Bass and Treble controls in Headphone amps????

[mariowar]

The headphone amps are pre and power amps at the same time, right? some people complaint because some amps are bass shy, or because they have recessed highs right? Why don't the manufacturers just put treble and bass controls in their amps? I know, there would be an extra price for them, but I would gladly pay it? who don't?
Don't you think that bass and treble controls are a better option over high pass filters?
Keep in mind that bass and treble in most of the headphone amps are factory set considering that most of the recordings are excellent, and we all know that most of digital recordings are not, mostly if the were originally recorded in analog recorders.....and then tranfer to digital....
I'd like to read your opinions.

 

[r4z0r]

I totally agree with your views mariowar, I've been wondering about the same issues myself for a while now. Implementing bass and treble controls can't be all that expensive after all.. right? Even better, why don't the manufacturers integrate EQs into their amps??

 

[Duncan]

...Because every extra component in the audio chain degrades the signal...

Headphone amps are for a niche market of people who want the purest sound possible... NOT the loudest

 

[mariowar]

Yes, I agree that what tey want is the purest signal........but what I mean is that if they start to put High pass or low pass filters, what don't they put fine treble and bass control controls....?

 

[pedxing]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan ...Because every extra component in the audio chain degrades the signal... Headphone amps are for a niche market of people who want the purest sound possible... NOT the loudest

If you use really good parts and good designs for the bass and treble knobs, I think it can be nice extra feature. However, I find the bass and treble controls on normal receivers too awkward too use. They usually make the music sound more uneven. Even megabass on the sony pcdp sounds bad.

With headphones, there are less variations in the envrionment. Headphones are not like speakers where the room has to be acoustically modified. As mariowar said, the treble and bass adjustment would be for compensating for bad recordings.

 

[RobertR]

I agree that headamps could have tone controls and these could be switched out of the circuit or defeated like they are on my adcom preamp. The purist could simply bypass the controls for the purist sound or engage them to help certain recordings.

 

[mariowar]

Yes, Robert, it's just a matter of choice, and the manufacturers would have two choices:

1- To build the models with a bypass like ADCOM does, so the purists would never use the bass and treble controls!! I bet they would

(Keep inmind that I'm talking about analog controls, not digital, like mega bass!!)

2- To build two different versions for every model, one for the purists who listen to EXCELLENT recordings and one for the average listener who have to deal with not so good recordings. I understand that in this case, the versions including the controls would be more expensive.

 

[jaghouse]

I have bass and treble controls on my amp.... plus a soundstage and placement control as well.

e.g.:

Sovtek EL84M + Phillips 12AU7 = 40th row, distant, detailed airy highs, lean bass, a little boxed in.

JJ EL84 + Tesla ECC802S = 1st row seating, big bass, smooth highs, zero sibilance, open.

 

[bootman]

You mean something like this?

I posted the specs on the amp submission thread.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

jaghouse -- good one.

pro-EQ-er's -- why don't you just get an outboard EQ? I (yes, that's right, Mr. Purist) just got a Musical Fidelity X-TONE, and it is nicely transparent. I got mine for around US$100.

Even a bypass switch is considered by an ultrapurist as an adulteration of the signal path. Not so much that we have to press it, as we don't want the electrons going through the closed switch (read: contact surface).

What you're really asking for is another model...and since headphone amps are such a specialized market to begin with, there isn't going to be enough of an increase in sales to merit it, I don't think. Why don't you just get better headphones? Tone controls don't fix everything, anyway.

Me, personally, I say don't put any tone controls on my headphone amp, if I want to control tone, I'll listen to something else. Or use my new X-Tone.