Help!? About to EQ my $2,000 Speakers. Avoiding Screw Ups.

[bizmord]

My listening: (room ... 13x18 with 8.5 ceiling. Listen to Smooth Jazz, pop, classical, Classic rock, dance, etc)

So here is the deal .... when running room correction software with my Yamaha receiver, it makes my sound a bit too dull. It pretty much cuts a lot of high frequencies. So what I did is ... i turned EQ off and just kept setting made my software for the Crossover, range, volume, etc. EQ = OFF.

Now ... here is my issue. With EQ turned ON, sound is too dull, BUT with EQ turned off, sound is a bit too bright for my listening pleasure. Specifically for music. Movies I am OK with.

Tonight I am going to start playing with EQ as it allows me to adjust sound for EACH speaker.

What should I know?

Should I EQ each speaker identically or make center brighter (for better speech) and my L and R more realistic for music?

Which frequency should I adjust to add a little more mids and cut a bit of too squeaky sound in the highs.

Example ... saxophone was just a bit toooo bright. Could be toned down a bit. Voice however sounds very nice. Drum cymbals are sometimes too bright too.

Testing this on MP3 music (mp3 256-320kbps).

Any input will be very helpful. Thanks.

 

[slipperybidness]

My listening: (room ... 13x18 with 8.5 ceiling. Listen to Smooth Jazz, pop, classical, Classic rock, dance, etc)

So here is the deal .... when running room correction software with my Yamaha receiver, it makes my sound a bit too dull. It pretty much cuts a lot of high frequencies. So what I did is ... i turned EQ off and just kept setting made my software for the Crossover, range, volume, etc. EQ = OFF.

Now ... here is my issue. With EQ turned ON, sound is too dull, BUT with EQ turned off, sound is a bit too bright for my listening pleasure. Specifically for music. Movies I am OK with.

Tonight I am going to start playing with EQ as it allows me to adjust sound for EACH speaker.



What should I know?

Should I EQ each speaker identically or make center brighter (for better speech) and my L and R more realistic for music?

Which frequency should I adjust to add a little more mids and cut a bit of too squeaky sound in the highs.

Example ... saxophone was just a bit toooo bright. Could be toned down a bit. Voice however sounds very nice. Drum cymbals are sometimes too bright too.

Testing this on MP3 music (mp3 256-320kbps).

Any input will be very helpful. Thanks.

If it sounds good to you, that is all that really matters

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I would shut off all RC, EQ, and DSP.

Try moving speakers around a little (placement).

Get better recorded music.

Try out some acoustic room treatments - like from Amazon so you can return if they don't work as advertised.

 

[j_garcia]

If they don't sound right to you with no EQ, then you already lost half the battle. Proper placement and treatments can go a long way to help that though.

 

[bizmord]

I would shut off all RC, EQ, and DSP.

Try moving speakers around a little (placement).

Get better recorded music.

Try out some acoustic room treatments - like from Amazon so you can return if they don't work as advertised.

There is not a lot of movement i can do. Music quality ... ? playing CDs? Can't really find over 320kbps mp3 music online.
room treatments, possible, BUT i don't know if it's really going to calm some high down.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

There is not a lot of movement i can do. Music quality ... ? playing CDs? Can't really find over 320kbps mp3 music online.
room treatments, possible, BUT i don't know if it's really going to calm some high down.

I heard great things about Ascend Sierra.

What kind of music do you listen to?

Some MP3 music quality are better than others.

Sometimes accurate speakers reveal too much, even the harsh parts of the music. If they are recorded like that, not much you can do. Accurate speakers will not hide anything. If the music is bright, you get exactly bright.

Hate to say this, but you may have to audition other speakers if you don't like your speakers. If placement and room treatments don't work, RC & EQ may not do any good.

 

[ridikas]

Forget EQ and treat the room would be my advice.

 

[templemaners]

If you do decide to manually EQ them, remember that it's better to make cuts than boost. Also, I will say, if you aren't doing any measurements before and after, you're just EQing blind, which is a bit of a fool's errand.

Better recorded music, as previously suggested, would be a big improvement as well. Improved placement and room treatments could also help.

Have you tried comparing music between MP3's and regular CD's to see if there's a difference?

 

[ahblaza]

This sounds like your room and (or) the source material, the Sierra's are very source dependant, garbage in garbage out. Try different recordings, treat the room and if RC doesn't help, shut it off. RC will not make the room dissapear. I don't believe your problem is your speakers.

 

[bizmord]

I am also trying to do room treatments.
Very design conscious so in my situation and without going overboard ... where would you place sound panels??? Like must have places.

thanks

 

[j_garcia]

Roughly where the first window is on the top (a good curtain will work), where the painting is behind the couch. Move couch away from wall; right against the wall is the worst place you can sit. Surrounds pointing toward the center or front of room, not at the listener.

