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Is there such a thing as audiophile parametric eq?

My listening room is of awful dimensions (close to 1 x 2 x 4) and I've used treatments and bass traps to get the imaging and bass response to be very good. Yet there are some frequencies especially in the mid-bass that are very loud compared to everything else. I was considering buying a Behringer DEQ2496 after hearing rave reviews of what it can do in a home listening environment. Then I found out that the SPDIF I/O is optical and that threw a wrench into that plan. What I need is either a very good digital eq that uses RCA SPDIF or a very good analog PEQ. Any suggestions?
jlambrick

Showing 4 responses by eldartford

eldartford
4,262 posts
 
For $350 (including mic) get the Behringer DEQ2496. Only you can decide if its audio quality is "audiophile". IMHO the outboard DAC would be an unnecessary complication. If you decide not to keep it in the signal path (and I bet you will) it is still well worth the price just as a spectrum analyser.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Jlambrick...You say "I'm not absolutely sure what the frequencies are". All the more reason to get that Behringer. Its spectrum analyser (also called Real Time Analyzer, RTA) will show you what your problem is. No matter how you fix the problem, room treatment, equalizer, build a new room, understanding the problem is the first step. And, although equalization has theoretical faults, as Shadorne points out, in practice the benefits sometimes outweigh them.
So I say... get the Behringer as a spectrum analyser. Then see what equalization does for you. Trust your ears.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
My three Behringer DEQ2496 have functioned flawlessly for several years, and if one should fail I could replace it for less money than repair of the typical "audiophile" equipment. No doubt Behringer makes some items that are not designed to the audiophile market, but the DEQ2496 is not in that category. Again I say...get your hands on one and form your own opinion.

No doubt the PARC is great, although it has no RTA and lacks other features of the Behringer. Lexus cars are great too, but I drive a Honda.
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eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Bflowers...Back in the 1950s when I became interested in audio, equalizers and tone control circuits were lousy, and audiophiles were right to avoid them. But the circuits that have been used for the last couple of decades do not have significant problems. However, it takes a long time to live down a bad reputation, and avoiding equalizers is an article of the audiophile religion. (You used the right word..."blasphemy").
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