At 62 years old it's my ears that need help now not my equipment. I will unabashedly molest a signal if I can hear it again like I did 30 years ago. My EQ helps me in that regard but I understand what you are saying. Thanks.
just imagine a TV set WITHOUT color, brightness, contrast, controls..and they say thats the perfect picture you must not alter it in any way...what would you say??
I do not agree with this answer. Even if you have the perfect recording and the perfect speakers, you are probably not going to have the best room, sound interactions with a room can create peaks and valleys in your room, and having an equalizer to be able to compensate for those issues is extremely helpful. It is through EQ and other filters that room correction software makes your system sound right.
I bought an AUDIOCONTROL EQ called The Rialto and it REALLY improved the sound the way I like it. I used to have people listen and then turn it off and on and NOT ONE preferred the un-Equalized sound.
I ask myself why the eq has virtually disappeared on nearly a daily basis. It's almost like a bunch of guys got together in a room back in the 90s and asked, "Hey, what's the most popular and most highly coveted piece of every teenager's rack system?" In unison, everyone replied, "Hands down, the equalizer. They love the lights." "Okay then, let's get rid of that part." What a shame. The lights were the best part.
Uhm, equalizers are still used today and they are quite popular, thou nowadays they are build as DSPs, for example a MiniDSP which I use for my system. I use it as a crossover and delay between my woofers and my tops, I use it to EQ my woofers for fixing bass problems (working just fine!) and I also EQ the whole system to make it sound just the way I want it to sound. So yeah, I would recommend you getting an EQ/DSP, they can do wonders for your system!
An equalizer is a powerful tool. It takes a good ear, acquiring the skill to use it to advantage and a lot of patience. Like all powerful tools it can wreak havoc if it is misused. Its purpose is to correct or reduce frequency response distortion. When used skillfully it accomplishes it's goal. When used by people who lack one or more of the criteria I mentioned it won't work and can in most cases make things worse.
Hi Paul. You're talking as if we have perfect audio systems today, and everything before i.e. 80's 90's etc needed equalisers/tone controls to sound good. First off, extensive use of analogue EQ and/or parametric digital digital EQ happens during the mastering process, and sometimes during recording too, which isn't ideal. At home people like to "tailor" a sound to their own liking. Only a tiny percentage of music listeners understand the concept of audiophile replay (and recording for that matter) ... I was invited recently to hear a system owned by a friend of a friend. It was like walking into the 80's via some quantum wormhole. Huge speakers with 18" bass drivers and some strange metal lens grid on the tweeters to direct or defuse the high end, and a rack of EQ with 3D graphics on the panel. Not only did this guy enjoy LOUD, I was literally pinned to the wall with Bass. Everything sounded massive. It wasn't long before my ears were suffering. I said, aren't you concerned that you'll damage your ears. And what about sound quality? He quickly told me that what I heard was the best sound money could buy. Apparently many think like this. One of my son's (who grew up in an audiophile environment) drove me home last week. "Listen to my new car system, Dad". My spine and internal organs seemed to become the resonate frequency as Bass frequencies showed me where every organ in my body was. I started to feel like I was part of a very small group enjoying audiophile levels of recording & replay. People like to make a sound they enjoy and have no interest in audio perfection. Because I generally mix with like-minded people, I don't see this side often, but its bigger and its not just young people. In fact some of the young talented acoustic musicians I record are interested in audio quality, thankfully. Point I think I'm trying to make is, people (a lot) like to tailor their sound without any thought to accurate reproduction. EQ is very much part of this, though today there seems to be digital presets of one extreme or other.
Many people are satisfied with tones, mostly low bass and high sopranos. not with variety of whole instruments. That may be a matter of their attidute to music. Some may like audio stuff and audio impressions but do not need emotion music carries. Such users limit themself to narrow categories of music, even records or recordings. My fellow likes tangos and Valentine Suit, other claims that Procol Harum recorded only one good piece - A Whiter Shade of Pale. And they first care no matter where if they hear bass and sopranos.
I believe that an equalizer should only be used as a last resort. First Freak the room acoustics. That will do more for improving your stereo than anything else I know of! There are plenty of DIY bass traps etc. on this site. You can build some really fine ones for around $100 apiece
I'm in Your boat ,lol,yes. I BET THAT THINGS LOUD AINT IT ? Yes ,it will go loud like a Lamborghini will go fast , but let's take our foot off the gas for awhile and enjoy the ride. Happy New Year folks.
My Hifi system is excellent and it does suffer from my high ceilings as its an old house the EQ makes a massive improvement on the sound especially classical
I love my equalizers. Makes a great improvement to my system. The reason sound system companies hate them is because you adjust your system to your taste instead of buying cables, new equipment or sound control panels.
Totally agree !! my problem is that I don't have one so I use the one in the cpu because I have my Yamaha receiver RX-V757 440 watts connected to my computer so I can do the job.
@@memoio8202 Great. You can adjust the sound to your tase and the acoustics of the room. When I do that I use the eq on FIDELIA player on my Macbook pro hooked up to the receiver with an Audioquest Butterfly DAC and Audioquest cables
I like EQs. Especially graphic EQs. I like to be able isolate certain bands and boost or cut them. Not all speakers are perfect but you can sure as hell get them close with a graphic EQ.
Years ago when Pink Floyd first brought out "Dark Side of the Moon" I had the opportunity to hear it not in Stereo but in Quadrophonic in a Specially built sound unit in Earls Court, London, England. (In case you're curious, yes I'm English). The sound was amazing. Since then I grew accustomed to listening to MY music thru decent, but not over expensive sound systems. They've all had Equalizers so I can adjust the tracks to MY hearing! Everyone's hearing has slight differences that cannot be detected unless done by professionals with expert equipment, ie. Sound and/or Medical Specialists. My last System was a Kenwood system consisting of Record and Cassette decks, 3 CD disc player, Amplifier and Graphic Equalizer, programmable via remote control, plus 2 extra "surround speakers" that are sooo good I still have them 28 years later. Sadly I had to sell the Kenwood system as I broke my back and had to return home from the Middle East! Now that I can afford something similar, I won't be buying as they ain't got Equalizers! I'm now the wrong side of 60 and my hearing isn't as it used to be and sounds from music, I feel, need a little bit of adjustment so MY ears get the BEST sounds from the music. Much of my music sounds like there's something "missing." But I and others in my situation can't have that choice cos the manufacturers don't do Equalizers any more! I hope they ALL experience what many of their customers are having to! Actually I won't be buying from ANY of them until they bring back Equalizers! I'd rather buy an old system from a car boot or garage sale, refurbish it myself and be able to use the GRAPHIC EQUALIZER !!
Lee Sanders brought up being 62 and now his ears need the help rather than the equipment. I couldn't agree more. Additionally, I am a vinyl collector listening mostly to recordings from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, which are in the era that you mention as when recordings needed the help. For these reasons, I do believe equalizers still have a place in audio systems for many of us.
i love my equilizer. some folks dont like it. its all subjective. there is no perfect way or rule to listen to any music.. if u love what u hear, then who's laughing?
Let me add my opinion to all the others read here.... I have a new 'mid fi' playback system AND a vintage system of good quality standing side by side in my vast, sound treated listening space. Both system's share the same input sources and one can easily bounce from one to the other... The vintage system (tube mono blocks, preamp amp and speakers from 1965-67 respectively) are STILL great sounding to my ears and many visitors that have stopped by to hear them (ala Paul's Music Room One). What I find truly amazing is that persons with moderate wallets back in those days could enjoy a really great sound WITHOUT EQ'ing... As a long time friend whom worked at our local 'high end Audio Salon' for MANY years mentioned me not long ago... "We really have not come that far", and I agree with him, those two systems in my music room, old and new tend to prove that out nicely..... Again, just an observation.....
