equalizer settings suggestions?

[kolchak]

I'm not happy with my current stereo-mode equalizer settings and want suggestions I can experiment with.
My current settings are:
Bass: +4.0 db/250 hz
Mid: +1.0 db/1.6KHz
Treble: +2.0 db/5.9 KHz

I'm using a Sony STR-DA2ES receiver and Athena AS-F2 speakers. My listening room is very soft with lots of upholstered furniture, etc.
I would appreciate any suggestions.

[Dusty Chalk]

This is very subjective -- what do you think is wrong?

The only suggestion I can give you from what you've given us is to lower all three values -- it'll give you more headroom. For example:

Bass: +2.0 db/250 hz
Mid: -1.0 db/1.6KHz
Treble: +0.0 db/5.9 KHz

[likeitloud]

I'm not happy with my current stereo-mode equalizer settings and want suggestions I can experiment with.
My current settings are:
Bass: +4.0 db/250 hz
Mid: +1.0 db/1.6KHz
Treble: +2.0 db/5.9 KHz

I'm using a Sony STR-DA2ES receiver and Athena AS-F2 speakers. My listening room is very soft with lots of upholstered furniture, etc.
I would appreciate any suggestions.

Those must be some pretty inefficent speakers. Thats quite abit of addtion on the
plus side. My advice is set everything to flat, add your midrange, and use the tone
control for trb/bass, as your listening, or "on the fly". Also use your SPL meter
of course. If your system is out of balance, your settings maybe a crutch to
even things out.

[Mr Peabody]

Man.... I just put mine in a big smiley face and let her rock, hopefully yours got some purdy lights too. Just imagine that said by Joe Dirt.

Seriously, no one can answer that question. The purpose of an equalizer, other than mentioned above, is to "equalize" frequency humps or dips in your systems response in your room, or whatever room it is in. This really can't be done without a spectrum analyzer. So set it to your preference and don't stress. If you aren't happy with it, turn on the bypass button if your receiver has one and don't use the EQ. I put an EQ in a car system one time, I swore never to use an EQ again. It drove me crazy because every recording is different and I was constantly tweaking or freaking with it.

Maybe let us know what you feel the problem is, or what is lacking and we can suggest something other than EQ'ing up and down.

[JoeE SP9]

Man.... I just put mine in a big smiley face and let her rock, hopefully yours got some purdy lights too. Just imagine that said by Joe Dirt.

Seriously, no one can answer that question. The purpose of an equalizer, other than mentioned above, is to "equalize" frequency humps or dips in your systems response in your room, or whatever room it is in. This really can't be done without a spectrum analyzer. So set it to your preference and don't stress. If you aren't happy with it, turn on the bypass button if your receiver has one and don't use the EQ. I put an EQ in a car system one time, I swore never to use an EQ again. It drove me crazy because every recording is different and I was constantly tweaking or freaking with it.

Maybe let us know what you feel the problem is, or what is lacking and we can suggest something other than EQ'ing up and down.

Very nice way of saying "ditch the equalizer". I wanted to say that but wasn't able to be so nice about it.

[Resident Loser]

I'm not happy with my current stereo-mode equalizer settings and want suggestions I can experiment with.
My current settings are:
Bass: +4.0 db/250 hz
Mid: +1.0 db/1.6KHz
Treble: +2.0 db/5.9 KHz

I'm using a Sony STR-DA2ES receiver and Athena AS-F2 speakers. My listening room is very soft with lots of upholstered furniture, etc.
I would appreciate any suggestions.

...let's get a few things straight...

1. Equalizers aren't tone controls...

2. Tone controls (which is essentially what you have with your SONY) aren't equalizers...

Now a bit of explanation...Generally speaking, your SONY has a three-band tone control...even though it may seem to be an equalizer of sorts, and other than it's user-selectable frequency points, it falls short of even the most basic elements...minimum useful EQ is at least a one-octave unit (10 freq. bands) and there are those who will debate even it's usefulness...Additionally, that would be 10-bands per channel...Unless your listening area is the exact, mirror-image left and right, your two loudspeakers exist in two different environments; you need a non-ganged, stereo EQ...Plus we have to contend with the Q (the width of the frequency range effected) of your center frequencies...Unfortunately, that info doesn't seem to be provided, at least via my cursory investigation...

