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Most people have heard of, but don't know quite what equalizers do. Simply, they change the volume at which different frequencies of sound are played. Different settings will emphasize different parts of music, with the above being an excellent all round setting.
In order to change your equalizer settings, hit ctrl-shift-2, open the drop down bar, click "make preset," enter what your heart desires, hit ok. Now, select all the music, play lists, or whatever you want your equalizer affect, right click, click "get info" and under options, change the equalizer to the preset you made earlier.
Equalizer APO
This handy dandy tool allows you to equalize all sounds from your computational device of choice. It works similarly to Itunes simpler one, but it allows you to custom enter the frequencies, and the decibel shift you would like.
Cat tax, this little ball of hate and fury lives with my brothers mother-in-law in Belgium. She absolutely despises anyone touching her, however she is extremely lovable.
*edit*
Someone asked for my equalizer APO settings,
https://www . dropbox . com/s/c97fxf85zcyqlpf/Custom . txt?dl=0
PaulTheBod
#1 was not an excellent all round setting. All it does is turn the volume up. It's frequently reposted to make fun of it...
tekcor
Oh look, a fan of Beats headphones...
Clevererusernameiscleverer
"I'm a professional". Doesn't even adjust the pre-amp.
uuhicanexplain
Only use equalizers if you have measured your speakers frequency response and adjust them to get a flat response. This posts advice is crap.
Dramacian
DO not forget the quality speakers/headphones and music compression if compressed.
ph0etus
How did such bullshit end up on the FP... Im disappointed.
usernamewastakensoiusedcancernames
tbh in Winamp this setting (or what looks like it) makes the music sound quite a bit better, even with good headphones and music.
aviz88
MediumSizedOctopus +
valiumkitty
Eq depends on your speaker set up/headphones type of material being heard distance to the source and acoustic environment. For starts. But
valiumkitty
A boost around 1k is where intelligibility starts for human voices. So bump 1k scoop mid range and bass bump usually does the trick
haff
Better solution: get decent headphones and a cheap DAC. EQs seriously destroy audio quality.
Mynamewitharandomnumberattheend
Use EQ to compensate for your Hardware deficiencies. Should really be cutting/boosting +/- 2db max unless you are shelving whole bands
ErfWerm
People still use itunes?
noWhiteHorseHereJustBatturuPrinsu
No iTunes still uses people
thoushaltnotpass
There is no equalizer magic that will work with every kind of speakers. Your speakers probably suck, buy better ones.
osciepop
All the EQ is so extreme there, you may as well just turn up your headphone/speakers. Changing the EQ that much will make the track distort.
fracturematt
Just fucking leave it flat. They use million dollar studios to eq and master albums for you.
ponakka
Even with lots of money, people can master badly. see this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWRsgZuwf_8
FlatScreenNinja
If you need to EQ that drastically then A. You're speakers are shit, buy some better ones. B. The song was mixed and mastered terribly
TrixieLaBouche
Sound engineer here. This is so very wrong.
KuramaKitsune
i prefer pc
Dugidugi
never add, always cut. PIC #1 will destroy the original sound.
exponentiallymusical
Yes, thank you.
bouncebounceandtheclaw
Isn't there a way to do this with your tv when the background music is super loud but everyone's whispering?
Kamasu0Tra
That's poor editing on the TV producers end. Some high end amp's can have a EQ or normalization option that might help with it.
dashers
If you have a dedicated AV amp, getting a centre speaker (and not pushing it against the wall) is the best thing you can do for TV sound.
exponentiallymusical
It depends on the speakers, the mix of the sound being played back, and your volume levels (especially with theatre systems)
AudioCats
Audio Engineers often run the final mix through all types of shit speakers to make sure it's good-ish there. Eq can't fix crappy drivers.
exponentiallymusical
Can confirm.
PubstarHero
Electronic artists mix down on typically decent monitors, but do the "Car Test". If it sounds good in there after a mixdown, its good.
tablecat
Eq can't fix crappy drivers, but it makes it more bearable. I've got some cheap bluetooth headphones, that sound decent enough with after EQ
HomerIsDead
I'm guessing the reason people call it an eargasm is purely because it's louder. That is some nasty EQ!
exponentiallymusical
The EQ is garbage. Also EQ APO made everything sound like dookie. It just added a persistent high pass filter to everything.