Wouldn't it be swell not to need audio compensation. The need for an EQ exists today because in spite of your (our) expensive "high tech" components room dynamics can drastically affect sound. And speakers (whole systems) perform differently from room to room. Money for room sound treatment is great, at least till you change listening rooms. A quality EQ usually adds less than 0.02% THD/IM and is way cheaper than turning all your present/future listening rooms into anechoic chambers. And similar to Mr. Sanders below, I'm a 70 year old with some hearing issues. Usually I agree with you, respectfully, not on this issue.
Not everyone bothered with equalizers in the 70s. They were sold in stores but most people didn't bother with them. The bass and treble controls on the amplifiers were usually enough. And most people didn't understand how to use them.
When i get older loosing my ears..... Yes we really need a good EQ. Full pesception of maximum sound range is at age 10, after all goes down . Walkmann, Concert , noisy job ,playing and listening music all change our perception and music taste all years. What sound makes great is more what remind in our head than what we really hear. As musician , sound depends so much where you are playing the music. So for me Hifi is only music without added distortion from amp or speaker . EQ and DSP is juste a way to change the sound to what you like .
I have an equalizer purchased in the 1970s. It is in the loop in my audio system that is mostly 1970s equipment. However I rarely adjust it. It was like set and forget.
Well, I love EQ's for the flexibility they give me. Now, I'm 50ish and my music collection, (which includes some of my dad's and uncles stuff) go's back to the 40ies. While I have a lot of really good quality recordings I also have lots of bad recordings on 45's, 33 1/3, reel-to-reel, cassettes, and even some 8 tracks. We're talking about some real classics here baby! Anyway, my audio gear is a mix of 2nd - 3rd tier, (1st tier=Audiophile quality thru 5th tier=Walmart quality) equipment and I find the EQ to be indispensable.
I can't help but think; An early 70's Luxman amplifier with Early 70's B&W or Quad or Advent speakers and an early 70's or even Late 60's Thorens record player with a Denon DL-103 still sound really good today and do not need equalizing. To me it seems much like today; Most audio isn't great and definitely needs some help to not sound absolutely horrible, but also back in the day you had people who knew what they were buying and they didn't really need equalizers either.
Equalizers are apps now, just download it, but if you're using some type of tape deck, you need a real one, it's the same as having a good phono pre-amp, very important to match the input sensitivity to your receiver, IGA etc to hear a higher level of fidelity
Equalizers are a very good tool to solve some room problems when you can't do it with acoustic treatment. Have to be measurement with a mic and corrected specific frequency not random equalizer setting like a smile. Today digital Pre-amps and Amps that would be a good ideia to have when is needed if not just bypass and all in digital domain. It's the the purest playback we want and to be the purest we have do something. The recordings have equalizer to be true to the source!
Equalizer it is so important like a volume control . I guess in the future there will be no volume control . Audiophiles will tell us , that this sound was recorded at this volume and you must listen only in this original level of loudness . Funny story , once I went for a very high end audio showroom listening a very very expensive stero unit . To my ears in one song there was not enough basses , I asked the service person if he can add just a little of bass to that song . He just gave me a look :-) , and said " no such a thing " . I said " No ??? the system cost more than 100 $ K and still no ??? " :-)
Ryan Ray why would you spend thousands of dollars and still require the need to adjust frequencies? You should be able to afford the best room as well as the best gear. Meaning the sound should be perfectly balanced. If you nees more bass, position the speakers nearer to the back wall.
Maybe you want to stay married? Life is a compromise and unfortunately so is your sound system, your room, your ears, the recording, etc. Pulling speakers farther from the wall might not be an option your spouse approves. I think even Paul can agree with this ...
Should I tell you another funny story ? :-) Yesterday I went to a very fancy , high end French restaurant . All the chefs were the highest awarded cooks and were serving theirs, originally prepared dishes . I ordered one of the best dish from the menu . After starting eating that delicious meal ,to my own taste ,I wanted a bit more of salt and pepper . So , I asked the waiter, if he can bring to our table salt and pepper shaker ? You wouldn't believe the waiters reaction . He was so shocked , how come anybody will have a such a request ? He said if you add anything to this delicious dish you will ruined all the original taste what the famous cooks prepared for me . And he added , that in this restaurant we don't have any extra salt and other spices for our guests . Don't get me wrong , I still enjoyed the food . All I have to do is bring my own spices to that most expensive restaurant in my city :-) .
If you are eating at a restaurant with the food prepared by high-end chefs and you feel it needs more salt and the waiter is shocked ie nobody else asks for more salt then perhaps its your pallet that needs educating ? If you routinely get used to too much salt you are probably inviting high blood pressure !
I've owned a sony la scala for about two years before i had an equaliser and it sounded fine, come yesterday i had a technics SH-8045 gifted and it made my setup sound alot better than it did. If anyone has a stereo with the facility for an equaliser, use it!
No, what tape monitors on preamps? Occasionally, I like to archive my LP's and cassettes, and I use the second tape monitor on my preamp to run it into an interface and monitor the recording. They also work well for equalizers, and DSP's.they don't need to be used for tape, so why are manufacturers getting rid of tape monitors?
1) Very high quality equalizers are still essential tools in mastering and recording studios today as they always have been. Every recording passes through them. 2) The assumption that a recording will sound as the artist intended on whatever system and speakers you use is a touch fallacious, no? If we all listened on the same speakers and in the same room a given recording was mastered and recorded with/in, maybe. So why no equalization? Because to do it right is tecjnically difficult and expensive. And to use it skillfully, accurately and sympathetically is also an art that is not at all obvious. So i would say equalization could be useful but only if you know what you are doing and have the budget for high end mastering equalizers. In the high end world Cello made their famous Audio Palette in the 90s, still highly sought after today. Really then the whole flat high end thing us based on several fallacies.
The gentleman in the video says that today we don't need equalizer but I'm with you on that, equalizers are fine bass-treble controls that are needed. There has always been spectacular recordings even in Vinyl in the past. I owned a couple of Deutsche Gramophon classicals and they sounded superb! No need for an equalizer there but there were others who needed it but I didn't own a Technics or some other fancy brand of equalizer to improve those. Today we still the same problem, in Digital some recordings are good, in others the singer has too much echo or sounds too far away etc.
I think it's because equalizers are now become digital and "free", integrated into the receivers or media players. There is no need for a physical equalizer that you need to pay for. Many people still use this digital equalizer.
I actually think there is an opposite reason also. Nowadays younger consumers are less audiophile than younger users were 30 years ago as convenience and simplicity are valued higher than audio fidelity. Much listening is happening on cheap smaller speakers made in China with over compressed digital music and without equalizers even too often these speakers are highly un-linear and much worse than the average larger made in Europe or USA speaker of 30 years ago. My made in the USA JBL 18ti used in my gym are from 1985 and still sound awesome and much better than anything you can find in an Apple store.
