Do I really need to use EQ for my speakers?

[jtk9412]

I use EQ for my IEMs but not sure if I should keep using an EQ for my speakers. I have a pair of Edifier MR4s and using this EQ recently. I did not do any other adjustment. Does it really matter if I keep using EQ for my speakers without doing any room acoustics adjustments? Would that still be better than nothing for someone with MR4s? It is also better to mention that I don't have any subwoofer. I also don't have any measurement tool or program to make a room acoustic EQ etc. All I have is a Rode NT1-A microphone but I don't know if that would be useful.

 

[staticV3]

Correcting the anechoic response of your speakers is better than nothing.

Though it seems like the MR4 has either multiple versions, or just poor QC, as the unit that ASR member Nuyes measured (link), had way better on-axis response than Erin's and Amir's unit:


It is therefore questionable if the EQ for Erin's MR4 is valid for your own.

If you'd like to try measuring yourself, then here's a pretty inexpensive way to get started: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/.../could-use-some-101-advice.45592/post-1626833

You can pair that mic with an Apple dongle, a CTIA headset splitter, and the free software Room EQ Wizard, and just like that you can measure your own in-room response

 

[DVDdoug]

Music is for your enjoyment so you can do whatever sounds best to you (and in your room). If it sounds worse (to you) with a recommend EQ you probably won't want to leave it that way.

All I have is a Rode NT1-A microphone but I don't know if that would be useful.

Probably not that useful. I don't know what the response looks like but even if you have a frequency response curve, it's a directional mic and the frequency response is only valid on-axis (and the "complete sound" in a room comes from all-around).

A calibrated measurement mic comes with a "curve" matched to it's serial number. It doesn't have to be perfectly flat. It just needs calibration. (You feed the calibration data into REW.)

 

[jtk9412]

Though it seems like the MR4 has either multiple versions, or just poor QC, as the unit that ASR member Nuyes measured (link), had way better on-axis response than Erin's and Amir's unit

I might be wrong but as I remember, they released a version 2, simply upgraded the model and added "2.0" to its name. Don't know which one I have, bought mine in November 2022, mine is probably the version 1 since the post you've share was made months after my purchase.

 

[jtk9412]

If it sounds worse (to you) with a recommend EQ you probably won't want to leave it that way.

Since I don't have a subwoofer, the speakers can't give me the same feeling without it. When the EQ I shared applied, I feel the sub bit better.