How do hertz (hz) relate to instruments or sounds?
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From: Baton Rouge, LA
How do hertz (hz) relate to instruments or sounds?
since i've been asked the question a few times in the past, i'm making this both as a personal reference, and as a link for the FAQ.
(personal keyword: evenflo )
here's some linkage, and quick discussion on what an EQ does, how frequencies relate to instruments, and how to adjust an EQ to tune the sound you desire. Also, i'm including some info on what a Parametric Equalizer (PEQ) is and how it works.
in my personal opinion, good equipment and good recordings should require little to no equalization to sound right.... to sound realistic that is. now, if you find you need a lot of EQ work to get things to sound right, you've either got bum gear (ie Bose uses heavy equalization in most of their speaker designs), a bum recording (ie bad mixing, clipped signal, lack of dynamic range, etc.), or a bum room.
in the case of the S2000, we're sorta stuck w/ a less than optimal 'room'. the car isn't very musical friendly, and once you drop the top, everything goes to pot. so, using a little equalization to help smooth out the sound in the S can be helpful.
hopefully, some of these tips will help you out.
from this article on about.com (beware - popups):
[QUOTE]
Equalization Basics From Julian McBrowne
The Basics of Equalization
Have you ever wondered what a musician meant when he said something like,
(personal keyword: evenflo )
here's some linkage, and quick discussion on what an EQ does, how frequencies relate to instruments, and how to adjust an EQ to tune the sound you desire. Also, i'm including some info on what a Parametric Equalizer (PEQ) is and how it works.
in my personal opinion, good equipment and good recordings should require little to no equalization to sound right.... to sound realistic that is. now, if you find you need a lot of EQ work to get things to sound right, you've either got bum gear (ie Bose uses heavy equalization in most of their speaker designs), a bum recording (ie bad mixing, clipped signal, lack of dynamic range, etc.), or a bum room.
in the case of the S2000, we're sorta stuck w/ a less than optimal 'room'. the car isn't very musical friendly, and once you drop the top, everything goes to pot. so, using a little equalization to help smooth out the sound in the S can be helpful.
hopefully, some of these tips will help you out.
from this article on about.com (beware - popups):
[QUOTE]
Equalization Basics From Julian McBrowne
The Basics of Equalization
Have you ever wondered what a musician meant when he said something like,
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From: San Clemente
Very cool. 
I have not checked the links yet, but my .02 if I may: Whenever possible, use subtractive EQ, not additive EQ. In other words, cut offending frequencies; do not boost frequencies around it. If a CD sounds a little "boxy" do not boost the lows and highs, but cut the mids (300-500 Hz, for example). Why? Because frequencies are additive; they combine and if you boost they will raise the overall level of the signal. Lots of additive EQ can and will overload your amp and speakers, while subtractive EQ will go easier on your amp and speakers, and sound cleaner.
Mike
I have not checked the links yet, but my .02 if I may: Whenever possible, use subtractive EQ, not additive EQ. In other words, cut offending frequencies; do not boost frequencies around it. If a CD sounds a little "boxy" do not boost the lows and highs, but cut the mids (300-500 Hz, for example). Why? Because frequencies are additive; they combine and if you boost they will raise the overall level of the signal. Lots of additive EQ can and will overload your amp and speakers, while subtractive EQ will go easier on your amp and speakers, and sound cleaner.
Mike
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From: Baton Rouge, LA
Originally Posted by Nicotunes,Jul 12 2005, 10:06 PM
Very cool.
I have not checked the links yet, but my .02 if I may: Whenever possible, use subtractive EQ, not additive EQ. In other words, cut offending frequencies; do not boost frequencies around it. If a CD sounds a little "boxy" do not boost the lows and highs, but cut the mids (300-500 Hz, for example). Why? Because frequencies are additive; they combine and if you boost they will raise the overall level of the signal. Lots of additive EQ can and will overload your amp and speakers, while subtractive EQ will go easier on your amp and speakers, and sound cleaner.
Mike
I have not checked the links yet, but my .02 if I may: Whenever possible, use subtractive EQ, not additive EQ. In other words, cut offending frequencies; do not boost frequencies around it. If a CD sounds a little "boxy" do not boost the lows and highs, but cut the mids (300-500 Hz, for example). Why? Because frequencies are additive; they combine and if you boost they will raise the overall level of the signal. Lots of additive EQ can and will overload your amp and speakers, while subtractive EQ will go easier on your amp and speakers, and sound cleaner.
Mike
along that same thought pattern, if you are doing additive and subtractive tweaking, your goal should be to have the sum of additions minus the sum of subractions roughly equal out to 0 if possible. that way, if you're sum is either positive or negative in nature, you can push all frequencies up or down, in an attempt to get the overall sum back to zero.
this works well for standard band EQ's, but does not apply quite the same to parametric EQ's which affect more specific frequencies (generally speaking) than a typical EQ.
i honestly don't know any rules of thumb that apply as such to PEQ's. if anyone knows one, it'd be nice to hear it and the justification for it. most of the time when we used PEQ's (in theater and studio mixing), it was to compensate for specific room or equipment gaps or peaks, and not for general sound tone tweaking.
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From: Columbia, MD
To add to Nico's comments...
Should you find yourself cutting more than a couple of frequencies, it may behoove you to add in a small amount of overall boost. This will help compensate for surrounding frequencies being cut (but to a lesser degree).
I certainly can't wait until we get to a point in audio that everything remains digital (and separate) up to the very end (direct wire into our brains?
). That way, we can directly modify multiple channels, with the definition of "channel" (bandwidth/Q, etc.) being up to us, as well.
Should you find yourself cutting more than a couple of frequencies, it may behoove you to add in a small amount of overall boost. This will help compensate for surrounding frequencies being cut (but to a lesser degree).
I certainly can't wait until we get to a point in audio that everything remains digital (and separate) up to the very end (direct wire into our brains?
). That way, we can directly modify multiple channels, with the definition of "channel" (bandwidth/Q, etc.) being up to us, as well.
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From: San Clemente
Originally Posted by MacGyver,Jul 13 2005, 12:56 PM
Should you find yourself cutting more than a couple of frequencies, it may behoove you to add in a small amount of overall boost. This will help compensate for surrounding frequencies being cut (but to a lesser degree).
Excellent point.
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From: Baton Rouge, LA
Originally Posted by Kronos,Jul 13 2005, 12:38 PM
Very nice read for us amateurs Phil...informative but not over the top. Thanks for the post. I don't remember, do you use an eq in your setup?
i had not been previously (even as late as SESM '05) been using one. but a couple weeks ago i bought a 9833 to add some more crossover options. it came w/ a moderate 5 band PEQ. i've been tinkering some with it. between messing around some w/ djweaver's settings and playing around with some of my own, i'm finding that i may do more than tinker with it...
if i do settle on using it, i'll be posting some PEQ settings, crossover points and slopes, as well as time correction for my setup. i'm thinking of both a top down windows down scenario, a top down windows up scenario, and a top up windows up configuration...
no promises...