How to equalize your headphones: A Tutorial

[Sound Eq]

  what source/amp do you use with your lcd-2?

i use ifi dsd micro, alo mk3 B, and I use neutron music player
 
I grave for big bass, and and warmth to music

 

[RebeccaSugar]

Thanks, Doc.

 

[kevinq]

For anyone looking for a recommendation on a hardware equalizer...

I just got a used BSS Varicurve FCS-926 off of eBay and am very pleased with it. Did the sine sweeps and adjustments as per the OP, and eliminated the high-frequency peaks on my HD800's, and boosted the bass a bit. Made the headphones wonderfully listenable.

Features of the unit:

• 6 bands of parametric equalization per channel
• frequency selectability equivalent to a 210-band graphic equalizer
• balanced inputs and outputs (note: no unbalanced i/o)
• backlit LCD display shows equalization curve graphically
• intuitive controls; not too complicated
• 50 memory locations for presets (handy for storing settings for multiple headphones)
• real-time, 30-band spectrum analyzer graphically displays your music, sine sweeps, etc.

I wanted to go with a hardware equalizer so I could use it with all my sources, including computer (via USB) and iPad (via Airplay/Airport Express). I researched hardware equalizers, and came upon this one, which doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere else on Head-Fi. I don't believe these are manufactured anymore; my unit is probably about 20 years old. Sound quality is excellent; no noise, etc.

If you're in the market for a hardware parametric equalizer, and have balanced connectors on your DAC and amp, I heartily recommend that you check out the Varicurve FCS-926. There are currently several of them listed on eBay.

 

[kevinq]

By the way, the Varicurve FCS-926 is a digitally-controlled analog parametric equalizer, so it doesn't add any A to D or D to A conversions to the signal path. All signal processing is done in the analog domain.

 

[audioholics]

Everything is ok according to the enthusiastic approach to properly equilize the FR of the headphones, but one thing is unclear to me and I doubt that it would be possible to do it in any circumstance, except by using a proper equipment to do the measurements and equalsation. As you mentioned in the tutorial that by using pink noise and mixing it with sine sweep (I guess you use logarithmic), it will help more clearly to locate the peaks that are 'leaked' out of the pink spectrum for which I clearly discourage such approach for the simple fact that what passes through your headphones, it is already colored and it will move in parallel as you hear both samples (sine sweep and pink noise) so will never be possible to actually find clue about bad peaks that occur. For this to be achieved without equipment, I would say yes it is possible only if you have very well trained ears to notice 0.3db SPL in difference between two consecutive levelings and also be trained to hear longer times than usual. There are plethora of ear training software both oline and offline only to test your ear capacity for sound pressure recognition and also for FR, but only for testing purposes and not for training, because training is different discussion.

 

[azmodien]

The original post is several years old now. Is there a new method/software that has been discovered or should I just follow the original instructions from 2009?
 
I will be using Windows with Foobar (I guess?)
I will be plugging my Koss Pro-DJ200 directly into my laptop
 
Any recommendations are appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Jon Sonne]

The original post is several years old now. Is there a new method/software that has been discovered or should I just follow the original instructions from 2009?

I will be using Windows with Foobar (I guess?)
I will be plugging my Koss Pro-DJ200 directly into my laptop

Any recommendations are appreciated. Thanks!

The tutorials by Joe Bloggs:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/615417/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-advanced-tutorial-in-progress

http://www.head-fi.org/t/794467/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-2016-update

And another 'essential' software:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/473885/isone-pro-the-best-thing-you-could-ever-get-for-your-headphones-on-your-computer

You are wellcome

 

[thuNDa]

It's still complicated to know what the right equalization for headphones should be, with all the HRTF / FF / DF stuff that has to be taken into account, to make headphones sound "natural".
 
