How to equalize your headphones: A Tutorial

[Joe Bloggs]

Just did a little work for this.

Since you're using Equalizer APO, you really want to add the Peace UI:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/peace-equalizer-apo-extension/

Regarding what I said about equal loudness contours, I've embedded an equal loudness compensation curve into the following Peace preset:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tgtm3kmph4ics8n/70dB%20equal%20loudness%20contour.peace?dl=0

Load this and the Commands button should show an asterisk (choosing the Full Interface for Peace)--the compensation curve is being applied in the background. Music and Sinegen should sound quite different... you may tweak the EQ graphically now (including the green curve button showing a full curve that can be manipulated directly) until a sine sweep sounds even in loudness (you may also forego the sine sweep and use Sinegen directly:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bp4dwqfv1qtdx38/SineGen.zip?dl=0

All this testing actually needs to be done at a good volume, rather than "just-detectable" levels. The goal is to make the sine sweep even when played at music-listening levels (i.e. loud and clear. Well, not exactly "LOUD". I indicated that 70dB would be a good reference volume.)

Remember to make use of the Quality (Q) variable, where higher Q produces a more narrow adjustment. Useful when you actually hit a narrow resonance peak that needs to be tamed.

Finally when you have made the sine sweep even with your settings you need to remove the equal loudness compensation curve for actual music listening. To do this, save to a new preset, then click the *Commands button and delete all the text I added inside and click Save.

Hope that helps As you gain experience, you may be able to tweak the compensation curve to your own ears for better results.

 

[AidanoVT]

Remember to make use of the Quality (Q) variable, where higher Q produces a more narrow adjustment. Useful when you actually hit a narrow resonance peak that needs to be tamed.

 
Ah, I was wondering what that was. Thanks; quite helpful. I'll get back to you with my results.

 

[AidanoVT]

Thanks to that advice, I've had great success flattening the response:
 
Device: ASUS Xonar DG Audio Device Speakers {27d03c15-8717-48c0-a8a2-59a9ff0350c9}
Channel: all
Preamp: 15 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 6800 Hz Gain -12 dB Q 2
Filter 2: ON LS Fc 150 Hz Gain 4 dB
Filter 7: ON LS Fc 2000 Hz Gain -5 dB
Filter 8: ON LS Fc 5000 Hz Gain -11 dB
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 5900 Hz Gain -20 dB Q 1.
Filter 11: ON PK Fc 7432 Hz Gain 30 dB Q 3
Filter 12: ON PK Fc 8400 Hz Gain -7 dB Q 3
Filter 13: ON HS Fc 9000 Hz Gain -8 dB
 
 
(my account is too new to post pictures)
The thing is, it seems like the better my response is on the syn wave generator, the less of a difference I hear in music. Make no mistake, I understood what you said earlier about exponential curves on the ends. My equalizer has no such quality. Maybe my ears just aren't trained enough to hear the difference? I can hear a huge improvement in pink sound, though.

 

[munce31]

Hi Guys, is there a concensus method to eq'ing headphones with a MAC?
 
I have found something similar: http://www.dctrwatson.com/2011/06/os-x-system-equalizer/ 
However, I haven't found anything similar for pink noise and sine wave generation like SineGen.
 
Thanks,

 

[Rico613]

  Hi Guys, is there a concensus method to eq'ing headphones with a MAC?
 
I have found something similar: http://www.dctrwatson.com/2011/06/os-x-system-equalizer/ 
However, I haven't found anything similar for pink noise and sine wave generation like SineGen.
 
Thanks,

 
I tried using Soundflower but the SQ was poor.  I switched to Audirvana and Ozone 5 from Isotope.  Excellent SQ, many features to play with.  Later I went with a hardware EQ since I went back to spinning CDs.
 
Isotope now has Ozone 6.  Lots of useful tutorial videos out there.  Not that hard to learn.

https://www.izotope.com/en/support/support-resources/videos/

 

[leeperry]

What's up with Harman EQ used by Bob Katz on http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/big-sound-2015-bob-katz-eqing-headphones-harman-target-response

 

[lamode]

Hi Guys, is there a concensus method to eq'ing headphones with a MAC?

The best solution I have found is Audio Hijack Pro with an EQ filter (Pro-Q 2) from Fabfilter

 

[munce31]

   
I tried using Soundflower but the SQ was poor.  I switched to Audirvana and Ozone 5 from Isotope.  Excellent SQ, many features to play with.  Later I went with a hardware EQ since I went back to spinning CDs.
 
