Vinyl Replay Correction Curves

[Ammonite Audio]

After reading today's TNT review of the Graham Slee Revelation phono amp ( http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/revelation_e.html ) which allows switching between different equalisation curves, I finally got around to setting up the DSP on my Lyngdorf TDA-2200 digital amp, with a view to having different vinyl curves available. Using the information on Graham Slee's website ( http://www.phonostagepreamp.com/78rpm-riaa-equalization.htm ) I plotted the difference between the RIAA standard curve and FFRR (Decca/London, MGM, EMI, HMV, RCA Victor, English Columbia); also against US Columbia. The Lyngdorf's DSP allows me to get pretty close at each frequency for each of the "corrected equalisation" curves, and recall them as DSP presets (band pass being the uncorrected RIAA as issued by my PS Audio GCPH phono amp).

Taking Lou Reed's Transfomer (an RCA Victor recording), the difference between RIAA and FFRR curves is rather startling, and rather more than I expected for a just few tweaks in the frequency domain. The amount of correction in the upper frequencies is nearly +3dB, which I shall bring down a bit to reduce brightness, but that aside there is a significantly more open and dynamic feel to the replay, using this recording and the FFRR curve.

This could go on and on, since there are loads of equalisation curves that have been used in the past, but I find I'm suddenly converted to the notion of having the more common curves available (in effect) from the amp's remote handset. This little experiment is only a start, and I now need to go through a load of LPs to find out if there are some general rules to follow, or whether it's a case of "suck it and listen".

Anyone else tinkered with different equalisation curves?

[Stratmangler]

I've looked long and hard at the Slee Revelation, and seen the benefits of being able to change EQ curves.
I've got a couple of recordings that tear your ears off, so fierce is the treble.
I'm sure that most of us with vinyl have
That you can adjust EQ with the Lyngdorf is excellent - I look forward to reading more of your tinkering:)

[The Grand Wazoo]

Hugo,
I've had this effect demonstrated to me several times and have always come away swearing that I will do something about arranging the means to carry it out in my system. I've just never gone through with it.
It's incredible when you find that albums you've know and loved for years suddenly make such a fundamental change for the better!




...........note to self........gotta do it, gotta do it, gotta do it............

[Tea24]

I use a Graham Slee Jazz Club which has the same equalisation curves as the Revelation and it is incredibly useful when playing 78s/early LPs; the sound is simply transformed. Equally useful is the built in Stereo/ Mono switch, which significantly reduces surface noise on 78s/worn mono LPS. In addition it is a very good phono stage in its own right.

Julian