I'm 75 ( old ears that need their own equalization lol) and just bought my first pair of expensive ( some would call them cheap) headphones Focal Elegia a closed-back design. They do sound great to me. The rub it seems is its bass response and reviewers recommend EQ. OK currently the focals are plug into my sug700 integrated amp which the reviewers rave about it being class A the company says AA whatever that means ? OK what does a headphone equalizer look like I expect they look like the big ones I saw back in the 70ies. I've seen headphone amps but I just need equalization capabilities and do not wish to waste money on amp capabilities, my sug700 drives them fine. Finally, could you recommend a few at modest price points Thank you for your time and expertise.
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EQ for head phones
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LightninBoy
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Most folks are using a PC / tablet / smartphone as a source and using software to apply EQ. Also the EQ typically used is parametric EQ which allows you to control the frequency, bandwidth, and gain. So all in all, very different from what you may be expecting if you are thinking 70s graphic eqs. Your integrated amp has a USB input, so you could easily incorporate a computer music source.
Personally, I use a PC and use FooBar 2000 software (for playback) and Equalizer APO software (for EQ). Both software are free. However, this is for a desktop system, so my computer and audio equipment are co-located, which makes it easy. Things get more complicated if you don't want to bring a computer into the room or want to EQ other sources. I have little experience with that so will let others comment.
Personally, I use a PC and use FooBar 2000 software (for playback) and Equalizer APO software (for EQ). Both software are free. However, this is for a desktop system, so my computer and audio equipment are co-located, which makes it easy. Things get more complicated if you don't want to bring a computer into the room or want to EQ other sources. I have little experience with that so will let others comment.
Katji
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Apparently you're using a CD player as the source, so you would need to get a miniDSP / one of the miniDSP products to do EQ, between the CD player and the amplifier. Or an AV receiver with some sort of room correction EQ, I suppose.
With a computer/laptop as the source (with your CDs ripped to computer audio files,) it is just a matter of installing Equalizer APO software. (And with that, you can start with simple graphic EQ like with the 1970s graphic equalizers.
Or smartphone or tablet instead of laptop/computer, and some or other music player with built-in EQ.
With a computer/laptop as the source (with your CDs ripped to computer audio files,) it is just a matter of installing Equalizer APO software. (And with that, you can start with simple graphic EQ like with the 1970s graphic equalizers.
Or smartphone or tablet instead of laptop/computer, and some or other music player with built-in EQ.
Bob-23
Senior Member
Rtings praises its bass response:
"The bass is excellent. The LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 10Hz, and low-bass is within 1dB of our neutral target. This means that the Focal Elegia have deep and extended bass with just the right amount of thump and rumble, making them suitable for bass-heavy genres like EDM, hip-hop, and film scores. Mid-bass and high-bass, responsible for the body of bass guitars, punch of the kick drums, and warmth of the vocals, are also quite flat and within 1dB of our target." [1]
If they sound great to you, you might just forget what some reviewers say and let them sound great furtheron...
That said: Some years ago, I copied all my cds to a harddrive (hard labor) - that's the most effective way of eq'ing, as Kati and LightninBoy just have recommended. And it's very comfortable.
Apart from a real big analog equalizer (which may introduce big noise): Theoretically, you'd also have the option of hooking up a small filter-adapter at headphone-out of your amp. Unfortunately, Solderdude - who is specialist for developing and building these adapters - hasn't measured Focus Elegia yet. [2] Instead of bass correction, I'd rather see 2 treble-dips which might be treated - but obviously, that's not your problem.
But, try to enjoy them as they are, we can accommodate to most headphones, in particular, if the sound great from the beginning.
EDIT: With regard to the phones' bass response - I've just looked at the impedance of your phones: it's only slightly varying, which means, that highish output impedance of the inbuilt headamp probably wouldn't have much (probably no audible) impact on the phones frequency response. [3]
[1] https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/focal/elegia
[2] https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/
[3] https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/hp/focal-elegia.php
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Hipper
Addicted to Fun and Learning
The equalisers you are talking about from the 70s were analogue. Today the recommendation is a digital equaliser and can offer more functions and accuracy.