By looking at the pdf. owners manual, I see the 250Hz is the factory default. How did you arrive at the center frequencies for the mid and treble? If by ear and with music, WRONG!!! You might (might, might, might) be able to select frequency points for your controls that will have a more effective end result...BUT, you'll need a test disc and an SPL(Sound Pressure Level) meter to ascertain the problem spots for YOUR speakers in YOUR listening environment...there is NO hard and fast rule, one size doesn't fit all...

If you have any further questions, ask away...you may want to read this link in order to get some insight into the matter:

http://www.psbspeakers.com/audioTopi..._num=2&start=8

jimHJJ(...y'all come back now...)

[kolchak]

Guys,
Thanks for the info. My complaint about my settings in my original post is that the vocals had too much hiss and the treble was too dull.
I don't have a SPL meter and was using my ears. My speakers are the Athena AS-F2 with a 93 db sensitivity.
As you suggested, I started back at EQ square one, ignoring my original EQ settings, and spent the last several days trying the EQ settings you recommended and tweaking them.

My new settings:
Bass: +4.0 db/250 Hz
Mid: +2.5 db/789 Hz
Treble: +2.5/5.3 KHz

Then I compared them to my original settings and was surprised to see they're not drastically different from my originals-----but they sound a lot better.
Thanks again for the input and your suggestions.

[Mr Peabody]

Why not try an experiment, it's no crime to go below the center setting on an EQ. Try this, set the bass to 0 and your mid and treble down 1.5 from center. Let me know if it's better, worse or not much different. I'm thinking maybe with your settings not so high it may help with the hiss. If not, it's probably just inherent either to your receiver or possibly your CD player. Sometimes better interconnects between your source and receiver may help. Athena is a pretty decent budget speaker.

[musiclover60]

Dude, I feel for you! My room acoustics are a bite! Sliding glass door on one side, slatted wall on the other, brick wall behind the system, drywall across from system, couch is off center, etc.. You have weak highs and hiss at the same time? Now that is rough! First reaction is to turn the treble up to help the highs and turn the treble down to help the hiss. A "soft room" will absorb highs, so your in a quandry. Try this; turn everything to flat, position the speakers for the best high ends and then adjust the tone controls for best sound. If you can point the speakers to a non-soft spot in the room without screwing up the imaging it might work.

Good luck!

[Resident Loser]

Why not try an experiment, it's no crime to go below the center setting on an EQ. Try this, set the bass to 0 and your mid and treble down 1.5 from center. Let me know if it's better, worse or not much different. I'm thinking maybe with your settings not so high it may help with the hiss. If not, it's probably just inherent either to your receiver or possibly your CD player. Sometimes better interconnects between your source and receiver may help. Athena is a pretty decent budget speaker.

...mentioning...as Mr.P suggests...an EQ really shouldn't be a gain-stage...Generally speaking and when correct set-up procedures are followed, there should be no volume difference between an equalized signal or an unequalized one...It's the overall timbre that should be changed.

For example, everything is relative...too much treble could simply be a result of not enough bass and vice-versa...While not completely immune to room effects, the mids (AKA the "presence" frequencies) are not quite as susceptible as are the frequency extremes. Bass freqs may be augmented or diminished by several factors e.g. proximity to walls, corners, large pieces of furniture and the highs likewise e.g. distance to listener, toe-in or toe-out, carpeting, heavy drapes, overstuffed furniture, even tweeter height relative to that of your ears...you may have to lower your mid-range in order to gently tweek the frequency extremes; simply reducing the mids will give both ends an apparent boost...

Unfortunately, having three, ganged bands to work with is a difficulty...it's all very trial-and-error without having an idea of the response variations cooked up between your loudspeakers and room. This is the reason test discs and SPL meters are nifty to have.

If you want to experiment try these things:

1. If the manufacturer has provided placement guidelines, follow them. They are selling a product and if they say "put it here" there must be a reason for it...

2. Your prime listening position should form an equilateral triangle with the loudspeakers...

3. Set your controls for "flat" or "0" and try toeing in or out...this will affect what your ear hears as treble response and unless your speakers (or rather their tweeters) have a perfect dispersion pattern, you will hear a difference...again any increase or decrease in highs will also have the inverse effect on subjective bass response...

jimHJJ(...relatively speaking, as it were...)