I use my PC for all music related needs. It is my audio player, my preamp, my crossover, my DSP, whatever. No PC, no music. I've been using DRC-FIR for a long time to correct the frequency response of the system and EqualizerAPO as crossover and to apply the correction system-wide. I even have a turntable connected to the PC, so I can listen to vinyl with room correction applied. It looks like this:
I've long dreamt of the ability to have two rotary knobs, 1 for bass, 1 for treble, where I could simply adjust my preferences on the fly while the music was playing.
I already had written software to generate target curves for me, for example:
That is a knee at 2000hz, with a 1 db/oct slope down towards 20khz, as described in EBU Tech 3276, and a 1dB bass boost that is not described in EBU Tech, that I added for fun. I have parametrized this script to be able to automatically generate any combination of downward slope and bass-boost that I need. Then I simply calucated all possible combinations with DRC-FIR:
This is from flat bass to a +5dB boost, and the high frequency range doesn't need to have such small steps so I decided on having 20khz at 0db, -3dB, -6dB and -10dB, which corresponds to 0db/oct, 1db/oct, 2db/oct and 3db/oct for the high frequency downward slope. 24 combinations in total.
Since I did not have any rotary knobs, I opted to use keyboard shortcuts in the beginning to change between settings. That worked well unless some program that I had in the foreground was using similar shortcuts and did things I did not want it to do. Then I thought why not make it a systray application:
So with this I can change my bass and treble level on the fly, since all correction files are all pre-computed. It simply modifies the config.txt of EqualizerAPO and triggers a reload of the config. I use the +1 bass, -3db treble most of the time, but if some music is harsh or does not have enough bass, it's super easy to adjust. It's also nice to switch between different room curves and immediately hear the difference. I have to say adjusting the high frequency slope is like adjusting a lens for optimal sharpness. If you have more downword tilt the stage comes closer to you, it's much more "in your face" and less deep. If I can get away with it, I will have as much high frequency as I can because this really gives depth and detail to the whole thing. But I'm sensitive to harsh highs, so when listening to not so good recorded heavy metal for example, I will for sure use the -10dB setting to prevent my ears from bleeding. The bass is simply adjust to taste.
Code:
+------------------------+
| PC |
+------------------------+
| | ^
| | |
+----------------+ | +-------------------+
| | |
| | |
v v |
+------------------+ +------------------+ +------------------+
| RME Digiface | | Topping D10 | | Focusrite 2i2 |
+------------------+ +------------------+ +------------------+
| | | ^
| | v |
| | +------------------+ |
| | | Topping E30 | |
| | +------------------+ |
| | | |
| | v |
| | +------------------+ |
| | | Headphones | |
| | +------------------+ |
| | +-------------------------+
| | | Hifiakademie Phono |
| | +-------------------------+
| +-------------------+ ^
| | |
| | +-------------------------+
| | | Acoustic Solid Wood MPX |
| | +-------------------------+
| |
v v
+------------------+ +------------------+
| Topping D50 #1 | | Topping D50 #2 |
+------------------+ +------------------+
| |
v v
+------------------+ +------------------+
| Benchmark AHB2 | | XTZ A2-300 |
+------------------+ +------------------+
| |
v v
+----------------------+ +-------------------------+
| Audio First Fidelia | | DIY Dual-Opposed Subs |
+----------------------+ +-------------------------+I've long dreamt of the ability to have two rotary knobs, 1 for bass, 1 for treble, where I could simply adjust my preferences on the fly while the music was playing.
I already had written software to generate target curves for me, for example:
That is a knee at 2000hz, with a 1 db/oct slope down towards 20khz, as described in EBU Tech 3276, and a 1dB bass boost that is not described in EBU Tech, that I added for fun. I have parametrized this script to be able to automatically generate any combination of downward slope and bass-boost that I need. Then I simply calucated all possible combinations with DRC-FIR:
This is from flat bass to a +5dB boost, and the high frequency range doesn't need to have such small steps so I decided on having 20khz at 0db, -3dB, -6dB and -10dB, which corresponds to 0db/oct, 1db/oct, 2db/oct and 3db/oct for the high frequency downward slope. 24 combinations in total.
Since I did not have any rotary knobs, I opted to use keyboard shortcuts in the beginning to change between settings. That worked well unless some program that I had in the foreground was using similar shortcuts and did things I did not want it to do. Then I thought why not make it a systray application:
So with this I can change my bass and treble level on the fly, since all correction files are all pre-computed. It simply modifies the config.txt of EqualizerAPO and triggers a reload of the config. I use the +1 bass, -3db treble most of the time, but if some music is harsh or does not have enough bass, it's super easy to adjust. It's also nice to switch between different room curves and immediately hear the difference. I have to say adjusting the high frequency slope is like adjusting a lens for optimal sharpness. If you have more downword tilt the stage comes closer to you, it's much more "in your face" and less deep. If I can get away with it, I will have as much high frequency as I can because this really gives depth and detail to the whole thing. But I'm sensitive to harsh highs, so when listening to not so good recorded heavy metal for example, I will for sure use the -10dB setting to prevent my ears from bleeding. The bass is simply adjust to taste.
Last edited:
