Graphic equalizers?

[technoman28]

I was just wondering if anyone uses one in their set-up? Everyone seems to go on about getting the perfect sound for themselves, and as everyone has a slightly different idea about the perfect sound, an equalizer where you can tinker with the level of different frequencies within a piece of music/dvd to tailor the sound to your precise satisfaction would seem to be an essential bit of kit. But I have not seen many (if any) in peoples kit lists.

[shahedz]

i think they are not really used much in seperates, i had one many years back but found it altered the sound too much, although i do us the tone controls on my amp .

have to say when i was a kid i loved the flashing lights moving up and down

[SeanT]

A graphic at home isn't really needed plus most are misused.
A graphic equalizer is used for PA and events in unusual rooms - if there is any need to do so in the circumstance - just to subtly eliminate feedback and cut/boost frequencies that are absorbed/reflected particularly well by the masses of carpet and velvet / big wooden wallcoverings - NOT to make your music sound better to you in a smaller environment where these variables won't matter so much - if you don't like the sound, don't buy that music!!!

[Garrett]

They add an other layer of electronic circuitry which distorts the original signal, that’s why on most top end amp there is either no tone control or a bypass button going round the tone control circuitry.

[technoman28]

Must admit that I have wondered why high end gear has minimal knobs on, that would mean that you have to be 100% happy with the sound to buy the equipment, ie there is no adjusting anything apart from the volume. But surely us people who have "normal" stuff that we have to tweak to get nearer to "our sound", would benefit from having more frequencies to play with. I remember a time when a lot of amps had Bass, Treble, and Mid tone controls, although changing the mid frequencies does tend to drastically change the original sound, try it on your computer and see what I mean. But to alter mid/lo and mid/high frequencies to suit ones personal taste would surely be desirable? Would there really be much distortion on the sound on "normal" equipment? I work with a local band occasionally, and we tend to leave the graphic set and adjust the EQ on individual channels.

[Whitley Bob]

My Dad has impaired hearing (He's 85) and without some form of tone control he wouldn't be able to enjoy listening to his music, as he hardly hears high tones anymore and has to have the treble turned right up. This may come to many of us in time.

[eviljohn2]

They add an other layer of electronic circuitry which distorts the original signal, that’s why on most top end amp there is either no tone control or a bypass button going round the tone control circuitry.
More importantly (in a hifi context) is the dramatic phase shifts which such devices tend to bring in.

As Sean mentions above, they're invaluable in a live situation for controlling feedback quickly and easily. :)

[ufitsy]

I was just wondering if anyone uses one in their set-up? Everyone seems to go on about getting the perfect sound for themselves, and as everyone has a slightly different idea about the perfect sound, an equalizer where you can tinker with the level of different frequencies within a piece of music/dvd to tailor the sound to your precise satisfaction would seem to be an essential bit of kit. But I have not seen many (if any) in peoples kit lists.

This is an example of where more equals less.

[technoman28]

As there seems to be an overwhelming no to the debate, it would be interesting to know how many people who are saying no have actually had them in their set-ups at some point and how many are judging the book by its cover? If you have, or did have, did they have a drastic effect on the sound quality?

[shahedz]

i had a kenwood one about 7 years back now , it was the 7030 or soemthing , i cant exactly remember the name, and at the time, i was young and just loved bass, and wasnt too bothered about the audiophile quality, and it fitted the bill and produced lots of bass, but did also add to distortion but i can blame this on me probably not setting it up adequatly, but as i have grown older, i prefer the clean pure sound with out any adjustments and find it a lot clearer and my fondness for booming bass has gone down so no longer need or like the idea of a graphic equlaiser in my system

[SeanT]

Also, in an odd room or a car they are nice for subtle adjustments.

[Knyght_byte]

i had a nice Marantz one once, either 10 or 12 a side, well, not a Graphic EQ, just a EQ, was actually very good between my Aiwa amp and Jamo D110 speakers......didnt use it so much at home for listening, but was quite useful for CD/Tape/VHS to Tape recording, also when i used to drag my system to parties it came in handy for getting the system matched to the room........

but when i got my Wharfedale Diamond 7.3's i really didnt have any use for it, by then i was using the computer for recording, couldnt drag them to parties cuz they were a little larger...lol......so sold it to a mate.....amusing thing was, i picked up the EQ and an Aiwa tape deck (the good series that Aiwa made, forgot the model number now) for £300, but the full price should have been £400......but my mate was desparate to get it off me for some reason, so he coughed up £150 notes plus a not unreasonable amount of something smokeable....heh.....i was well chuffed....3 year old EQ and i turned a profit on it!
(he literally said i'll give you £150 and this if you sell it ot me now, i was actually gonna say call it a £100 and that and its a deal but soon as i spoke he said i just wanna hear Yes...so i said Yes....lol....still, did the decent thing and sparked up with him ;-)

[lostinspace]

I seem to remember a Q and A session on tv years ago about Hi-Fi,and one of the panel was asked:"where do I put my graphic equaliser?".
The panellist's reply was:"IN THE NEAREST DUSTBIN".
Seemed so funny at the time.

[HiFiver]

When I got my first DTS amp I remember the first few times I played a movie or cd I was constantly playing around with the presets. One time it would be 'Rock Concert' then 'Colliseum', 'Cathedral', 'Space', 'Room', Room? I'm in a ****in room!! Eh?. 'Hall', 'Chamber', 'Sydney Opera House', 'Dungeon' etc etc etc.....

I just stick it on Bypass mode now:)

Hope that's not too of topic, just reminiscent of the days of forever twiddling with eq's before realising, belatedly, that things sounded better without it !