What's your equalizer set at?

[sonic_rage]

Ive been trying to master setting the equalizer on my hi-md and was wondering how hi-md users here set their bands for particular genres.

Would anyone care to give me some tips on how to set the bands for music like Trance, D&B, Rock, etc.

right now im using my brand new EX71 headphones and they sure as hell sound very tinny to me with too much treble; maybe that's my problem.

[Poodle]

I like my sounds on the 'bright' side, so I usually set the mids and treble up and the bass not so much (on both Hi-MD RH910 and NW-HD5).

Currently I have:

Custom 1: +0 +2 +1 + 2 + 3 + 2

Custom 2: +1 +1 +2 + 3 + 3 + 2

[greenmachine]

The tinny sound is a sign of a non-fitting air-seal, which can't be easily compensated by equalization. Even if you could, the EQ's lowest frequency of 100 Hz is pretty useless, something in the 60 Hz range would have been much better imo.

[Richard]

The tinny sound is a sign of a non-fitting air-seal, which can't be easily compensated by equalization. Even if you could, the EQ's lowest frequency of 100 Hz is pretty useless, something in the 60 Hz range would have been much better imo.

I have Custom1 with bass at +2 on all my units. I must say I'm a bit lazy and generally tend to leave at this setting whatever the genre I'm listening to, be it jazz, classical, electronic...

[Christopher]

I encourage these types of discussions because there is far too much equalizer bashing across the 'net. I think choosing coloration that is pleasing to your ears should be a standard; to believe that we all have ears that can find the default settings with no equalizer acceptable is absurd. Everyone is different with hearing and what is considered satisfactory cannot be regulated.

I like +3 +2 +1 + 2 + 3 + 4 on the NW-HD3 I listen to..

[KJ_Palmer]

^ That's very symmetric at least, Chris...

(Actually, can you go up to 4?)

It varies, but right now my HD5 is set at

+1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +2 (Custom EQ1)

+2 +3 +2 +2 +3 +3 (Custom EQ2)

Earphones: Sennheiser MX550

Strange that no-one seems to use go into the negative range...

Edited November 9, 2005 by KJ_Palmer

[greenmachine]

You should also mention what kind of headphones you use. Some might sound pleasing to your ears without EQ, the majority propably won't and require individual corrections.

[Christopher]

Good point. I employ EX81's primarily, but I think I'm entering a phase where headphones aren't agreeable with me anymore; I've been finding myself listening to my computer speaker setup alot as of late. I don't even mess with the EQ in fb2k, too much tweaking can be done in that program and it becomes incessant.

Edited November 9, 2005 by kurisu

[SlowMo]

custom 1 is fitted for my earphones (raise in the lows), custom 2 for my active speakers at my parents' (raise in the highs), no eq for listening on my home hifi set.

i used to change the settings a lot more when my remote display wasn't broke yet, now i mostly leave it how it is.

so i use the eq to adapt different speakers/phones to sound at least a little more similar.

[KJ_Palmer]

Yes, I dont use any EQ on my home systems when I listen through headphones or speakers. That includes MD or CD decks or bookshelf system. Only portable units seem to need or benefit from EQ when listening though headphones. Even through portables 'line out' and a home amp I never need to use anything other than a flat response...

[sonic_rage]

After switching to Hi-MD ive noticed myself always changing the EQ for different types of music, but when i was using my netMD, the default setting for "sound 2" sounded great for every type of music!

[Haybrd]

On my NH900:

+2, +1, 0, +1, 0, 0, (Sony standard issue headphones)

Like Kurisu said, I just set this to my personal preference (whilst listening to a favourite song). I have never changed it.

[KrazyIvan]

For most music I use Custom:

+3 +2 +2 +1 +2 +3 on EX71's with NHF800

+2 +2 0 +1 +3 +3 on Pana HJE50's with the same unit

Sometimes I'll swith to the Jazz setting or Unique when I want a little more mid. Mostly I like bass.

Edited November 9, 2005 by KrazyIvan

[chriswyatt]

I use 2, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0. Gives my NH700 with my EX71s a little bass boost. I used to have it slightly dipped at the end too to remove some treble.

[AMPlitude]

if im remembering correctly, my custom 1 is at 3,2,-1,-1,2,3

[The Low Volta]

with NH900 and pana's RP-JE50's it's at:

+2, +2, +1, 0, 0, +1

just a bit more bass (for that warm/full sound) and a thad of treble (as it would otherwise drown in the lower frequencies too much)... the mids are mostly strong enough by themselves

*edit: forget about this... look 7 and 8 posts further and learn why!!

Edited January 2, 2006 by The Low Volta

[Deanage]

Strange that no-one seems to use go into the negative range...

You're not wrong. Ask most people what sort of eq setting they have on their home system and it's usually more or less a "V" shape to compensate for the human ear's ability to hear mid-range (3-8Khz give or take), louder than, say, low range (500Hz>). Most human voices are in the mid range though...

I think it's got something to do with people using ear/headphones rather than putting it through speakers.

Also, I use no EQ. 6 bands isn't enough adjustment for me but hey, horses for courses.

[DJ_THE_CROW]

with cracked european MZ-NH600 and in-ear Panasonic headphones at:

-3, -3, -3, -3, 0, +3

at Volume levels 100 % i used to listen mostly all of my MONO techno, dance, trance, euro dance, electric, rave, rap, jungle, drum n bass, michael jackson etc....

thats ok...

but now i use cracked CREATIVE ZEN XTRA 30 GB.

[FezzFest]

On my MZ-N710 Cutsom1: +1 0 0 0 0 0

On my MZ-RH710 Custom1: +2 +1 0 0 0 0

bass

[streaml1ne]

flat, MDR-SA5000, MDR-D66, MDR-7509

The 7509s have a different signature that I suppose you could EQ around, but I find their extra midrange pleasant on some music as is. The SA5000's and D66's don't need EQ'ing to my ear.

[yanouche]

+2 -3 -1 -2 -2 -1

in summer: koss porta pro

in winter: grado sr60

[faelnor]

At this time, +1 +1 0 -1 +1 0 on my new MDR-Q66(LW), but I didn't have time to tune it much.

[greenmachine]

Although my headphones (MDR-CD470) sound rather linear in the mid-range, i feel that they benefit from a little low and high frequency boost. My new favorite setting is (-1 -1 -1 -1 -1 0). See also this thread why i prefer negative values:

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=13741

[The Low Volta]

thanks to greenmachine's insights my new fav eq'ing is now [0 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1] as this gives a bit more bass and a warm/full sound... great!!

[dex Otaku]

Knowing pretty well what flat sounds like, I usually set my EQ to meet approximately that and then compensate a bit for my hyperacusis by cutting the 2nd highest band slightly more than the rest.

A lot of the music I listen to I'm already well aware of the sonic attributes of [with some after more than 20 years of listening], so I know reasonably well what to compensate for.

I think posting my EQ settings would be pretty useless though, because they're completely different for each set of 'phones and even with my 'general' setting for each set I still compensate for individual albums according to my personal preferences and the need to avoid pain caused by hyperacusis.

I don't see anything wrong with EQs either, myself. I personally never use them for additive processing, having come from the school of "passive is better" and actually having the ability to hear clipping distortion caused by EQing too much in the positive in any given band.

[Hombre]

Thanks Greenmachine; I had to try (0,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1) setting and found that records(vinyl)sounded much better. I like this setting. Nomally I listen to everything flat but, I using cheap headphones EX-71's and they are a bit bright and a little tubby in the bass. Of course this is a intital reaction but I will give it a week of listening to see if it sticks.