TrantaLocked
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2011
- Posts
- 333
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- 31
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༼ ºل͟º༼ ºل͟º༼ ºل͟º༼ ºل͟º ༽ºل͟º ༽ºل͟º ༽ TrantaLocked's Equalizer APO EQ Thread ༼ ºل͟º༼ ºل͟º༼ ºل͟º ༽ºل͟º ༽ºل͟º ༽ºل͟º ༽
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Headphones and speakers tested:
- Pansonic RP-TCM125
- Sennheiser CX 100
- Philips SHE3595
- House of Marley Smile Jamaica
- KZ ZSN Pro X
- Etymotic ER4PT
- Moondrop Chu
- Sony MDR-EX15
- Apple EarPods Wired 3.5 mm (2012 Style)
- VE MONK Plus
- Apple iPod Earbuds (2007 Style)
- Philips SHP9500
- Sony MDR7506
- Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000
- Bose Companion 2 Series III
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Prologue
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Prologue
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I recently discovered the output impedance of my front panel 3.5mm is very high, causing any headphone's impedance curve to magnify its shape onto the frequency response. This didn't affect most of my EQs as I only used my desktop front panel out for some of my Philips SHP9500 EQs and briefly for my Sony MDR7506. Everything with the "Realtek HD" label were made with a low impedance laptop output. The Audioengine D3 has a slightly high output impedance which will also have a small effect on the EQs with the "Audioengine D3" label, but not much of an effect on the ER4PT since those earphones have a higher input impedance which matches well with higher output impedance levels. I have switched from using the front panel out to now using the HiBy FC3 for headphones and the Omega Fenix for its integrated I/O. This is a real problem for some headphones with uneven impedance curves and could explain why I thought the SHP9500s were having issues and why they sounded bassier than I expected based on online measurements. Even with a good amp with zero output impedance they are still a warmer than expected, which still doesn't make sense considering their frequency response is supposed to be like the HD 600. I bought a second SHP9500 and they sound about the same, so it is likely an output impedance issue. They sound slightly less bassy with my Hibi FC3 which I'm now using instead at my desktop for headphones, but even then, I don't recommend the SHP9500's if you want light bass without an EQ.
There are many EQ revisions for each headphone. The best approach is to test multiple and hone in on the sound you want, then make small adjustments based on your own HRTF and preferences. Newer revisions are not necessarily better, but usually just different. All EQs are intended for use with Equalizer APO, which is a powerful system-wide low latency audio enhancer for Windows.
This is a thread I'm setting aside for the EQ's I've made in Equalizer APO with various earphones. The overall theme is turning a V-shaped dynamic driver into a neutral-sounding one. I still discover things about how I can approach EQing every time I take another go at a new pair. For example, I recently took a closer look at mixing upper mids based on a vocal track in a well-mixed pop song rather than listening to a song overall. It has helped me get a clean and non-muddy mid range faster and more accurately. Bass is still tricky because it's not as easy to determine what is artificially boosted compared to a noisy treble. I'm also still trying to master getting the upper treble (10-20Kz) settled more quickly and accurately.
I EQ based on my perception of flat speaker response, minimizing noise, and while maintaining an optimal balance of clarity, energy and comfort across the frequency range. It's usually very easy to hear problems with a forward treble as artificial noise that the mixer would have scrubbed out would be audible. This isn't as effective for bass frequencies and more difficult for >10KHz frequencies, and in these cases I also try to reference frequency response graphs and my gut feeling. I don't swear by FR graphs but they can sometimes help me realize something I was missing that blocked a path towards an optimal EQ.
It's important to note that everyone's head and ear canal shapes create varying perceived frequency response of a flat speaker. You may initially expect an individual to tune an earphone's EQ according to their own perceived flat speaker response, however I personally tend to go a little further than that; my true preferred neutral is not exactly the same as what I hear from a flat speaker, so for speakers that I use with a computer that has Equalizer APO, I still do an EQ curve.
The songs I use for reference:
Metal:
-Converge: Worms Will Feed / Rats Will Feast, Damages, Heartless, Sadness Comes Home
-Every Time I Die: Radical
-Invent, Animate: The Desperate Are The Calm
Pop/electronic:
-K/DA: The Baddest, More, Pop/Stars
-Infected Mushroom: Becoming Insane, Only Solutions, Converting Vegetarians (very good for getting vocal clarity right in the treble)
Rock:
Green Day: American Idiot, Jesus of Suburbia, Homecoming
These EQs are made with either a basic Realtek HD Audio out on an HP laptop, an HT Omega Fenix PCIe sound card, Audioengine D3, EarMen Eagle, HiBy FC3 or USB cable on a desktop.
