[Solid Snake]

Seems like a nice idea, I dont see why it shouldnt happen. But it definitely sounds pricey though.

 

[wuwhere]

I prefer to eq at the source. Eq at the amp adds more hardware that would make the product a lot more costly and bigger.

 

[billybob_jcv]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The-One /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you were going to have full blown EQ options, the best way of doing it is to have a display, either that or have 12/24 different little dials for each band. It's not practical on a small unit and those audiophiles who do want to change the sound are currently served very well by Xin amps and the like that allows opamp rolling. Plus most peoples DAPs have EQ options anyway, so it would be a overlap of functions. Anyways that's my 2 cents.

I agree - if you are going to do it, a digital parametric EQ is the way to go. You need a way of setting the freq, the width and the amount of cut or boost. Something like a BFD (AUDIO TECHNOLOGY - AUDIO SOLUTIONS - FEEDBACK DESTROYER PRO DSP1124P : Digital 24-Bit Feedback Suppressor/Parametric EQ) but in a portable package, and probably programmable via a USB connection to a PC. I use a BFD on my home theater subwoofer to smooth out some pretty bad room effects - it works great. Of course, I also had to use a sound meter and test tones to plot the response and know how to program the BFD. I think that is going to be considerably tougher with 'phones.

 

[ZephyrSapphire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by billybob_jcv /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree - if you are going to do it, a digital parametric EQ is the way to go. You need a way of setting the freq, the width and the amount of cut or boost. Something like a BFD (AUDIO TECHNOLOGY - AUDIO SOLUTIONS - FEEDBACK DESTROYER PRO DSP1124P : Digital 24-Bit Feedback Suppressor/Parametric EQ) but in a portable package, and probably programmable via a USB connection to a PC. I use a BFD on my home theater subwoofer to smooth out some pretty bad room effects - it works great. Of course, I also had to use a sound meter and test tones to plot the response and know how to program the BFD. I think that is going to be considerably tougher with 'phones.

Most people would avoid digital EQ over analog EQ as it does degrade some quality.

 

[mogata]

When I was in college, I had one of these. Back in the days when Walkmans were cassette players.

 

[deltaydeltax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mogata /img/forum/go_quote.gif When I was in college, I had one of these. Back in the days when Walkmans were cassette players.

Been busy, thinking...

I'm certain I can fit the electronics for a ten-band EQ into a small enclosure. It will not support OP Amp rolling though. The parts will have to be SMT, aside from the slide pots, and not many people can swap those out at home. There may not be nearly enough interest in such a product for me to crank them out.

 

[swanlee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deltaydeltax /img/forum/go_quote.gif Been busy, thinking... I'm certain I can fit the electronics for a ten-band EQ into a small enclosure. It will not support OP Amp rolling though. The parts will have to be SMT, aside from the slide pots, and not many people can swap those out at home. There may not be nearly enough interest in such a product for me to crank them out.

Well count me in as interested, but since there currently is not a higher quality portable amp with an EQ you would have the market to yourself. I honestly think this is a case where the interest is silent because the product does not exist.

A higher end good quality portable EQ could solve a lot of issues with recordings or headphones that may not work well with certain players.

Your competition would be a 15$ Koss unit with a 3 band EQ. That thing is a hiss machine.

Not every DAP has good EQ functions the newer Zune have NO EQ or sound customization options. I'd love a good portable EQ, I held onto my older Zune30 and upgraded it's hard drive to 100GB just because the newer Zunes have no EQ in them.

 

[deltaydeltax]

It is true you get what you pay for, most of the time at least. For $15.00, I expect to hear the ocean every time I put on my headphones.

My unit can't even come close to $15.00. It'll be closer to $200.00. Who in the world want's to pay $200.00 or more for a portable EQ? So far, one person, that being you. Well, I might be inclined to buy one as well if I weren't making it myself.

 

[swanlee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deltaydeltax /img/forum/go_quote.gif It is true you get what you pay for, most of the time at least. For $15.00, I expect to hear the ocean every time I put on my headphones. My unit can't even come close to $15.00. It'll be closer to $200.00. Who in the world want's to pay $200.00 or more for a portable EQ? So far, one person, that being you. Well, I might be inclined to buy one as well if I weren't making it myself.

At some point someone probably thought who is ever going to pay 500-1000$ for a portable headhpone amp? Someone had to take the chance and step out there with a high end portable amp.

A high end portable EQ that worked well and did not introduce any additional hiss and did not noticeably degrade the signal path would be a god send to me.

I find it amazing that there really is not such a thing like a high end portable EQ. In a world where people buy 20$ markers to put on their CD's and 100$ de magnetizers something practical like a great Quality EQ should have some options out there.

 

[Wiggy Fuzz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mogata /img/forum/go_quote.gif When I was in college, I had one of these. Back in the days when Walkmans were cassette players.

wow, cool. does it still work ok?

i often switch between EQ and flat, letting my amp do it would save so much teeth gritting when i'm out and about. eg: some ipod EQ settings tear up the bass pretty bad, in my opinion...

however, those sliders are asking to be accidentally pushed by me one way or the other

 

[thatguyoverthere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatDane /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would say that demand isn't high enough...too many "I'm a purist and detest EQ" type of people (I'm not one).

I detest EQ not just because I'm a purist, but also because I'm obsessive compulsive and would spend more time focusing on the EQ than the music.

 

[i_don't_know]

I think a portable amp that is Z-weighted and has a 5-band onboard EQ would be FANTASTIC.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swanlee /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well I'm seeing more and more portable amps with more and more features hopefully sometime soon someone like Practical Devices makes an all out Portable AMP with a full parametric EQ and maybe even DSP sound fields and even more sound customization options. I understand the purist view but in the end the more options the better and those ones that people don't want they don't have to use or can just turn them off. There are so many different DAP's and headphones in the market combine that with people's taste in music and different ears, EQ options just make sense so people can tailor the music to the preference or even make up for deficiencies in their DAP or headphones. Like I said 500$ of my money would go to the first company to step up and make a high end portable amp with full parametric EQ options. Why not a digital\touch screen thin portable amp with tons of sound customization features? If you can make a thin and tiny DAP with these options why not a portable amp?

The reason for a lack of an EQ is simple. Adding a good-performing one would have required huge, heavy batteries and shortened the maximum battery life. Such an amp would have weighed much heavier and measured much bigger than most people can bear carrying! And any smaller amps with the EQ feature and use smaller, lightweight batteries would have distorted severely even when one frequency range is boosted even minimally and/or suffer from an extremely short battery life. And at the tiny sizes and feather weight that most people can comfortably carry, the batteries are lacking in voltage and/or current capacity. Thus, one had to compromise in a truly portable amp between a great amp section plus a cr@ppy or nonexistent EQ section or a mediocre amp section plus a mediocre EQ section.

In short, I'd rather have no EQ than a cr@ptacular EQ.

 

[digger945]

Would it really sound different if the amplitude of your favorite frequency was altered in the digital domain or after analog conversion?

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digger945 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Would it really sound different if the amplitude of your favorite frequency was altered in the digital domain or after analog conversion?

That's skirting the truth. I don't know of any truly portable amp which has both analog and digital inputs in a single unit other than the Total Bithead - and there is no room at all whatsoever in that amp for any EQ circuitry. A truly portable amp with sufficient power output and voltage swing to drive moderately inefficient headphones is entirely analog (with no digital input capability). Headroom sells a separate DAC for its normally all-analog Micro amp - but then, you'd have to juggle two pieces instead of just one in order to use the combo. And the Headroom Portable Desktop is more transportable than portable due to its size and weight (but includes both analog and digital inputs).