Help! Rockbox EQ settings for Ipod video confusion.

[Fireescape]

Hi
I've just Rockboxed my 80g Ipod Video (5.5g) and am finding the EQ settings a bit of a challenge. I was wondering what EQ settings people are using. I've searched around and the only info I can find is a link to a Xin's Cool Talk thread, but it's already 2 years old, only has some of the settings (from an older Rockbox version) and is for a Iriver H120.

I know that the headphones used will make a difference to SQ, and the settings needed, but if anyone is using a recent build Rockbox on a Ipod Video (or any Ipod for that matter) and has spent some time working on the EQ settings could they post a full list of the settings they find work best.

Thanks

[4saken]

It does depend on the headphones. EQing your headphones strengths could make them sound bad. You could at least include what headphones you are using.

[Fireescape]

Yeah thats a very good point 4saken, I'm using Audio Technica ATH-AD900,s and a LOD to Meier Move amp, all music is FLAC or other Lossless. I listen to a lot of diffrent music everything from Kraftwerk to Dead can Dance to Sufjan Stevens.

[GreatDane]

Using The RB EQ can be a challenge. Make small changes and use pre-cut if using any additive settings.

You simply need to experiment with your reference recordings that you know well.

[ZoNtO]

5db precut, 5db bass boost, bass threshold 2, er4p

[qusp]

yeah just use 3-5db pre-cut and then play with it, it updates before you save the settings, so just use some music you know and play with it until it sounds right to you. I find it a little humorous when people ask us what sounds good to them. I suppose I have a bit of a head-start having a bit of a music production background, but its still personal taste. if you've ever used a multiband EQ on a preamp or amp then its exactly the same. I use the parametric EQ because I like having Q adjustment.

[Fireescape]

Thanks for your idea's guys. I'm not so much trying to get someones ideas on what sound is good for me, more that I'm having problems with the idea's behind the settings, this is what I have to work with.

Volume - Right with this one
Bass - in Db - OK with this
Bass Cutoff - Not to sure what this means or what setting to use,
Treble - OK
Treble Cutoff - Same problem as bass cutoff
Balance- OK
Channel Configuration - Custom?
Stereo Width - in Percentage?
Crossfeed - Yes or No
Direct gain - ?
Cross gain - ?
High Frequency Attenuation - in DB?
High Frequency Cutoff - in Hz, is the related to the player or the headphones or neither or both.
Dithering - ?

In the Equalizer the settings are
Gain in LS, PK1, PK2, PK3, HS plus the dB settings for each channel

Plus in Advanced EQ settings you have

Low and High Shelf Filters with Cutoff Frequency,Q and Gain
Peak Filter 1, 2 and 3 with Center Frequency, Q and Gain

I know the Rockbox manual tells you what these things do, but I have know idea what settings to use for and Ipod playing Flac on my headphones. I don't expect someone to have exactly the same ear or music tastes or gear as me, I was just hoping to get a detailed list of what other people who played with the settings are using that I might be able to use as a starting point on which to tweak the settings to my own tastes.

[ZoNtO]

Check the manual for your device on rockbox anyway. Some of the stuff you posted about is answered there. Did you see my settings from above?

[qusp]

Originally Posted by Fireescape

Thanks for your idea's guys. I'm not so much trying to get someones ideas on what sound is good for me, more that I'm having problems with the idea's behind the settings, this is what I have to work with.

no problem mate; i'll do what I can, i'm no expert, but I have a reasonable understanding. enough for you to kick off with anyway.

Volume - Right with this one

cool; glad we are sorted with this one

Bass - in Db - OK with this

yep its basically a bas boost in software

Bass Cutoff - Not to sure what this means or what setting to use,

OK bass cutoff basically sets the frequency at which the high pass filter is set at. so any frequencies below the point you set will be attenuated; so if you are using headphones or speakers that distort in the low end and still try and reproduce those frequencies even though they suck at it; yoiu can tell the ipod not to send any information below that point.

Treble - OK

sweet

Treble Cutoff - Same problem as bass cutoff

same as bass cutoff but for highs, so if your headphones have sibilant highs or you are sensitive to high frequencies then you can attenuate those as well.

