I've never understood equalizers on audio equipment...

[brigden]

For instance, I have an equalizer in front of me that offers the following sliders:

63, 125, 250, 500, 1K, 2K, 4K, 8K, 16K

The range from -20 to +10 dB.

I'm a complete audio n00b, so in layman's terms, please.

 

[OutHouse]

i never understood that either.

 

[Bootprint]

some information as related to itunes.

 

[SynthDude2001]

You're adjusting the (relative?) volumes of sounds at certain frequencies...something like that.

 

[tweakmm]

Each of those numbers correspond to a frequency on the sound spectrum. Moving the slider up or down from the neutral position increases or decreases that frequencies loudness respectively.

Now as to the point, thats always lost me as I'm an audio purist and want as few things in between my source and my speakers, plus as a producer I think it slightly pretentious of the listener to think they know how the music should sound.

 

[Zenmervolt]

They increase or decrease the amplification of a specific frequency over a given baseline.

All sliders at 0 means that all levels are amplified to the given volume level. All sliders at -20 means they are amplified 20dB below the given volume level, +10 is 10dB above. The markings denote which frequencies (63Hz, 125Hz...8,000Hz, 16,000Hz) and allow you to adjust the amplification of the frequencies in relation to each other to boost bass, midrange, or treble in order to compensate for speaker design, speaker placement, room accoustics, type of sound being reproduced, and personal preference.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: tweakmm
Each of those numbers correspond to a frequency on the sound spectrum. Moving the slider up or down from the neutral position increases or decreases that frequencies loudness respectively.

Now as to the point, thats always lost me as I'm an audio purist and want as few things in between my source and my speakers, plus as a producer I think it slightly pretentious of the listener to think they know how the music should sound.

The problem with that philosophy is that not all speakers reproduce all frequencies at the same levels. Unless you're playing the recording back on _exactly_ the same equipment on which it was mastered, you're not getting the same sound as the mastering tech did unless you adjust your equalizer. Also, room accoustics make a _huge_ difference in which frequencies are amplified or attenuated, which further necessitates an equalizer.

ZV

 

[brigden]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
They increase or decrease the amplification of a specific frequency over a given baseline.

All sliders at 0 means that all levels are amplified to the given volume level. All sliders at -20 means they are amplified 20dB below the given volume level, +10 is 10dB above. The markings denote which frequencies (63Hz, 125Hz...8,000Hz, 16,000Hz) and allow you to adjust the amplification of the frequencies in relation to each other to boost bass, midrange, or treble in order to compensate for speaker design, speaker placement, room accoustics, type of sound being reproduced, and personal preference.

ZV

OK, thank you. Another question: On a HT set-up, there's just one EQ, but on a PC, like mine, for instance, I have two: NVMixer and the audio program I use to play music, like Winamp or WMP.

Should one or the other be flat? Should both be adjusted?

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: tweakmm
Each of those numbers correspond to a frequency on the sound spectrum. Moving the slider up or down from the neutral position increases or decreases that frequencies loudness respectively.

Now as to the point, thats always lost me as I'm an audio purist and want as few things in between my source and my speakers, plus as a producer I think it slightly pretentious of the listener to think they know how the music should sound.

The problem with that philosophy is that not all speakers reproduce all frequencies at the same levels. Unless you're playing the recording back on _exactly_ the same equipment on which it was mastered, you're not getting the same sound as the mastering tech did unless you adjust your equalizer. Also, room accoustics make a _huge_ difference in which frequencies are amplified or attenuated, which further necessitates an equalizer.

ZV

I'm well aware of this point and agree with it to some extent, but in the mix down a good producer should eq appropriately to sound good on a wide range of sources. Regardless, I still like to minimize the stops between my source and my speakers so even if I wanted to mess around with an EQ to make each album sound ideal I wouldn't.

Different strokes for different strokes.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: brigden

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
They increase or decrease the amplification of a specific frequency over a given baseline.

All sliders at 0 means that all levels are amplified to the given volume level. All sliders at -20 means they are amplified 20dB below the given volume level, +10 is 10dB above. The markings denote which frequencies (63Hz, 125Hz...8,000Hz, 16,000Hz) and allow you to adjust the amplification of the frequencies in relation to each other to boost bass, midrange, or treble in order to compensate for speaker design, speaker placement, room accoustics, type of sound being reproduced, and personal preference.

