How to equalize your headphones: A Tutorial

[Br777]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...the human brain doesn't allow to hear "untouched" sound for very long anyway(a couple of seconds?)

thats definately my experience, especially with headphones... i have to do the eq-ing in short time bursts or even once a day briefly to really get the most accurate results... I'm definitely ready for cyborg ear implants

 

[leeperry]

I was comparing Sonnox to EQuality(in "linear phase" mode) w/ the exact same settings, and I still find Sonnox better sounding..

 

[nikongod]

I just tried EQ'ing my HD800 by ear & the instructions in the OP using the parametric EQ on my Behringer DEQ2496. I have previously EQ'd them with using a measurement microphone which was a very nice change from normal.

Anyways, comparing my saved settings for "flat" based on the microphone and my ear, I am simply floored by how significant the changes are. Neat stuff!

 

[Br777]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just tried EQ'ing my HD800 by ear & the instructions in the OP using the parametric EQ on my Behringer DEQ2496. I have previously EQ'd them with using a measurement microphone which was a very nice change from normal. Anyways, comparing my saved settings for "flat" based on the microphone and my ear, I am simply floored by how significant the changes are. Neat stuff!

could you explain the measurement microphone technique, and also give further impressions on how well it works. i would love to have another system to help me eq better than just by ear.

glad you are enjoying this process. as i mentioned many times it turned my d2000's from ouch to awesome!

 

[nikongod]

My general method is to play white noise at a high level (about 90db, Im not listening to it, and it makes the microphone less sensitive to other noise) and shave any peaks down as flat as possible as shown by the Real Time Analyzer. I generally use the parametric EQ for this, but occasionally use the graphic equalizer too. The gear I have (DEQ2496) has a feature that auto-EQ's based on the microphone, but I prefer to do it by hand. I find that "adding" sound to fill in the dips in frequency response quickly leads to painfully obvious digital clipping. As mentioned by the OP, dips are far less iritating than spikes, and nothing is as annoying as digital clipping.

 

[Br777]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif My general method is to play white noise at a high level (about 90db, Im not listening to it, and it makes the microphone less sensitive to other noise) and shave any peaks down as flat as possible as shown by the Real Time Analyzer. I generally use the parametric EQ for this, but occasionally use the graphic equalizer too. The gear I have (DEQ2496) has a feature that auto-EQ's based on the microphone, but I prefer to do it by hand. I find that "adding" sound to fill in the dips in frequency response quickly leads to painfully obvious digital clipping. As mentioned by the OP, dips are far less iritating than spikes, and nothing is as annoying as digital clipping.

please bear with me
so you need a special type of mic for this?
if so can you tell me what kind i need
does it matter where you place the mic - im assuming you have to put it in between the headphones and your head?

thanks, im looking forward to trying this

so were you saying that you felt this method was as accurate as simply eqing out the peaks by ear?

 

[gilency]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just tried EQ'ing my HD800 by ear & the instructions in the OP using the parametric EQ on my Behringer DEQ2496. I have previously EQ'd them with using a measurement microphone which was a very nice change from normal. Anyways, comparing my saved settings for "flat" based on the microphone and my ear, I am simply floored by how significant the changes are. Neat stuff!

I am glad to hear somebody else enjoys the DEQ2496. I love its parametric equalizer and have used it to equalize my Stax Sigma Pro.
It really sounds much better with equalization.
Some people complain its highs and lows are rolled off. pretty simple to correct with the 2496.
I keep reading around here to match your equipment, like buying a tube amp to tame the highs of the DT880's etc. A parametric equalizer is a better choice for me.
I assume you use the ECM8000 Microphone with your Behringer?
I don't have it yet but sounds like a good purchase.
Could you please describe again on how you use it to equalize your phones?

 

[nikongod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Br777 /img/forum/go_quote.gif please bear with me so you need a special type of mic for this?

