[don_chuwish]

Not sure how dumb this question is but based on my lack of experience on the subject I'll assume the worst!
If I'm listening to a song and start fiddling with the Equalizer presets on my iPod I can make the song sound good or horrible. "R&B" seems to be pretty good for most of what we listen to, while "Rock" is sometimes better on other songs, for example. ("Pop" tends to be horrible even if the song is actually Pop!)
So it made me wonder, how do people who use sophisticated EQs and obsess over the the most minute adjustments make it sound right for a wide variety of music? If you have it perfected for jazz (or for a specific song even, like "Spanish Harlem" ) and then decide to play something completely different, do you fiddle with the EQ each time?

Thanks,
- D

 

[akbarelamin]

Good question, that's why I don't use an eq. CD's being sold today are too compressed and the volume is turned up too loud causing a nightmare for anyone looking to set their system up, to have a universally good sound. And to pour salt on an open wound, if your listening to mp3's save your money and keep the factory system.

 

[SlipAngle]

Good question, that's why I don't use an eq. CD's being sold today are too compressed and the volume is turned up too loud causing a nightmare for anyone looking to set their system up, to have a universally good sound. And to pour salt on an open wound, if your listening to mp3's save your money and keep the factory system.

less snob please...

You could install some spectrum analyzing software on a laptop and make sure your frequency response is at least 'on paper'. Then use your ears to fine tune what sounds best to you (all that matters in the end).

 

[akbarelamin]

Sorry, if I sounded like a snob. maybe it was a poor choice of words, I was just making a point about the lack of quality CD's being produced today with the loudness wars. I've tried using an eq, I've paid to have my system tuned and it never sound quite right whenever I switch genre's of music. Once, I removed the eq, I enjoyed my system a lot more!

 

[SlipAngle]

Sorry, if I sounded like a snob. maybe it was a poor choice of words, I was just making a point about the lack of quality CD's being produced today with the loudness wars. I've tried using an eq, I've paid to have my system tuned and it never sound quite right whenever I switch genre's of music. Once, I removed the eq, I enjoyed my system a lot more!

Some setting on that EQ should have sounded identically to not having it at all. How could providing the option of adjustment compromise the performance of something? Are you referring to the negligible amount of feedback the EQ introduces to the reproduced audio?

 

[lucas569]

my 880prs did a pretty good jub setting the eq by itself, i tweaked a couple frequencies but only by +1 (think i bumped up 500hz and 5000hz)

BUT im always messing with the sub level, most of the time i have it at -10 and it can go as high as -3 but thats about it as far as messing with eq.

 

[aztec1]

I fought with this exact issue for a long time, but found that once the EQ has been properly setup, adjustments aren't necessary, even over a huge variety of music.

If you're using an EQ to compensate for a poor quality recording, you'll be messing with it all the time though.

 

[don_chuwish]

Thanks for the inputs all. I'm already going through my song library and specifying EQ presets to songs based on Genre. Works OK for the most part, tho some songs/albums do require tweaking. It just got me wondering is all. Also found it interesting that if I pop in a CD it sounds "correct" as is, no EQ in the system. Maybe I'll just try turning off the iPod EQ.

- D

 

[phxgold]

Thats why I got the zapco unit it has 4 memory buttons. you can eq for cd eq for ipod eq for hd radio and eq for video input. hit a button. you can do th same for multiple genres as well.

Don explained this as the most important feature of the dash mounted control unit for the dsp6.

 

[don_chuwish]

Ah, several saved presets makes sense, so I guess you do just have to keep it out where you can operate it easily. I doubt I'll take my system that far but it's good to understand. Thanks!

- D

 

[Shannon]

Thats why I got the zapco unit it has 4 memory buttons. you can eq for cd eq for ipod eq for hd radio and eq for video input. hit a button. you can do th same for multiple genres as well.

Don explained this as the most important feature of the dash mounted control unit for the dsp6.

Now that is handy!

If I wasn't running Flat, i'd get something like that!

 

[gijoe]

Thanks for the inputs all. I'm already going through my song library and specifying EQ presets to songs based on Genre. Works OK for the most part, tho some songs/albums do require tweaking. It just got me wondering is all. Also found it interesting that if I pop in a CD it sounds "correct" as is, no EQ in the system. Maybe I'll just try turning off the iPod EQ.

- D

If your running your Ipod into your car stereo, you definitely want to turn the Ipod's EQ off, and keep it off. Any eq adjustments should be made on the stereo, not the ipod.

 

[don_chuwish]

If your running your Ipod into your car stereo, you definitely want to turn the Ipod's EQ off, and keep it off. Any eq adjustments should be made on the stereo, not the ipod.

Thanks, that makes sense. But at the moment I don't have an EQ on the stereo. What I've found is that leaving the iPod EQ off is the most generally acceptable sound. Any given song could sound better with the EQ on and properly tweaked, but then the next song may sound like crap. So for now, EQ off for me.

- D

 

[minibox]

I use the same eq setting for all my music and it all sounds good. If you balance your system properly then the music will sound as the recording artist intended. Just because someone says they can tune or you pay them to tune doesn't mean he's doing it right.