ZV

OK, thank you. Another question: On a HT set-up, there's just one EQ, but on a PC, like mine, for instance, I have two: NVMixer and the audio program I use to play music, like Winamp or WMP.

Should one or the other be flat? Should both be adjusted?

Both could be adjusted, it won't "hurt" anything, but assuming that they are both processing the audio signals then they will "piggyback" each other (i.e. if one is set to -20 and the other to +10, the overall will be -10).

What seems easiest to me is to adjust the main equalizer for your "normal" sounds or for a program that you use often that doesn't have its own equalizer and then use the equalizers that are built into the other programs to tweek the sound specifically for those other programs.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: tweakmm

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: tweakmm
Each of those numbers correspond to a frequency on the sound spectrum. Moving the slider up or down from the neutral position increases or decreases that frequencies loudness respectively.

Now as to the point, thats always lost me as I'm an audio purist and want as few things in between my source and my speakers, plus as a producer I think it slightly pretentious of the listener to think they know how the music should sound.

The problem with that philosophy is that not all speakers reproduce all frequencies at the same levels. Unless you're playing the recording back on _exactly_ the same equipment on which it was mastered, you're not getting the same sound as the mastering tech did unless you adjust your equalizer. Also, room accoustics make a _huge_ difference in which frequencies are amplified or attenuated, which further necessitates an equalizer.

ZV

I'm well aware of this point and agree with it to some extent, but in the mix down a good producer should eq appropriately to sound good on a wide range of sources. Regardless, I still like to minimize the stops between my source and my speakers so even if I wanted to mess around with an EQ to make each album sound ideal I wouldn't.

Different strokes for different strokes.

Ahh, see, I'm one of those people who is always fiddling with the EQ. And you're right, if it sounds good to you, more power to you. I know that the type of sound I prefer isn't what everyone else always likes. (I tend to like a very "crisp" sound, so while I do up the bass a little bit, the midrange and treble are usually pretty well accentuated.)

ZV

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: tweakmm

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: tweakmm
Each of those numbers correspond to a frequency on the sound spectrum. Moving the slider up or down from the neutral position increases or decreases that frequencies loudness respectively.

Now as to the point, thats always lost me as I'm an audio purist and want as few things in between my source and my speakers, plus as a producer I think it slightly pretentious of the listener to think they know how the music should sound.

The problem with that philosophy is that not all speakers reproduce all frequencies at the same levels. Unless you're playing the recording back on _exactly_ the same equipment on which it was mastered, you're not getting the same sound as the mastering tech did unless you adjust your equalizer. Also, room accoustics make a _huge_ difference in which frequencies are amplified or attenuated, which further necessitates an equalizer.

ZV

I'm well aware of this point and agree with it to some extent, but in the mix down a good producer should eq appropriately to sound good on a wide range of sources. Regardless, I still like to minimize the stops between my source and my speakers so even if I wanted to mess around with an EQ to make each album sound ideal I wouldn't.

Different strokes for different strokes.

Ahh, see, I'm one of those people who is always fiddling with the EQ. And you're right, if it sounds good to you, more power to you. I know that the type of sound I prefer isn't what everyone else always likes. (I tend to like a very "crisp" sound, so while I do up the bass a little bit, the midrange and treble are usually pretty well accentuated.)

Yeah, I'm probably a bit too anal about the signal stops too, I'm really considering modding my NAD to cut out the balance, bass and treble controls from the signal path.

 

[flot]

Everyone's replies have been pretty accurate - it is to boost/lower specific frequency ranges. It should be noted though that each slider with the # above it corresponds to the middle of a curve. So if you push the "50 hz" slider up to +10 db, you are actually moving 50hz +10b, but then say 40hz and 60 hz each go up +5 db, and say 30 hz and 70 hz each go up +3 db. Make sense?

There are two "legitimate" uses for an EQ:

1) To tailor the music to the way YOU like it. IE the idiots going down the road with the subwoofers 10x louder than the rest of the music

2) To tailor the sound to your particular room / speakers

I should point out that #1 is the most likely case. A real audio purist would use an equalizer VERY VERY sparingly, and only in extreme cases.

High end audio gear does not come with equalizers. Mass market gear does because people assume that they are getting something fancy and sophisticated.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: tweakmm
Each of those numbers correspond to a frequency on the sound spectrum. Moving the slider up or down from the neutral position increases or decreases that frequencies loudness respectively.