There are two types of EQ that are useful. A Parametric Equaliser (PEQ) which allows you to select three parameters: specific frequencies, the volume, and width (range of frequencies known as Q); e.g you could select 62Hz, increase it 4dB, with a Q of 1/3 octave. Each one of these is called a filter and a device may have a specific number of them (say ten) or, particularly with software, a large or infinite number of filters.
The other type is the Graphic Equaliser (GEQ). This allows you to adjust the frequencies over the whole range - 20Hz to 20kHz. Sometimes this will be only selected frequencies with a fixed Q; you just select the frequency and increase or decrease it. Other types might allow you to adjust the Q as well.
If you have specific issues, particularly in the lower frequencies, a PEQ is very useful. If you just want to adjust things a bit like a treble or bass control, a GEQ is good enough.
I use a Behringer GEQ2496 which has ten PEQ filters per channel and a GEQ, as well as other stuff I don't use. It is complicated to use though. I use it for my speaker system and it sits between the CD Transport and DAC so only works in digital. The Behringer does have its own DAC and ADC so can convert incoming analogue signals to digital, do its digital work, then convert the signal back to analogue for transfer to a pre amp or amp. It only comes with XLR connections.
Behringer also make a cheaper simpler analogue EQ which may work for you:
https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-...ringer-fbq800-ultra-compact-graphic-equalizer
I used this with a headphone system and it was OK. These days my source is a computer so I now use software EQ.
I'm talking Behringer because that's what I know but I'm sure there are other suitable products.
On bass response, I use HD800 headphones and some say they are a bit bass shy. I find they play bass very evenly so you can clearly hear all the bass but that mostly it depends on the recording.
There are two types of EQ that are useful. A Parametric Equaliser (PEQ) which allows you to select three parameters: specific frequencies, the volume, and width (range of frequencies known as Q); e.g you could select 62Hz, increase it 4dB, with a Q of 1/3 octave. Each one of these is called a filter and a device may have a specific number of them (say ten) or, particularly with software, a large or infinite number of filters.
The other type is the Graphic Equaliser (GEQ). This allows you to adjust the frequencies over the whole range - 20Hz to 20kHz. Sometimes this will be only selected frequencies with a fixed Q; you just select the frequency and increase or decrease it. Other types might allow you to adjust the Q as well.
If you have specific issues, particularly in the lower frequencies, a PEQ is very useful. If you just want to adjust things a bit like a treble or bass control, a GEQ is good enough.
I use a Behringer GEQ2496 which has ten PEQ filters per channel and a GEQ, as well as other stuff I don't use. It is complicated to use though. I use it for my speaker system and it sits between the CD Transport and DAC so only works in digital. The Behringer does have its own DAC and ADC so can convert incoming analogue signals to digital, do its digital work, then convert the signal back to analogue for transfer to a pre amp or amp. It only comes with XLR connections.
Behringer also make a cheaper simpler analogue EQ which may work for you:
https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-...ringer-fbq800-ultra-compact-graphic-equalizer
I used this with a headphone system and it was OK. These days my source is a computer so I now use software EQ.
I'm talking Behringer because that's what I know but I'm sure there are other suitable products.
On bass response, I use HD800 headphones and some say they are a bit bass shy. I find they play bass very evenly so you can clearly hear all the bass but that mostly it depends on the recording.
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For PC source or Roon i'd play around with some EQ in digital domain.
For any analogue source or digital transport like CD I'd not bother if current LF responce is OK for you.
Main "trouble" might be their flat LF responce, but any EQ changes in LF can cause distortion rise and I don't think it's good idea to buy some dedicated EQ based on some reviewers opinions unless your own experience says that sound is wrong.
There's no cheap and clear equalizers in analogue domain, so I'd call this unneccessary.
For any analogue source or digital transport like CD I'd not bother if current LF responce is OK for you.
Main "trouble" might be their flat LF responce, but any EQ changes in LF can cause distortion rise and I don't think it's good idea to buy some dedicated EQ based on some reviewers opinions unless your own experience says that sound is wrong.
There's no cheap and clear equalizers in analogue domain, so I'd call this unneccessary.
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