Topic: Is EQ essential?

[craziechild]

masters...

often we talk about doing tuning through crossover points, angling, placing and also gain setting... but seldom talk about eq... so do EQ share the same importance as the ones mentioned above?

please share...

[Zenn]

eq will help in the fine tuning, after u get all the xovers & positioning settled.  its just like salt, pepper & seasoning, after u get all the recipe and cooking methods correct.

[built]

craziechild,
depends on who you are asking that question; the answer can either be "yes" and "no"...

some call themselves "purist" or what we call take it as it is. another group will say
that the car acoustic is lousy... too much absorption and reflection therefore EQ is
deem necessary.

so which group do you belong to?

[craziechild]

to me EQ is needed as a fine tuning... i use EQ in my system and found it very useful to tune my system sound the way i like it to be... correcting the weakness in my system...

but some of the senior icer at my place differ that EQ is not important and can be totally leave out of the system... i always see some icers here even they have good HU like 9855, D2, CD7000, only the xover is used while the EQ is totally left out... in the end of the day, some change their amps, component set or wires claiming that they are the culprits of not good SQ overall...

so come a question in my mind... is EQ essential to the sifu, and also the experienced?

[bafukie]

what eq ru using craziechild?

[built]

craziechild,
it doesn't matter what other think. if EQ is important to you,
then it's essential!

[craziechild]

i use the 701... EQ on the individual channels...

[panzer]

EQ, if your set up is well balanced enough, and the car's interior acoustics doesn't fight with your installed system, then no need EQ.

If you want some flexibility, and like to tweak your sound on the fly, then EQs are the way to go!

[kevyeoh]

i belong to the group who believes in EQ...cause personal experience la... EQ really help my previous system to sound a lot a lot better...

from that day onwards, i support EQ if it's needed....
:)

you can always try to use EQ first before upgrading your other components like speaker or amps....right? so for me, no harm trying and go for EQ...

[mnkh27]

i belong to the group who believes in EQ...cause personal experience la... EQ really help my previous system to sound a lot a lot better...

from that day onwards, i support EQ if it's needed....
:)

you can always try to use EQ first before upgrading your other components like speaker or amps....right? so for me, no harm trying and go for EQ...

the main question would be

1) Does your system sound reasonably good without EQ?
If it does not, it's best to delve deeper into understanding what is really holding back your system rather than add an EQ to solve it. If it does sound good, by all means add the EQ to give you better flexibility to fine tune the system to perfection or closer to perfection. :)

2) Does adding an external EQ induce other problems?
If adding an EQ requires you to spend on extra cabling that you cannot afford now, it may be best to keep it on hold rather than go half cooked. 'KISS' applies here. The more you 'hantam' into your system chain, the more complicated it gets to detect nagging problems. Another problem with adding EQs is whether the EQ itself changes the resolution, tonal and noise floor in your system. If it does, you may want to think twice or look harder to find another EQ that fits your system without robbing any qualities to begin with. If you can't find one, then maybe you should KISS again! :)

3) Do you have the patience to tune an EQ?
Honestly, nobody is that free to sit in your car for hours, a couple of times a day or in a week to tune the EQ and for FOC. :D Furthermore, it is not recommended to tune your system for more than 30mins each session. Ear fatigue, concentration fatigue, car charging system fatigue sets in. You must at least train your ears so that you can participate in the tuning process and to give the tuner a second opinion. The tuner may be very well familiar with guitars and pianos but maybe you are better with the other strings and percussions. That way, we do not end up going in circles. Most people that add an EQ without the patience will end up settling with an average point. If your system is already good to begin with, this average point does not really justify the expense in adding that EQ. Money could have been spent elsewhere with greater results.

[ahmisuhairi]

thats what i call explaination from sifu....

 

[mnkh27]

thats what i call explaination from sifu....

 

Errr, how can. My sifu is you guys lar.

[octave]

hehehe ... what a good thread with many great sifu contributions .

may i venture further to add that the purist theory is classified
into 2 categories :

first , a group of enthusiasts defined the purist theory as
the faithful reproduction of music as recorded . this classification
is held in high esteem by many music enthuasists .

this definition disregards whether it has been faithful to the music . as you are
aware , the purity of sound is very dependent upon the quality of equipment used .
and also the itchy fingers of the audio engineers .

second , another more defining view is that the music is faithfully
repoduced as played by the musicians . the rich and famous artistes are
always struggling to retain their artistic rights from  the record companies .
this view is held by the more serious enthusiasts .

built ... so you are very right ..... 

when the first definition has been achieved .....

hehehe .... there is the second version to conquer .... 

[kevyeoh]

the main question would be

1) Does your system sound reasonably good without EQ?
If it does not, it's best to delve deeper into understanding what is really holding back your system rather than add an EQ to solve it. If it does sound good, by all means add the EQ to give you better flexibility to fine tune the system to perfection or closer to perfection. :)

Previous system doesn't sound good without EQ...after adding in EQ...sounded so much better according to my taste...it was harsh and the midbass not enough oomph...EQ seems to solve all the problems... hehe...

2) Does adding an external EQ induce other problems?
If adding an EQ requires you to spend on extra cabling that you cannot afford now, it may be best to keep it on hold rather than go half cooked. 'KISS' applies here. The more you 'hantam' into your system chain, the more complicated it gets to detect nagging problems. Another problem with adding EQs is whether the EQ itself changes the resolution, tonal and noise floor in your system. If it does, you may want to think twice or look harder to find another EQ that fits your system without robbing any qualities to begin with. If you can't find one, then maybe you should KISS again! :)

yeah...agree with your half cooked theory...i'll try not to cook something halfway now learning from past experience... hehe...

3) Do you have the patience to tune an EQ?
Honestly, nobody is that free to sit in your car for hours, a couple of times a day or in a week to tune the EQ and for FOC. :D Furthermore, it is not recommended to tune your system for more than 30mins each session. Ear fatigue, concentration fatigue, car charging system fatigue sets in. You must at least train your ears so that you can participate in the tuning process and to give the tuner a second opinion. The tuner may be very well familiar with guitars and pianos but maybe you are better with the other strings and percussions. That way, we do not end up going in circles. Most people that add an EQ without the patience will end up settling with an average point. If your system is already good to begin with, this average point does not really justify the expense in adding that EQ. Money could have been spent elsewhere with greater results.

yup... this is my problem now... i also have a feeling that by adding in EQ...i might just end up with average point instead of getting the system closer to perfection as you said above...

[built]

ah yes, the second version; ol' wise one.
can it be acheived without an EQ in a car?