So i read through all the "Equalization-Threads" on this site, and in the end went for targeting the "combined field"(http://www.head-fi.org/t/361303/ideal-headphone-frequency-reponse-graph/15#post_7703526), and used the raw response from my headphones(K712) as a starting point.
Also what speaks for "combined field"-response, is the raw response from the HD800 and Stax SR-009(best headphone available?), which are highly regarded when it comes to "naturalness" and come relatively close to the "combined field" curve.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/StaxSR009.pdf
 
http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=-2&graphID[]=4061&scale=20
 
The most unusal compensation, compared to equalizing with SineGen to the "Equal Loudeness Contour", is a boost at 5Khz in my case with the K712.
 
http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=-2&graphID[]=4163&graphID[]=4061&scale=15
 

 
I used EqualizerAPO for the whole, and the "Peace-GUI" for L/R differences(could have done everything with Peace, but was already used to the normal APO-GUI).
Very important for "Coherency" was to compensate for L/R differences- and dips on my headphones above 7Khz.

my APO-settings for my AKG K712(without L/R compensation):
 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Device: all
Channel: ALL
Preamp: -9.8 dB
Stage: post-mix
Filter: ON LS Fc 42 Hz Gain 7.5 dB
Filter: ON LSC 12 dB Fc 200 Hz Gain 2 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 1500 Hz Gain 3 dB BW Oct 0.2442
Filter: ON PK Fc 2400 Hz Gain -4 dB BW Oct 0.2333
Filter: ON PK Fc 2918 Hz Gain 4 dB BW Oct 0.2333
Filter: ON PK Fc 5000 Hz Gain 5 dB BW Oct 0.2442
Filter: ON HS 12 dB Fc 11000 Hz Gain -2 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 9000 Hz Gain 4 dB BW Oct 0.1442
Filter: ON PK Fc 10000 Hz Gain 5 dB BW Oct 0.1442
Filter: ON PK Fc 10770 Hz Gain 6 dB BW Oct 0.1442
Filter: ON PK Fc 11750 Hz Gain -3 dB BW Oct 0.1442
Filter: ON PK Fc 13300 Hz Gain -3 dB BW Oct 0.1442
 
 

 

 
 
So this is still more or less an approximation to the "combined field", but from what i can "hear" so far, i'm not in doubt at all that it's the right direction.
 
It sounds way more coherent to me now, and gains alot of depth so that you can "hear the room"(i was looking in windows, if i somehow had reverb enabled anywhere

)
 
 
again, my references:
 
- "ideal" headphone raw-response (combined field)
- raw-responses of HD800's and SR-009's
- raw-response from my headphones
- SineGen
- statement from someone(now banned here

), that the HD590's(which i happen to own aswell, and so knew what i was missing on the K712's) sound "close" to his Speaker-setup, that he apparently equalizied/tweaked to "flat" for over 30 years(that last remark he wrote somewhere else tho): http://www.head-fi.org/t/612665/how-far-can-eq-really-go-towards-truly-equalizing-headphones/15#post_8436265
 
 
( There should be just heaphones with a ruler flat raw frequency response, and then you only had to add your "ideal" curve and be done.

)

 

[nwake]

Hmmh, equalization can totally correct "flawed" sonic balance, in my case of Brainwavz M2.
This makes these show all their excellent qualities that are masked by overblown bass...
 
Funny that w/ Hybrids (included) the highest frequency hump is completely out of proportion - gets extra 6 dB - and almost impossible to equalize.
Latest curve w/ Comply T-200 (not simplified yet):

 
Comply also round out the bass - it loses some harshness where not warranted. (What I call ringy bass.)
 
Note that I always attempt to keep 1kHz at 0 dB.

hi sorry for the old post bump...I just bought these brainwavz headphones and would love to know how I could quickly copy these settings into neutron for Android app.. would any body know of a preset file for these headphones? Many thanks....

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[Majik Brownie]

If you're in the market for a hardware parametric equalizer, and have balanced connectors on your DAC and amp, I heartily recommend that you check out the Varicurve FCS-926. There are currently several of them listed on eBay.

