Sorry this will be a rather long post. First off I have a 5.1 system with two front bookshelf speakers and the same speakers as surrounds in the back. I also have a matching center speaker that is somewhat small. My receiver has an equalizer on it that has completely lost me on what I need to change to make my speakers not sound so harsh. I think the highs are to grating and it doesn't have enough low end on any speaker. My setup is for movies, tv and gaming only. My speakers are set to small on the receiver and what follows are the EQ options as well as what I have them set at.

EQ Settings Range Currently Set At

Front Bass dB -10 - +10 0dB
Front Bass Hz 100Hz - 1.0kHz 250 Hz

Front Mid dB -10 - +10 0dB
Front Mid kHz 500Hz - 5.0kHz 1.2kHz

Front Treble dB -10 - +10 0dB
Front Treble kHz 1.0kHz - 10kHz 2.5kHz

Center Bass dB -10 - +10 0dB
Center Bass Hz 100Hz - 1.0kHz 250 Hz

Center Mid dB -10 - +10 0dB
Center Mid kHz 500Hz - 5.0kHz 1.2kHz

Center Treble dB -10 - +10 0dB
Center Treble kHz 1.0kHz - 10kHz 2.5kHz

Rear Bass dB -10 - +10 0dB
Rear Bass Hz 100Hz - 1.0kHz 250 Hz

Rear Mid dB -10 - +10 0dB
Rear Mid kHz 500Hz - 5.0kHz 1.2kHz

Rear Treble dB -10 - +10 0dB
Rear Treble kHz 1.0kHz - 10kHz 2.5kHz

Also my sub is attached to line level input and has a crossover setting of
50Hz - 150Hz which I currently have set to 100Hz.

Sorry for the extra long noob post and any help is greatly appreciated.

Sorry all of the spaces that I made when writing the post are removed so it should read
EQ Settings / Range / Currently Set At. So as an example:
Front Bass Hz / 100Hz - 1.0kHz / 250kHz

Thanks

So, basically, with all the settings ar 0db, there is no EQ in use. Unfortunately, there is no good answer for you. If you have specific problems, e.g., the center speaker is too bright, we might make some sugggestions but not otherwise. If the speakers are bad, they should be replaced.

What receiver is this? What speakers are these? What subwoofer?

Honestly, I would leave all the EQ trim levels set to "0dB" and this will effectively turn OFF any EQ functions of the receiver. All those settings are a "hornet's nest" if you asked me.

In a simplified explanation, if you want to know what those settings do, the frequency setting adjusts which frequency in any particular range is being raised or lowered by the other setting, which raises or lowers that particular frequency by a certain number of dBs; anywhere from -10dB to +10dB, with 0dB representing no change. When you raise or lower a particular set frequency, the other frequencies on either side of that frequency, higher and lower, are also raised or lowered along with the set frequency, but to a lesser degree. The closer frequencies to the frequency setting are raised or lowered more than the frequencies that are further from the frequency setting.

Sorry, but that is the best explanation I can give you without relying on graphs. Your receiver's manual should have an explanation of the EQ function.

For all channels, set the treble frequency to 6.5 kHz, with a 4.5 dB cut. Leave the others set to 0 dB. This will give you a small room x-curve FR (1.5 dB cut per octave), with the roll off starting at 2.2 kHz.

That is how I have my system set, and it works for DVD's very well. You can even play the system at a louder volume setting with this EQ. Perhaps you should also boost the subwoofer up a few dB, but do not EQ the bass for small speakers set to small.

What receiver is this? What speakers are these? What subwoofer?




All of those are good questions. Looks like Sony EQ to me.






Honestly, I would leave all the EQ trim levels set to "0dB" and this will effectively turn OFF any EQ functions of the receiver. All those settings are a "hornet's nest" if you asked me.




The EQ settings are only a "hornet's nest" if you don't know what to do with them. No EQ is better than the wrong or bad EQ!

The EQ settings are only a "hornet's nest" if you don't know what to do with them.
:rolleyes:

We've already been through this exact same thing with someone else, before. :D

If someone doesn't understand exactly how the EQ functions, then I think listening to the system "flat" is a good recommendation. In fact, I think listening to their system "flat" is good advice for most anyone, EQ or not.

Reading material. Note figure 4!


http://www.hps4000.com/pages/general/the_mythical_x_curve.pdf

DigitalFilth, are you talking about the xover for the sub in the receiver, or is on physically on the sub? If it's on the sub use 150Hz. If it's in the receiver 80-100Hz is fine for most.

If you don't have measurement gear you are going to have to do this by ear. You will need a decent set of headphones, an extra CD player w/ double disks (a computer will work as well with it's multiple outputs without dual disks), and some free time. What you want to do is listen to something on the headphones, and then play it back on one speaker at the time. While doing this play with the receivers EQ until you get them to sound pretty close to one another. Then just do the same on all the other speakers. One at the time, and don't think because you set the left one the right will be the same.


Here (http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:gQZWZ2xd80gJ:www.digitalprosound.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/mixing_excerpt1.htm+MIDBASS+LOW+BASS+OCTAVES&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=20&gl=us&client=opera) is a link to a site that might give you a better idea on what frequencies you may need to tweak while listening.

Good luck.

It could be the case that the bookshelf speakers are just harsh. Some smaller and/or more affordable speakers have really quite terrible distortion numbers, and at the very bottom end (bundled HTIB etc) you find speakers with a single element, or two elements with no good crossover filter.

Thank you all for the input I really am gratefull. I will follow your advice and will study up on the subject a bit before I jump into it. Yes I have sony gear all the way around and I will not upgrade until it dies. I am a proponent of tweaking the **** out of what you already have instead of upgrading all the time. And I do understand the concept of what the EQ does and have been listening to my system flat for so long that it really is starting to sound flat. As far as the sub is concerned I have it set to 100Hz and have always been under the impression that you need to set it at 80Hz? Is this wrong? Anyways thanks for all the input.

Cheers

Thank you all for the input I really am gratefull. I will follow your advice and will study up on the subject a bit before I jump into it. Yes I have sony gear all the way around and I will not upgrade until it dies. I am a proponent of tweaking the **** out of what you already have instead of upgrading all the time. And I do understand the concept of what the EQ does and have been listening to my system flat for so long that it really is starting to sound flat. As far as the sub is concerned I have it set to 100Hz and have always been under the impression that you need to set it at 80Hz? Is this wrong? Anyways thanks for all the input.

Cheers



What model Sony receiver are you using?

You have to be careful with that so called sub setting. Is that setting called the LFE high cut filter? If it is, then set it to around 120 Hz. If only filters LFE, not the subwoofer.

Are the small speaker crossovers adjustable? If so, anywhere between 80 and 120 Hz is just fine. The setting all depends on how capable your speakers are (AKA where they roll off). The smaller the speaker, the higher the setting.