How to optimize sound quality with headphones

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
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I wear my headphones a lot because I'm in a noisy dorm. Currently I'm using Shure E2Cs (not that great, I know), but I don't plan on upgrading since I'm moving out of the dorms soon.

I'm wondering if there is a specific way I should setup my equalizer to get the best results.
 

PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
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While I see value to EQ with speaker systems, Ideally I would turn EQ off when using headphones. It's a sealed environment that is not affected by reflections and resonances.

If you really want to use an Equilizer. You should set it so it follows a trend that is opposite this graph:

graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=483

Copy and paste
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
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Thats what I've been doing currently. I'm used to using decent quality speakers with no EQ, I wasn't sure if headphones were the same story.
 

PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
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Originally posted by: Leros
Thats what I've been doing currently. I'm used to using decent quality speakers with no EQ, I wasn't sure if headphones were the same story.

see my edit
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
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So where that graph says X decibels, I should set my equalizer to -X decibels?
 

PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
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Originally posted by: Leros
So where that graph says X decibels, I should set my equalizer to -X decibels?

That is the general idea. However, this graph shows dbr which I am not sure what the r stands for. There is more than one form of decibel measurement so it may not be as easy as setting it to exactly the opposite. Some experimentation wll be needed
 

NanoStuff

Banned
Mar 23, 2006
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That's a diffuse field measurement, and dBr is a relative measurement. Relative to what is anybody's guess, my guess would be unequalized response of the headphones. More likely however it doesn't mean anything at all in this case. There is a reason why the E2Cs have this frequency response, it's no engineering mistake. You can try cancelling it out but you probably won't be amazed with the results. Diffuse field can harm as much as it can help, it varies greatly based on ear structure. I'm aware these are canal phones, but your perception of sound is based on ear structure regardless. It wouldn't make much sense trying to EQ it unless you know exactly what you're doing, a job like that will require crafty parametric tweaking.

The best thing you can do is to use the Steinberg externalizer.dll VST. As I said, this is a VST, so you will need to accompany VST support in whichever player you are using. If it's a portable player you're probably out of luck, portable players are unfortunately ******. Otherwise it could greatly enhance your listening experience, in fact I'm convinced it will. The plug-in implements the necessary crossfeed all headphone plug-ins must have and it does a particularly good job at it. From what I remember of my analysis of it's spectral filter, it also implements what is known as a 'pinna notch' which is a simplified version of the diffuse field in your headphones. Simplified is good in this case, but things might get a little too 'notchy' in your situation. See if raising an 8kHz band some 10dB helps, and I mean really helps, not make believe helps. And by raise I ofcourse mean relative raise, as in don't actually increase 8kHz gain, but decrease everything else, and by this I don't mean drag all EQ sliders down, I mean reduce the preamp gain on your EQ to compensate so you don't clip. If you're confused, it's really not worth thinking about it too much, just implement the VST and leave it at that, the results will be satisfactory in themselves. As to how to implement it, that depends, look into VST support for your player.

http://www4.rapidupload.com/d.php?file=dl&filepath=35466