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Poll

Is EQ and/or Audio Enhancement useful to you?

Yes
[ 8 ] (13.3%)
EQ only
[ 16 ] (26.7%)
Audio Enhancement only
[ 3 ] (5%)
No, not at all
[ 33 ] (55%)

Total Members Voted: 66

Topic: EQ & Audio Enhancement (Read 5116 times) previous topic - next topic
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EQ & Audio Enhancement

They are useful to me . I always put the 16 kHz, 18 kHz switch to maximum. I'm using DFX now but I'm not happy with it. It's "3D" switch
makes audio sounds mono alike.  ANY OTHER NICE AUDIO ENHANCEMENT?

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #1 –
just say no to EQ and DFX-like audio tools! x_x run away!


the only one i really like is that 5point1 output. scratch that, love. no, scratch that, am rabid over. but that's not really an enhancer, is it? i mean it dematrixes the surrounds out of data that's already there, not just "makes up" as in DFX... right?

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #3 –
Quote
They are useful to me . I always put the 16 kHz, 18 kHz switch to maximum. I'm using DFX now but I'm not happy with it. It's "3D" switch
makes audio sounds mono alike.  ANY OTHER NICE AUDIO ENHANCEMENT?

Try Enhancer 0.17 DSP plugin for Winamp 2 which is free.
Previously I was using DFX but I found it sucks.

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #4 –
I only use Shibatch's Super Equalizer for "real" listening.

If I want some fun or if I'm playing music that's supposed to be *loud* (at parties for example, although that doesn't happen very often ), I use the Compressor & Wider plugin.

But I agree that for quality listening, those "enhancer" or "effect" plugins are the worst things that can happen to you.

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #5 –
no i don't like any kind of filters, effects or eqs. i like to stay linear in order to get the most transparent sound. if you have good speakers, i think you won't need all this stuff

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #6 –
Just to put my grain of salt in in:

Enhancers and  EQ's are of use generally when the equipment is low quality. there's where they "enhance" the effects that either generate, or which are there already.

For example, if you have your Hi-Fi Soundcard connected to your digital amplifier and that to a pair of good Monitors, you would really keep away from any effect, since most are directed to increase both bass and highs, which you would have more than enough.

On the other hand, i am in favour of equalizers in a "song basis", which means that on songs that are "badly equalized" (for your tastes, or because it was "marketed" for being that way), I find it ok.

Most of the people here will just say " put out all eq's and effects". Sometimes I feel people here is a bit "purist", like trying to hear exactly what was recorded, in these days where most of the music is not recorded, but generated : (virtual) synths, MIDI devices, and post-mastered ( compressed, equalized and such).

So, my advise is like this: Use these type of programs, only if your equipment is not able to do so by itself. Giving you a "perfect" reproduction of the wave, when you have other elements (soundcard, speakers... ) that are not "perfect" is stupid. Using an EQ to disminish the effect is worth, in my opinion.

About suggestions, right now I don't use anything, but I tried that enhancer that VeryBlur has suggested (URL : http://www.geocities.com/i_adryan/ )

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #7 –
I agree with Volcano here: If you want to destroy a song's dynamic completely Pesch's Compressor+Wider is quite a nice tool, but for serious listening you should disable all DSP/Equalizing crap.
dev0
"To understand me, you'll have to swallow a world." Or maybe your words.

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #8 –
i occasionally use naoki's super eq for listening to audience concert recordings

pesch's compressor proved to be VERY useful when making tapes for listening in my car..
A riddle is a short sword attached to the next 2000 years.

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #9 –
I use a parametric equalizer to correct the defects of my speakers and of my listening room, so as to get a flat response.

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #10 –
AdaptX is the best winamp IMO.  Allows you to use (usually) higher quality Direct X plug ins.
"You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight."  Neil Peart  'Resist'

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #11 –
Hi there

When using my Sennheiser headphones, no equalization is used at all.

But when listening with my speakers, I use Shibatch's Super Equalizer. I used the prodedure described in his web site ( http://shibatch.sourceforge.net/eq/index.html ). The sound (JM Labs that are not bad without eqs) is really improved in my opinion.

Cheers,

Marc

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #12 –
Shall I admit it?  I use the Winamp 2.x built in equalizer sometimes -- yeah, I know what it does to high frequencies, but often I can't hear any detrimental effect. 

I agree with Jaz, best used with low quality equipment (like typical computer speakers).  But what's wrong with boosting bass and/or treble, if you like the sound of boosted bass or treble?  Musical "purism" is just silly.

Other thoughts:  I "rip" a lot of vinyl to digital, and am careful not to do anything but hand-removal of the louder clicks & pops (no plugins... no, no, NO, NO).  A good way to destroy the sound of a recording is to run it thru an automatic click/pop remover. 
Another thing many "amateur mixers" like doing is using heavy noise reduction with their cheap rumbly turntables, to try & make it sound like a CD.  It induces a subtle (sometimes not so subtle) "twinkling" effect, and sucks all the life out of the music.  That's why I can rarely listen to any vinyl "rips" but my own... 

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #13 –
Quote
I use a parametric equalizer to correct the defects of my speakers and of my listening room, so as to get a flat response.

Can you put a link to a good software parametric equalizer?

Thanks

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #14 –
Quote
AdaptX is the best winamp IMO.  Allows you to use (usually) higher quality Direct X plug ins.

Agreed. I use Waves MaxxBass when listening to music on my mediocre PC speakers, and Waves TrueVerb on a few jazz recordings to make them sound more like they were recorded in a local jazz club.

When I buy a new stereo, I will do some "this-eq-is-for-when-the-bathroom-door-is-open, this-for-when-it's-closed" perfectionist EQ work (Pio2001, didn't you do something like this?  ), except I'll hotkey the two presets, so the music will sound good whether or not my roommate's taking a piss.
 

EQ & Audio Enhancement

Reply #15 –
Quote
Quote
I use a parametric equalizer to correct the defects of my speakers and of my listening room, so as to get a flat response.

Can you put a link to a good software parametric equalizer?

Thanks

Well, no... in fact I just use Shibatch Super Equalizer for Winamp, that is parametric too.