Graphic Equalizers.

[dreamrose]

Hi Everyone,

New to the forum so please forgive me if this is in the wrong section.
Well I have been around long enough now to know that the purists simply hate Graphic Equalizers, however, after resisting the temptation for many years I am finally going to buy one.
My system is very old and must admit that due to my life style I have probably not sat down and listened to any music on the Hi-Fi in very many years.
So what I would like to ask is where exactly do I fit this Graphic in the system?
My system is, Sansui AU101 amp - Sansui D90 Tape Deck - Dual 505 Deck-Arcam Alpha 5 CD player. ( Yes some equipment is well over thirty years old)
So please people, first off can I fit a graphic to the system and if so how do I connect it up.
Sorry once again about the suject matter, I am aware that they are considered by many as nothing more than toys.

Thanks for looking.

DR.

[Mr_Sukebe]

I'm not going to try to debate the pros and cons here, it's your money after all.
Assuming your amp has a "tape loop" should be possible to insert on there.

Just on thought, assuming you're serious about this, there is a potentially interesting solution that might not be quite as bad as an "old style" graphic.
Behringer make a digital processing unit that can be used to "smooth out" the response of a system within a room. I understand that it's similar in operation to a TACT unit and is meant to be suprisingly good. It has both digital and analogue inputs, with digital and analogue outputs. So in theory, it could be used as an external DAC. I know a chap with a modified unit who claims that it's on par with a DAC64 as a DAC, though I couldn't verify the validity of that.
So I'd suggest you go check one of these units out. I believe they're £180.

I'm hoping to have a play with one myself in the near future.

[dreamrose]

Thanks Mr. Sukebe,
I undertand where you are coming from with your opening comments.
Thank you for your reply and I will certainty be trying one of these items out out.
I guess I should point out that my reason for wanting to add a graphic in the first place is the fact that I totally lack a true Hi-Fi ear.
I found this out back in the early seventies, when after listening to a records played using a ceramic cartridge for years I upgraded to a Gerrard Deck, Celestion Speakers and Rotel Amp. The cost of which was about £150, quite a lot of money in those days. Anyhow, I describe my disappointment when I got it home and plugged it all in.
Gone was my wonderful shrill treble and everything seemed so bland.
I went back to the shop the following day and related this episode to them and they said that you are now listening to real Hi-Fi and not the shrill that you have become used to. He then sat me down in front of a £500 system which he raved about, but sadly I still could not tell any difference.
Maybe it was because I did not listen to Classical Music and only pop, because all pop records were multi tracked, dubbed and over dubbed that all true HI-FI was totally lost anyway.
For a few years after that I spent a lot of money on different amps trying to find one I liked, unfortunately without success. And it was not until my daughter purchased one of those all in one system complete with graphic a few weeks ago that my enthusiasm returned, the sound the system produced was just like the old days, and so hence my eagerness to now purchase a graphic myself.
So I know I maybe not listening to true HI-FI but it’s what I like.
Oh by the way, how can I tell if my amp has a tape loop please?
Thanks again for getting back with your answer.

DR

[BenW]

Maybe you should just go out and buy an all in one system? Could be a lot cheaper than getting a Graphic EQ.

[michael orme]

Originally Posted by dreamrose

Thanks Mr. Sukebe,
I undertand where you are coming from with your opening comments.
Thank you for your reply and I will certainty be trying one of these items out out.
I guess I should point out that my reason for wanting to add a graphic in the first place is the fact that I totally lack a true Hi-Fi ear.
I found this out back in the early seventies, when after listening to a records played using a ceramic cartridge for years I upgraded to a Gerrard Deck, Celestion Speakers and Rotel Amp. The cost of which was about £150, quite a lot of money in those days. Anyhow, I describe my disappointment when I got it home and plugged it all in.
Gone was my wonderful shrill treble and everything seemed so bland.
I went back to the shop the following day and related this episode to them and they said that you are now listening to real Hi-Fi and not the shrill that you have become used to. He then sat me down in front of a £500 system which he raved about, but sadly I still could not tell any difference.
Maybe it was because I did not listen to Classical Music and only pop, because all pop records were multi tracked, dubbed and over dubbed that all true HI-FI was totally lost anyway.
For a few years after that I spent a lot of money on different amps trying to find one I liked, unfortunately without success. And it was not until my daughter purchased one of those all in one system complete with graphic a few weeks ago that my enthusiasm returned, the sound the system produced was just like the old days, and so hence my eagerness to now purchase a graphic myself.
So I know I maybe not listening to true HI-FI but it’s what I like.
Oh by the way, how can I tell if my amp has a tape loop please?
Thanks again for getting back with your answer.

