Do you EQ you headphone?
Nov 22, 2005 at 4:27 AM Post #4 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by -Paolo-
When I EQ anything the sound gets distorted in anything.
So I don't EQ anything anymore. I wish I could, but not without affecting the sound.



same here.. to much distortion. Though 5th Gen ipod is the best eq I have heard but still don't use it.
 
Nov 22, 2005 at 4:29 AM Post #5 of 67
Yes. I'm a habitual tinkerer with the sound of my headphones. It's funny. I eq my ER-4P's and HD595's almost exactly the same way. I try to get just a tick more bass and less treble with the 595's and a tad bit more help on bass with the Etys while keeping the same attenuation on the top. For my Westones I pretty dramatically eq them for more treble/less bass - however you want to look at it.
 
Nov 22, 2005 at 4:30 AM Post #6 of 67
Most of my sources have no EQ... if they did, I'd only EQ my Koss Portapro2s. The Beyer DT880 and Senn HD580 are neutral enough that no EQ is necessary... I want to hear the music the way it was intended, particularly if it's acoustic music.
 
Nov 22, 2005 at 4:34 AM Post #7 of 67
Yes, on my portable rig (Pocket Vaio and Shure E5C)....and no on my main rig.
 
Nov 22, 2005 at 4:48 AM Post #10 of 67
No EQ here. I've tried EQing most of the cans I have owned (through Foobar & Dell DJ EQ) and all have them have sounded worse with an equalization. All of my sound tweaks come from opamp/cable/pad swaps
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Nov 22, 2005 at 4:52 AM Post #11 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by jlw
Do you EQ your headphone?


Damn straight. I generally go for critical damping (or even more damping) in my headphones, sort of like the sixth-order Butterworth alignment sometimes used in speakers, which requires an electronic boost of low frequencies. That way, when you crank up the bass, it's like having something hit you on the side of the head, the bass has so much punch. But EQ shouldn't be used, and won't work, on any headphone whose diaphragm isn't critically damped (Q = 0.7)-- it'll just sound whompy and distorted and it may even damage the headphone by flinging the voice coil right out of the magnet structure. Audio rule of thumb: applying bass EQ is one very good way to get a quick picture of the overall quality of a headphone driver or the bass end of a speaker system. If it takes EQ and just sounds bigger and more powerful, this speaks volumes about the integrity of the basic design.

Most headphones also roll off at the very top, so once the low end is brought up to realistic levels, the highs usually are seen to require a little help too. Again, if the response is smooth at the top, the phones will take the EQ gracefully, and not sound like a dentist's drill strafing your ear. If this isn't the case, maybe it's time to search for a better 'phone.
 
Nov 22, 2005 at 5:02 AM Post #12 of 67
I keep telling myself to stop playing with the bass boost switch, and asking why that darn SM3 has to have the switch?!
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Then I remember and slap myself, I PAID for that privilege! and what's more it "increases" the groove!
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Mind you, I think I have salvaged my integrity by not eq'ing on the H140.
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Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta
... In fact, applying bass EQ is one very good way to get a quick picture of the overall quality of a headphone driver. If it takes EQ and just sounds bigger and more powerful, that speaks volumes about the integrity of the basic design.

Most headphones also roll off at the very top, so once the low end is brought up to realistic levels, the highs usually are seen to require a little help too. Again, if the response is smooth at the top, the phones will take the EQ gracefully, and not sound like a dentist's drill about to attack your ear. If that's not the case, maybe it's time to search for a better 'phone.



Too right! I find both ety and AT to respond well, and wil creep into auditory damaging level!
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Nov 22, 2005 at 5:08 AM Post #13 of 67
no way. eq is a band-aid for the weak link in your rig. if you have to eq there is something fundamentlly wrong.
 
Nov 22, 2005 at 5:10 AM Post #14 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by redshifter
no way. eq is a band-aid for the weak link in your rig. if you have to eq there is something fundamentlly wrong.


What about this weak link: poor recordings
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P.S. I don't EQ, but if I listened to more rock, pop, techno, rap and other studio music, I would be mighty tempted.
 

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