require correction (http://kenrockwell.com/audio/b-w/800-series-bass-alignment-filter.htm)

Having said that. NEVER use an outboard EQ is my rule of thumb. If it needs EQ, something is wrong.
Room correction/time alignment is necessary for HT. For music, NEVER.

leftwinger57

Not sure if it's your speakers or combination of your entire set -up. Of course you can get a vintage SoundCraftsman eq but if this the 2-channel posts then a good preamp is all should need. I went from what I thought was a decent Onkyo P-301 to a NAD 1020a and the difference was that dramatic for the better. Good tone controls is all you should need. Truth be told most avrs have horrible eq reproduction.

tonyb

I think Elvis has left the building.....lol

cnh

What do you mean? I just shared a peanut butter and banana sandwich with Elvis this morning!

cnh

tonyb

cnh wrote: »

What do you mean? I just shared a peanut butter and banana sandwich with Elvis this morning!

cnh

I'm calling your wife....your meds need to be reduced something awful.

Thorton

jeremymarcinko wrote: »

I agree the software itself doesn't cause noise, but rather the hardware used to implement it. Therefore the additional digital processing does in fact add noise. Every "AVR" that I have ever tested that has an auto eq will generate more hiss in the tweeters when the eq is on and the volume is up. Test it yourself. Pause your source put your ear close to the tweeter with the volume up, then compare with the eq off. Audyssey with dynamic eq on is the worst I have heard in this regard. Turning off dynamic eq will lessen the noise and even more if you turn the eq off. I first noticed this with my old Onkyo 705. I had it paired to a vintage Yamaha m60 with the large red meters on the front. Watching a movie at about -20 on the dial, when I paused it I noticed that the m60 meters didn't drop all of way down and was still showing approx. 2watts on the meter. I figured out just by turning off audyssey multeq the wattage meter would fall back to zero and back up to 2 just by turning audyssey off and on and of course the level of hiss in the tweeters would change accordingly. Since my Onkyo 717 had the same issue as well as my current Yamaha Rx-a1010 with the Yamaha being the quietest. Adding a panamax conditioner had no effect either and this is not ground loop related, just sayin.

Not with my Marantz pre/pro. I just retested this and there is no increase in noise or hiss with eq on. I also test with dynamic eq on and off....no difference. I never noticed a difference with my older Denon either. My older Parasound had the ground loop hum. The Marantz and W4S combo has a very low noise floor. Your ear needs to be right next to the tweeter to hear any hum.

jeremymarcinko

I had a Marantz pre/pro several years ago (no audyssey, no hdmi) it also was dead quiet. No audible hiss whatsoever at any point on the dial. I have only used avr's since, all of which would hiss to some degree. It's good to know that the Marantz pre/pro's are still really good in that regard.

tonyb

Any hum or noise at all, ears up to the speaker or not, would drive me up a wall. My system has to be dead quiet. Can't tell you how many hours I used to spend chasing down dreaded ground loops. Thankfully, those days are gone.

[Deleted User]

Good ole Webb started a good thread