Now as to the point, thats always lost me as I'm an audio purist and want as few things in between my source and my speakers, plus as a producer I think it slightly pretentious of the listener to think they know how the music should sound.

Actually, the purpose is not to change how the music sounds but to make up for deficiencies in the equipment, matching it even closer to how the producer intended. Of course, it's become an effects system nowadays. I still use mine to match my speakers to each other.

 

[NL5]

Originally posted by: flot
Everyone's replies have been pretty accurate - it is to boost/lower specific frequency ranges. It should be noted though that each slider with the # above it corresponds to the middle of a curve. So if you push the "50 hz" slider up to +10 db, you are actually moving 50hz +10b, but then say 40hz and 60 hz each go up +5 db, and say 30 hz and 70 hz each go up +3 db. Make sense?

There are two "legitimate" uses for an EQ:

1) To tailor the music to the way YOU like it. IE the idiots going down the road with the subwoofers 10x louder than the rest of the music

2) To tailor the sound to your particular room / speakers

I should point out that #1 is the most likely case. A real audio purist would use an equalizer VERY VERY sparingly, and only in extreme cases.

High end audio gear does not come with equalizers. Mass market gear does because people assume that they are getting something fancy and sophisticated.

Also note that almost all EQ's are fairly sonically destructive.....

edit - this ones not bad - it's made by one of the inventors of the parametric eq -

http://www.mercenary.com/gml82pareq.html

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: tweakmm
Each of those numbers correspond to a frequency on the sound spectrum. Moving the slider up or down from the neutral position increases or decreases that frequencies loudness respectively.

Now as to the point, thats always lost me as I'm an audio purist and want as few things in between my source and my speakers, plus as a producer I think it slightly pretentious of the listener to think they know how the music should sound.

Actually, the purpose is not to change how the music sounds but to make up for deficiencies in the equipment, matching it even closer to how the producer intended. Of course, it's become an effects system nowadays. I still use mine to match my speakers to each other.

Well, that may be what they are "for" but that is not how the vast majority of people use them. What exactly do you mean match each speaker to each other? Do you have different amps for each speaker or different speakers?

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: tweakmm

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: tweakmm
Each of those numbers correspond to a frequency on the sound spectrum. Moving the slider up or down from the neutral position increases or decreases that frequencies loudness respectively.

Now as to the point, thats always lost me as I'm an audio purist and want as few things in between my source and my speakers, plus as a producer I think it slightly pretentious of the listener to think they know how the music should sound.

Actually, the purpose is not to change how the music sounds but to make up for deficiencies in the equipment, matching it even closer to how the producer intended. Of course, it's become an effects system nowadays. I still use mine to match my speakers to each other.

Well, that may be what they are "for" but that is not how the vast majority of people use them.

Yeah, and the vast majority of people are asshats.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

the EQ is only half the equation. http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=390-805

you use one of those with a function generator or a pink noise generator to correctly adjust the EQ.

you don't need a spectrum analyzer to get some use out of an EQ. i have my room set up for 4 way suround. but the front and rears are diffrent types of speakers on diffrent amplifiers so i use an EQ to balance output

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: flot
Everyone's replies have been pretty accurate - it is to boost/lower specific frequency ranges. It should be noted though that each slider with the # above it corresponds to the middle of a curve. So if you push the "50 hz" slider up to +10 db, you are actually moving 50hz +10b, but then say 40hz and 60 hz each go up +5 db, and say 30 hz and 70 hz each go up +3 db. Make sense?

There are two "legitimate" uses for an EQ:

1) To tailor the music to the way YOU like it. IE the idiots going down the road with the subwoofers 10x louder than the rest of the music

2) To tailor the sound to your particular room / speakers

I should point out that #1 is the most likely case. A real audio purist would use an equalizer VERY VERY sparingly, and only in extreme cases.

High end audio gear does not come with equalizers. Mass market gear does because people assume that they are getting something fancy and sophisticated.

Also note that almost all EQ's are fairly sonically destructive.....

edit - this ones not bad - it's made by one of the inventors of the parametric eq -

http://www.mercenary.com/gml82pareq.html

EQing the digital signal isn't so bad.

 

[brigden]

I've got a third question: Would one be able to hear the imperfections of an mp3 more easily on a higher quality sound card?