I use EQ all the time.. I do not believe that listening to music 'DIRECT' will give you the most accurate version of the original recording with the system/room you have. I listen to rock when setting up my system, Drums.. symbols.. Vocals.. Electric guitar (Metallica black album) must all sound 'REAL' EQ helps to achieve that. Once set up correctly to Rock most other music sounds so much more natural.. I love listening to STAR WARS intro if that put's a grin on your face like your listening to a 'LIVE' orchestra then the system is set up correct. Orchestral pieces can sound bloody lousy if they lack treble or bass.
100% not agreeing with that explanation. I am almost 60 years old, have 2000 recordings, and I can't believe you say today's recordings sounds better! Please compare Supertramps' Crissis What Crissis with Imagine Dragons cds ? Now, how can you hear J.T.'s Aqualung WITHOUT an equalizer? Or by your answer, I should not listen it anymore? Equilizers HELP adjust to ones particular ear . That should be an option for the consumer. Hey, recordings are not a product of Mother Nature… it is somebody's else's concept or point of view on how it should sound (imposition). So I should be able to adjust to "my liking". THat is sacred.
Equalizers are very useful with otherwise high-quality speakers that have quirky or otherwise deficient frequency response curves. I has a pair of small 1970s Japanese speakers that were wonderfully efficient and revealed lot of exquisite detail, but they had bass response the fell off steeply below 50 Hz (6 1/2" woofers in ported boxes tend to) and a couple of spikey upper midrange peaks that my eight-band graphic EQ corrected perfectly. Thanks to their efficiency and plenty of available amp power, the results were excellent -- I wish I still had that setup now that I've downsized to apartment living, but I suppose a pair of small 21st century speakers with their flatter response curves could achieve similar results without resorting to EQ, specially since reasonably-priced small subwoofers to extend the low end are available nowadays.
Paul, I am not sure I agree entirely with you...granted most gear, vinyl, cassettes, in 60-80s needed some help, i.e. equalization.....since the speakers, preamps and amps that were acceptable sounding as is....top end audiophile grade were priced out of our reach. Agreed, the tech in amps, preamps and speakers is more forgiving, needing less or no equalization...but...as u noted...room acoustics are a major factor, often forgotten or overlooked....and no matter what stellar audio gear u use...room acoustics often need help via equalization, either by tone controls, loudness settings, or equalization. But not to be overlooked, there are great speakers that may be lean on the bass, maybe recessed mids/vocals, or treble does not sparkle....that either software based equalization apps on a DAP, preprocessor, or even the rather interesting Schitt Tone Control box...can tailor or tweak the sound the way YOU ....want to hear it. Sure audio engineering skills, tech, audio gear is light years better in some ways (not all....some old gear....just sounds good with a little TLC for many years), but to even have the OPTION...to equalize or modify the original music ....to simply add to enjoyment of music, why not!?....I had several equalizers over the years in my home, car, den, etc...some add noise...but there were a few stellar models...IMO equalizers have been a MUST WITH IEMS and headphones, even w audiophile DAP, DACS, AMPS....it is a more personal listening experience, no room acoustics issues...FYI i am a bit of a purist in my home audio gear without equalization...i do have one on my deck audio system, and on DAPS, IEMS....i dabble w equalization apps, rolloff filters....kinda my quest for audio Nirvana i think....lol.
I do not agree with most points here.I keep my audio ineterest since 60ties and to my memory in 60ties equalizers were not in popular home mono/stereo hifi except studio applications. At end of 60ties tube technic had reached it's limits - not much more could be offered in quality which was astonishing and it was pretty reliable. People wanted more power. More power was symbol of wealthy user. For tubes price was flying . . Market offered transistor technology. In 60ties it was portable transistor radio with power max 2 watt. Then started the race for power transistors in output, power transistors became cheap and power of 20 watts and more became standard. As old big speakers for home applications were about max 5 Watts for that "new" power developed new kinds of speaker systems - they were called at first "compact box" - and were realtively small and able to stand new powers. But this speakers sounded ugly - they reached low base, delivered strong sopranos due to divided band but sounded much worse that old traditional. And that was the real reason for boom in elegant and studio looking equalizers. Equalizers became great proud of owners but quickly they realized it only looks good with curved lines of pots. Without using them results could be sometime better. They added noise and hidden distortions. For that reason basic upgrade efforts were turned at speaker systems to grant that they wiil be powerfull but not worse that those from sixties. Sizes had grown to Magnepans and Nautilus That is why equalizers became out. It is all up to user depending on speakers if he finds it applicable for him. But still I claim that 60ties gave us systems with great output which may be still desired. .
There are different EQ schematics; there are Phasing issues and other timing issues as well as colouring - Now, in a well built implemented EQ those are less of a problem, you can today have a totally linear and transparent EQ. One of the best early implementation is the Baxandall EQ with its pleasing sound and the way it goes about adjusting tone minimizes phase delay. So That is why some 'purists' didn't want to use e.g. parametric eq's as they coloured the sound to much and not in a good way. That is my take on it anyway...
I used equalization 1970's - 1988 then got away from any tone controls til early 2000's , and then only a couple db in the low end primarily because of the open air headphones lack a little 30 hertz . When listening to the Polk's I bypass all of it even though my room acoustics suck. I miss the the amps and pre-amps I had over the years , but unfortunately only survivors was a Kenwood power amp and pre-amp and 1 Sony receiver. I have a Sansui 9090db I'm working on , though it's a can of worms I've gotten into with it.
I dont really give a damn on what my purist friend say whenever they see the sansui compu equalizer on my system. They always tell me to remove it because it colors the sound. I love colors, if it will give colors then it will stay in my system
I have, and use a soundcraftsmen scanalyzer/eq in my system that i use every day. Yes...eq is a tool that takes training to use effectivrly(many years playing live music and working as a sound technician) but I would be lost without it. Saying that eq is unnecessary in today's hifi world is unnecessary, in my opinion, is sn ignorant statement. Most "audiophiles: just don't want to mess with it and are too snobbish to admit that they dont know how to use one.
many audio industrial ppl dont recommend customer use EQ is because they want customer keep spending money to change their device i use EQ so many year it really help me tune my audio system to the sound i like without need spend more money to change expensive cable or upgrade my $300k system believe on your ear dont trust those seller they just hope you spend more
One complicated piece of equipment I'm glad is not a necissity. Never liked them, didn't understand them. Just give me Bass, Midrange, and Treble control.👍
I wish I had a graphic equalizer in my Ipod-speaker system. I don't know how to hook it up anyway lol I have some recordings that need to be improved, recordings that I havent been able to find in their pristine way in vinyls or any other form, just donwloaded them from the internet. Others in which the voice of the singer for example have too much echo, or need to diminish some other details if possible.
In the sixties, I only remember having bass & treble tone controls. Which hinge at a specific frequency. Not until the '70's a HK Citation 11 pre-amp with a 5 band equalizer, I had. And today dsp is basically EQ. Auto EQ in AVRs, so there is still EQ. Although, in my analog only section (TT - pre-amp) of my system, I have zero EQ.
