best EQ settings for clearest, richest sound?

[bangbang023 Veteran]

Ok, I have an Audigy 1 card with Creative 5.1 5200's. Not a bad set of speakers at all. However, since I listen to most of my music on my computer, I would like to know what the best equalizer setup would be to give me the best sound quality no matter what kind of music. My friend just installed a nice system in his car and he told me something along the lines of having a V shape as far as the equalizer buttons go, but I am not sure if this is the same for PC media players such as Winamp or WMP.

[sdkaneda]

give this one a try. import it from the audio HQ's EAX control panel. make sure you have the winamp EQ turned off! this EQ works for all sounds output, including winamp. so any programs you have which have their own EQs should have the EQs disabled.

basically, this is my own custom EQ setting paired with a subtle padded cell reverb which makes the bass sound sharper.

Steve__s.zip

[MxxCon]

best EQ settings is what sounds BEST FOR YOU.

your friend is using "V-shape" preset becuase he has weak sub and treble and wants to boost those freq.

listen to YOUR MUSIC, using YOUR EARS, using YOUR SETUP and adjust the sound to how YOU THINK SOUNDS THE BEST.

it is EXTREMELY subjective question.

[bangbang023 Veteran]

best EQ settings is what sounds BEST FOR YOU.

your friend is using "V-shape" preset becuase he has weak sub and treble and wants to boost those freq.

listen to YOUR MUSIC, using YOUR EARS, using YOUR SETUP and adjust the sound to how YOU THINK SOUNDS THE BEST.

it is EXTREMELY subjective question.

I figured it would be subjective, I should have known at least. Thanks guys, I think I'll pass on your download sd and work on it msyelf for a bit and just see what happens. It's just that after working in the home theater department at Best Buy, I am becoming an even worse audiophile.

[MxxCon]

your perception of sound can change if your room has carpet, if your speakers are parallel to opposite wall, if they are pointing exactly toward you or "around" you, other physical parameters..

[poind]

As already stated, there's a lot that just depends on you and specific equipment environment.

As just one example, the louder you listen to music, the more a natural "V-shape" actually occurs by itself. Most systems/speakers themselves also have frequency responses occurring naturally, and they vary from one to the next.

You do just need to experiment with your equipment, with your ears, in your environment, with your volumes and material listened to.

Generally speaking though, you can flatten all the IQ, then go band by band, bass-to-treble, getting things set as you think works, while listening to something you'd think is "standard" for you at "standard" volume.

There's not an absolute right and wrong for EQ -- it's generally a tool to let one optimize based on individual circumstances.

[sdkaneda]

with the setup i posted earlier in the thread, i believe you can hear an improvement in music's sound AESTHETIC quality with pretty much any setup. i use this every day with my sennheiser headphones and it works great with all kidns of music (i listen to all kinds at all times). i've also used this with speakers of different kinds and everything else and it makes a good difference there too. i think it might serve as a good starting point for someone interested in custom sound setups. they're always able to make their own adjustments to suit their personal tastes, right?

i encourage anyone to give it a shot, and if you like it, great. i'm glad i could help someone enjoy their equipment a bit more. if not, then delete it and get on with life. :)

Edited December 7, 2003 by sdkaneda