Balance- OK

sweet

Channel Configuration - Custom?

I havent actually gone into that in rockbox, it may just allow you to switch the channels

Stereo Width - in Percentage?

yes its in percentage; this basically applies a curve to the stereo field; so things that are just a little of centre on a low setting will be pushed further out with a higher percentage. on 100% all sounds will be either panned hard left or hard right. AFAIK

Crossfeed - Yes or No

so you got this one?? because its a little more involved to explain, but basically it emulates the sound of speakers, so some of the left channel is fed into the right channel and vice versa; works really nicely on live music.

Direct gain - ?
Cross gain - ?

not sure on the implementation of these in rockbox, I havent played with them

High Frequency Attenuation - in DB?

same as high frequency cut-off, except it isnt just a shelf where the highs are just cut at a certain frequency; instead the audio is rolled off according to a DB curve; this setting adjusts the severity of that curve or how steep the slope.

High Frequency Cutoff - in Hz, is the related to the player or the headphones or neither or both.

well this setting is on the dap; its the same as high-cut but more accurate and measured in Hz

Dithering - ?

dithering is used to smooth out a harsh recording. to dither something is to take a set of values and apply shades of grey so to speak, so it decreases resolution/clarity, but helps if something sounds harsh or grainy

In the Equalizer the settings are
Gain in LS, PK1, PK2, PK3, HS plus the dB settings for each channel

LS = low shelf the point at which there is no signal sent to the amp
PK1,PK2,PK3 = these are 3 peak levels so you can choose points to add gain to or attenuate (so they are like bands) and each of these can be adjusted with the centre frequency (the frequency at which the band is centered) and Q; q is a type of curve so a low q effects a narrow band of frequencies and a high q is a wide band (I may have them back to front, i'm not reading from a manual here or even looking at rockbox.
HS is high shelf so like low shelf but with the highs

Plus in Advanced EQ settings you have

Low and High Shelf Filters with Cutoff Frequency,Q and Gain
Peak Filter 1, 2 and 3 with Center Frequency, Q and Gain

explained above, because they are just teh same functions displayed in a different way

I know the Rockbox manual tells you what these things do, but I have know idea what settings to use for and Ipod playing Flac on my headphones. I don't expect someone to have exactly the same ear or music tastes or gear as me, I was just hoping to get a detailed list of what other people who played with the settings are using that I might be able to use as a starting point on which to tweak the settings to my own tastes.

again its really a matter of taste and depends on your headphonesn and music preferences. dark headphones may need a small boost in the highs and a little downward nudge in the DB on the low band around 30-50hz and sibilant headphones may need a touch of high-shelf adjustment.

thats a best as my limited knowledge can do with this, but I hope i've cleared some things up for you.

[Fireescape]

Thank's heaps Qusp, your a credit to Head-fi, I think I'll default the EQ and start again, I not real happy with the SQ currently, not as good as my Vision M, so I'll start afresh and see how I go. I'll post my settings when I work them out, might be of some help to someone else starting out with Rockbox.
Cheers again

[GreatDane]

Nice walk through qusp.

When I was trying to learn RB using my 5.5G I used the online manual and read every page and played with my iPod for each feature that I needed to learn...I've gone through it a few times.

Crossfade is still one of the cool tricks that keeps the music flowing...it takes experimenting with the 4 parameters to get it right.

[qusp]

noworries; glad to help good idea to start from flat and go from there. crossfade is very powerful for IEMs specifically; really helps to widen the head-stage. but its not appropriate for all types of music IMO. for instance it really screws with electronic music; which usually has a lot of hard panned drums/cymbals getc as well as a lot of spacial effects already in the production. so with crossfeed combined with this it can just become mush. great for live gigs/classical/jazz etc though

[ZoNtO]

I freaking lost an auction this morning for a gem of an 80gb 5.5g ipod by $2....

*sigh*

How I wish I had an older one of my own to try rockbox on permanently.

[Calexico]

You have excellent components, I don't think EQ is necessary.

[GreatDane]

Just for the record, I mentioned crossfade but I also enjoy crossfeed. Both are possible with Rockbox.