Hi paul, i dont agree, wold you agree with me if told you somethink like "todays family saloon is fast enouf so we dont need supercars", nonses, eweryone wants to have fun, i like my music not same sounding as you like, or as a guy at recording studio, maybe i dont even want to know how at the recording studio i ment to sound, i want it sound as i like it to sound. Today we have speakers capable to reproduse original studio recordings as they ment to sound, thats great, but maybe i want more 125hz punchy base, or bone shaking 60hz, or clearer mids, or maybe higths too low for my taste, maybe there is peoples who have hearing problems in one ear thats afects not only sound level but clearity ir some sounds so he wants to make sound nice for him. Reasons to have equalizee is many, but reason not to have is only one and said it, well i have eq, it has defeat button, well maybe im weard but like music much more with eq on, so its on and i recomend it for eweryone, they are not that ekspensive, if you dont like it you trow it away, but not to try because it is not rigt by audiofiliac is simply stupid
Sir, thanks for the video. But what about the individuality of our EARS! What you hear and what I hear aren't EXACTLY the same. The EQ allowed us to sort musical output to our own auditory requirements. I'm now in my sixties and my hearing, though OK, it ain't what it used to be. Manufacturers have taken away our right to hear music how WE want to hear it, regardless of the evolutionary scientific breakthroughs in our listening devices! Bring back the EQ and allow us, the buyers to make our own decisions on how we listen to music! I won't be purchasing Anything new that doesn't have a EQ system so I'll have to go find something at a "Car Boot Sale"!
The older amps were built better and sound warmer . The new amps are colder , I have them boath . Equalizers are up to the user to help those older recordings . I have a 14 band to help it out . only Audio File listeners will refuse it no matter what .
So much for this purist stuff!?D'Agostino,Accuphase,McIntosh they still use tone controls and they high end.Maybe you explain how Pioneer SX 1980 sound better then any high end audio today on a blind test.Everybody should listen to music they way he like it,some freaks listen to audio equipment instead of music.
In My case i have a great amplifier but it doesn't have an equalizer. I need one so I can turn down the bass cuz my sub kicks too hard and i wanna install a bigger one.
I think equalizers were pretty much a fad by the mid 1970's. I know I was told (back then) I should have one when shopping around - but always set everything flat at home.
what happened to tone controls???? you have to get lost in menus and sub menus sub sub menus to get to bass and treble controls...i hate that..you ALWAYS need to adjust to your taste and room etc etc...i think i know better how i want to listen to my music...hi end audio sounds too flat to me. i enjoy a bit more bass and a bit more highs.im in my 50s and i am lossing some highs so i have to compensate...audio engeneers shouldnt be that dictatorials, just give people the freedom of choise and tone adjustment.
I hooked an audio generator and an o scope to my Dynaco Stereo Preamplifier PAT-4 Pre-Amp long ago and watched what what the tone controls and Hi filter did to the signal. It wasn't pretty.
Audiophiles used equalizers, when they were young; now they are rich, but old, and they are not able to go far to their dedicated system to adjust sound, better to sit down and relax. I use Sansui equalizer, other manufacturers from the past add too much noise to the sound (like Urei); from modern equalizers I have used only Dbx, but it's very bad sounding device. There will be times, when equalizers return to music systems, like vacuum tubes returned
How come all recording studios still using equalizers to master? Didn't they molest that PURE original sound? Could be that with kits that cost 1xxxxk$ it's ok to use it pure but with the price range around zero to 2-3k$ adding simple analogue EQ like shiit loki would give u much needed control over those harsh frequencies that u will defly get. And if you are using headphones then u defly need some DSP or EQ unless you are ok to hear that terrible 5-6-7-8-9-10 peaks to your ears.
Hey Paul. I had a Sound Shaper One Ten MK ii EQ from the early 80s i dug out of the closet and used in my system...... for about a month. We got a flyer advising we could place electronic gear on the driveway for recycle pick up. Need I say more?
Very illustrative as usual. I'd always considered equalizers kind of a bygone trend and never realized that there was a justified "need of little help" back at the beginnings of hi-fi audio. Note : Not important, but I guess you meant '68, not '78, isn't it ?
new2000car and Gabriele: Well, I'm not English speaker, so maybe I didn't get it right. I'm aware about the 78 RPM records. But as far as I understood, he was talking about the period of transition from mono recordings to (mass production) stereo recordings. Maybe I'm completely wrong, though. In such case I apologize for my "rusty" ears for spoken English..
He was talking about both time and recording methods. I suggest going back and listening carefully to what he said to try to get it clear in your mind. Also, it would help to know a bit of history - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph_record#Types_of_records Hope that helps. :)
If you think you are missing a EQ look no further than your already installed AVR. Many has EQs that you can control using the OnScreenDisplay. Arm yourself with an app like Spectroid and some frequency sweeps from www.audiocheck.net - and you will have fun all day adjusting. Also seeing your own rooms standing waves with a app like Spectroid is cool. Move speakers and stuff around and you can actually measure if you have had any success.
When i had mini system Yamaha pianocraft, sound was flat without equalization. Some adjustment was just necessary to get decent sound. Now i have very good hi fi and i dont need any equalizer . Of course i have some bad sounding cds but its just a few. Anyway my Amp doesnt have tons controls .
Equalizer is redundant... if... Imagine... a good acoustic guitar (and you know to play it)... or a good system (the treated room is included)... so, you don't need anything more. Maybe... electric guitar?
I make music recordings at home and all I am using is parametric tone controll with 3 bands to adopt only my voice from microphone. All instruments from GEM or my acoustic guitar are not equalized at all. On my very carrefuly tuned speakers it sounds way better than most of my brand CDs.
I use a DSP program on my pc to fix my room sound, reltek hardware is pretty good and clean @24bits 192KHz (way overkill) but there software really sucks
HMMMM no so equ elephant candy sonic isolated channels sonic isolation of each channel 1000 line graphic equ look it up folks are you really into music listening ???? really???
![If you can't hear this then you're not an audiophile [See description for link to followup video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/48PxwspDvrE/mqdefault.jpg)
![Gucci Mane & Sexyy Red - You Don't Love Me [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/j7IBqyFKT4c/mqdefault.jpg)
At 62 years old it's my ears that need help now not my equipment. I will unabashedly molest a signal if I can hear it again like I did 30 years ago. My EQ helps me in that regard but I understand what you are saying. Thanks.
Lee Sanders I'm right there with you😂
just imagine a TV set WITHOUT color, brightness, contrast, controls..and they say thats the perfect picture you must not alter it in any way...what would you say??
Excellent point
I do not agree with this answer. Even if you have the perfect recording and the perfect speakers, you are probably not going to have the best room, sound interactions with a room can create peaks and valleys in your room, and having an equalizer to be able to compensate for those issues is extremely helpful. It is through EQ and other filters that room correction software makes your system sound right.
Bravo i jsut replyed the same way before reading your post. Cheers man
I bought an AUDIOCONTROL EQ called The Rialto and it REALLY improved the sound the way I like it. I used to have people listen and then turn it off and on and NOT ONE preferred the un-Equalized sound.
I know this might be different but I use graphic equalizers in the live world every day.
I love my onkyo equalizer. It really works well and gives me better sound.
I have an old Kenwood GE 46 and love it
I have an EQ ADC soundshaper and it sounds awesome! It helps with speakers that are. "Bright" and speakers that are "boomy"
I ask myself why the eq has virtually disappeared on nearly a daily basis. It's almost like a bunch of guys got together in a room back in the 90s and asked, "Hey, what's the most popular and most highly coveted piece of every teenager's rack system?" In unison, everyone replied, "Hands down, the equalizer. They love the lights." "Okay then, let's get rid of that part." What a shame. The lights were the best part.
Uhm, equalizers are still used today and they are quite popular, thou nowadays they are build as DSPs, for example a MiniDSP which I use for my system. I use it as a crossover and delay between my woofers and my tops, I use it to EQ my woofers for fixing bass problems (working just fine!) and I also EQ the whole system to make it sound just the way I want it to sound.