 

[ski2xblack]

^ What j_garcia said. Put some panels on the wall behind the couch.

Glass coffee table isn't doing you any favors in the brightness department. Move it out of the room temporarily for a listening test, see if that helps.

 

[j_garcia]

Yep, I got rid of my glass coffee table for that reason too. Was going to suggest it, but most people don't like that idea. I actually like not having it there.

 

[ahblaza]

Roughly where the first window is on the top (a good curtain will work), where the painting is behind the couch. Move couch away from wall; right against the wall is the worst place you can sit. Surrounds pointing toward the center or front of room, not at the listener.

Thanks John for the surrounds suggestion, angled toward center or just facing front wall.

 

[ahblaza]

Yep, I got rid of my glass coffee table for that reason too. Was going to suggest it, but most people don't like that idea. I actually like not having it there.

When I listen to music in stereo, I place a light blanket over my TV screen.

 

[billy p]

Your room is a lot like mine in its layout with HW floors and leather couches. I know some don't particually like RC or EQ....but I found in my many hrs of switching back and fouth...that applying YPAO(from my rxv1800) in Flat mode sounded best and found natrual was by far my least favorite. I have some very well recorded material and some not so good but always find a happy medium with or without RC or EQ being applied....

 

[bizmord]

So .... JUST Got my Rythmik F12 and holly SH*T .... can't get a smile off of my face. Put Dark Knight blu ray in and couldn't stop it. Never heard bass like this. A friend who has been an audiophile for sometime was sitting near me smiling.

Anyway ..... here is the thing.

I ran Auto setup with my Yamaha again with this new sub. Once again .... with EQ turned on sound is a bit too dull. When EQ is turned off, Sierras are just toooo bright for music. Movies may be alright.

So .... what I did is .... EQ turned ON and manually using tone control on Receiver, added +6 to Trebble and +2 to Bass. On movies .... amazing. Tomorrow will do more testing.

Any input much appreciated.

P.S. A friend now says that last piece of the puzzle is a new receiver with Audyssey MultEQ XT. Maybe that will help create the perfect sound???

 

[lsiberian]

So .... JUST Got my Rythmik F12 and holly SH*T .... can't get a smile off of my face. Put Dark Knight blu ray in and couldn't stop it. Never heard bass like this. A friend who has been an audiophile for sometime was sitting near me smiling.

Anyway ..... here is the thing.

I ran Auto setup with my Yamaha again with this new sub. Once again .... with EQ turned on sound is a bit too dull. When EQ is turned off, Sierras are just toooo bright for music. Movies may be alright.

So .... what I did is .... EQ turned ON and manually using tone control on Receiver, added +6 to Trebble and +2 to Bass. On movies .... amazing. Tomorrow will do more testing.

Any input much appreciated.

P.S. A friend now says that last piece of the puzzle is a new receiver with Audyssey MultEQ XT. Maybe that will help create the perfect sound???

I don't think a new receiver is a good solution in most cases. Remember less is typically more when it comes to EQ. If I remember correctly the Ascends to run a little hot up high and it sounds like the EQ is over correcting. Familiar Music is probably the best test for accuracy. Movies are more about dynamics than accuracy because perception is a lot more forgiving.

 

[billy p]

When I first heard my Sierra NrT they had some sparkle compared to what I being used too....but I quickly started hearing things in ALL my music regardless of the quality and I realized what people referred to as "garbage in/out "....

Sounds to me like you're using geometric parameters(GEQ) since you've applied your own bass & trebel adjustments....I think you should run YPAO and select Flat for EQing in your auto set before you start. I dunno which EQ you've tried or used but you should try them all(Flat>Natrual>Front). I did said to you in another post awhile back that maybe the Sierras aren't your cup o tea or maybe they are ....but IMO... Flat mode PEQ really made the difference and Brian over at Ascend has also recommended doing so...he should know and the credentials to boot...

Good luck....Bill...

 

[ImcLoud]

I tried the Sierras and ended up with the 340SE's, the Sierras are way to tingly for me, dont get me wrong they sound very clean and clear, but the 340s were sooo warm, cozy, and just as clear {the Sierras enclosures were much better}, I can play the 340's a lot louder than the Sierras... The Sierras to me were tiring, while I can listen to the 340s all day....

When I have to adjust something, I put on cats in the cradle {harry chapin's, not gnr or ugly kid joes, lol} because I know the song in and out, and its super clean on cd... then I start at the factor default and write down my changes +5, -2, ect... Then compare your changes back and forth....
But first I would make sure the speakers are all correctly placed, phasing is all set, levels are all level, pos-neg is rite no ports up against a wall, no obvious room problems, ect...