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how do I adjust the EQ or DSP? What hardware and software do I have to buy
- Thread starter anakin
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jeffaegrim
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- Aug 24, 2023
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Hey & welcome. First, I’d suggest getting a calibrated Umik-1 microphone and performing a set of measurements as described here:
The moving microphone method (MMM) for Dummies using REW
After getting a couple of weird results on my first MMM measurements, I went searching around the forums & YouTube for what went wrong. To save others from gathering various bits and pieces of info from a dozen sources, I decided to publish this quick write-up here. You can use it as a rough...
www.audiosciencereview.com
The measurements you will produce will almost certainly require correction, which you could implement in your chain using something like this:
Minidsp Flex Review (Audio DSP)
This is a review and detailed measurement of the Minidsp Flex audio signal processor. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $475 for unbalanced and $550 for balanced that I tested. Flex borrows the interface from SHD and puts it in a compact package. Seeing how I really liked that...
www.audiosciencereview.com
You can also apply EQ via your computer utilising a variety of available software solutions (EqAPO, Foobar…) if you’re using said PC as a source. If the (main) source is your CD player, I‘d go with minidsp. I have one of those and they are very neat and relatively easy to use. Analogue/digital depending on your CD player.
JeremyFife
Major Contributor
Hi,
Nice speakers - that's a good start https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/jbl-4309-review-speaker.27255/
EQ or more generally DSP is probably a good idea, as a general principle but how do you like your sound? If it seems good to you, if you are enjoying the music then just carry on
Read about the subject on this site and get familiar with some of the concepts but, basically, your room (the interaction of your speakers with your room) has a bigger impact on the lower frequencies around 400/500 Hz and below. You can adjust those with DSP/EQ or room treatments like moving your speakers around or adding rugs or furniture. Above that frequency making changes is more of an issue (some people say just don't do it) although the review of your speakers does suggest that an EQ tweak around 1kHz might be sensible.
You make DSP changes digitally, and there is good software that can do that in your laptop/PC (some is free, and also excellent). That doesn't help your CD though, so you would need a hardware solution. miniDSP is great, and the WiiM products are well worth looking at too (cheaper, also good with a simpler set of features).
Because you apply DSP digitally, you need to be able to take a digital output from your CD player into a DSP unit and then a DAC and out to your Amp. Alternatively you need to digitise the CD output then apply DSP and DAC - that adds extra conversion steps but actually works fine in practice, don't worry about it.
The question is 'how do you know what DSP/EQ to apply'? and the only answer is to make some measurements. The usual route is to get a measurement microphone (umic-1 is the usual recommendation) and learn how to use the free, and excellent, REW software. The resulting analysis will go into settings in your software or hardware DSP.
So ...
#1 If you like your sound then you might not need to do anything at all
#2 You can't really make changes without having measured your system in your room first - so you need a measurement microphone
#3 If you want to apply DSP to your CD then you need a hardware solution
One concrete recommendation, as a starting point and as an example: you could get a WiiM Pro Plus (needs to be the Plus)
That is a great streamer and a very good DAC. The analogue input is good too so you can connect your CD even if it does not have a digital output (digital is preferable though).
The big attraction of the WiiM is that it offers Room Correction - that's automated analysis of your system and a DSP profile to adjust. You can also make manual PEW adjustments too. You need a microphone, unless you have an iPhone in which case you can use that.
Nice speakers - that's a good start https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/jbl-4309-review-speaker.27255/
EQ or more generally DSP is probably a good idea, as a general principle but how do you like your sound? If it seems good to you, if you are enjoying the music then just carry on
Read about the subject on this site and get familiar with some of the concepts but, basically, your room (the interaction of your speakers with your room) has a bigger impact on the lower frequencies around 400/500 Hz and below. You can adjust those with DSP/EQ or room treatments like moving your speakers around or adding rugs or furniture. Above that frequency making changes is more of an issue (some people say just don't do it) although the review of your speakers does suggest that an EQ tweak around 1kHz might be sensible.
You make DSP changes digitally, and there is good software that can do that in your laptop/PC (some is free, and also excellent). That doesn't help your CD though, so you would need a hardware solution. miniDSP is great, and the WiiM products are well worth looking at too (cheaper, also good with a simpler set of features).
Because you apply DSP digitally, you need to be able to take a digital output from your CD player into a DSP unit and then a DAC and out to your Amp. Alternatively you need to digitise the CD output then apply DSP and DAC - that adds extra conversion steps but actually works fine in practice, don't worry about it.
The question is 'how do you know what DSP/EQ to apply'? and the only answer is to make some measurements. The usual route is to get a measurement microphone (umic-1 is the usual recommendation) and learn how to use the free, and excellent, REW software. The resulting analysis will go into settings in your software or hardware DSP.
So ...
#1 If you like your sound then you might not need to do anything at all
#2 You can't really make changes without having measured your system in your room first - so you need a measurement microphone
#3 If you want to apply DSP to your CD then you need a hardware solution
One concrete recommendation, as a starting point and as an example: you could get a WiiM Pro Plus (needs to be the Plus)
That is a great streamer and a very good DAC. The analogue input is good too so you can connect your CD even if it does not have a digital output (digital is preferable though).
The big attraction of the WiiM is that it offers Room Correction - that's automated analysis of your system and a DSP profile to adjust. You can also make manual PEW adjustments too. You need a microphone, unless you have an iPhone in which case you can use that.
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