Kamasu0Tra
Get PEACE, it's a GUI for APO, which you normally have to manually edit files to get to work well.
exponentiallymusical
I just plugged my speakers directly to my tower so I could use the Realtek EQ. Sounds much better, and don't have to deal with a new program
Kamasu0Tra
To each their own. I find the realtek software very buggy.
exponentiallymusical
I only need it as a high pass filter, so my neighbors aren't bombarded by my subwoofer.
Stuntajai
As someone who actually went to school for audio wtf...first you never add that much gain second your driver type matters the most!
Stuntajai
By driver I mean woofer
dashers
And by the most important, you actual mean amp quality.
Stuntajai
Well really it's the combo of he 2 if you have a great amp and cheap speaker it's going to sound bad...same goes the other way.
tekcor
Why the fuck is this ignorant bullshit on the front page?!
PubstarHero
Its a repost too where all the comments tore the guy a new asshole.
tekcor
Well... fuck. I'm no better I guess.
dashers
Because imgur is home to a large number of ignorant fucks who upvoted bullshit and down vote rationale.
3142
Eq is a tool for audio production and compensating for fb in live venues. If your music needs eq it's either badly produced or shit hardware
aStrangerVoid
Proper consumer use of EQ should be to compensate for the headphones' frequency response curve.
SaVillaHg
I got a buddy who uses full treble in his car (Simple EQ work, only 2 options) refuses to believe the piercing high notes sound bad...
arcadephucking
Plus shitty acoustics ie. almost every room
dashers
Shitty speakers, shitty amp, shitty ears. Loads of things can push your audio from reference.
NovemberIndiaCharlieKilo
Not necessarily. It's also used to optimize music for different speakers.
3142
Nothing an eq does in this context can be classed as optimization.
morkit
Proper use for eq is room correcting or sound system correcting. It works same way in home rooms as in venues. just know what you are doing.
BlacksMcNutt
Samsung had a built in app that optimized the audio for your personal hearing. I thought it was great. Didn't think my hearing was bad!
drdsanchezjr
People use eq for the same reason as a live venue. Resonance. I have to dip whatever frequency a# in the second octave is or it rattles1/2
drdsanchezjr
like crazy.
BananaBro
It can be useful to match your speakers if your crossover/low-pass/high-pass don't perfectly match and FR is all over the place
3142
So if you have a badly designed crossover you would just eq it out? Before it hits the crossover?
BananaBro
I was using that as a random example of something that could throw off FR. imo hardware EQ is a necessity when not using pre-paired drivers
HelloImgurIAmSleeplessMan
Well there is an astonishing amount of music out there that sounds like it was mixed and mastered by a duck
aStrangerVoid
And a lot of it is "brickwalled". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war
TheDuriel
quack? QUACK QUACK QUACK!!!
thoushaltnotpass
Mastered with an mp3 player and $15 headphones in mind, no wonder that sounds like shit on a PA system
drdsanchezjr
A good master is most likely going to sound like shit over any system if it's converted to mp3.
BananaBro
mastered with $400 beats by Dre
RandomImgurian
ctrl-shift-2 does nothing on my computer.
exponentiallymusical
That's an iTunes shortcut. You have to look into your studio driver settings on your computer to look at a general eq
pohuing
On windows 10 desktop it changes the size of icons, also 6 is quite interesting
Kamasu0Tra
Most music programs will have an EQ somewhere in them. If you want one for your whole PC, look into Equalizer APO + PEACE.
thatBeatsguy
Do it on iTunes. @op was so kind to forget that important detail.
kysall1234
How to open it outside of iTunes?
exponentiallymusical
If you're using Realtek audio drivers you can use the Realtek audio settings manager. It differs depending on your software and hardware.
kysall1234
Alright, thanks
utgort
Why would anyone that likes music use iTunes?
serban1703
Why do people dislike itunes? It can play very great quality, uncompressed music, easy to use and lets you import your stuff
utgort
Well I have used it. It used to take 6 minutes (timed) to start on my PC. No I do not have a low end PC it is a problem with Bonjour. 1/2
utgort
Not to mention the problem with music that you put into iTunes that you did not buy through the App store disappearing from the library. 2/2
TheLaughingMagician
"I'm a professional with sound" I call soo much bullshit on that. Those settings are waay too extreme. You want to be cutting, not boosting.
BunBunIsMySpiritAnimal
Right; 24db cut?
