Requesting help from equalizer connoisseurs!

Don't bother with VST software equalizers, get some hardware equalizer, I bet almost any hardware EQ will do better than the software EQs. I've tried lots of VST EQs (even very expensive ones $500) and neither of them came close to the built-in 10-band hardware EQ in the kX Audio drivers which are free. :p I wish I would be able to tweak a graph rather than be limited to 10-bands but yea despite that limitation I have always been able to get far significantly better results on it.

I've been able to get all my headphones sound VERY similar on the hardware EQ I use, that's a good indication of how well they can work like when frequencies aren't (audibly) distorted no matter how you tweak them and you tweak the headphones with very different frequency response balance to sound according your personal ideal frequency response curve or at least get them very similarly balanced, can't change the soundstage etc ofc.

I've been enjoying buying lowcost basshead headphones and EQ the hell outta them as most of the time I find the cheap say 50~$150 headphones to either lack in treble extension or otherwise poorly balanced/muffled sounding which can be fixed very nicely with the hardware EQ. It's like overclocking computers like say buying a $100 CPU and make it perform like a $200 one. :p Very few here seems to have experience with good EQs unfortunately. Often you pay $100 more for something you could almost fix with a good EQ.

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Originally Posted by wind016 

I'm looking to find the best equalizers possible whether they be software or hardware based. I currently have the PSP Neon HR which I like a lot, but I know there are more transparent equalizers. I am considering the Algorithmix Red and PlParEQ software equalizers. I am also considering the Solid State Logic Duende hardware equalizer. Can anyone give some advice and recommendations? Thanks in advance.

I like what you're looking for Right now I'm using Ozone 4 and Electri-Q, each for different purposes, and even though they are quite high quality equalizers themselves (Ozone a tad more than Electri-Q), I would like to find about the best software offers available, as well as some quality budget hardware equalizers. My search for hardware equalizers isn't just because of the higher quality output, but for taking off the burden that VST equalizers put on my system as well.

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Originally Posted by wind016 

I just got the PSP Neon HR V2. It's only $99 right now BTW.

 

I think it's a bit more transparent than before. Apparently Duende went Native and I got to try it. I think the PSP sounds more transparent however. The PSP sounds a lot like analog, but make changes over 10 db and negative side effects of linear phase becomes obvious. For now I use the PSP to make minimal adjustments to neutralize my headphones and it sounds amazing. It's linear phase mode and FAT mode really keep things sounding very natural and clear as long as I don't change too much of the sound. IE: The Q cuts are very narrow and I only adjust a small area of the FR. I think I will look into analog EQs next.

Wait, so was the Duende discontinued or did I get it wrong?

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Originally Posted by wind016 

The hardware Duende is discontinued with no more support. They're completely software and plug-in based now.

I've been quite curious about the 204 Aphex Exciter, still I haven't found much about it on the web, though it sounds quite interesting.

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Originally Posted by wind016 

Nice find Roller! It looks like something that could do what Cowon's BBE EQ does. I wonder how it would actually sound though. If it's like Cowon's BBE, I would buy it in an instant. It looks like it does what BBE does but I wonder if the execution follows through with the promises.

I feel the exact same way about it. I was a bit turned off over the desktop software solutions from BBE, but I was both looking for BBE hardware, as well as this Exciter. Still, I didn't really want to break the bank as of right now

Quote:

Originally Posted by wind016 

It seems people don't have a high opinion of the Aphex Exciter on Gearslutz. It seems like it might sound similar to BBE's software sonic maximizer plugin. But then there are other opinions that say they sound nothing like BBE and are meant for full mixes.

 

I'm perfectly fine with mastering tools for general purpose playback, as they are very flexible and with a high degree of fidelity. Still, I wasn't particularly impressed by BBE Sonic Maximizer plugin for music playback, though I use it for movie playback, and for that it is impressive

My point is if Aphex Exciter does sound like BBE VST, then it's not really what I'm looking for, but I do have certain expectations from both the Aural Exciter and a few new products they've launched.