So yeah, I would recommend you getting an EQ/DSP, they can do wonders for your system!
An equalizer is a powerful tool. It takes a good ear, acquiring the skill to use it to advantage and a lot of patience. Like all powerful tools it can wreak havoc if it is misused. Its purpose is to correct or reduce frequency response distortion. When used skillfully it accomplishes it's goal. When used by people who lack one or more of the criteria I mentioned it won't work and can in most cases make things worse.
Hi Paul. You're talking as if we have perfect audio systems today, and everything before i.e. 80's 90's etc needed equalisers/tone controls to sound good. First off, extensive use of analogue EQ and/or parametric digital digital EQ happens during the mastering process, and sometimes during recording too, which isn't ideal.
At home people like to "tailor" a sound to their own liking. Only a tiny percentage of music listeners understand the concept of audiophile replay (and recording for that matter) ... I was invited recently to hear a system owned by a friend of a friend.
It was like walking into the 80's via some quantum wormhole. Huge speakers with 18" bass drivers and some strange metal lens grid on the tweeters to direct or defuse the high end, and a rack of EQ with 3D graphics on the panel. Not only did this guy enjoy LOUD, I was literally pinned to the wall with Bass. Everything sounded massive. It wasn't long before my ears were suffering.
I said, aren't you concerned that you'll damage your ears. And what about sound quality?
He quickly told me that what I heard was the best sound money could buy.
Apparently many think like this. One of my son's (who grew up in an audiophile environment) drove me home last week. "Listen to my new car system, Dad". My spine and internal organs seemed to become the resonate frequency as Bass frequencies showed me where every organ in my body was.
I started to feel like I was part of a very small group enjoying audiophile levels of recording & replay.
People like to make a sound they enjoy and have no interest in audio perfection.
Because I generally mix with like-minded people, I don't see this side often, but its bigger and its not just young people. In fact some of the young talented acoustic musicians I record are interested in audio quality, thankfully.
Point I think I'm trying to make is, people (a lot) like to tailor their sound without any thought to accurate reproduction. EQ is very much part of this, though today there seems to be digital presets of one extreme or other.
Many people are satisfied with tones, mostly low bass and high sopranos. not with variety of whole instruments. That may be a matter of their attidute to music. Some may like audio stuff and audio impressions but do not need emotion music carries. Such users limit themself to narrow categories of music, even records or recordings. My fellow likes tangos and Valentine Suit, other claims that Procol Harum recorded only one good piece - A Whiter Shade of Pale. And they first care no matter where if they hear bass and sopranos.
I believe that an equalizer should only be used as a last resort. First Freak the room acoustics. That will do more for improving your stereo than anything else I know of! There are plenty of DIY bass traps etc. on this site. You can build some really fine ones for around $100 apiece
I'm in Your boat ,lol,yes. I BET THAT THINGS LOUD AINT IT ?
Yes ,it will go loud like a Lamborghini will go fast , but let's take our foot off the gas for awhile and enjoy the ride. Happy New Year folks.
My Hifi system is excellent and it does suffer from my high ceilings as its an old house the EQ makes a massive improvement on the sound especially classical
Like every recipe, people want to create their own version of a music track. That is why they want the EQ in todays world.
I love my equalizers. Makes a great improvement to my system. The reason sound system companies hate them is because you adjust your system to your taste instead of buying cables, new equipment or sound control panels.
You forgot: speaker monopoly! ;-D
@@mcalvrd6110 True. Companies are always looking for ways to make products obsolete so you buy more.
Totally agree !! my problem is that I don't have one so I use the one in the cpu because I have my Yamaha receiver RX-V757 440 watts connected to my computer so I can do the job.
@@memoio8202 Great. You can adjust the sound to your tase and the acoustics of the room. When I do that I use the eq on FIDELIA player on my Macbook pro hooked up to the receiver with an Audioquest Butterfly DAC and Audioquest cables
@@robertocalderonabogado1427 Wow ! I have a lot learn,
thanks for sharing the info !!
I like EQs. Especially graphic EQs. I like to be able isolate certain bands and boost or cut them. Not all speakers are perfect but you can sure as hell get them close with a graphic EQ.
I have a Behringer Ultra Curv Pro 24 /96...one of the best eq's for recording and playback. Yes, we are still out there...many of us.
Years ago when Pink Floyd first brought out "Dark Side of the Moon" I had the opportunity to hear it not in Stereo but in Quadrophonic in a Specially built sound unit in Earls Court, London, England. (In case you're curious, yes I'm English). The sound was amazing. Since then I grew accustomed to listening to MY music thru decent, but not over expensive sound systems. They've all had Equalizers so I can adjust the tracks to MY hearing! Everyone's hearing has slight differences that cannot be detected unless done by professionals with expert equipment, ie. Sound and/or Medical Specialists. My last System was a Kenwood system consisting of Record and Cassette decks, 3 CD disc player, Amplifier and Graphic Equalizer, programmable via remote control, plus 2 extra "surround speakers" that are sooo good I still have them 28 years later. Sadly I had to sell the Kenwood system as I broke my back and had to return home from the Middle East! Now that I can afford something similar, I won't be buying as they ain't got Equalizers! I'm now the wrong side of 60 and my hearing isn't as it used to be and sounds from music, I feel, need a little bit of adjustment so MY ears get the BEST sounds from the music. Much of my music sounds like there's something "missing." But I and others in my situation can't have that choice cos the manufacturers don't do Equalizers any more! I hope they ALL experience what many of their customers are having to! Actually I won't be buying from ANY of them until they bring back Equalizers! I'd rather buy an old system from a car boot or garage sale, refurbish it myself and be able to use the GRAPHIC EQUALIZER !!
Lee Sanders brought up being 62 and now his ears need the help rather than the equipment. I couldn't agree more. Additionally, I am a vinyl collector listening mostly to recordings from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, which are in the era that you mention as when recordings needed the help. For these reasons, I do believe equalizers still have a place in audio systems for many of us.
i love my equilizer. some folks dont like it. its all subjective. there is no perfect way or rule to listen to any music.. if u love what u hear, then who's laughing?
If you get the best recording but would want to hear a little more base, how would you do it, the systems now don't have that control?
I want an equalizer because I want to hear the sound the way I want to hear it. With lower bass!!! It should be up to me!!!
Exactly
What if your speaker's performance measurements have certain deficiencies, should you EQ a little bit to help flatten the response?
Let me add my opinion to all the others read here....
I have a new 'mid fi' playback system AND a vintage system of good quality standing side by side in my vast, sound treated listening space. Both system's share the same input sources and one can easily bounce from one to the other... The vintage system (tube mono blocks, preamp amp and speakers from 1965-67 respectively) are STILL great sounding to my ears and many visitors that have stopped by to hear them (ala Paul's Music Room One).
What I find truly amazing is that persons with moderate wallets back in those days could enjoy a really great sound WITHOUT EQ'ing... As a long time friend whom worked at our local 'high end Audio Salon' for MANY years mentioned me not long ago... "We really have not come that far", and I agree with him, those two systems in my music room, old and new tend to prove that out nicely.....
Again, just an observation.....
