Any fans of the SMSL "SDB" EQ ?

[ampguy]

I have a bunch of low to mid-fi gear, as other than vinyl, my main listening is my own ripped library + Qobuz through a Roon setup with about 7 endpoints. I am no audiophile, and don't have golden ears, so my preference is actually having a low bass shelf in most rooms. Best listening is in the basement setup or bedroom which use traditional A/B Hegel and Marantz integrated amps. A lot of low level listening is in the office with LS50s on stands, with a PA5 Topping amp (but still with EQ).

Here's where SDB comes in, in rooms where there is/or was older gear, for example, a room with an '80s or '90s Nakamichi receiver, it sounds pretty good with the "Loudness" setting on. Same with another room that had some '90s or so Chase RLC line level preamp, that is known to have an exaggerated bass hump in the FR.

Most of the music I listen to doesn't need a sub, but I do have a couple of budget subs, to get flat to maybe 40db, although in the office, I prefer the LS50s without sub, somehow, on stands, the smaller room, and backed up against the wall (one near corner, the other middle of room), with no foam in the back ports, gives me the illusion of decent bass, (with my EQ) despite they only go down to 70db or so.

I do have subwoofers in the basement, and for the TV setup that maybe go down to 30, but again, for most of the music I listen to, going below 40 isn't needed, so maybe I am talking low mid bass?

As these Class A/B amps generate more heat (I have a Class A, that I don't even use at all anymore, except maybe the middle of winter...), I'm thinking of moving towards Class D amps, but I like the idea of having the EQ in the devices rather than having Roon do all the EQ w/DSP.

So, realizing SDB may be a totally non accurate effect, does it sound good to anyone here? Possibly the wrong forum to ask on, but somewhere, someone must have thought it was a good idea? I would post my Roon Parametric EQ, but am afraid I would be banned here immediately

 

[ampguy]

No responses yet, but I've done some addl. digging. The old '90s line level Chase RLC preamp I have, that I'd like to find out what the EQ is like, uses this chip:

TEA6320 datasheet(5/40 Pages) PHILIPS | Sound fader control circuit

1995 Dec 195Philips SemiconductorsPreliminary specificationSound fader control circuitTEA6320FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTIONThe source selector selects one of 4 stereo inputs or themono input. The maximum input signal voltage isVi(rms) = 2 V. The outputs of the source selector and the datasheet search...

eccnhtml.alldatasheet.com

Wondering what if the receivers of the '80s/90s with "loudness controls" had anything in common besides dynamically boosting bass and treble at lower volumes, and if this is what SDB is doing?

 

[Ported]

I would say it does something similar.. but to my taste and on 2 different systems the bass boost pushed into the low mids too far thus producing muddy extra bass. I would rather have bass tight but fading away if the system is small..
I could see a situation where it may be great for certain speakers though.
Ideally "loudness control" should have adjustable threshold and shelf frequencies so as to a fit for your speakers well..

 

[ampguy]

I would say it does something similar.. but to my taste and on 2 different systems the bass boost pushed into the low mids too far thus producing muddy extra bass. I would rather have bass tight but fading away if the system is small..
I could see a situation where it may be great for certain speakers though.
Ideally "loudness control" should have adjustable threshold and shelf frequencies so as to a fit for your speakers well..

I do hear the bass boost you're referencing, but so far, really enjoying SDB at low volumes, on the SMSL A300 amp with Infinity R162 speakers in a small 12ft x 14ft room.

 

[Boris Badinov]

Dumb question: what does SBD stand for (I do have the SMSL A300-did I miss something in the user manual?)

 

[TonyJZX]

"super deep bass"

there's been discussion of this in the quasi offiical A300 thread

to me these things are the same as the old NAD loudness control,

you get used to the sound and its effect depends on your speakers

i personally dont have much issue with the flat, super bass and super deep bass.... the effect is pretty subtle but noticeable... its not the most terrible implementation

 

[Boris Badinov]

Thank you for the answer. This isn't listed in the manual as SDB in the manual, is it? Is it the sw HF 1 setting? Or just by the Bass adjustment menu? Not too sure I would mess with anything right now...I have the sub dialed in nicely, I think.

 

[ampguy]

Thank you for the answer. This isn't listed in the manual as SDB in the manual, is it? Is it the sw HF 1 setting? Or just by the Bass adjustment menu? Not too sure I would mess with anything right now...I have the sub dialed in nicely, I think.

I'm not sure which amp you have? But with my SMSL A300, it is simply the Ex setting where E0 is direct, E1 enables the sub b= and t= tone settings, E2 is the SDB, E3 is bass, E4 is Super Bass, E5 is rock, E6 is soft, and E7 is clear.

The HF1 setting is for High Pass filter enabled (when using a sub) so the main outputs are like 100Hz to 20kHz+ instead of 20Hz-20kHz. If not using a sub, HF0 will provide full range to your L/R speakers.

As I mentioned above, at med and high volumes, with good speakers, source, and room, direct is great, sounds as good as my PA5 and Class A and AB amps, but at low volumes, now tested with Infinity R162, and KEF Q150s, the "loudness" effect of the SDB is my preference. I can get close to the EQ with Roon's DSP EQ settings, but I think there is something "dynamic" or loudness based, on how the SDB feature works.

 

[Boris Badinov]

I'm not sure which amp you have? But with my SMSL A300, it is simply the Ex setting where E0 is direct, E1 enables the sub b= and t= tone settings, E2 is the SDB, E3 is bass, E4 is Super Bass, E5 is rock, E6 is soft, and E7 is clear.

The HF1 setting is for High Pass filter enabled (when using a sub) so the main outputs are like 100Hz to 20kHz+ instead of 20Hz-20kHz. If not using a sub, HF0 will provide full range to your L/R speakers.

As I mentioned above, at med and high volumes, with good speakers, source, and room, direct is great, sounds as good as my PA5 and Class A and AB amps, but at low volumes, now tested with Infinity R162, and KEF Q150s, the "loudness" effect of the SDB is my preference. I can get close to the EQ with Roon's DSP EQ settings, but I think there is something "dynamic" or loudness based, on how the SDB feature works.

Thanks for the answer, I should have looked a bit closer to the "E" settings. I have the A300 too and a new pr. of KEFF Q150s. Guess I will run thru the settings again and try out the SDB.