EQs (Equalizer APO 31-band or variable)
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Earphones
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Pansonic RP-TCM125 (Realtek HD Audio) (should be similar to RP-HJE120)
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Sennheiser CX 100 (Realtek HD Audio)
(bass-lite)
(warmer)
I never really got the CX 100s down, to the point where I was switching between the two EQs often. The sound changed a lot over the first 100 hours so the EQ you see is almost nothing what it should look like for a brand new CX 100. I had issues with one or both of the drivers losing volume during a long session that would go away after letting them dry out or something. Just a very annoying experience EQing these. I never needed to do that with my Panasonics, which I got lucky with early and never had to modify again. They just aren't as comfortable to sleep with as the Sennheisers, which then have a fatal flaw in awful rubber quality that inevitable tears when worn in bed within a few months use. This is why I now use the Philips SHE3595.
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Philips SHE3595 (Realtek HD Audio) (very important note is that this model- and most earphones it seems - needs large adjustments depending on how long you've used it. Eventually wax buildup inside the casing reduces bass which requires an EQ adjustment) (this is my daily driver for bed use now because it has good EQ performance and causes no ear pain. I recommend trying all of the below EQs and finding what works best for you. I like something that is bass-lite enough so as to not cause ear drum pain)
(bass-lite)
(slightly warmer)
(third update)
(minimizes treble noise, most warmth)
(new 2nd pair matched to sound like worn-in original pair with "most warmth" EQ) (These earphones do lose a lot of bass as they are used, probably due to wax buildup!)
Revision for new pair. Bass down a bit. Still a little warm in some parts but has a thick mid range.
I took more time than I normally do trying to get the upper treble right but it introduces a problem in possibly sounding too forward for myself and others who are used to a rolled off upper treble. Not sibilant but present. I also used the K/DA tracks for getting the mid clarity right.
(Fiio K1) (new pair with <6 months of usage) (slightly bassier EQ) (I made this EQ with a Fiio K1 DAC on another laptop that I had recently setup. There is no connection to previous EQs so it will sound different than the previous branch above)
(EarMen Eagle) (could be the one of the best EQs I've made for the SHE3595s)
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House of Marley Smile Jamaica (Realtek HD Audio)
The Smile Jamaicas are the complete opposite of the HiFiMan RE400a's: absolutely perfect build quality in every way, but really average out of the box driver response, while the RE400a's have some of the worst build quality of all time but a response that is so good out of the box an EQ is not necessary (the stock RE400, at least the version you can buy today, has a much better cable than the 400a mic version). The good thing is the Jamaica Smile have good driver performance once EQd, but the problem is the slightly larger driver casing diameter and length makes them too uncomfortable for bed use. These and the Panasonics can cause rawness after sleeping on one's side for a few hours. The Philips have an insanely small driver casing and still manage to sound decent when EQd so they end up just being the ones I go to. I'd still be going to the CX 100s if the cable hadn't disintegrated into a mess of crunched up rubber and exposed frayed wiring.
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KZ ZSN Pro X (Realtek HD Audio) (still in progress, you may want to lower some of the upper treble)
Second revision (Realtek HD Audio) (Super omega ultra variable frequencies Phase 1)
The KZ ZSN Pro X's are not neutral IEMs and I was somewhat surprised by my EQ for them looking similar to ones for other cheap $10-$20 overly bassy dynamic earphones. The drivers themselves perform quite well and once EQ'd do rival headphones much more expensive, but the out of the box frequency response is a V-shape though not to the extent of the worst offenders. Getting the EQ is right quite difficult with these due to the very peaky treble, causing me to opt for the variable 31-band graphic equalizer and get more accurate shaping around 5KHz.
The saving grace for these is that they are comfortable for bed use. The pressure spread across the ear via the large face plate lends well to comfort and I could see myself using them instead of the Philips. However, these hiss quite loudly even compared to other low impedance earphones due to extremely high sensitivity. You would preferably use a source that can lower output power manually to avoid this.