DR

I think if your amp has a tape monitor button, you might be able to use a graphic.

[dreamrose]

Thanks for the two answers.

1. Understand what you say about buying a complete system, but they are very plastic looking, plus hard to find one with a good turntable.

2. My amp has a Tape monitor switch on the the front with a din socket.
the switch says, (source) in one position and (playback) in the other. Is this any good?

Thanks again,

DR

[dreamrose]

Just picked up a Pioneer A400, but still want to hook up a graphic equalizer.
Does anyone know if I can do it with this unit and if so how do I do it.

Thanks ever so much.

DR

[shahedz]

picked up an A400, can't recommend it enough a fantastic amp! i know you may not want to hear this but don't connect an EQ to it! it sounds great with nothing in its way, how much did you get it for?

[G a f f e r]

Hi Dreamrose.

Firstly, congrats on the pioneer a400x.....fantastic amp (my brother has one).
At the back of the amp should be a set of "tape in" inputs and also "tape out" outputs. But you don't even need these.

That Berhinger eq thingy is basically a digital equaliser and is very cheap. Here is a review from the web : http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazin...ringer8024.htm

You can place this between cd and amp.
So whereas it's normally cd-->amp, it's now cd-->eq-->amp.

Finally, sorry to hear about your misfortune re:hi-fi setups. Do one thing if you can though. Go to at least 1 hi-fi show (next one in autumn...heathrow) if you can. You'll hear some very poor setups, but the sheer mass of variety means you're bound to come across that sound that "does it for you" quite a few times.
At least one hi-fi mag will probably be giving away free tickets closer to the date....so see if you can go.....you'll probably enjoy it and it may rekindle your interest for hi-fi

[Dom996]

A graphic eq has no place in a well balanced domestic hifi. A good system is for listening not producing.

Recently I visited a rather good recording facility in London and their eq system was nothing like what we are talking about. They had increments of every couple of hertz, it was a massive desk!

[dreamrose]

Firstly, thank you Gaffer for the advice on how to set up the G/E and about visiting an Audio Faye.
Dom, yes I have heard this comment for the last thirty years and I know what you are saying is correct. Hey but look I’m a novice totally out of my depth but I know what I like. True I may not appreciate the finer type of music played on a professional set up, I will not argue with that. I do enjoy listening to crashing over treble toned cymbals that even drive my wife mad, she says it must be an age thing and that I have lost my sense of high frequency.
Surely, a Hi-Fi system is there to suit the listener’s requirements not to impress the listener’s friends.
At the end of the day I guess I’m not a purist I know, but surely all that matters is that I like the sound I am hearing.
Anyway, I would like to thank you for your help, this is a very useful site and the members are indeed very knowledgeable.

Sincerely,

DR

[Mr_Sukebe]

I'd still suggest the Behringer. Picked one up on Sat s/h and for not much dosh.
Haven't worked out how to use it yet, but I'm hoping that I can quell some of the room nodes that my apartment suffers from.

[adam7788]

Whatever floats your boat is right in my book.
This opens the whole hearing debate for me. I have friends who cannot distinguish between a top f and d, let alone audio quality. Soo many say, I can't hear the difference between CD player A and B. Our ears are the first port of call with hifi, and (due to BUPA hearing tests, I know mine are in reasonable shape - some roll off in HF at 12k in the left ear, right ear up 15k). Soo many people expound the virtues of certain hifi, based on thier own hearing. Its always going to be a personal view. Don't get me started on the room acoustics....
Whats right for you, is RIGHT for you.
HiFI should be about sitting in chair, getting lost in the music, tapping your foot and smiling.
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise..
Graphic in the tape loop, if your pre or integrated has it.
Enjoy!