Offensivecommenter
I'm a professional with imgur, what he says checks out.
rumourhasit
I'm a professional producer myself and this is so true.
skellington01
Like saying "I'm a professional with food" it's a matter of taste. For most ppl just boost bass&highs And they will think it's "better"
LooseyGooseyBrett
I have ears
DarthWikki
It all comes down to the speakers or headphones, one preset does not fit all
thatBeatsguy
Well, I mean, it is from tumblr. Can't expect much from tumblr.
sublimedub
Agreed. EG reduce everything apart from 2khz by -1db and Up total volume +1db is the same as boosting 2kHz by 1db without unwanted 1/2
sublimedub
2/2 distortion. It's called negative EQ. analog EQ is OK to boost. introduces good harmonic distortion. Not bad digital distortion. ????
Vertron
Not to mention speaker selection...
Hammertulski
+12 at 8k? Fuck that, hell no. I don't have DT770s and Focals because I want to listen to high-quality pain.
ReignOfError
Yeah, my first thought was 'you can get that with much less "up" on those knobs and it'll sound better', and I have no idea what I'm doing.
TheLaughingMagician
Only boost by a few dbs at most. I'm not a professional with sound, just a amateur who has bothered to learn about it from people who are.
PubstarHero
Never boost, always cut. Boost overall volume at your amp/AV receiver/speakers/Windows volume control.
Stevejw2009
Omg thank you. Seen this kind of post a few time. Pure bull
GeeButtersnapps
He didn't cut any of the frequencies like you said haha, "i'm a professional with sound" my ass. Probably made an iTunes playlist once
hackller
""I'm a professional with sound". using a free download software. i call bs!!!
AdmiralHindsight
Software being free doesn't mean it can't be professional quality
hackller
so, you're saying abbey road studios would use this then?
emberfish
It's clearly a troll post.
RandigStrumpa
I second that! Dont wanna hear that 8k boost! The professionals have already mixed the song, you just need to compensate for your speakers.
Soundbanks
2nd that, plus no audiologist or audio engineer calls themself a "professional with sound". I'm not a vet, I'm a professional with animals.
Oscill8s
I'm not a software developer, I'm a professional with curly brackets.
theconstermonster
Im going to steal that some time
malaroo
Hell, calling them "extreme" is being kind. They're straight up fucked. Basically, backwards, and none should be that high/low.
TheLaughingMagician
A whopping +8db on the 16k made me lulz. Does he have any idea what sort of sound lives up there?
malaroo
"Professional with sound"
EmuMoogle
No way dawg, I love that range of harmonics that sounds like nails on a chalkboard, gimme all you got. /s
Spisepinden
I always cut down the high end because those high-pitched noises cut my ears like knives
PubstarHero
There is a song I like (Hustler by Simian Mobile Disco). There is a part that when DJing, I'd almost completely cut the highs. Too Loud.
ScottHitz
I'll second that.
PubstarHero
As a sound engineer for clubs, can confirm. Every building and music style has different acoustics that require different EQ settings. 1/
PubstarHero
And you always want to lower volume levels going to the amp, and boost there (Speakers, AV receiver, etc.) - Also, EX Sound Engie 2/2
PokoOnoandtheJamJams
As an audio engineer, even if the file is floating-point (say 32bit), boosting a full-mix at all will likely cause peaks to clip
KingOfTheInterwebz
Also equalizers depend on genre and personal preference.
aStrangerVoid
Much more importantly they depend on the frequency response of your speakers/headphones.
TheLaughingMagician
Yup, and your set up. Maybe your speakers have a bit of woof and you need to calm that low end.
ererr
For me, it varies between songs on the same album.. :/ it sucks changing a lot.. can't make up my mind ever too.
TrueItaliano
Yeah but if you're boosting everything hen you're just asking to distort your music and/or speakers
drdsanchezjr
that's what the preamp fader is for. Turn that down and turn the speaker amp up.
WetBreadMasterBater
Boosting adds distortion so you want to cut the things that you don't want to boost and turn up the volume
drdsanchezjr
Or boost things and turn down the volume.
NinjaWizard
professional with sound would know that songs are already mixed and those eqs are just going to ruin the sound
TheWorldsGreatestPlagueDoctor
Not really, your speakers distort the sound slightly so you need a little eq to correct it back.
dmitryleonidas
Without proper in-room measurements with what can be considered a rather expensive gear you will fuck up your sound anyway.
drdsanchezjr
Right, I'd recommend people spend a few years ear training and understanding the frequency spectrum if they want to adjust eq by ear.