Isotope now has Ozone 6.  Lots of useful tutorial videos out there.  Not that hard to learn.

https://www.izotope.com/en/support/support-resources/videos/

 I've had the exact same experience with Soundflower last night when I was trying to EQ my LCD-2F's. I was hearing pops and crackles and the occasional drop out with Tidal. 
 
Turn off soundflower and use the standard digital out, and all the hisses, pops and crackles were gone - not to mention the drop outs as well.

 

[munce31]

The best solution I have found is Audio Hijack Pro with an EQ filter (Pro-Q 2) from Fabfilter

I've watched the tutorial for EQ Filter. Seems quite intuitive and at the same overwhelming for a layman like me. 
 
 
Is there a pinknoise sinewave generator for Mac that can help with identifying resonant frequencies?

 

[Rico613]

   I've had the exact same experience with Soundflower last night when I was trying to EQ my LCD-2F's. I was hearing pops and crackles and the occasional drop out with Tidal. 
 
Turn off soundflower and use the standard digital out, and all the hisses, pops and crackles were gone - not to mention the drop outs as well.

 
 
Maybe Soundflower has a new release that will sound a little better?  I just installed it so I could record audio from Youtube and didn't notice any snap crackle pop.  I'm sure Audirvana would be better, but it's only Youtube quality audio.  

 

[Fabithierry]

Maybe i finally found the perfect settings for my HD 202  

 
 

20hz: 2,5db (Q)= 0,4
 
50hz: 1,5db (Q)= 0,5
 
1000hz: -1,5 (Q)= 0,2
 
1600hz: 6db (Q)= 1,8
 
4000hz: 6db (Q)= 3
 
5500hz: -8,5db (Q)= 1,4
 
10000hz: 10db (Q)= 1,4
 
12500hz: -11db (Q)= 5
 
For now, sounds really beautiful and dynamic. The closest thing to "perfection" 

 I'm really happy with this settings!

 

[Rico613]

 

   
I tried using Soundflower but the SQ was poor.  I switched to Audirvana and Ozone 5 from Isotope.  Excellent SQ, many features to play with.  Later I went with a hardware EQ since I went back to spinning CDs.
 
Isotope now has Ozone 6.  Lots of useful tutorial videos out there.  Not that hard to learn.

https://www.izotope.com/en/support/support-resources/videos/

 I've had the exact same experience with Soundflower last night when I was trying to EQ my LCD-2F's. I was hearing pops and crackles and the occasional drop out with Tidal. 
 
Turn off soundflower and use the standard digital out, and all the hisses, pops and crackles were gone - not to mention the drop outs as well.

yup, I too get the pops and junk from Soundflower.  Maybe they do that to protect copyrights?  

I'm looking for something to transfer computer audio to Audacity for recording . .  . 

 

[414353]

For those of us without oscilloscopes and labs and who are not engineers, how do we go about EQing our headphones?
I'm looking for something that can be used with a stereo system. Is there anything for that? I don't use computers or phones or other things for music sources. I'm vinyl LP and CD mostly.  

 

[Rico613]

  For those of us without oscilloscopes and labs and who are not engineers, how do we go about EQing our headphones?
I'm looking for something that can be used with a stereo system. Is there anything for that? I don't use computers or phones or other things for music sources. I'm vinyl LP and CD mostly.  

I've been using a Rane DEQ 60L 30 band EQ for years to compensate for my high frequency hearing loss.  It requires balanced input/output and an extra set of interconnects.  
 
I think most EQ looks more complicated that it really is.
 
http://www.rane.com/deq60l.html

 

[414353]

 
I've been using a Rane DEQ 60L 30 band EQ for years to compensate for my high frequency hearing loss.  It requires balanced input/output and an extra set of interconnects.  
 
I think most EQ looks more complicated that it really is.
 
http://www.rane.com/deq60l.html

Hmm, well I have exceptional hearing still (my ears overcompensate for my eyes, I can't see anything). I don't see that unit carried anywhere so far. I don't know how much they run either. I don't see the need to spend more than $100 or so on something like this. I'm wondering if it's even worth doing?
 
Yes, most EQs look complicated and can be if one does not know how to properly use EQs and what to expect.