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Etymotic ER4PT (Audioengine D3) (no S adapter) (small clear tri-flange tips ER38-15SM or equivalent)
Second revision (Audioengine D3) (with S adapter) (small clear tri-flange tips ER38-15SM or equivalent) (now with variable frequencies)
Third revision (Audioengine D3) (with S adapter) (small clear tri-flange tips ER38-15SM or equivalent)
Fourth revision (Audioengine D3) (with S adapter) (small clear tri-flange tips ER38-15SM or equivalent)
Fifth revision (Audioengine D3) (with S adapter) (small clear tri-flange tips ER38-15SM or equivalent)
The ER4 line of earphones don't really need an EQ for them to be quite enjoyable out of the box, but I do like to set an EQ to make them slightly closer to ideal.
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Moondrop Chu (EarMen Eagle)
Second revision (EarMen Eagle)
Third revision (EarMen Eagle) (airy treble)
Fourth revision (EarMen Eagle) (warmer version of Third revision)
Fifth revision (HiBy FC3) (balanced with airy treble) (my current preferred EQ for the Moondrop Chu as of 2023+)
Sixth revision (HiBy FC3) (slight tuning of fifth revision)
Seventh revision (HiBy FC3) (slightly less upper treble)
Eighth revision (HiBy FC3) (warmer mid-range, variable frequencies)
I like to use the Third revision a lot of the time because the bass-lite sound is less distracting to my ears. A lot of sub bass can be annoying for video streams, but I do like the Fourth revision for music and now just stick to the fifth revision. I'm getting more and more confident that video content is mastered for weak speakers like TV speakers. This is why I often feel like video streams sound too warm on my Edifier speakers, which measure close to flat out of the box and therefore will sound bassy in a normal room for that kind of content. Yet they can still sound neutral or even anemic for music. I probably mentioned this elsewhere in the post, but the increased bass from the Harman curve can be so distracting it makes it hard to sleep. It really is a problem, and that is why I always lean closer to bass-lite EQs for bed use. I used a bass-lite EQ for the Panasonics (which I no longer use due to ear canal pain), the Phillips, and now the Moondrop Chus. The RE400s do not need an EQ at all but do benefit from a very tiny decrease in upper treble.
The Moondrop Chus have very good driver performance. They already sound decent out of the box, but still need a mid-range lift to sound more enjoyable. If you want something like the KZ ZSN Pro X, but factory tuned better than garbage, the Chu is a decent pick. I would still recommend the RE400s over both, and I still think the ZSN Pro Xs have the best post-EQ driver performance of anything I have heard, but the Chu is good if you like the bass-boosted Harman target and want really good dynamic driver performance.
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Sony MDR-EX15 (work in progress)
I recently bought a pair of these as a possible replacement for the Phillips SHE3595 in ears I was using for bed use that have now gone out of production. While I did have a few pairs for backup, I quickly went through them as they do tend to break easily. The Sonys are similar; silicone tips, small casing, standard V-shape frequency response. There are some differences, however; the Sony's frequency response is ever so slightly better, and the cable is slightly longer and higher quality. I would guess, but am not yet sure, that the Sonys would last longer than the Phillips.
I will likely work on a more specific EQ for them if or when I switch after my current and last pair of Phillips SHE3595 break, but you can use the existing Phillips EQ as a template and then make smaller changes for good results as the stock frequency response is very similar.
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Apple EarPods Wired 3.5 mm (2012 Style) (work in progress)
I just got a pair of wired Apple EarPods and was surprised by how good they sound out of the box. According to RTINGS, their frequency response is actually quite close to the wireless AirPods, which cost a lot more money. Distortion is also quite low. I really have to be honest in that while they could still use some tuning for my taste, these are an incredible deal for $10 from a reseller website. If you don't need the sound isolation of silicone buds, these should be one of your first choices for in ears that you plan to put through rough use and therefore replace often. I will be considering these for bed use after I test if the lack of isolation is a problem, but at least on the first night it wasn't. If I really end up liking them I may just go for a pair of AirPods to avoid the cable disconnecting while sleeping.
An EQ may come later but they are quite neutral and engaging out of the box.
