No EQ

[fewtch]

I stopped EQ'ing around the time I came here (except for my cheap PC speakers, which need it). Took awhile to get used to neutral/accurate sound, but now music with boosted bass/treble sounds sucky, and I hear a lot of nuances in the music that I never heard before. Music really does sound best played as it was intended, at least most genres do.

 

[Corbet]

Alot of times with my SR-80s all the EQ does is turn the sound up.

Other times it usually strengthens the bass (preset rock setting).

90% of the time its no EQ though.

 

[ObiHuang]

I agree with the post that said audiophiles won't use EQ while music enthusiasts will, and that post in the beginning stating most people "hardware equalize."

I think there are two types of people who buy really expensive audio equipment.

There's 1 group of people are looking for "their sound." They're "hardware equalizers" even if they don't use a software equalizer. This usually means getting amps or headphones that output a frequency response that they love. This usually translates into a hump in the bass and a hump in the treble. They're listening to an altered version of their music, but they love it and they're willing to spend lots of $$$ to get it. This should really not be an expensive route because you can take more or less any relatively good headphone and pair it with a good software equalizer and tweak to get "your sound."

Then there's the other group (which are far more rare) who are looking to listen to their music EXACTLY as the sound producer wanted. They buy reference quality speakers that have an almost perfectly flat output, they buy sound deading foam, and they refuse to put ANYTHING between their speakers and the source that will add distortion of any sort. These are your people obsessed about jitter and cables, and sampling rate. They won't buy a closed headphone because they think they'll be able to hear the reverb in the headphone chamber. They've convinced themselves that they can hear the difference between a silver cable and a copper cable or between a 44.1Khz sampling rate and a 48Khz sampling rate.

The sad part is when a person takes traits from both groups... they're just wasting money.

 

[lolos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ObiHuang ...The sad part is when a person takes traits from both groups... they're just wasting money.

Sometimes, I worry if I did just that!

 

[gimmieshelter31]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fewtch ...Took awhile to get used to neutral/accurate sound, but now music with boosted bass/treble sounds sucky, and I hear a lot of nuances in the music that I never heard before. Music really does sound best played as it was intended, at least most genres do.

There really is no way of knowing how the sound was intended imo as we all hear differently including the sound engineer who mixed the track to HIS ear. Then we play a reproduction through our equipment , with its inherent sound signature coloring the sound . I don't hardly ever post but I must say , I spent almost three years listening to the gear instead of the tunes . I like listening to gear at times , just not incessantly.
Since I have gone back to listening to what gives me great pleasure (THE MUSIC!) , I have enjoyed my little bit of free time I have to devote to it.If I choose a +6db @6khz or -3db @500hz or whatever, and it adds to my or anyones enjoyment of the listening experience then go for it.

 

[Thai Fighter]

I used to use an EQ before I bought the HD497s, but it was caused by my search for neutral and natural sound. Usually, I had to remove the excess bass to hear enough details. I find netral/natural sound most enjoyable. When the EQ causes some details to dissappear I feel a strong urge to increase the volume, whereas when I use a flat setting I enjoy the music on a normal volume level.

This may be due to the fact that my hearing is still in tact...

 

[DDRRE]

Well, I've yet to get any full size headphones from this century. The only 2 cans I have are from SounDesign and Maeden Sound. Both have way too much midrange, almost no treble response at all, and a bit weak bass impact. Equalizing them using a DSP makes them sound like professional headphones should. It's like they're meant for it. (6KHz-22KHz -> +30dB boost using a highshelf)

On the other hand, the 100W loudspeakers upstairs don't require equalization. They sound just fine when flat.

Maybe they didn't design headphones correctly back then.

 

[Duggeh]

If EQ sounds good to you, then you should do it, and purity be damned. This is a reversal of my previous position. But times and experience changed me and now I am glad for the bass dial.