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: brigden
I've got a third question: Would one be able to hear the imperfections of an mp3 more easily on a higher quality sound card?

Any modern soundcard is MORE than capable of making MP3 compression artifacts plainly obvious.

Viper GTS

 

[Vic]

EQ's are to compensate for poor audio equipment that inaccurately reproduces the music.

/thread

 

[NL5]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: flot
Everyone's replies have been pretty accurate - it is to boost/lower specific frequency ranges. It should be noted though that each slider with the # above it corresponds to the middle of a curve. So if you push the "50 hz" slider up to +10 db, you are actually moving 50hz +10b, but then say 40hz and 60 hz each go up +5 db, and say 30 hz and 70 hz each go up +3 db. Make sense?

There are two "legitimate" uses for an EQ:

1) To tailor the music to the way YOU like it. IE the idiots going down the road with the subwoofers 10x louder than the rest of the music

2) To tailor the sound to your particular room / speakers

I should point out that #1 is the most likely case. A real audio purist would use an equalizer VERY VERY sparingly, and only in extreme cases.

High end audio gear does not come with equalizers. Mass market gear does because people assume that they are getting something fancy and sophisticated.

Also note that almost all EQ's are fairly sonically destructive.....

edit - this ones not bad - it's made by one of the inventors of the parametric eq -

http://www.mercenary.com/gml82pareq.html

EQing the digital signal isn't so bad.

George Massenburg would diasagree - but then, who the hell is he anyway?!?!?!?

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: flot
Everyone's replies have been pretty accurate - it is to boost/lower specific frequency ranges. It should be noted though that each slider with the # above it corresponds to the middle of a curve. So if you push the "50 hz" slider up to +10 db, you are actually moving 50hz +10b, but then say 40hz and 60 hz each go up +5 db, and say 30 hz and 70 hz each go up +3 db. Make sense?

There are two "legitimate" uses for an EQ:

1) To tailor the music to the way YOU like it. IE the idiots going down the road with the subwoofers 10x louder than the rest of the music

2) To tailor the sound to your particular room / speakers

I should point out that #1 is the most likely case. A real audio purist would use an equalizer VERY VERY sparingly, and only in extreme cases.

High end audio gear does not come with equalizers. Mass market gear does because people assume that they are getting something fancy and sophisticated.

Also note that almost all EQ's are fairly sonically destructive.....

edit - this ones not bad - it's made by one of the inventors of the parametric eq -

http://www.mercenary.com/gml82pareq.html

EQing the digital signal isn't so bad.

George Massenburg would diasagree - but then, who the hell is he anyway?!?!?!?

I don't know, but I'm not sure if he's adamantly opposed to any kind of digital EQ. Some kinds of EQ you shouldn't do (whether in the analog or digital domain) but things like Linkwitz transforming, linear phase filtering, etc. should not be done to analog signals.

 

[NL5]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: flot
Everyone's replies have been pretty accurate - it is to boost/lower specific frequency ranges. It should be noted though that each slider with the # above it corresponds to the middle of a curve. So if you push the "50 hz" slider up to +10 db, you are actually moving 50hz +10b, but then say 40hz and 60 hz each go up +5 db, and say 30 hz and 70 hz each go up +3 db. Make sense?

There are two "legitimate" uses for an EQ:

1) To tailor the music to the way YOU like it. IE the idiots going down the road with the subwoofers 10x louder than the rest of the music

2) To tailor the sound to your particular room / speakers

I should point out that #1 is the most likely case. A real audio purist would use an equalizer VERY VERY sparingly, and only in extreme cases.

High end audio gear does not come with equalizers. Mass market gear does because people assume that they are getting something fancy and sophisticated.

Also note that almost all EQ's are fairly sonically destructive.....

edit - this ones not bad - it's made by one of the inventors of the parametric eq -

http://www.mercenary.com/gml82pareq.html

EQing the digital signal isn't so bad.

George Massenburg would diasagree - but then, who the hell is he anyway?!?!?!?

I don't know, but I'm not sure if he's adamantly opposed to any kind of digital EQ. Some kinds of EQ you shouldn't do (whether in the analog or digital domain) but things like Linkwitz transforming, linear phase filtering, etc. should not be done to analog signals.

Can you post a link on Linkwitz transforming? You have got my curiosity up. I am familiar with his work on crossover networks, but not on EQ's.

Thnaks!