A graphic Equalizer similar to the 9-band Behringer Mini FBQ 800

[devhda]

Hi,

I have got a Cambridge Audio CXA80 amplifier, an Audiolab M-DAC+ and a pair of KEF LS50 speakers.

I'm looking for a high quality graphic equalizer similar to the Behringer Mini FBQ 800. It's price tag (80$) says a lot about its expected sound quality though...

I'm not looking for a dual band EQ with as many as 20 bands to adjust for each channel, but a simple one yet with a high sonic quality.

What would you recommend me?

 

[rojo]

It's price tag (80$) says a lot about its expected sound quality though...

Low price isn't always an indication of poor quality. I happen to like Behringer stuff pretty well, although that smiley face EQ curve in the stock photo is pretty cringe-worthy. But an EQ without a measurement mic isn't very effective, and can serve to harm your sound. EQ is nearly impossible to set accurately by ear.

If you don't mind spending the money, though, the best room correction will probably come from one of these miniDSP Dirac Live boxes.

 

[devhda]

Hi rojo,

Thanks for your reply and suggestions.

Correct me if I'm wrong but a miniDSP Dirac Live is used to compensate the acoustics of the listening room, is that correct?

While I understand that some audiophiles look for a "transparent" listening experience, as close to the way the sound engineer devised it in the mixing room, I prefer to tweak the sound to my *subjective* preferences.

That's why I'm looking for a handy hardware Equalizer.

After some research I've found this from dbx, but it has got too many bands (30!), which makes it very difficult, slow and tedious to adjust as you listen to a track.

http://dbxpro.com/en/products/131s
http://dbxpro.com/en/products/131s
Maybe there are other single channel options in the market with less bands that I haven't been able to find yet?

 

[rojo]

Hi rojo,

Thanks for your reply and suggestions.

Correct me if I'm wrong but a miniDSP Dirac Live is used to compensate the acoustics of the listening room, is that correct?

While I understand that some audiophiles look for a "transparent" listening experience, as close to the way the sound engineer devised it in the mixing room, I prefer to tweak the sound to my *subjective* preferences.

That's why I'm looking for a handy hardware Equalizer.

After some research I've found this from dbx, but it has got too many bands (30!), which makes it very difficult, slow and tedious to adjust as you listen to a track.

http://dbxpro.com/en/products/131s
Maybe there are other single channel options in the market with less bands that I haven't been able to find yet?

You can set a house curve with Dirac Live to suit your preference, but you're right that it's intended for setting and forgetting (as opposed to tweaking and poking from song to song).

 

[slipperybidness]

Hi rojo,

Thanks for your reply and suggestions.

Correct me if I'm wrong but a miniDSP Dirac Live is used to compensate the acoustics of the listening room, is that correct?

While I understand that some audiophiles look for a "transparent" listening experience, as close to the way the sound engineer devised it in the mixing room, I prefer to tweak the sound to my *subjective* preferences.

That's why I'm looking for a handy hardware Equalizer.

After some research I've found this from dbx, but it has got too many bands (30!), which makes it very difficult, slow and tedious to adjust as you listen to a track.

http://dbxpro.com/en/products/131s
Maybe there are other single channel options in the market with less bands that I haven't been able to find yet?

Are you familiar with Parts-Express? Maybe one of these will fit your needs. Otherwise, I would suggest a trip to the local Guitar Center.

https://www.parts-express.com/cat/equalizers/589

 

[Swerd]

Correct me if I'm wrong but a miniDSP Dirac Live is used to compensate the acoustics of the listening room, is that correct?

All equalizers are meant to be used to compensate the acoustics of a listening room. That's why they have so many bands. The idea is to find the frequencies at which offending sound peaks are caused by room reflections, and suppress them by lowering the response over as narrow a band as possible.

The only way to find these frequencies is with a microphone and room measurement software. Even better than an analog graphic equalizer is a digital device that creates narrow notch filters. You can set up the notch filters at just the needed frequencies as well as choosing how widely the filters work. There is software that does this automatically, or allows you to do this manually. The automatic software is a work in progress, but it is gradually getting better over time.

While I understand that some audiophiles look for a "transparent" listening experience, as close to the way the sound engineer devised it in the mixing room, I prefer to tweak the sound to my *subjective* preferences.

Using a graphic equalizer as 'tone controls on steroids' is a good way to wreck the sound. When you raise response with analog filters on neighboring bands their interference creates comb filtering. It also can overburden your amplifier, leading to clipping. In layman's terms, it stomps on the sound. With some effort, they can be used effectively, but unfortunately, they can also do more harm than good. That is what made graphic equalizers largely disappear from the home audio market.

Your KEF LS50 speakers are very good. They're your speakers, but I believe it would be a shame to spend more money on a graphic equalizer when it is likely to do more harm than good.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

For “tone control on steroids,” what you want is something simple, like a one-octave EQ, typically no more than 10 bands per channel. More than that you’re looking at equalizers designed for system tuning. Their filters affect a narrow range, which is typically not what you want for basic tone control. Cheap equalizers will typically introduce more noise than you want when boosting a filter. AudioControl made some of the best-ever home-audio equalizers. They were pricey when new, but used ones sell cheap these days. Look for a model Ten Series III on ebay.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt