[barend]

Are there any EQ's in this world, aimed at the hifi market?

Meaning highend sound, nice looks, not in 19" rack size, phono sockets?

I want to EQ my front speakers' 80-200 Hz range, because of some ugly bumps that cannot be cured otherwise.

Tried a Behringer DEQ2496 digital EQ, but it degrades the sound.

I blame the AD converter, these operate best with a steady 0dB level, which is much more than my line level...only the bottom level LED blinks- sometimes.

Been looking at some 2x31ch-1/3 analog EQ's, but they're so ugly and big!

And I don't need all these faders above 200 Hz...

Thanks!

 

[petergaryr]

You may want to look at some pro gear. It isn't pretty, but it can be flexible.


Search for "equalizers" on either of these

http://www.pssl.com/

http://www.music123.com

 

[ericgl]

 http://www.audyssey.com/soundequalizer.html ?

http://www.velodyne.com/velodyne/pro...5&sid=631t572x

http://www.svsound.com/CES2007/SVS_AudyessyRelease.pdf

http://www.**********/products_catego...ssors&brand=48

 

[Sirquack]

You would be better off treating your room with bass traps and acoustic treatments first.

 

[Warpdrv]

+1 on the room treatments...


If your having issues, they can deffinately improve your responces....

 

[petergaryr]

Despite that I've pointed out some equalizers, let me add another +1 to room treatments as the first order of business...

 

[Thelonious Monk]

a dual 31 band graphic equalizer will give you a lot more control on the frequency response than throwing bass traps around the room. room treatments should be used to effect sound quality, not sound quantity, right?


edit: also, check out rane and dbx. top notch equalizers.


edit2: never use a microphone when trying to create a flat frequency response. flat to a microphone =/= flat to your ears. the bass and highs will be rolled off.

 

[petergaryr]

Some good points there. Unless you know what you are doing, you can destroy the sound rather badly with a poorly adjusted equalizer!

 

[Thelonious Monk]

yeah... it takes a lazy sunday and a lot of sine waves to make a truly flat in room response.

 

[DblHelix]

Rane and Audio control both make THX certified home equalizers that are quite nice.

 

[barend]

Thanks guys!

My wife would shoot me for placing ugly bass traps around the smallish sitting room, making it even smaller...

I use a Velodyne SMS1 to tame my 2 ACI subs (BTW- these are sitting in the corners BEHIND ME, which proved flattest) and adjusted the Velo BY EAR, which as was correctly pointed out is best- I tried many auto-EQ's but they never worked for me...

Bass

 

[barend]

Any comments on this one?
http://www.presonus.com/EQ3B.html

 

[DblHelix]

OK, I guess the rane items are no longer made. They were the THX 22 and the THX 44. May look around audiogon or ebay to try to find them. The Audio Control item is the Bijou.

 

[Grandarf]

Why are you not shooting it digital? I find its DAC does a great job, I think it's even a little cleaner than my NAD 541i cdp, but the NAD is a little smoother.


I agree about auto-EQ... does a soso job in my experience. By ear is the way to go.

 

[aviman33]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Thelonious Monk /forum/post/0


a dual 31 band graphic equalizer will give you a lot more control on the frequency response than throwing bass traps around the room. room treatments should be used to effect sound quality, not sound quantity, right?

Wrong, room treatments definitely influence sound quantity. Treatments can be used to absorb or reflect various frequencies, or even break up standing waves.



Jon

 

[ChrisWiggles]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Thelonious Monk /forum/post/0


edit2: never use a microphone when trying to create a flat frequency response. flat to a microphone =/= flat to your ears. the bass and highs will be rolled off.

I'm not sure what you mean "flat to your ears." Assuming the microphone is flat (not always a safe assumption), you want it flat to that, i.e. you want the speaker to be factually flat. You should not try to compensate for the natural response curves of your hearing.

 

[Jonomega]

Equalization cannot help with time domain problems (one note bass problems), only absorptive material can help the most. EQ works best below 60hz because this is where room acoustical absorption has less effect. For all problems above 60hz, I'd definitely go for some room treatments (all rooms have problems in this range).

 

[Kal Rubinson]

First, as much acoustical treatment of the room as possible and, second, the Rives PARC eq, if necessary.

 

[qxlxp]



Quote:
Originally Posted by barend /forum/post/0


Tried a Behringer DEQ2496 digital EQ, but it degrades the sound.

I blame the AD converter, these operate best with a steady 0dB level, which is much more than my line level...only the bottom level LED blinks- sometimes.

you shouldn't be blaming the a/d converter. you really have a problem with your signal levels as evidenced by your statement "only the bottom level LED blinks- sometimes". if you haven't already sold off the unit, there are several threads on avs that will help you get much better performance out of the unit.


since i get the impression that you aren't into tweaking, the rane thx unit would work well for you because it is designed to work with the output levels from consumer electronics (vs. pro gear). it is also designed to be rack mounted and comes with a front cover to keep people from messing with your settings. i don't remember for sure if the rack ears come off or not, but i think they do. with the front plate in place, it is fairly utilitarian looking.


i have owned the rane in the past and it is a nice unit, but it is not nearly as flexible as the behringer. i am currently using the behringer dcx units with martin-logans and don't have a problem with degraded sound quality, but i am running all my equipment at +4dBu (pro) levels.

 

[Thelonious Monk]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisWiggles /forum/post/0


I'm not sure what you mean "flat to your ears." Assuming the microphone is flat (not always a safe assumption), you want it flat to that, i.e. you want the speaker to be factually flat. You should not try to compensate for the natural response curves of your hearing.

give me a reason not to. one argument i will preempt is "BUT INSTRUMENTS DON'T COMPENSATE FOR YOUR HEARING". yeah, your room ain't a studio/concert hall. it's impossible to emulate the sound perfectly, might as well make it sound good in your room, to your ears.


EDIT: also, while i like presonus, a 3 band parametric equalizer is about as sloppy as it gets with eq.