Wouldn't it be swell not to need audio compensation. The need for an EQ exists today because in spite of your (our) expensive "high tech" components room dynamics can drastically affect sound. And speakers (whole systems) perform differently from room to room. Money for room sound treatment is great, at least till you change listening rooms. A quality EQ usually adds less than 0.02% THD/IM and is way cheaper than turning all your present/future listening rooms into anechoic chambers. And similar to Mr. Sanders below, I'm a 70 year old with some hearing issues. Usually I agree with you, respectfully, not on this issue.
the best Hi-Fi Pre-amp in my view is the McIntosh C53, largely because it comes with an amazing analog 8-band EQ...
Not everyone bothered with equalizers in the 70s. They were sold in stores but most people didn't bother with them. The bass and treble controls on the amplifiers were usually enough. And most people didn't understand how to use them.
When i get older loosing my ears..... Yes we really need a good EQ. Full pesception of maximum sound range is at age 10, after all goes down . Walkmann, Concert , noisy job ,playing and listening music all change our perception and music taste all years. What sound makes great is more what remind in our head than what we really hear. As musician , sound depends so much where you are playing the music. So for me Hifi is only music without added distortion from amp or speaker . EQ and DSP is juste a way to change the sound to what you like .
I have an equalizer purchased in the 1970s. It is in the loop in my audio system that is mostly 1970s equipment. However I rarely adjust it. It was like set and forget.
Well, I love EQ's for the flexibility they give me. Now, I'm 50ish and my music collection, (which includes some of my dad's and uncles stuff) go's back to the 40ies. While I have a lot of really good quality recordings I also have lots of bad recordings on 45's, 33 1/3, reel-to-reel, cassettes, and even some 8 tracks. We're talking about some real classics here baby! Anyway, my audio gear is a mix of 2nd - 3rd tier, (1st tier=Audiophile quality thru 5th tier=Walmart quality) equipment and I find the EQ to be indispensable.
I can't help but think; An early 70's Luxman amplifier with Early 70's B&W or Quad or Advent speakers and an early 70's or even Late 60's Thorens record player with a Denon DL-103 still sound really good today and do not need equalizing. To me it seems much like today; Most audio isn't great and definitely needs some help to not sound absolutely horrible, but also back in the day you had people who knew what they were buying and they didn't really need equalizers either.
Equalizers are apps now, just download it, but if you're using some type of tape deck, you need a real one, it's the same as having a good phono pre-amp, very important to match the input sensitivity to your receiver, IGA etc to hear a higher level of fidelity
Equalizers are a very good tool to solve some room problems when you can't do it with acoustic treatment. Have to be measurement with a mic and corrected specific frequency not random equalizer setting like a smile. Today digital Pre-amps and Amps that would be a good ideia to have when is needed if not just bypass and all in digital domain. It's the the purest playback we want and to be the purest we have do something. The recordings have equalizer to be true to the source!
Equalizer it is so important like a volume control .
I guess in the future there will be no volume control . Audiophiles will tell us , that this sound was recorded at this volume and you must listen only in this original level of loudness .
Funny story , once I went for a very high end audio showroom listening a very very expensive stero unit . To my ears in one song there was not enough basses , I asked the service person if he can add just a little of bass to that song . He just gave me a look :-) , and said " no such a thing " .
I said " No ??? the system cost more than 100 $ K and still no ??? " :-)
Ryan Ray why would you spend thousands of dollars and still require the need to adjust frequencies? You should be able to afford the best room as well as the best gear. Meaning the sound should be perfectly balanced. If you nees more bass, position the speakers nearer to the back wall.
Maybe you want to stay married? Life is a compromise and unfortunately so is your sound system, your room, your ears, the recording, etc. Pulling speakers farther from the wall might not be an option your spouse approves. I think even Paul can agree with this ...
Exactly!
Should I tell you another funny story ? :-)
Yesterday I went to a very fancy , high end French restaurant . All the chefs were the highest awarded cooks and were serving theirs, originally prepared dishes . I ordered one of the best dish from the menu . After starting eating that delicious meal ,to my own taste ,I wanted a bit more of salt and pepper . So , I asked the waiter, if he can bring to our table salt and pepper shaker ?
You wouldn't believe the waiters reaction . He was so shocked , how come anybody will have a such a request ? He said if you add anything to this delicious dish you will ruined all the original taste what the famous cooks prepared for me . And he added , that in this restaurant we don't have any extra salt and other spices for our guests .
Don't get me wrong , I still enjoyed the food . All I have to do is bring my own spices to that most expensive restaurant in my city :-) .
If you are eating at a restaurant with the food prepared by high-end chefs and you feel it needs more salt and the waiter is shocked ie nobody else asks for more salt then perhaps its your pallet that needs educating ? If you routinely get used to too much salt you are probably inviting high blood pressure !
I've owned a sony la scala for about two years before i had an equaliser and it sounded fine, come yesterday i had a technics SH-8045 gifted and it made my setup sound alot better than it did. If anyone has a stereo with the facility for an equaliser, use it!
No, what tape monitors on preamps? Occasionally, I like to archive my LP's and cassettes, and I use the second tape monitor on my preamp to run it into an interface and monitor the recording. They also work well for equalizers, and DSP's.they don't need to be used for tape, so why are manufacturers getting rid of tape monitors?
1) Very high quality equalizers are still essential tools in mastering and recording studios today as they always have been. Every recording passes through them. 2) The assumption that a recording will sound as the artist intended on whatever system and speakers you use is a touch fallacious, no? If we all listened on the same speakers and in the same room a given recording was mastered and recorded with/in, maybe. So why no equalization? Because to do it right is tecjnically difficult and expensive. And to use it skillfully, accurately and sympathetically is also an art that is not at all obvious. So i would say equalization could be useful but only if you know what you are doing and have the budget for high end mastering equalizers. In the high end world Cello made their famous Audio Palette in the 90s, still highly sought after today. Really then the whole flat high end thing us based on several fallacies.
Mark Donen don't confuse audio production with audio playback. Two different sciences.
Nonsense. Mastering is playback.
The gentleman in the video says that today we don't need equalizer but I'm with you on that, equalizers are fine bass-treble controls that are needed. There has always been spectacular recordings even in Vinyl in the past. I owned a couple of Deutsche Gramophon classicals and they sounded superb! No need for an equalizer there but there were others who needed it but I didn't own a Technics or some other fancy brand of equalizer to improve those.
Today we still the same problem, in Digital some recordings are good, in others the singer has too much echo or sounds too far away etc.
I think it's because equalizers are now become digital and "free", integrated into the receivers or media players. There is no need for a physical equalizer that you need to pay for. Many people still use this digital equalizer.
I actually think there is an opposite reason also. Nowadays younger consumers are less audiophile than younger users were 30 years ago as convenience and simplicity are valued higher than audio fidelity. Much listening is happening on cheap smaller speakers made in China with over compressed digital music and without equalizers even too often these speakers are highly un-linear and much worse than the average larger made in Europe or USA speaker of 30 years ago. My made in the USA JBL 18ti used in my gym are from 1985 and still sound awesome and much better than anything you can find in an Apple store.
ThinkingBetter Word
Equalizers must be demonised. Otherwise no one would buy crazy expensive, strange impedance speaker cables to equalize their music.
Exactly.
I use EQ all the time.. I do not believe that listening to music 'DIRECT' will give you the most accurate version of the original recording with the system/room you have. I listen to rock when setting up my system, Drums.. symbols.. Vocals.. Electric guitar (Metallica black album) must all sound 'REAL' EQ helps to achieve that. Once set up correctly to Rock most other music sounds so much more natural.. I love listening to STAR WARS intro if that put's a grin on your face like your listening to a 'LIVE' orchestra then the system is set up correct. Orchestral pieces can sound bloody lousy if they lack treble or bass.
