[Stefanmz7]

Hi! Can you tell me EQ parameters to put in my EQ(for example 4khz +2db and so on...) so that the vocals in my music are impactful(they feel close and natural,like you are close to the singer) but not peaking? If I turn the mids up a lot it is kinda like that but they also peak a lot.

 

[bigshot]

There's stuff in there that goes higher and lower, but the core frequencies are between 100Hz and 250Hz. (that takes both male and female voices into account.) A singer can hit as many as four octaves, so if you want to hit the extremes add an octave on both sides. (50Hz to 500Hz) The precise EQ settings depend on the singer.

 

[Stefanmz7]

Ok thanks! So this is how my current EQ is. It sounds really clean and the voice sounds really close but there is some like noise or rumble(static or something like that). Is this just from the song(and the EQ is amplifying the noise) or should I turn down some frequency to kill that?

 

[castleofargh]

You didn't say what you're listening with. Each headphone has its own frequency response, so your preferred EQ for one wouldn't work so well for another.

About extra issues you mention, you could start with making the same EQ shape but with everything remaining below 0dB. or start with trying the "volume leveler" option. Chances are it would avoid most clipping of the signal(possibly what goes wrong in what you're hearing).
As for acting on the voice, the question is different and one I don't know the answer to, when you're already applying some kind of surround DSP(the "sound virtualiser" option) beside the EQ. That DSP probably tries to do the opposite of what you're asking. You want the voice to be strong and in your face, when they try their best to push the voice away from you and usually take off the edge with reverb and what not, so it's easier to get a subjective impression of distance. Seems to me like you'll have to compromise somewhere.

 

[Stefanmz7]

Ok thanks! I actually might try with the virtualizer off maybe but it sounds awesome already so I might leave it like that. As for the problems they usually happen when I turn it up to a 100 which is very loud so this was only to test the EQ otherwise I might listen to lower volumes. Also I am listening on Audiotechnica ATH M70X headphones.

 

[bigshot]

Yeah, if you’re turning it all the way up, you are clipping. It’s best to keep the sliders under zero. Just slide everything across the board down so the highest is at zero.

 

[colonelkernel8]

Yeah, if you’re turning it all the way up, you are clipping. It’s best to keep the sliders under zero. Just slide everything across the board down so the highest is at zero.

Agree, it will lower the perceived volume, but you can just turn it up.

 

[Stefanmz7]

Well yeah true.

 

[reginalb]

Don't most EQs shift the volume down automatically when you enable them to prevent that from happening?

 

[Stefanmz7]

Well I mean I can listen at 80 or 90 normally so no big deal. On some songs I can turn it up to a 100 just not on all so it's fine. And it's Youtube so it's not very loud anyway. The Eq is fine

 

[bigshot]

Don't most EQs shift the volume down automatically when you enable them to prevent that from happening?

No, that 0dB line is line level. If you go above, it's amplifying, if you go below it's attenuating. A lot of music is normalized up to peak at just under 0dB. If you EQ that up, you can go into clipping very easily. So if you are calibrating to correct for your headphones, and you are going to play a lot of different recordings through it, you want to keep it safe below 0dB.

 

[castleofargh]

No, that 0dB line is line level. If you go above, it's amplifying, if you go below it's attenuating. A lot of music is normalized up to peak at just under 0dB. If you EQ that up, you can go into clipping very easily. So if you are calibrating to correct for your headphones, and you are going to play a lot of different recordings through it, you want to keep it safe below 0dB.

I think he was talking about default gain reduction when you turn on some EQ(happens like that on a bunch of DAPs), or maybe something along the line of autogain or some form of limiter.
On the default EQ in foobar(that I seldom used), you have the "autolevel" button. When clicked, it moves every slider down until the highest slider is at 0dB.

 

[bigshot]

Yeah, that kind of thing overrides the default.