[mk351e]

Hi folks, I need some help here with digital EQ, but I'm looking for HELP, please no nasty comments! This could be a really good topic that benefits a lot of people! =)
 
I've been through a number of headphones, and the ones I love most are my HD800's. The problem for me is they just don't have enough bass, simple as that. It's not that they are incapable of producing enough bass, they just don't do it. I've tried the anaxilus mod, and I hated it, I've tried different amps, and can't get what I want. I'm looking for several db's of bass boost. I can't bring myself to part with the HD800, because I don't like anything else more than these, and I feel the same way about my amp/DAC: the Audio GD Reference 10.32.
 
So I played with the EQ in foobar for a while to see what would happen, and bingo! I was clearly on the right track. So I went out and bought a Behringer DEQ2496, so that I could put this between my cd player and DAC, and EQ with tremendous precision in the digital domain only so I don't screw up the sound. I've been using it for a while and it sounds very good, and I've got a decent sound, and with the bass I want.
 
But all is not well, as there is a slight problem. Something is wrong, and I can't really put my finger on it. With the DEQ2496, you can bypass the EQ completely. If I plug the cd player directly into the Ref10, the sound is magic. When I insert the EQ, even with ALL functions bypassed so it is simply passing the signal through, something in the music is kind of lost, and I don't know what. The best way I can describe it is like going from a PCM1704 based DAC to a ES9018 DAC. Sure the Sabre sounds incredible, but it lacks the magic of the 1704.
 
I've done this over and over again to make sure I'm not insane. I've done it with the EQ on and off, but mostly off to verify what I'm hearing, and still the "issue" persists. What can it be??? Am I introducing jitter? What could the DEQ2496 be doing to the signal that something is being lost as the signal passes through the unit? Do I need to mod this thing? Is there a better alternative?
 
For the record, while I hate this problem, I still feel the pros of having enough bass (and also taming the treble spike) outweigh this problem, and so I'm sticking WITH the EQ no matter what!

 

[icebear]

...Something is wrong, and I can't really put my finger on it. With the DEQ2496, you can bypass the EQ completely. If I plug the cd player directly into the Ref10, the sound is magic. ...

There you have it EQ is evil

.

 

[soundman414]

You may want to consider an analog EQ. I too have done a bit of looking around, wondering how to EQ when I want and whether digital domain or analog domain EQ was best. After speaking with some sound engineers and musicians, as well as my own research, I concluded that balanced analog EQ's have the best quality and won't degrade the signal like a resampling digital EQ in the signal path would do.
 
I have been looking at the RANE ME-15S and it seems to be highly regarded and have a better build quality than even Behringer's analog EQ's. It is a 15 band EQ per channel with only balanced circuitry, so it should be good at keeping a low noise floor and noise rejection.

 

[mk351e]

I would consider analog EQ, BUT, since my DAC is a DAC/ amp all in one unit, I have to use digital EQ! I chose to go with an all in one because I find myself actually preferring simplicity as I get older, and I just assumed digital EQ would be better than analog if I chose to go that route.
 
I'm almost tempted to go back to the world of designing and building super high end speaker systems! It's so much more complicated, but so much more flexibility.

 

[ubs28]

EQ is not evil, all music is heavily processed with EQ's.

I'd suggest looking at high quality EQ used by
Mastering engineers. Some can be quite expensive.

The HD800 got excellent bass but it's treble extension can mask it a bit. So try using a high shelf filter at 1000 hz and bring every frequency above 1000 hz down by 3 to 5 db.

 

[darkless]

  But all is not well, as there is a slight problem. Something is wrong, and I can't really put my finger on it. With the DEQ2496, you can bypass the EQ completely. If I plug the cd player directly into the Ref10, the sound is magic. When I insert the EQ, even with ALL functions bypassed so it is simply passing the signal through, something in the music is kind of lost, and I don't know what. The best way I can describe it is like going from a PCM1704 based DAC to a ES9018 DAC. Sure the Sabre sounds incredible, but it lacks the magic of the 1704.

 
I owned the DEQ2496 for years, but in the end it had to go. As you said, even on bypass it robbed the music of dynamics and soul. Now I use EqualizerAPO on my PC. It works great, and unlike the DEQ2496 it's completely transparent to my ears.

 

[mk351e]

Unfortunately, I'm really looking for a solution that has me either getting another similar unit, or modding the Behringer. I really need to have EQ come after my source because I use it to concerts on DVD and BR too, so installing an EQ program on my PC only helps with music. Truth is, most of my listening is to concerts on video....... 

 

[darkless]

  Unfortunately, I'm really looking for a solution that has me either getting another similar unit, or modding the Behringer. I really need to have EQ come after my source because I use it to concerts on DVD and BR too, so installing an EQ program on my PC only helps with music. Truth is, most of my listening is to concerts on video....... 

 
In that case you might want to consider the miniDSP nanoAVR HD that retails for $249. It provides 10 bands of parametric EQ per channel plus a host of other features. Note that I haven't tried the unit, so I can't vouch for it being fully transparent. I've been tempted to purchase it myself, I just haven't pulled the trigger yet. 

 

[mk351e]

Thanks darkless, this company seems very interesting! I just sent them an email looking for suggestions, but I like what I see so far! Leave it to a Dane to give a good recommendation! Danes make THE WORLD'S BEST SPEAKERS!! I used to be obsessed with all things Danish audio: Dynaudio, Audio Technology, Scan Speak, Vifa, Peerless, Morel (Dyne technology)........

 

[mk351e]

It always amazes me just how little interest there is on this topic at head-fi! While there's certainly a wealth of great information and people here, I have to say, sometimes I just don't get you guys! =)
 
That and I wonder if I have the plague or something, as I don't think I've ever managed to get a thread going that made it to a 2nd page!