I intend purchasing a used equalizer on ebay, for home hifi and adjusting for accoustics/frequency defects. I would like to get a bit more bass too out of my two way floorstanding speakers. I have looked initially at some used around $80 on ebay. Eighty to a hundred bucks, is this too low for a reasonable quality equalizer?
Any suggestions as to what should I be looking for, octave size, type, and brand? In anticipation, thanking for any advise.
Any suggestions as to what should I be looking for, octave size, type, and brand? In anticipation, thanking for any advise.
It is for your home, so it need not be built like a tank for travel. But there are some professional units that are not expensive. In that world, other than small units with a handful of bands, you will largely find 15 band and 31 band units, and you'd want stereo. or two-channel anyway. And they are new with warranties. And instruction manuals.
Looking at a place like Musician's Friend I see the Peavey model 215EQ - dual 15 band model for $100. And the related dual 31 band model is the Peavey 231EQ for $179. Too much? They have a DOD brand 2x31 band for $129. The Behringer Ultragraph Pro FBQ1502 is a 2x15 band at $100. The FBQ3102 is $150.
You can of course spend thousands on a serious unit. But i think if you spend $100 more or less, it will get you a unit that will work pretty well, and will give you the opportunity to learn how to use it. Then at some point in the future, if you need something more sophisticated, you will know what to look for. There are nicer units at all price ranges, and even digital ones. If you got REAL serious, you might RQ the room for when the shades are drawn and when they are not, especially if you have a large sliding patio door. That really does change room acoustics. A digital EQ could remember several settings. You might even prefer different EQ for symphonic music versus contemporary music or even TV sound. But now I am getting ahead of your project.
Of course, you certainly may find some terrific deal on ebay for something.
And I certainly agree that a graphic EQ is not the way to increase the bottom end of your speakers.
Looking at a place like Musician's Friend I see the Peavey model 215EQ - dual 15 band model for $100. And the related dual 31 band model is the Peavey 231EQ for $179. Too much? They have a DOD brand 2x31 band for $129. The Behringer Ultragraph Pro FBQ1502 is a 2x15 band at $100. The FBQ3102 is $150.
You can of course spend thousands on a serious unit. But i think if you spend $100 more or less, it will get you a unit that will work pretty well, and will give you the opportunity to learn how to use it. Then at some point in the future, if you need something more sophisticated, you will know what to look for. There are nicer units at all price ranges, and even digital ones. If you got REAL serious, you might RQ the room for when the shades are drawn and when they are not, especially if you have a large sliding patio door. That really does change room acoustics. A digital EQ could remember several settings. You might even prefer different EQ for symphonic music versus contemporary music or even TV sound. But now I am getting ahead of your project.
Of course, you certainly may find some terrific deal on ebay for something.
And I certainly agree that a graphic EQ is not the way to increase the bottom end of your speakers.
Ummm... somebody does or they wouldn't have the lower octaves on an EQ. IMO it won't do close to enough if the room is the main problem, but for getting a few extra dBs of bass it can be advantageous. If a person isn't averse to that sort of signal tweaking, of course. And the bottom line is, like pretty much anything else, decide how much is in the budget and try to get the best value for the $$. For used stuff, I'd try and locate technical docs on the web.
Thanks so far. As well, I am getting a subwoofer that is not here yet. And I thought the sub and the equalizer may overcome some shortcomings. I received some good advise on DIY on rewiring the speakers; as the speakers were home built back in the ice age, and they are great in the highs, but limited in bass. Will the equalizer assist with the subwoofer in the setup?
I'm no acoustician, but I'd guess the subwoofer would make EQ'ing bass boost in the main speakers irrelevant for the most part. It may do the most good in blending the mains and the sub for smoothest response around the crossover region.
I'm converted to the multiple sub approach. I have a main sub and a smaller one nearer my listening position. It works very well to my ears, and I'm working on a third to become the big daddy of the three.
I'm converted to the multiple sub approach. I have a main sub and a smaller one nearer my listening position. It works very well to my ears, and I'm working on a third to become the big daddy of the three.
Sofa, the lower octaves on an EQ are there to even out the response, not to take the place of a subwoofer or otherwise correct for speakers that can;t go that low. If your speaker is 12db down at some low note, you could theoretically boost that band 12db and get back to flat. But that really is not the way to go about it.
Oh, I am not looking to start something.
If you try to flatten a rolloff with a graphic, and you only have 12db boost, in my example, what then about the bands below the one in question? They would need even more boost. What about what that 12db boosted signal has to go through in the amplifier to get to the speaker 12db hotter? If every 3db is double power, then 12db is asking the amp to produce 16 times the power at that freq. Maybe we replaced flat response with clipping?
