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How many of us use equalizers in our headphone rigs? I use a Schiit Audio Loki Max & love it.
Isn't there something about headphones requiring equalization due to the structure of the outer ear? I remember something about three frequency bands. It was from the old Headwize site. (I'm dating myself, I know.)
"'Cause when love is gone, there's always justice./And when justice is gone, there's always force./And when force is gone, there's always Mom. Hi Mom!" Laurie Anderson, "O Superman (For Massenet)"
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I use Peter's Equalizer APO, Peace version for Windows PC. Headphones are Audeze LCD-XC on a fairly tricked out setup. I find EQ allows me to dial in the exact frequency balance I like. Love the Audeze LCD-XC with EQ, would not use them without EQ.
Its lucky you can set up the EQ. More and more Audeze products REQUIRE eq to work. My LCDi3 are just sitting there because you need eq for them.
Cut to razor sounding violins
EQ??
Travesty!
Unethical!
Almost Immmoral!
View YouTube Video
I use a vintage Numark EQ in my headphone rig for bass boost. It works transparently with my single ended OTL tube amp and JVC HA-D990 headphones.
I have a FiiO DAP that contains a 10-band graphic equalizer and there are times I would like to use it. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on DSD recordings and I listen mostly to DSD. However, I've tried it on some of my PCM recordings and it works just fine. I usually use one of the preset equalizations because it's time consuming to adjust it individually for each different recording. It's not like having simple tone controls. :-)
Happy listening!
John Elison
Equalizers can cause more problems than they solve. Too easy to overdrive the headphone when boosting a given frequency. That causes a very artificial sound. Plus, not easy to get a good set of curves for a given set of headphones.
Some headphones models (Audeze?) come with EQ curves. That would likely help a lot, as they would have both the source level and boost level set correctly.
Sonarworks offers curves for many headphones. You can also send a pair in for a set of curves specific to the headphone you sent in.
" Don't look back. Something may be gaining on you"
Satchel Paige
> Some headphones models (Audeze?) come with EQ curves.
Years ago I read that the size and shape of a person's ears can have a significant effect on a headphone's frequency response. Therefore, a manufacturer's supplied EQ curve might not reflect the actual frequency response you or I will hear.
I used to think that measured specifications were the key to optimum sound. Nowadays, I just listen and enjoy without paying much attention to all the numbers and graphs. If I like what I hear, I keep listening. :-)
Best regards,
John Elison
Especially with headphone setups.
" Don't look back. Something may be gaining on you"
Satchel Paige
I have so much processing going on in my chain I had to turn in my purist card. I wouldn't even use a balance control, now my chain has soundstage expansion with tubes followed by the BBE Sonic Maximizer, followed by my amps crossfeed and bass boost. Sure, I have a dac with a headphone with no processing, but the processed sound sound way better. Headphones though I need to be clean and neutral.
One poster made the point that recordings and the sound we listen too are all fake anyhow so pick the fake you like...
Cut to razor sounding violins
I'm 75 year old now and I finally decided to splurge on headphones. I just bought a bundle set of STAX headphones and they're truly outstanding. They seem to have clean, tight bass without the need for any equalization. I still prefer listening to my Magnepan speakers with a Rythmik Servo Sub, but at night these new STAX headphones are very enjoyable and I can listen loudly without disturbing my wife. If you want a topnotch headphone experience, try STAX. I don't think you'll be disappointed. It's just unfortunate they cost so much, but in my opinion, they're worth the price.
Happy listening!
John Elison
Hi sisterray
I am using the Sonic Maximizer like inmate Dawnrazor mentioned. It is really not an equalizer in the true sense of the word, but I use it more like a loudness control...-Works great!!
Hey 42,
Glad you are digging that piece. I always have that in the chain and yeah its not an eq exactly but damn it helps the sound a ton. I will adjust slightly based on headphones and recordings but mostly just set and forget. It especially useful in the bass and damn man I have 2. One single ended and one balanced. For the price its hard to beat.
FWIW I tried some eq in software and an external digital eq and sadly I never liked them as much as the bbe and the boosts I am doing with hardware in the analog domain. Its just easier and I should understand eqs, but user error comes in...
Cut to razor sounding violins
Hey DR,
I listened to you about the Max, and you were right-on about the performance!!!
I basically do very little adjusting, as you say. Set it, and forget it...-.
In some ways, it reminds me of the DBX Boom Box. Adjusted properly, its bass is great!!
So glad you are posting!!!..Hope you get well quickly!!!
d
Cut to razor sounding violins
Hey DR,
Thanks for that info on the DBX 100. It brought back many good memories when I saw the picture on the net. I think I bought mine in 1980, but I can't say for sure what I paid for it. Maybe $125.00.IIRC, I did not use the sub harmonic synthesizer on it very much but the little dial on the left produced great bass when used in moderation. I can't believe they still have those old guys out there for sale!!!
1980? Wow you are old...next you will be talking about the hockey team or something. Man that is so cool they had that stuff back then.
That BBE was something I tried on a whim and was looking to make an improvement for cheap. Never seen a report about it with headphones. It worked really well and made me change my audiophile anti processing views.
BTW. I was looking for an upgrade to the bbe. Inmate Story suggested the Aphex Aural Exciter. But good luck finding one.
Cut to razor sounding violins
I do, especially if you define EQ to just mean an altered signal. Along those lines, I have a bass boost in my Black ICE (Jolida) soundstage expander plus the sound soundstage expansion. That goes to the BBE sonic exciter that has low contour and process which adjust bass and treble in a way. Then my amp has bass boost which I use and crossfeed. Sadly I can't live without this processing in my system.
Neutron player has thousands of eq curves for pretty much any model if you want to use classic eq.
Cut to razor sounding violins
I use an original Schiit Loki. A little bass boost really enriches the listening experience. It looks great in the center of my small footprint Schiit Stack.
Gsquared
Totally agree about the bass boost. I think its a must on headphones. Technically I am adding 3 different boosts of the bass and its awesome. I had some electrostatic earbuds that were ok, and with bass boost pretty much the best bass I have heard on my rig from phones....
Cut to razor sounding violins
To say that bass boost is a must for all headphones is simply not true. Whether you need bass boost or not depends on the headphones and on your personal preference. Furthermore, adding bass boost with some headphones will produce bass distortion--not what any of us want to hear, I hope...
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