[kinku]

I am wondering how many have used equalizers in their signal chain to control tonality of music and what were the conclusions.It is at least in theory ,another source of noise adding to the signal chain. I am waiting to hear from you all about experiences. I am starting this thread separate here since it came up as a discussion in my other thread with MA RS6speaker.

[Jazzman53]

I use a digital EQ to compensate the characteric low-frequency dipole roll-off of my hybrid electrostats.  In my setup the signal path is all digital from the source, thru the EQ, and converting to analog at the output of a digital crossover.  Before I had the digital setup, I used an analog Audio Control C101 graphic EQ and an analog DBX active crossover.   The old analog setup sounded pretty good, but did have some detectable signal degradation.  By comparison the all digital setup is pristine clean and I'm gonna call it a bit "sterile"; whereas, the old analog setup was not as clean but more "organic" sounding.  These are rather poor adjectives but I can't think of better ones.               

[WireNut]

I am wondering how many have used equalizers in their signal chain to control tonality of music and what were the conclusions.It is at least in theory ,another source of noise adding to the signal chain. I am waiting to hear from you all about experiences. I am starting this thread separate here since it came up as a discussion in my other thread with MA RS6speaker.

 Funny you asked that question. I've recently been kicking around the idea of adding one. It's been 30 years since I've use one. If I did add one I'd have to put it in the preamp tape loop so I could switch it out of the single path when not used.

[underdawg]

Behringer makes a tube eq I use from time to time, its like having a eq and tube buffer in one. I like its sound.

[mclsound]

EQ's are great.I have a pair of Klark Technik 27a and after you get past all the High Fidelity mombo jumbo that people try to push at you,they improve alot.
They simplify alot of problems,although can create a few if you abuse them.

[kinku]

mclsound can you please explain the problems they solved for you?

[Jazzman53]

I think EQ's are great tools.  I've learned that everyone has their own unique hearing curve and an EQ is a great tool for fine tuning a system to match one's unique hearing curve.   The link below is an Equal Loudness tool that I used to find my natural hearing curve.  I found that my hearing is especially sensitive to the 2khz-3khz band--- so much so that some lady singers voices and piano tones in that range sounded shrill to me.   One example is Erin Bode's tune "Holiday", which caused me to cringe when she hit certain notes.  I had thought the shrillness was due to crappy recordings or over-bright speakers but it was actually my over-sensitivity to certain frequencies causing normal/good recordings to sound shrill.  My EQ allowed me to surgically match my system's response to my hearing curve-- after that, the shrillness was gone and the Erin Bode tune I referenced now sounds wonderful.

Here's that Equal Loudness hearing tool:
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/hearing.html   

[kinku]

I just listened to that track, really that song give me a headache.What is wrong with it?
Perhaps nothing wrong.I did a prelim test with the tool you provided seems like I am highly sensitive to high freq and mids

[charmerci]

Here's that Equal Loudness hearing tool:
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/hearing.html

Cool! Thanks.