Harman Curve for the Low End

[phion]

I just bought a subwoofer and did room correction with housecurve + roon. It nicely corrects a room mode at 60Hz. However, I found the harman curve I was trying to fit a bit lackluster in the lowend and ended up boosting the base by a handful of dBs above the curve in freqs < 50Hz. It just sounds absolutely better to me for tracks that have that strong base content. Was wondering if I am alone in this preference, and if there are other curves I could give a try, rather than YOLO-ing it.

 

[ppataki]

I also use my own low shelf filter(s) - I have the opinion that these room curves shall not be taken as set in stone but everyone shall experiment with different settings at the bottom end to have results that are most pleasing to their taste (+ their room and gear)

 

[Count Arthur]

I just bought a subwoofer and did room correction with housecurve + roon. It nicely corrects a room mode at 60Hz. However, I found the harman curve I was trying to fit a bit lackluster in the lowend and ended up boosting the base by a handful of dBs above the curve in freqs < 50Hz. It just sounds absolutely better to me for tracks that have that strong base content. Was wondering if I am alone in this preference, and if there are other curves I could give a try, rather than YOLO-ing it.

Remember that these house curves are not hard and fast rules, but based on listener surveys. If you like a bit of extra welly in the low end - go for it.

 

[terryforsythe]

I just bought a subwoofer and did room correction with housecurve + roon. It nicely corrects a room mode at 60Hz. However, I found the harman curve I was trying to fit a bit lackluster in the lowend and ended up boosting the base by a handful of dBs above the curve in freqs < 50Hz. It just sounds absolutely better to me for tracks that have that strong base content. Was wondering if I am alone in this preference, and if there are other curves I could give a try, rather than YOLO-ing it.

I use the Harman curve, but mostly with the bass boost reduced by about 2.5 dB (approximately 4.5 vs 7), and the low end roll off starting below 20 Hz. For a sub that struggles staying flat down to 20, a little more bass boost may be preferable.

 

[eddantes]

Said it before but it bears repeating:

Harman curve does not mean "correct". Harman curve means "likely to be preferred by most".

 

[olieb]

Harman curve does not mean "correct". Harman curve means "likely to be preferred by most".

Yes, or in other words: the Harman curve(s) are averages (listeners) of averages (music examples, speakers, rooms, ...).

 

[youngho]

Remember that these house curves are not hard and fast rules, but based on listener surveys. If you like a bit of extra welly in the low end - go for it.

Harman curve does not mean "correct". Harman curve means "likely to be preferred by most".

These links might be helpful: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...er-preference-curve.50602/page-3#post-1819700 and https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...er-preference-curve.50602/page-5#post-1848097

Take the average of eleven listeners' highly variable preferences as shown in slide 39 from the second post, and that's the Harman curve for speakers in rooms.

 

[youngho]

Yes, or in other words: the Harman curve(s) are averages (listeners) of averages (music examples, speakers, rooms, ...).

For the curve for speakers in rooms, it was eleven listeners with three different music samples using one pair of speakers in one room

 

[ZolaIII]

Funny people... no curve, natural response of relatively flat speakers in room + equal loudness compensation to SPL.

 

[Zorlac]

Where are you all getting official PEQ settings for the Harman house curve? My understanding is that there are several and the latest version is from 2019. I cannot seem to find the official PEQs though...

 

[Toni Mas]

Room curves are not about correctness... Simply a matter of taste. Harman's simply based on listenners panels taste... You might call this science, or marketing studies...
I like to boost the bass when listening to electronic music, but prefer a more neutral tone, almost bass shy, with classical music and acoustical programs...
Fine tuning according to spl (Loudness tone control) well worth the hassle too...

 

[alex-z]

I found the harman curve I was trying to fit a bit lackluster in the lowend and ended up boosting the base by a handful of dBs above the curve in freqs < 50Hz. It just sounds absolutely better to me for tracks that have that strong base content.

That is typical. More bass boost lends itself to enjoyment, despite causing psychoacoustic masking on the mid-bass region.

It is also well known that more bass and treble is preferred at low listening volumes. Amplifiers with a "loudness compensation" control have been common since the 1950's. Occasionally it is referred to as "Dynamic EQ".

 

[Davide]

I find Dirac Live's automatic targeting really nice. It makes the bass more "physical".
In practice it is a low shelf of around 3 or 4 dB which drops from 40/50hz to 100hz at 0 dB.

 

[Mnyb]

These curves are understandable as we sometimes listening at rather low volume or at least lower than the music was produced for ? So we migth need some boost as built in loudness compensation if we are consistently listening at similar levels all the time ? You migth gravitate to EQ solutions that makes this happen ?

 

[bluefuzz]

Said it before but it bears repeating:

Harman curve does not mean "correct". Harman curve means "likely to be preferred by most".

It also bears repeating that they are essentially the same thing. We can (as yet) not measure inside people's brains what their subjective experience is. So all we can do is ask them what sounds best and average the answers ...

 

[popej]

Does Harman curve depends on listening volume?

I listen at low volume. I apply correction which combine loudness correction with Harman curve. It sounds good, but I wonder if this is optimal approach.

 

[terryforsythe]

I listen at low volume. I apply correction which combine loudness correction with Harman curve. It sounds good, but I wonder if this is optimal approach.

I think that is a good start.

Nonetheless, keep in mind that the Harman curve is based on subjective preferences of people who participated in the studies, taken on average. There was some deviation in preferences among the listeners.

Your preferences also may differ from the curve. So, I would play with it a bit. If you feel it needs adjustment, adjust it.

For me, the Harman curve was a little too bass heavy. So, I modified the Harman curve to reduce the bass by about 2.5 dB or so.

 

[popej]

Problem is, that my hearing adapts to curve and I can use many variants. That is why I look for some advice how to design a target, which can be expected to be "preferred by most".

My current setting is loudness curve for listening at 60dB SPL with assumed reference level 85dB plus 5dB flat slope from 20Hz to 20kHz.