Parametric EQ Assistant (Online tool to help with manual EQ)

[Sigberg Audio]

Hopefully this is the right forum, I've developed a simple but hopefully useful tool to assist with manual EQ.

So the target audience is those who

• Have some kind of Parametric EQ capabilities in their system
• Do not have REW & measurement microphone and/or want a simpler / more oldskool approach to measuring and adjusting
• Do not have the competence to set the correct manual EQ and would like help with this.

Super short explanation of how it works:
It's an online tool where you can plot the frequency response from 20-100hz, easily measured using sinus tones (playlist for both Spotify and Tidal provided) and your phone.

The tool will then analyze the response, and both suggest parametric EQ adjustments, and show an estimated new response after the adjustments have been applied. You can also edit the recommendations and even add new EQ points, and the estimate will update in real time.

Finally the tool can be configured with regards to how aggressive the EQ recommendations are. By default it follows my own philosophy, which is a relatively moderate/careful approach to retain some life and bass, rather than EQing completely flat. The recommendations are only cut (no boost), but boost points can be added manually.

This was originally developed as a support tool to our own customers, but there's nothing brand specific with the tool, it will work with any unit that has PEQ capabilities. I'd be happy to get some feedback from anyone who decide to test it out!

You can find the tool here:

PEQ Subwoofer / Speaker calibration assistant

Configurable Online tool to help you equalize (EQ) the bass in your subwoofer or loudspeaker. Automatic Parametric EQ recommendations.

www.sigbergaudio.com

Note the link both to a more comprehensive guide + link to playlists with sinus tones near the top of the page.

 

[highfigh]

View attachment 79463
Hopefully this is the right forum, I've developed a simple but hopefully useful tool to assist with manual EQ.

So the target audience is those who

• Have some kind of Parametric EQ capabilities in their system
• Do not have REW & measurement microphone and/or want a simpler / more oldskool approach to measuring and adjusting
• Do not have the competence to set the correct manual EQ and would like help with this.

Super short explanation of how it works:
It's an online tool where you can plot the frequency response from 20-100hz, easily measured using sinus tones (playlist for both Spotify and Tidal provided) and your phone.

The tool will then analyze the response, and both suggest parametric EQ adjustments, and show an estimated new response after the adjustments have been applied. You can also edit the recommendations and even add new EQ points, and the estimate will update in real time.

Finally the tool can be configured with regards to how aggressive the EQ recommendations are. By default it follows my own philosophy, which is a relatively moderate/careful approach to retain some life and bass, rather than EQing completely flat. The recommendations are only cut (no boost), but boost points can be added manually.

This was originally developed as a support tool to our own customers, but there's nothing brand specific with the tool, it will work with any unit that has PEQ capabilities. I'd be happy to get some feedback from anyone who decide to test it out!

You can find the tool here:

PEQ Subwoofer / Speaker calibration assistant

Configurable Online tool to help you equalize (EQ) the bass in your subwoofer or loudspeaker. Automatic Parametric EQ recommendations.

www.sigbergaudio.com

Note the link both to a more comprehensive guide + link to playlists with sinus tones near the top of the page.

Have you used REW with several laptops, to find the relative accuracy of the mics relative to a calibrated mic? I have read in several places, that the typical 1/4" mic elements are similar enough that it's pretty close at many frequencies.

I have a calibrated mic and have used my iPhone & laptops successfully to check the response and make adjustments when I used an AVR. It's definitely helpful when setting up/positioning a subwoofer, to minimize cancelation at the crossover region.

Since I went back to preamp/power amp, I no longer use equalization but I also installed panels to deal with the issues the room had.

Does this PEQ have a way to restore the overall level, assuming a fair amount of EQ has been used and the level has decreased? Automatic Unity Gain would be very helpful, but I can understand why it might be cost-prohibitive.

 

[Sigberg Audio]

Have you used REW with several laptops, to find the relative accuracy of the mics relative to a calibrated mic? I have read in several places, that the typical 1/4" mic elements are similar enough that it's pretty close at many frequencies.

Especially iphone/ipad is relatively accurate, android based phones will have more varying accuracy. But likely accurate enough for rough EQ adjustment below 100hz, which is the intended use case here. Possibly less accurate below 30-40hz.

Does this PEQ have a way to restore the overall level, assuming a fair amount of EQ has been used and the level has decreased? Automatic Unity Gain would be very helpful, but I can understand why it might be cost-prohibitive.

I am not sure I understand exactly what you mean here. This tool only recommends the EQ points and shows an estimated response. It is not directly connected to the system in any way. After applying the EQ you are free to to increase gain on your sub/system to compensate of course. Are you suggesting that the tool also recommends how much gain to increase after EQ?

 

[highfigh]

Especially iphone/ipad is relatively accurate, android based phones will have more varying accuracy. But likely accurate enough for rough EQ adjustment below 100hz, which is the intended use case here. Possibly less accurate below 30-40hz.



I am not sure I understand exactly what you mean here. This tool only recommends the EQ points and shows an estimated response. It is not directly connected to the system in any way. After applying the EQ you are free to to increase gain on your sub/system to compensate of course. Are you suggesting that the tool also recommends how much gain to increase after EQ?

If the controls can only cut, the overall SPL won't be at unity gain and while the level can be restored, some users may have trouble getting it right. I would imagine that it could use a comparitor to match the input level with the output.

 

[Sigberg Audio]

If the controls can only cut, the overall SPL won't be at unity gain and while the level can be restored, some users may have trouble getting it right. I would imagine that it could use a comparitor to match the input level with the output.

Not exactly sure how to calculate how much gain should be added for any given PEQ cut(s), but perhaps I can try to figure out something that will work reasonably well, trying to get the average back to the target level after cuts, and capping it at max +3dB or something. I'll look into it!

 

[highfigh]

Not exactly sure how to calculate how much gain should be added for any given PEQ cut(s), but perhaps I can try to figure out something that will work reasonably well, trying to get the average back to the target level after cuts, and capping it at max +3dB or something. I'll look into it!

Not asking about increasing gain from the original level, just to restore the level lost by cutting. Again, a comparitor can restore the level but another issue is which frequencies have been cut most relative to the frequencies humans are most sensitive to- if someone drops 30Hz, it won't be as apparent as if they drop 2-4KHz.

I'm sure you're familiar with the 'Happy Face' EQ curve- a lot of people used that, but didn't understand that if they boost the upper and lower ends, noise increases and it causes the amplifier to clip more easily, so they would kill their speakers. I saw that very often in the late-'70s and into the '80s. Sure, it's louder and that curve does counteract our lack of sensitivity at the upper/lower extremes, but it sounded worse WRT noise and distortion unless the volume control wasn't jacked up. At moderate levels, it was OK but it was an easy way for people to decide that it was 'better', just because it was louder when the EQ was ON.

The photo shows the Happy Face curve, raised above 0dB-

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ESoAAeSwKD9pnjSN/s-l1600.webp

 

[highfigh]

When I worked in car audio, I always asked for a scope, but the first store owner flat out refused, the second had extra equipment so I could use one when needed and we also had an Audio Control SA-3050a analyser, same for the big box store where I managed a shop. it was easy to see when the input and output levels were the same, especially if the RTA was set to 1dB/division.

We generally checked the level with a handheld meter, but for competition systems, the RTA was used.