Quality equalisers

[bumpy]

Does anybody use or have experience of equalisers.

Avoiding the accusations of distortions with early 60's and 70's equalisers is there a place for 'modern' equalisers in a quality hi fi set up?

[Macca]

I own three analogue equalizers, I've no qualms about deploying them if they are needed.

Yes 'purity of signal path' etc but what's the point in having pure signal path if at the end of it the speakers and/or room (and maybe on rare occasion the recording itself) are screwing up the sound?

I'd recommend something like this Klark Teknik, I have the 16 band unit (but note these are professional units and use balanced connections only):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145111742339?

I'd avoid 'boutique' hi-fi products like the Schitt Loki as they are more expensive and a lot less versatile. Also anything that came off a 1980s stack system although the flashing lights are fun.

[rigger67]

A while ago, I bagged a bargain pair of monster Technics speakers for forty quid :

https://audio-database.com/TechnicsPanasonic/speaker/sb-4500.JPG

Being a fan of bass-driven music for the most part, I revelled in their massive, red-rimmed woofers - they look absolutely amazing, I can only imagine how futuristic they must have seemed when they came out.
After a couple of hours though, I realised they weren't the most subtle things in the world and the top-end - and the mid, to be honest - was severely lacking and not something I could live with as a main system.

As I had no tone controls on my pre-amp at the time, I chucked another £30-40 on a Rotel graphic equaliser.
It worked a treat.
I just left the bass flat and curved the sliders up to the top right hand corner from about the mid-point across the range.
It was revelatory and really made the Technics a lot better - like night and day.

Trouble is, I couldn't help thinking "a better set-up wouldn't need this stuff", probably a legacy of reading that interfering with the source was sacrilege when I first got into the whole hifi mindset. Back in the 80s and 90s the thought of using any kind of tone control was a no-no and in the end that kind of thinking forced a change so the big boys went upstair where they were put to use in my gaming rig and the Rotel was sold on.

In short, they work.
I enjoyed the sound they produced and the flexibility they offer is a definite positive, especially if you have a difficult room.

Some of the prices are ridiculous, but there are bargains out there - though looking at your system, I think we're moving in different worlds to be honest :eek:

[Macca]

being cynical I think the move towards no tone controls in the 1980s was a good way to increase margins or reduce costs to be more competitively priced and the whole 'simpler signal path sounds better' thing was just a cover story for that.

My 1979 Philips pre amp not only has tone controls but you can select the frequency range over which you want them to operate.

The tilt controls on QUAD pre-amps and some Rotels were also effective.

[rigger67]

While we're on this, what does the "Presence" control do on Tannoy speakers ??

[Macca]

While we're on this, what does the "Presence" control do on Tannoy speakers ??

boosts or cuts the upper mids and HF.

[Barry]

being cynical I think the move towards no tone controls in the 1980s was a good way to increase margins or reduce costs to be more competitively priced and the whole 'simpler signal path sounds better' thing was just a cover story for that.

Indeed, it was started by Naim, not because of the so-called benefits of a simpler signal path, but because Naim regarded the typical Baxandall tone controls as being too crude and expected the potential owner to use a graphic equaliser. Of course, this piece of information was quickly dropped from their promotional literature.


My 1979 Philips pre amp not only has tone controls but you can select the frequency range over which you want them to operate.

The tilt controls on QUAD pre-amps and some Rotels were also effective.

I can vouch for the usefulness of the 'tilt' control on the Quad 44. Although it had a slope of as much as +/-3dB, I found a tilt 'up' of 1dB allowed a 'thick' sounding LP to sound more open.

[Macca]

Indeed, it was started by Naim, not because of the so-called benefits of a simpler signal path, but because Naim regarded the typical Baxandall tone controls as being too crude and expected the potential owner to use a graphic equaliser. Of course, this piece of information was quickly dropped from their promotional literature.

.

Lol I never knew that.

[hifinutt]

schiit loki is a good equaliser for very little money

[rigger67]

boosts or cuts the upper mids and HF.

Cheers for the info.
I'll have a tinker, but at the mo' I like it flat.

[Macca]

schiit loki is a good equaliser for very little money

It's a bit limited though. Same money gets you a 32 band professional job. I don't get it.

[Beobloke]

I’ve got one equaliser, but only for system completeness and the spectrum analyser display!

Sliders are always on zero, though.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230712/0d9fefa0fe720cb89ef796c16f12c922.jpg

[Mr.Ian]

Klark Teknik every day of the week. Dn360 for playing about. Dn410 if you want to set and forget. Need REW too

[Barry]

Klark Teknik DN360 here as well. However it uses balanced-line inputs and outputs. It's also quite large (3U high and intended to be installed in a 19" rack).

https://mediadl.musictribe.com/media/PLM/data/images/products/P0AGV/2000Wx2000H/DN360_P0AGV_Front_XL.png

[Beobloke]

We had a Klark Teknik DN-3600 programmable equaliser at Goodmans.

Incredible piece of kit.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Balanced to rca could be your friend

[Barry]

Balanced to rca could be your friend

You have to be careful, most so-called balanced to RCA converters, simply connect pin 3 ("cold") to pin 1(0V), thereby shorting out the negative going part of the signal. Not a problem if it is at the input, but could cause damage if at the output.
A proper converter either uses a 1:1 centre-tapped transformer, or a differential amplifier with unit gain.

[Wakefield Turntables]

I might buy one for a giggle . I honestly can’t see a downside

[Macca]

I might buy one for a giggle . I honestly can’t see a downside

It's worth it just to discover how just slightly changing a small band of frequencies can change the whole tonality of the sound.

makes you realise how important to sound quality that using a speaker with a smooth FR really is.

[bumpy]

You have to be careful, most so-called balanced to RCA converters, simply connect pin 3 ("cold") to pin 1(0V), thereby shorting out the negative going part of the signal. Not a problem if it is at the input, but could cause damage if at the output.
A proper converter either uses a 1:1 centre-tapped transformer, or a differential amplifier with unit gain.

This sounds a bit scary!

I have used phono converters in the past, but what you say scares me. :scratch:

[Mr.Ian]

This sounds a bit scary!

I have used phono converters in the past, but what you say scares me. :scratch:

I use a Aphex 124 to convert but they are very rare in this country. I have two similar boxes, not in use, that are easier to find in UK but frequency response is slighly down on the Aphex units.

A clean box pro that converts 2 channels in either direction and a SVS match IT2 which converts 4 channels of SE to 4 channels balanced

[Barry]

You can buy 2 way active balanced to unbalanced converters from ebay easily enough, for not a lot of money.

I have one, it is very well built, but doesn't have a name. It is probably made in China; as most things are these days.

[Mr.Ian]

I would stick to

1. Aphex
2. Alice/SVS look to be the same units
3. Art clean box pro

[Barry]

This sounds a bit scary!

I have used phono converters in the past, but what you say scares me. :scratch:

I was referring to simple cables which have an XLR (female) connector at one end and an RCA phono plug at the other end. They will short out one half of the balanced output, which may damage the source component.

[Barry]

I would stick to

1. Aphex
2. Alice/SVS look to be the same units
3. Art clean box pro

Anything made for the professional market should be OK. I have heard of the first two makes you cite: they are well-known and respected names.