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VE MONK Plus (work in progress)
I've had a pair of VE MONK Plus's for a couple years but never included them in the thread as I had never made an EQ for them, and for good reason. These are extremely neutral sounding classic earbud style earphones for a low price. I kept them in my backpack for outings and didn't use them for bed use due to how easily the pads can fall off and how the casing sticks out slightly, but they aren't bad for sleeping with them on. They are slightly more neutral out of the box with higher cable quality than the EarPods, but due to their looser fit and pads that slip off easily and need frequent replacing, I don't have them as an absolute winner over the EarPods. The frequency response is interesting, because while they have quite a good overall sound, there's a tiny bit of bloat somewhere in the upper bass and the treble peak at 10 kHz is slightly too forward but not fatiguing. They still sound miles ahead of standard V-shaped earphones. If you want neutral, easy to insert and cheap earbuds, these are one of your best choices along with the EarPods.
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Apple Earbuds (2007 Style) (work in progress)
I wanted to try the middle-era iPod earbuds just to see how they compared to the EarPod 2012 style. They actually sound quite good but clearly lacking some bass and with a subtle and somewhat charming harmonic distortion that's moreso just nostalgic than dirty or unpleasing. The forward lower mid-range gives them a lot of warmth and soundstage despite the slight lack of bass. Honestly, I have no issue with a generation using these as their primary way of listening to music. They're quite neutral and clean sounding considering they came free with iPods. They are also more neutral in the treble to my ears than the EarPods, but the EarPods still sound neutral and a bit more fun overall due to not lacking bass. They wouldn't really need an EQ but one may come later.
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Earphone recommendations
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Earphone recommendations
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Frequency response neutrality before EQ, best to last:
1. HiFiMan RE400
2. Etymotic ER4PT
3. VE MONK Plus
4. Apple EarPods (2012 Style)
5. Apple iPod Earbuds (2007 Style)
6. Moondrop Chu
7. KZ ZSN Pro X
8. Sennheiser CX 100
9. House of Marley Smile Jamaica
10. Panasonic RP-TCM125 (note that these have a decent treble tuning but worse bass tuning than the others)
11. Sony MDR-EX15
12. Philips SHE3950 (worst out of the box treble tuning I have ever heard, but redeemable with EQ)
Driver performance after EQ, best to last:
1. KZ ZSN Pro X
2. HiFiMan RE400
3. Etymotic ER4PT
4. Moondrop Chu
5. Sennheiser CX 100
6. House of Marley Smile Jamaica
7. Panasonic RP-TCM125
8. Philips SHE3950.
Anything in the top four here have exceptional drivers with minimal distortion. I have not included the few earphones for which I have not yet developed an EQ.
And what I would actually choose to use for sleeping, best to last:
1. Philips SHE3950
2. Sony MDR-EX15
3. Apple EarPods
4. HiFiMan RE400
5. VE MONK Plus
6. Moondrop Chu
7. KZ ZSN Pro X
8. Panasonic RP-TCM125 (uncomfortable after 8+ hours session)
9. House of Marley Smile Jamaica (large casing diameter)
10. Sennheiser CX 100 (very bad cable rubber quality)
11. Etymotic ER4PT (even with modded cables, the drivers out too much for side sleeping)
As you can see, while the Philips SHE3590 have the worst audio quality of the bunch, they are perfect for bed use and I still use them as a primary with my laptop. The audio quality is acceptable after EQ, so good enough to enjoy music and such.
Final recommendations:
This is a tough one. The Etymotic ER4PT is what introduced me to neutral earphones and they sound great, but they're expensive. There are cheaper single-BA Etymotics like the ER3SE, but all of Etymotic's single-driver earphones have long housings and are meant to fit very deep, and depending on your ear canal shape they may be either easy to lose seal without a shirt clip or uncomfortable with larger tips. The HiFiMan RE400s don't need equalization and have the best single-dynamic performance I have ever heard, but the build quality is just ok and one side often goes quiet after long sessions due to moisture buildup, requiring some time for that side to revert back to full volume. The KZ ZSN Pro X just sound like a really high end speaker system in your ears, but the stock frequency response is awful and they're kind of large and heavy. So despite the Moondrop Chus not being the absolute best sound of the bunch, they are still my #1 overall pick for having good build quality, being small, and having decent out of the box frequency response. My second pick behind the Chu would be the RE400, which are a classic and should be checked out by anyone who wants to hear what a neutral tuning for cheap can sound like.