I'm thinking of going with hardware as well, but not everyone has balanced connectors. Does this mean that we would have to go the software route?

 

[kevinq]

 

If you're in the market for a hardware parametric equalizer, and have balanced connectors on your DAC and amp, I heartily recommend that you check out the Varicurve FCS-926. There are currently several of them listed on eBay.

I'm thinking of going with hardware as well, but not everyone has balanced connectors. Does this mean that we would have to go the software route?

I'm quite sure you could go the hardware route. Before I got my Varicurve FCS-926, I was using an inexpensive Behringer graphic equalizer, which had RCA connectors. I think you should be able to find a parametric equalizer that uses RCA connectors.

 

[dhruvmeena96]

This is ISO 226:2003, which by the way is measured using speakers, not headphones:

The resonances of the outer ear as well as the inner ear are apparent.


What I'm saying is that if that's how sound is perceived in the real world (not flat), what would be the purpose of EQing flatness into our perceived audio resonse?

hahahaha bodhi.....ok then...it seems you have knowledge of working of ears..but not of sound

See... when you are live in stage....there are many factors..like reverb, echo etc..and when they reach your ear...most of them cancel out with only 40 to 60ms delayed audio(unless the stage or hall is engineered specific) plus what you hear is not a recording in a studio with proper damped chambers etc..

What is when people rate 100dB to 1m at 2.2v flat freq to there speakers?
This means under this ideal condition u will hear flat response at 10db

Going close makes air pressure more on all sides and this air pressure is not specified by common ears...here we see ear resonance


Going near a dj speaker and far from it will solve your doubt


As piccolo said that stax were flat were because this effect comes to effect


Headphone are normal speaker applied with diffuse field equation

But every specific ear is different in percieving sound whem source is near them...


How sound reflect in outside ear and earcanal

 

[canali]

For anyone looking for a recommendation on a hardware equalizer...

I just got a used BSS Varicurve FCS-926 off of eBay and am very pleased with it. Did the sine sweeps and adjustments as per the OP, and eliminated the high-frequency peaks on my HD800's, and boosted the bass a bit. Made the headphones wonderfully listenable.

Features of the unit:

• 6 bands of parametric equalization per channel
• frequency selectability equivalent to a 210-band graphic equalizer
• balanced inputs and outputs (note: no unbalanced i/o)
• backlit LCD display shows equalization curve graphically
• intuitive controls; not too complicated
• 50 memory locations for presets (handy for storing settings for multiple headphones)
• real-time, 30-band spectrum analyzer graphically displays your music, sine sweeps, etc.

I wanted to go with a hardware equalizer so I could use it with all my sources, including computer (via USB) and iPad (via Airplay/Airport Express). I researched hardware equalizers, and came upon this one, which doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere else on Head-Fi. I don't believe these are manufactured anymore; my unit is probably about 20 years old. Sound quality is excellent; no noise, etc.

If you're in the market for a hardware parametric equalizer, and have balanced connectors on your DAC and amp, I heartily recommend that you check out the Varicurve FCS-926. There are currently several of them listed on eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=BSS+FCS+926+Varicurve+Dual+EQ+Analyser
 
i'm totally new to this, but it intrigues me...don't have any devices to help EQ my stufff (sony 7520 and senn 650, flc 8s iems)....i see other equalizers on ebay, too...
http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=BSS+FCS+926+Varicurve+Dual+EQ+Analyser
would the 920 be sufficient?
i only have a laptop.  
 

 

[kevinq]

It's been awhile since I did the research on this, but I believe the 920 is mostly a slave module, designed to be controlled by another module. Without a graphical display, it would be very difficult, I would think, to program the 920. The 926 has the display built in.
 
If you only have a laptop, these units may not work for you, because you need XLR connectors for the audio; I very much doubt that your computer has XLR connectors.
 
I'm still thoroughly enjoying my 926; it's a great unit.

 

[Timoteo80]

Oh this is great!! Can't wait to get on to EQung my HD600s thx for the detailed description