Is there a method to setting an equalizer?

[RaynorWolfcastle]

or do you just listen to your speakers and try to adjust for best sound?

<--Trying to get the best sound before recording music onto his MD player

heh, just realized that this post made me a platinum member

 

[fatbaby]

it should generally form a "v" shape

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: fatbaby
it should generally form a "v" shape

fair enough, any idea why?

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: fatbaby
it should generally form a "v" shape

Yes; that's called a "response curve" and the shape of the curve found to be most pleasing to the human ear is that "V" shape.

What most people don't understand is that an EQ should be mostly used for CUTTING frequencies, not BOOSTING them. In certain situations, like car audio, you need a boost in the bass frequency area to compensate for the low-frequency road noise that comes up thru the floor.

However, in the mobile environment, middle frequencies, especially in the 1-8KHz range usually need severe cutting.

If you look at the EQs used in a club, for example, they will look NOTHING like what you might expect them to look like. EQs are used to cut frequencies that are overbearing, either b/c of room design/reflection or equipment problems/shortcomings.

But, I know what you're trying to do. Do this:

Start with everything at zero (middle detent) position. Slowly move each slider, one by one and hear what it's doing to your sound. This band boosts/cuts the kick drum. This band, the female voices. This band, the cymbals, etc, etc. Work with a song you're familiar with. Preferably something w/vocals. YOu'll get it after a lot of trial and error.

 

[Ns1]

you get an rta and try to make the graph as linear as possible

usually when you have a system it'll have a buncha dips and peaks in the graph, you use the eq to balance all that out


at least i'm 90% sure that's correct

 

[BillGates]

I always thought an equalizer was there so that you could adjust the way your music sounds to your likings. If you like more bass, less treble, or both, you can do so quickly and easily - that said there isn't any real standard method of doing so as it's all personal preference and perception.

(Ever notice when you ride in some friends' cars that they think their stereo sounds great and to you it sounds horrible?)

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: icecool83

Originally posted by: fatbaby
it should generally form a "v" shape

fair enough, any idea why?

Because the "V" part of the "V" curve are the midrange frequencies. Human hearing is most sensitive in the 1KHz to 8KHz range. Hence, the cut in the middle of the 20Hz to 20KHz range found on most EQ's.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
you get an rta and try to make the graph as linear as possible

usually when you have a system it'll have a buncha dips and peaks in the graph, you use the eq to balance all that out


at least i'm 90% sure that's correct

If you're competing in the RTA (Real Time Analyzer) portion in a pro (IASCA) tournament, then yes. A FLAT response curve sounds like sh1t...really. There's what SOUNDS good and what LOOKS good on a RTA (Real Time Analyzer). Flat RTA sounds horrible. All pro-level car audio competitors have multi EQ systems that they switch in and out. One for RTA and one for SQ (Sound Quality). The SQ portion is where your response curve will look like a V.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: MichaelD

Originally posted by: icecool83

Originally posted by: fatbaby
it should generally form a "v" shape

fair enough, any idea why?

Because the "V" part of the "V" curve are the midrange frequencies. Human hearing is most sensitive in the 1KHz to 8KHz range. Hence, the cut in the middle of the 20Hz to 20KHz range found on most EQ's.

after fooling around with it a bit, I'm sticking to an "almost v". It's pretty close to a v but the last (60 Hz) band is cut a bit more than the 170 Hz band because otherwise I get distortion (odd since I'm outputting optical and recording optical )

Thanks for the explanation, it seems reasonnable. Now you can check out my answer in your optical sensor toaster

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: MichaelD

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
you get an rta and try to make the graph as linear as possible

usually when you have a system it'll have a buncha dips and peaks in the graph, you use the eq to balance all that out


at least i'm 90% sure that's correct

If you're competing in the RTA (Real Time Analyzer) portion in a pro (IASCA) tournament, then yes. A FLAT response curve sounds like sh1t...really. There's what SOUNDS good and what LOOKS good on a RTA (Real Time Analyzer). Flat RTA sounds horrible. All pro-level car audio competitors have multi EQ systems that they switch in and out. One for RTA and one for SQ (Sound Quality). The SQ portion is where your response curve will look like a V.

ah; thats' a big 10-4

hey mike, are you on caraudioforum?

 

[Lithium381]

it should look more like a head on view of a seagull....or at least the general sketch look, but slightly smoother on the curves.......a boost on bass and trebble, a little dip in mid-range.....but it's all preference, that's just pretty "standard" if you have winamp, mess around with it's equalizer and you'll learn what they do, it's pretty simple! good luck

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis

Originally posted by: MichaelD

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
you get an rta and try to make the graph as linear as possible

usually when you have a system it'll have a buncha dips and peaks in the graph, you use the eq to balance all that out


at least i'm 90% sure that's correct

If you're competing in the RTA (Real Time Analyzer) portion in a pro (IASCA) tournament, then yes. A FLAT response curve sounds like sh1t...really. There's what SOUNDS good and what LOOKS good on a RTA (Real Time Analyzer). Flat RTA sounds horrible. All pro-level car audio competitors have multi EQ systems that they switch in and out. One for RTA and one for SQ (Sound Quality). The SQ portion is where your response curve will look like a V.

ah; thats' a big 10-4

hey mike, are you on caraudioforum?

I'm on the EliteCarAudio forums....Is that what you mean? I'm not there everyday though.

 

[deerslayer]

I always set mine to a V shape, but not a sharp V. Just my tastes though.

 

[Pastore]

caraudio.com forums? im there same name...

 

[MichaelD]

Right here. Excellent source of info and insider info too. You need to register to view the forums, that's why I didn't link to them. Easy enough to do.

ps
Maybe Skoorb could check out the nice Sentra install they have featured and forget about that Maxima, eh?

 

[Ns1]

i was referring to caraudioforum actually

 

[Shockwave]

Actually, in a car environment, you dont WANT an EQ at all. If your EQ'in alot, you have a bad install.
Read this thread. and focus on what Richard Clark says.