Sleep use recommendations:
There is a very specific pair of silicone tips that come with the RE400 that work best for side sleeping while maintaining a good seal. They are the black tips that have a bit of a divot with a wide back end and narrow tip end, but still single flanged. There is only one pair of these tips in the RE400 package, in the small bag inside the carrying case with the filters and clear tips. Most other small tips fit poorly and the larger tips can cause ear pain overnight, while the magic divoted tips are perfect. The only issue is due to the metal casings, static from your sheets and blanket in a dry room can cause some audible crackling. Otherwise, the RE400s are pretty much as good as the SHE3950s for night sleeping, if not even better due to the slightly longer cable. The SHE3950s, due to having the smallest casings, are probably overall better for side sleeping comfort with any tip size, but due to them being discontinued you'd need to find another similar cheap pair and it does look like there are plenty newer of in production models by multiple manufacturers. So, my recommendation for sleep use is the Philips SHE3950s or a similar cheap pair of earbuds with ultra small housing.
New developments
I have recently acquired a pair each of Sony MDR-EX15s and Apple EarPods. The Sonys are practical replacements for the now discontinued Philips SHE3595, so naturally I highly recommend them. The Apple EarPods are surpising. There are benefits and drawbacks to having a non-seal fit, so that's up to you to decide. But the frequency response and distortion levels are incredibly good for their price, especially reseller prices. If you don't mind the sealess fit, want a neutral frequency response out of the box, and plan on putting your headphones through a rough time, the EarPods are great ultra cheap earphones for those needs. I will eventually work on EQs for both.
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Over-ear headphones
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Philips SHP9500 (HT OMEGA Fenix PCIe front panel out) (still in progress)
Clearer EQ, first attempt
Third EQ, now with variable frequencies
Fourth revision
Fifth revision, much better mid treble
Sixth revision
Seventh revision (I believe I'm finally getting close with this one)
Eighth revision (maybe actually a close to a good low-bass EQ)
Ninth revision (back to 31-EQ, based on 2nd EQ, more forward treble)
Tenth revision (Audioengine D1) (new approach, very bass-lite)
Eleventh revision (HT Omega Fenix PCIe) (adjusted mids and treble)
Twelfth revision (HT Omega Fenix PCIe) (probably good this time)
Thirteenth revision (HT Omega Fenix PCIe) (these are impossible to EQ)
Fourteenth revision (HT Omega Fenix PCIe) (one day) (maybe these headphones just have really bad resonances, distortion or something that just screws up the sound no matter what you do)
Fifteenth revision (HiBy FC3) (lower output impedance than Fenix PCIe)
Sixteenth revision (HiBy FC3) (alternate focus on bass, still not perfect, but I think I finally figured out what I was getting wrong)
Seventeenth revision (HiBy FC3) (new focus on reducing treble sibilance)
This is taking longer than expected now. The main reason I'm revisiting it is because I know the first EQ I made didn't sound quite like my car speaker EQ, which to my ears is nearly perfect. The amount of custom frequencies is getting up there now.
After getting my Sony MDR7506s and comparing, I'm starting to think my SHP9500s could be a bad unit but I'm not sure. I really want to buy a set of HD 600s but they're so expensive.
Update 10/2/2022: I've decided to stop using the Philips SHP9500. I believe there is a lot of resonance in the construction that can't be EQ'd out and the sound just isn't fast or clean enough for me. There were times I enjoyed them and they're comfortable but I would prefer to use something else. I still use my MDR7506 but may look into other lightweight full-sized options later.
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Sony MDR7506 (HT Omega Fenix PCIe)
Second revision (HiBy FC3)
Third revision (HiBy FC3)
Fourth revision (HiBy FC3) (warmer)
Fifth revision (HiBi FC3) (warmer 2) (this EQ was created for the Green Day Trilogy but it ended up being very good for general use)
Sixth revision (HT Omega Fenix PCIe)
Seventh revision (HT Omega Fenix PCIe) (getting closer?)
Eighth revision (HT Omega Fenix PCIe)
The Sony MDR7506 benefits from minor adjustments but sound good out of the box despite a slightly heavy bass. They do cause your ears to get warmer being closed back.
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Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 (USB Connection)
The LifeChat LX-3000 has one of the worst stock frequency responses I have ever heard. They are so bassy that the extreme EQ required for them leaves the output volume very low. I didn't take hours to perfect the EQ so this is not ideal but far better than stock.
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Speakers
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Bose Companion 2 Series III (HT OMEGA Fenix)
The Bose computer speakers are really great out of the box and don't usually need an EQ. I have one applied due to how I have them positioned behind my monitors, which affects the frequency response. However, the speakers still sound much better (like room-corrected monitors) with the EQ even without obstructions, so I continue to use it with my new desk layout.
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