I don't know that the OP is happy with the result, as far as I can tell it is an assumption on his part. Hey, if he tries it and likes it, I'll be the last guy to rain on his parade. Some folks open up the EQ box, put a smiley-face curve on the thing and live happily ever after. More power to them. To me it is like trying to cure a broken arm with morphine. Stops the pain but doesn;t address the underlying issue.
If you try to flatten a rolloff with a graphic, and you only have 12db boost, in my example, what then about the bands below the one in question? They would need even more boost. What about what that 12db boosted signal has to go through in the amplifier to get to the speaker 12db hotter? If every 3db is double power, then 12db is asking the amp to produce 16 times the power at that freq. Maybe we replaced flat response with clipping?
I don't know that the OP is happy with the result, as far as I can tell it is an assumption on his part. Hey, if he tries it and likes it, I'll be the last guy to rain on his parade. Some folks open up the EQ box, put a smiley-face curve on the thing and live happily ever after. More power to them. To me it is like trying to cure a broken arm with morphine. Stops the pain but doesn;t address the underlying issue.
I would be more comfortable if I knew... Are you opposed to EQ (eg, 31 bands, or even just 2) on fundamental grounds?
I do agree there are many assumptions, from all parties, in this thread. Let's assume the OP's system low-end needs about 3 or 4 dB of gain on the 40Hz band, and only a small off-center dip on the 80Hz band. Amp power and speaker drive to spare.
Finally and BTW, if they can live happily ever after, I'm not sure what sort of cure you have in mind.
I do agree there are many assumptions, from all parties, in this thread. Let's assume the OP's system low-end needs about 3 or 4 dB of gain on the 40Hz band, and only a small off-center dip on the 80Hz band. Amp power and speaker drive to spare.
Finally and BTW, if they can live happily ever after, I'm not sure what sort of cure you have in mind.
What I have in mind is what balerit suggested in post #2, different speakers.
Am I opposed to 31 band EQ? Not in the slightest. I have been in pro audio for 40+ years. A system is naked without one, or an equivalent. I just disagreed with the premise in the OP. If his speaks sounded bad in a room, were boomy or had a dip, sure correct with the EQ. When you are trying to get the sound of a 2x15 cab from a 10" speaker, then I don't think the graphic is the tool to use.
That is how I read his post. You may have read it and got a different idea. Perhaps indeed he is only curing a dip. Then fine. Right or wrong, I got the impression of a novice approach to insufficient speakers. All my arguments are made with that opremise in mind.
Sofa, I respect your knowledge, and I mean no disrespect, but I am going to stop arguing this point as I don't think we are advancing the thread now.
Am I opposed to 31 band EQ? Not in the slightest. I have been in pro audio for 40+ years. A system is naked without one, or an equivalent. I just disagreed with the premise in the OP. If his speaks sounded bad in a room, were boomy or had a dip, sure correct with the EQ. When you are trying to get the sound of a 2x15 cab from a 10" speaker, then I don't think the graphic is the tool to use.
That is how I read his post. You may have read it and got a different idea. Perhaps indeed he is only curing a dip. Then fine. Right or wrong, I got the impression of a novice approach to insufficient speakers. All my arguments are made with that opremise in mind.
Sofa, I respect your knowledge, and I mean no disrespect, but I am going to stop arguing this point as I don't think we are advancing the thread now.
I have an audiosource eq100. I bought it at a pawn shop for maybe $20-50. I tuned it using pink noise and took pains not to be too drastic with the controls and I did not try to get flat high or low frequencies, and I tried to balance the controls so that the level was approximately equal whether the eq was enabled or not. I found that the sound was fatiguing with the eq enabled. It adds a 'graininess' to the sound. I have found this with other EQ's in the past as well.
In the end they add enough noise and weirdness that I prefer leaving them out of circuit.
In the end they add enough noise and weirdness that I prefer leaving them out of circuit.
Cause over effect
Thanks all, okay, I will stay away from the equalizer, and keep my chips to resolve the cause, otherwise I am trying to at best, and dubiously at that to dope the effect, the lack of bass from the floorstanders. So I will remake the speakers.
I have purchased a David Weems book Designing, Building and Testing Your Own Speakers; written in very tangible insights for the novice, on the design and building aspects. When finished I will take them to a speaker technician for the electronics side. Thanks to all
Thanks all, okay, I will stay away from the equalizer, and keep my chips to resolve the cause, otherwise I am trying to at best, and dubiously at that to dope the effect, the lack of bass from the floorstanders. So I will remake the speakers.
I have purchased a David Weems book Designing, Building and Testing Your Own Speakers; written in very tangible insights for the novice, on the design and building aspects. When finished I will take them to a speaker technician for the electronics side. Thanks to all
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