100% not agreeing with that explanation. I am almost 60 years old, have 2000 recordings, and I can't believe you say today's recordings sounds better! Please compare Supertramps' Crissis What Crissis with Imagine Dragons cds ? Now, how can you hear J.T.'s Aqualung WITHOUT an equalizer? Or by your answer, I should not listen it anymore? Equilizers HELP adjust to ones particular ear . That should be an option for the consumer. Hey, recordings are not a product of Mother Nature… it is somebody's else's concept or point of view on how it should sound (imposition). So I should be able to adjust to "my liking". THat is sacred.
Alive and well in my systems. Admittedly, usually bypassed unless the source is lame.
I remember my car system with equaliser, fond memories of all those coloured lights bouncing to my favourite tracks 😢
Equalizers are very useful with otherwise high-quality speakers that have quirky or otherwise deficient frequency response curves. I has a pair of small 1970s Japanese speakers that were wonderfully efficient and revealed lot of exquisite detail, but they had bass response the fell off steeply below 50 Hz (6 1/2" woofers in ported boxes tend to) and a couple of spikey upper midrange peaks that my eight-band graphic EQ corrected perfectly. Thanks to their efficiency and plenty of available amp power, the results were excellent -- I wish I still had that setup now that I've downsized to apartment living, but I suppose a pair of small 21st century speakers with their flatter response curves could achieve similar results without resorting to EQ, specially since reasonably-priced small subwoofers to extend the low end are available nowadays.
I used one back in the day. I think I used it more to mask a bad recording.
Paul, I am not sure I agree entirely with you...granted most gear, vinyl, cassettes, in 60-80s needed some help, i.e. equalization.....since the speakers, preamps and amps that were acceptable sounding as is....top end audiophile grade were priced out of our reach. Agreed, the tech in amps, preamps and speakers is more forgiving, needing less or no equalization...but...as u noted...room acoustics are a major factor, often forgotten or overlooked....and no matter what stellar audio gear u use...room acoustics often need help via equalization, either by tone controls, loudness settings, or equalization. But not to be overlooked, there are great speakers that may be lean on the bass, maybe recessed mids/vocals, or treble does not sparkle....that either software based equalization apps on a DAP, preprocessor, or even the rather interesting Schitt Tone Control box...can tailor or tweak the sound the way YOU ....want to hear it. Sure audio engineering skills, tech, audio gear is light years better in some ways (not all....some old gear....just sounds good with a little TLC for many years), but to even have the OPTION...to equalize or modify the original music ....to simply add to enjoyment of music, why not!?....I had several equalizers over the years in my home, car, den, etc...some add noise...but there were a few stellar models...IMO equalizers have been a MUST WITH IEMS and headphones, even w audiophile DAP, DACS, AMPS....it is a more personal listening experience, no room acoustics issues...FYI i am a bit of a purist in my home audio gear without equalization...i do have one on my deck audio system, and on DAPS, IEMS....i dabble w equalization apps, rolloff filters....kinda my quest for audio Nirvana i think....lol.
DSP room correction programs and devices are popular these days.
I can tell you are not a purest
@@PoshPaws2703 LOL true, i used to be a purist but not anymore
I do not agree with most points here.I keep my audio ineterest since 60ties and to my memory in 60ties equalizers were not in popular home mono/stereo hifi except studio applications. At end of 60ties tube technic had reached it's limits - not much more could be offered in quality which was astonishing and it was pretty reliable. People wanted more power. More power was symbol of wealthy user. For tubes price was flying . . Market offered transistor technology. In 60ties it was portable transistor radio with power max 2 watt. Then started the race for power transistors in output, power transistors became cheap and power of 20 watts and more became standard. As old big speakers for home applications were about max 5 Watts for that "new" power developed new kinds of speaker systems - they were called at first "compact box" - and were realtively small and able to stand new powers. But this speakers sounded ugly - they reached low base, delivered strong sopranos due to divided band but sounded much worse that old traditional. And that was the real reason for boom in elegant and studio looking equalizers. Equalizers became great proud of owners but quickly they realized it only looks good with curved lines of pots. Without using them results could be sometime better. They added noise and hidden distortions. For that reason basic upgrade efforts were turned at speaker systems to grant that they wiil be powerfull but not worse that those from sixties. Sizes had grown to Magnepans and Nautilus That is why equalizers became out. It is all up to user depending on speakers if he finds it applicable for him. But still I claim that 60ties gave us systems with great output which may be still desired. .
There are different EQ schematics; there are Phasing issues and other timing issues as well as colouring - Now, in a well built implemented EQ those are less of a problem, you can today have a totally linear and transparent EQ.
One of the best early implementation is the Baxandall EQ with its pleasing sound and the way it goes about adjusting tone minimizes phase delay.
So That is why some 'purists' didn't want to use e.g. parametric eq's as they coloured the sound to much and not in a good way.
That is my take on it anyway...
I used equalization 1970's - 1988 then got away from any tone controls til early 2000's , and then only a couple db in the low end primarily because of the open air headphones lack a little 30 hertz . When listening to the Polk's I bypass all of it even though my room acoustics suck. I miss the the amps and pre-amps I had over the years , but unfortunately only survivors was a Kenwood power amp and pre-amp and 1 Sony receiver. I have a Sansui 9090db I'm working on , though it's a can of worms I've gotten into with it.
thanks for your work
klipsch is worth to mention, in the 70s
had my la skala/ macIntosh, no equalizer
great sound
I dont really give a damn on what my purist friend say whenever they see the sansui compu equalizer on my system. They always tell me to remove it because it colors the sound. I love colors, if it will give colors then it will stay in my system
I remember the Sound Craftsman as being the gold standard. It cost as much as a good amplifier.
I have, and use a soundcraftsmen scanalyzer/eq in my system that i use every day. Yes...eq is a tool that takes training to use effectivrly(many years playing live music and working as a sound technician) but I would be lost without it. Saying that eq is unnecessary in today's hifi world is unnecessary, in my opinion, is sn ignorant statement. Most "audiophiles: just don't want to mess with it and are too snobbish to admit that they dont know how to use one.
many audio industrial ppl dont recommend customer use EQ is because they want customer keep spending money to change their device
i use EQ so many year
it really help me tune my audio system to the sound i like without need spend more money to change expensive cable or upgrade my $300k system
believe on your ear
dont trust those seller
they just hope you spend more
The shorter answer would be that EQ's have evolved into DSP's . The 2k slider on my EQ comes in handy when listening on YT and low bit-rate net radio.
One complicated piece of equipment I'm glad is not a necissity. Never liked them, didn't understand them. Just give me Bass, Midrange, and Treble control.👍
I wish I had a graphic equalizer in my Ipod-speaker system. I don't know how to hook it up anyway lol I have some recordings that need to be improved, recordings that I havent been able to find in their pristine way in vinyls or any other form, just donwloaded them from the internet. Others in which the voice of the singer for example have too much echo, or need to diminish some other details if possible.
In the sixties, I only remember having bass & treble tone controls. Which hinge at a specific frequency.
Not until the '70's a HK Citation 11 pre-amp with a 5 band equalizer, I had. And today dsp is basically EQ. Auto EQ in AVRs, so there is still EQ. Although, in my analog only section (TT - pre-amp) of my system, I have zero EQ.
