[8bitHopes]

Hey guys, first of all not sure if this is the exact place where I should be posting this but I didn't find better. Anyway, my problem is the following - I recently got the BeyerDynamics DT770 (80 Ohms), love em. One question keeps bugging me though - why is everyone saying that a flat (even slightly lowered mids) is the best EQ for them? Because my EQ looks like the picture uploaded and the reason for that is because lower than those highs and voices sound like crap. I am using them on my laptop with no DACs or whatever and at 80 windows volume (I lower the apps sounds). Is it because of the lack of DAC/Amp that I need to have such a weird EQ so my sound isn't crap but rather full and crisp? Am I doing something wrong (except using the headphones with no Amp )
https://imgur.com/a/2Ilj70f

 

[buke9]

They are not flat sorry. They are a bit bass heavy and very bright. More v shaped.

 

[8bitHopes]

Well yes, that's what I meant, but I still don't understand what I said up there. Why are people's EQs flat and saying that's where they get the best sound meanwhile my highs are like mountain Everest? I love the heavy bass and the brightness, mostly why I got them. How do other people's headphones sound ? Do you all guys have like crystal clear voices and just audio in general ? Because with low highs I get really muffled voices i'd say.

 

[buke9]

I’m not a eq guy would just change out headphones but that is not the curve I would pick for the 770’s more like the opposite. They have bass and are very bright so that is the opposite I would do just saying and why the crazy spike at 16k not too many people can hear that.

 

[8bitHopes]

I wish I could let you listen to them when the EQ is either flat or even turned down highs and lows. Second I turn the highs flat or god forbid negative voices become so muddy and just .. not clear, I have no idea how to really explain it. And if I turn off the EQ in general sound just becomes horrible..

 

[Monsterzero]

Sound preference is a very individual thing. What sounds great to me might sound horrid to you....
Roll with the EQ settings your ears prefer and dont let anyone tell you youre wrong.

 

[8bitHopes]

Seems fair to me, after all I did spend hours testing the highs anyway I don't know why people say the highs on the DT770s are sharp or whatever, I find them so crisp and clear, it's so good. Thanks for the advice. While we're on the topic (a bit) is it worth getting a portable DAC? I use them on my laptop and I travel a lot so I need something portable. If yes, what is the best and cheapest option I can go with ?

 

[buke9]

Sorry don’t hear what you hear. To me the DT770’s are very bright and have good bass and would be classified as V shaped for most cans. I don’t know what to tell you after that other than see a audialigist.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Hey guys, first of all not sure if this is the exact place where I should be posting this but I didn't find better. Anyway, my problem is the following - I recently got the BeyerDynamics DT770 (80 Ohms), love em. One question keeps bugging me though - why is everyone saying that a flat (even slightly lowered mids) is the best EQ for them?

What exactly do you mean? This is confusing. Flat EQ means "no EQ applied." Open your phone and its OS EQ or music player EQ has a "Default" or "Flat" setting where everything is at 0. "Even slightly lowering mids" means somethings are not at 0.

Maybe what you mean is flattening EQ, ie, you trim peaks (and maybe boost where it's weak) to make the sound closer to a flat response graph? But even then that's problematic because it's practically flat (save for that narrow 2500hz dip) at the midrange anyway, lowering it there will actually make it less flat.

Because my EQ looks like the picture uploaded and the reason for that is because lower than those highs and voices sound like ****. I am using them on my laptop with no DACs or whatever and at 80 windows volume (I lower the apps sounds). https://imgur.com/a/2Ilj70f

You're actually applying a mostly flattening EQ. It rolls off below 50ohms, so you're boosting at 25hz and 42hz to keep that range closer to where 50hz is. You're boosting at 16000hz, and given the effect is wider there given the same Q-factor (if you're not looking at a graph with the ratios as above), you're compensating for how it rolls off above 12000hz. Your 333hz boost also affects that downward notch centered at a little over 200hz, same thing with how your 4000hz boost affects that 3600hz notch. Even that 83hz boost is just a little overcompensating for where 50hz is.

If anything try to change the center frequencies from 4000hz to 3250hz, and maybe apply a -2dB cut at 5000hz and 7000hz, plus a -2 cut at 6000hz. If these make it too dark you might have high frequency hearing loss, or maybe just partial wax blockage. That reponse would normally be grating to many other people, although on the flipside, in some cases that can be due to hyperacusis.

Is it because of the lack of DAC/Amp that I need to have such a weird EQ so my sound isn't **** but rather full and crisp? Am I doing something wrong (except using the headphones with no Amp )
https://imgur.com/a/2Ilj70f

There's the possibility that you're not actually flattening it, at least not in the lower freqs, if your computer has a high output impedance on the headphone output and it's trimming the bass.

 

[8bitHopes]

What exactly do you mean? This is confusing. Flat EQ means "no EQ applied." Open your phone and its OS EQ or music player EQ has a "Default" or "Flat" setting where everything is at 0. "Even slightly lowering mids" means somethings are not at 0.

Maybe what you mean is flattening EQ, ie, you trim peaks (and maybe boost where it's weak) to make the sound closer to a flat response graph? But even then that's problematic because it's practically flat (save for that narrow 2500hz dip) at the midrange anyway, lowering it there will actually make it less flat.

You're actually applying a mostly flattening EQ. It rolls off below 50ohms, so you're boosting at 25hz and 42hz to keep that range closer to where 50hz is. You're boosting at 16000hz, and given the effect is wider there given the same Q-factor (if you're not looking at a graph with the ratios as above), you're compensating for how it rolls off above 12000hz. Your 333hz boost also affects that downward notch centered at a little over 200hz, same thing with how your 4000hz boost affects that 3600hz notch. Even that 83hz boost is just a little overcompensating for where 50hz is.

If anything try to change the center frequencies from 4000hz to 3250hz, and maybe apply a -2dB cut at 5000hz and 7000hz, plus a -2 cut at 6000hz. If these make it too dark you might have high frequency hearing loss, or maybe just partial wax blockage. That reponse would normally be grating to many other people, although on the flipside, in some cases that can be due to hyperacusis.




There's the possibility that you're not actually flattening it, at least not in the lower freqs, if your computer has a high output impedance on the headphone output and it's trimming the bass.

Will try to lower the mids and see how it sounds. Thanks for the thorough explanation.

 

[8bitHopes]

Played around some more with it and indeed after doing what you suggested does bring some clarity to the sound (or well it just sounds better as a whole). What about them DACs btw? Is it worth getting a cheap one for everyday normal use? Will there be a big difference?
https://imgur.com/a/h5jD2uY

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Played around some more with it and indeed after doing what you suggested does bring some clarity to the sound (or well it just sounds better as a whole). What about them DACs btw? Is it worth getting a cheap one for everyday normal use? Will there be a big difference?
https://imgur.com/a/h5jD2uY

Well a DAC can't drive a headphone, you need a headphone amp or a DAC-HPamp. That provides a lot more power with less distortion and noise. As for whether you can perceive the difference, that's not something that's easy to say unlike for example if we were talking about using a lower sensitivity headphone with a high output impedance, lower power, higher noise or distortion anything vs something like a Violectric V281.

 

[8bitHopes]

I see, guess I'll stick to the quality my laptop provides. Thank you for the advice and explanation!