Yes, you need a microphone with a very flat frequency response, and a real time analaiser. I guess I was blessed in that I had been looking for the DEQ2496 for a while, and a set of the DEQ2496 and microphone (and the sample rate converter box, which is the definition of overkill for my system) came up for sale exactly when I had the money.
Quote:

if so can you tell me what kind i need

I have the behringer microphone, their model number for it is:
ECM8000
You could probably use other measurement microphones, but theirs is not terribly expensive and works well enough. I know other people go to great lengths to assure the accuracy of their microphones. I didnt do that.
Quote:

does it matter where you place the mic - im assuming you have to put it in between the headphones and your head?

This is where I do things in a way that is totally "wrong" but until now has worked for me.
I have a piece of cardboard about 4" square with a hole sized for the microphone in the middle (the microphone is only about 1/2" diameter) and put that whole mess up to the headphones. Be careful not to put your hand behind open drivers it really screws up the frequency response (try it deliberately if you have a moment.) Then I run white noise through the headphones and observe the sound on the RTA. After that its a simple matter of flattening things out with the various equalizers.
Quote:

so were you saying that you felt this method was as accurate as simply eqing out the peaks by ear?

I like measuring "OK" although with only a few days of using the method in the OP Im becoming less a fan of measuring and more a fan of tuning by ear... Its me that listens to music, not my microphone after all. Although I EQ'd several of my headphones flat based on the microphone I had not used it much because to my ear it caused a weird coloration in the highs. The flip side was that on many albums & pieces it brough everything into clearer focus but it all acquired a "papery" for lack of a better word. There was texture, but it was painted on paper...
EQ'ing by ear on the other hand brings the music into focus better, but still retains more subtle textures which GREATLY increases my enjoyment of the music. I guess time will tell if I stick with this, but so far its a change for the better.
Quote:

Originally Posted by gilency /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am glad to hear somebody else enjoys the DEQ2496. I love its parametric equalizer and have used it to equalize my Stax Sigma Pro. It really sounds much better with equalization.

Yes, the DEQ2496 is sweet. It came well recommended by a few other headphone palls and is very reasonably priced even for just a DAC.

Stax actually made a parametric EQ for their headphones (the best guess is it was parametric, like many things in the history of STAX the exact nature of it is somewhat mysterious). I had one with my lambda pro rig, it was a very neat device.

 

[leeperry]

lol, measuring middle ear resonances w/ a microphone and a piece of cardboard...interesting concept

I'm still undecided between Sonnox and EQuality, as my brain doesn't let untouched sound to get through for very long...but I still think that Sonnox sounds far better.

 

[nikongod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif lol, measuring middle ear resonances w/ a microphone and a piece of cardboard...interesting concept

Did I say I tried to measure my ear resonances using the microphone? No, I didnt and even went to the point of stating that what I tried was significantly different from the topic of this thread. I said I tried to flatten the frequency response of the headphones based purely on the microphone and offered my experience as a contrasting point.

 

[Br777]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did I say I tried to measure my ear resonances using the microphone? No, I didnt and even went to the point of stating that what I tried was significantly different from the topic of this thread. I said I tried to flatten the frequency response of the headphones based purely on the microphone and offered my experience as a contrasting point.

i guess thats the trouble with trying to use a mic.. it will probably never be the same as what your ear hears...

i wonder if those "manequin" heads that have mics in their ears work well for this.. they are quite expensive though...
i dont remember what they are called

 

[nikongod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Br777 /img/forum/go_quote.gif i wonder if those "manequin" heads that have mics in their ears work well for this.. they are quite expensive though... i dont remember what they are called

They are usually called "dummy heads".

The neumann one is about $8000.

 

[klekk]

Is there a way to do this process on a mac?

 

[Br777]

Quote:

Originally Posted by klekk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is there a way to do this process on a mac?

as long as you find compatible software/files. I dont know any more than that though..

 

[Br777]

hey yall great news, i just found a website on another thread, who knows where i found it, but it makes doing a quick and dirty eq check with your headphones REEEEEEEEEALLY easy, and its super easy to double check for accuracy, youll see... check it out! and let me know what you think and how it matches your by ear testing. im going to give it its own thread.

Equal loudness contours and audiometry - Test your own hearing