What you talking about don’t recording studios use eq
Hi paul, i dont agree, wold you agree with me if told you somethink like "todays family saloon is fast enouf so we dont need supercars", nonses, eweryone wants to have fun, i like my music not same sounding as you like, or as a guy at recording studio, maybe i dont even want to know how at the recording studio i ment to sound, i want it sound as i like it to sound. Today we have speakers capable to reproduse original studio recordings as they ment to sound, thats great, but maybe i want more 125hz punchy base, or bone shaking 60hz, or clearer mids, or maybe higths too low for my taste, maybe there is peoples who have hearing problems in one ear thats afects not only sound level but clearity ir some sounds so he wants to make sound nice for him. Reasons to have equalizee is many, but reason not to have is only one and said it, well i have eq, it has defeat button, well maybe im weard but like music much more with eq on, so its on and i recomend it for eweryone, they are not that ekspensive, if you dont like it you trow it away, but not to try because it is not rigt by audiofiliac is simply stupid
Sir, thanks for the video. But what about the individuality of our EARS! What you hear and what I hear aren't EXACTLY the same. The EQ allowed us to sort musical output to our own auditory requirements. I'm now in my sixties and my hearing, though OK, it ain't what it used to be. Manufacturers have taken away our right to hear music how WE want to hear it, regardless of the evolutionary scientific breakthroughs in our listening devices! Bring back the EQ and allow us, the buyers to make our own decisions on how we listen to music! I won't be purchasing Anything new that doesn't have a EQ system so I'll have to go find something at a "Car Boot Sale"!
Now you can just download an equalizer on your phone And it works the same if not better than a physical equalizer
The older amps were built better and sound warmer . The new amps are colder , I have them boath .
Equalizers are up to the user to help those older recordings .
I have a 14 band to help it out .
only Audio File listeners will refuse it no matter what .
I never prefered graphical EQ's i would use Parametric or just a Aural Exciter.
So much for this purist stuff!?D'Agostino,Accuphase,McIntosh they still use tone controls and they high end.Maybe you explain how Pioneer SX 1980 sound better then any high end audio today on a blind test.Everybody should listen to music they way he like it,some freaks listen to audio equipment instead of music.
Paul doesn’t know what he’s talking about, by an equalizer you will love it.
In My case i have a great amplifier but it doesn't have an equalizer. I need one so I can turn down the bass cuz my sub kicks too hard and i wanna install a bigger one.
I think equalizers were pretty much a fad by the mid 1970's. I know I was told (back then) I should have one when shopping around - but always set everything flat at home.
what happened to tone controls???? you have to get lost in menus and sub menus sub sub menus to get to bass and treble controls...i hate that..you ALWAYS need to adjust to your taste and room etc etc...i think i know better how i want to listen to my music...hi end audio sounds too flat to me. i enjoy a bit more bass and a bit more highs.im in my 50s and i am lossing some highs so i have to compensate...audio engeneers shouldnt be that dictatorials, just give people the freedom of choise and tone adjustment.
I hooked an audio generator and an o scope to my Dynaco Stereo Preamplifier PAT-4 Pre-Amp long ago and watched what what the tone controls and Hi filter did to the signal. It wasn't pretty.
Audiophiles used equalizers, when they were young; now they are rich, but old, and they are not able to go far to their dedicated system to adjust sound, better to sit down and relax. I use Sansui equalizer, other manufacturers from the past add too much noise to the sound (like Urei); from modern equalizers I have used only Dbx, but it's very bad sounding device. There will be times, when equalizers return to music systems, like vacuum tubes returned
If you are allowed, try moving your speakers further into the room.
How come all recording studios still using equalizers to master? Didn't they molest that PURE original sound? Could be that with kits that cost 1xxxxk$ it's ok to use it pure but with the price range around zero to 2-3k$ adding simple analogue EQ like shiit loki would give u much needed control over those harsh frequencies that u will defly get. And if you are using headphones then u defly need some DSP or EQ unless you are ok to hear that terrible 5-6-7-8-9-10 peaks to your ears.
Hey Paul. I had a Sound Shaper One Ten MK ii EQ from the early 80s i dug out of the closet and used in my system...... for about a month. We got a flyer advising we could place electronic gear on the driveway for recycle pick up. Need I say more?
how to connect an equalizer to my mcintosh ma 5300 amplifier ,? pls thankyou
Very illustrative as usual. I'd always considered equalizers kind of a bygone trend and never realized that there was a justified "need of little help" back at the beginnings of hi-fi audio.
Note : Not important, but I guess you meant '68, not '78, isn't it ?
78s were records that preceded 33 1/3 LPs and 45s.
Maybe he means 78 rpm records?
new2000car and Gabriele: Well, I'm not English speaker, so maybe I didn't get it right. I'm aware about the 78 RPM records. But as far as I understood, he was talking about the period of transition from mono recordings to (mass production) stereo recordings. Maybe I'm completely wrong, though. In such case I apologize for my "rusty" ears for spoken English..
He was talking about both time and recording methods. I suggest going back and listening carefully to what he said to try to get it clear in your mind. Also, it would help to know a bit of history -
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph_record#Types_of_records
Hope that helps. :)
Thanks, Penterax.
If you think you are missing a EQ look no further than your already installed AVR. Many has EQs that you can control using the OnScreenDisplay. Arm yourself with an app like Spectroid and some frequency sweeps from www.audiocheck.net - and you will have fun all day adjusting. Also seeing your own rooms standing waves with a app like Spectroid is cool. Move speakers and stuff around and you can actually measure if you have had any success.
When i had mini system Yamaha pianocraft, sound was flat without equalization. Some adjustment was just necessary to get decent sound. Now i have very good hi fi and i dont need any equalizer . Of course i have some bad sounding cds but its just a few. Anyway my Amp doesnt have tons controls .
The 2ks hit and that is when people started getting into sleek ultra modern minimalism
A controversial topic, it seems.
Music with equalizer gave good sound now without amp do not give nice sound unless you have high end stereo
Or another ''statement'': Equalizer is a compromise.
Equalizer is redundant... if... Imagine... a good acoustic guitar (and you know to play it)... or a good system (the treated room is included)... so, you don't need anything more. Maybe... electric guitar?
I use EQUALIZER APO in my computer. No need for external equalizer.
Tried it, but it was too crash-prone.
eq's...indispensable in studios and on stage and live reproduction still.
everything is EQ"ed, except unplugged instruments.
I make music recordings at home and all I am using is parametric tone controll with 3 bands to adopt only my voice from microphone. All instruments from GEM or my acoustic guitar are not equalized at all. On my very carrefuly tuned speakers it sounds way better than most of my brand CDs.
I use a DBX 231 in my set up.
I am sorry i do not agree with you this time
Tubes and vinyl molest the audio signal more than anything on this planet.
Speakers still color sound more than another single piece of gear.
Penterax If you don't count the room.
Not a reason to make it worse using an equalizer :D.
The Rolling Troll Sure there is! Ever heard of room correction?
I use a DSP program on my pc to fix my room sound, reltek hardware is pretty good and clean @24bits 192KHz (way overkill) but there software really sucks
Noisey and introduce distortion like crazy
Sometimes I think the people that loved jacking around with equalizers are the ones at the helm in today's loudness war.
HMMMM no so equ elephant candy sonic isolated channels sonic isolation of each channel 1000 line graphic equ look it up folks are you really into music listening ???? really???