Impact of software DSP on music

[particularnotparticular]

I enjoy using EQ to color the sound of my music. I was curious though what some of the EQ software does to the "original" sound. Currently my set-up is MacBook Pro 16 inch -> Thunderbolt -> Caldigit hub -> apollo X4 and Pro-Ject S2->THX789 to Behringer DT770 Pro or Hifiman Sundara.

I really can't differences between Apollo X4 and Pro-Ject S2 nor even with the addition of the THX789 outside of volume. I've read that older Apollo devices (UA Audio) didn't have good headphone sound, but the X4 sounds good to me.

My question is if I use eqMac to add EQ, does it change the output quality of the music? Alternatively, I'm looking at using Rogue Amoeba's soundSource because I'd like to use a FabFilter Pro eq AU because I love it's interface and has great sound since it is basically used by everyone who produces the stuff we listen to (assuming they mix/master in the box). Do these sound software products if we bypass the eq portions, is it transparent? It sounds pretty transparent to me, but confirming via measurement would be amazing.

You could even use a Tape Emulation to add warmth in AU form. UA Audio has some amazing tape plug-ins like Ampeg and Studer which have been used on countless records.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

My question is if I use eqMac to add EQ, does it change the output quality of the music?

In theory, it should change how the music sounds as that is its purpose. It should not change the quality but that is a semantic issue since the sound is changed.

 

[particularnotparticular]

Perhaps I should ask, does the EQ from eqMac introduce distortion in the chain? YMMV depending on headphones for example how much of a boost they 50 Hz space handle, for example, but in general, small boosts across the spectrum, does it create any distortion?

 

[dc655321]

If an EQ boosts a frequency band sufficient to produce intersample-overs and your DAC does not handle those over-samples gracefully, this could be an effective distortion producing mechanism. This is easy to induce with modern, headroom-less recordings...

Solution: apply sufficient, broadband attenuation prior to EQ boosts.