PubstarHero
It took awhile to properly EQ rooms at clubs with a mobile audio rig I worked with. It takes time. And really good monitor headphones for1/
PubstarHero
Reference so you know how its really supposed to be sounding. 2/2
SteevyT
I just leave it all flat and use good speakers.
phinehas
This. I like to hear songs how the engineer mixed it, good speakers go a long way
PubstarHero
Yeah, room acoustics have nothing to do with how you should EQ for your speakers. TIL.
sublimedub
Most engineers mix through terrible speakers. Point being if it sounds good through them,should sound good through anything.
Vedar
So... how about telling us the proper way to do it.
malaroo
(2) way to do it.
TheLaughingMagician
Pretty much what Malaroo said. Professionals use the absolute best gear possible if they are boosting eq, that's if they are doing it at all
TheLaughingMagician
There is no magic 'one size fits all' setting. The whole point of eq is so you can make minor adjustment to compensate for your room/speaker
malaroo
Basically, if you want more bass, turn the treble frequencies down, not the bass frequencies up. This picture shows you the exact *wrong*
drdsanchezjr
If the bass is lacking a little at 125hz or whatever you can boost the single frequency band, or cut the other ten, it doesn't matter. 1/2
drdsanchezjr
Boost 3db @125hz, turn preamp slider down 3db is the same as cutting the other ten bands by 3db (just an example)
tiikuri
It doesn't matter which way you do it. It's about how high the volume of the frequency is compared to other frequencies.
malaroo
(2) louder in comparison, in its natural state without any extra grain.
ookkee
Boosting can create distortion which probably won't matter in this case but should be avoided when mixing.
malaroo
But you will almost always get a better, cleaner result from turning the opposite ones down, as opposed to just boosting one. It makes it
drdsanchezjr
I agree. if you boost a bunch of shit though, turn the preamp slider down to compensate for all the added gain.
tablecat
I prefer to just get decent headphones.
KidintheCloset
Tried these equalizer settings, sounded like shit, realized it's because my headphones are a 5/7, changed them back to what they were.
KFoxx
Getting decent headphones just allows the equalizer to be more effective. Unless decent means pre-equalized. Then you're doing it wrong.
EvilBrainAngelHeart
Your music should come pre-equalized. With decent headphones you should be able to hear music as intended, without having to mess with it.
Thelosouvlakia
I replaced a pair of Razer Kraken pro with a Fiio E10k and a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 990 pro, no regrets at all next stop, a tube amp <3
firecutter23
Try the DarkVoice 336SE my friend.
firecutter23
Get a beyerdynamics dt-770 ( 80 ohm for normal usage ) complete isolation and comfort + amazing sound. If you prefer bigger soundstage 1/2
firecutter23
( open back headphones ) get the Phillips fidelio x2, those two are the best budget closed back and open back headphones I own.
firecutter23
I own a audio Technica m50 as well, but they suck because the pads are too small and they are not comfortable. They sound good though.
AWindBlownTree
Krks are the way to go
Batmanatee
Seriously. $100-150 headphones will last you a decade and make your music 100x more enjoyable. Only issue is they aren't that portable.
PoliticalLava
I have Sony MDR-XB (about $150) from when I worked at bestbuy, and they are the BEST headphones I have ever had.
SaVillaHg
The only thing that makes those headphones that expensive is a finely tuned equalizer (Most of the time) within the set itself. I.E. BEATS
Batmanatee
Hm well I've compared $100 ath-m50 with Beats Studio and the audio technica was quite a bit better. Currently use ath-a900x ($150 on sale)
Boobeez
Since when are beats good headphones?
aStrangerVoid
You don't know much about headphones then I assume. Far from all drivers are equal and there are many different designs
SaVillaHg
Unless they are like Sennheisers...those are some hella good headphones.
MoodyOfNorway
yeh, mad happy with my SH's
EvilBrainAngelHeart
I got audio-technica ath-m50x, they're great.
ANewBadlyPhotoshoppedPhotoOfHarambeWhenIFeelLikeIt
+rep
NoughtPointOneFour
Audio-Technica, Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser are the brands to go with!
oooooohAhhhhhh
Yep! Have had my senn's for over a year. Best headphones I've ever purchased
JustAFellaThatLikesDogs
I second that
Josh2001lm
I third it wearing mine right now
JustAFellaThatLikesDogs
I never take mine off I just leave them on all day
Josh2001lm
I do pretty much the same