Sound meter + equalizer = problem solved?


I think it’s true. Digital room correction is even better. Are we just spinning our wheels and wasting time trying to solve the room acoustics/Fletcher Munson problem otherwise? Could audiophile dogma ie “don’t mess with the signal, dummy” just be completely wrong in practice? What were we thinking?

128x128mapman

It definitely has its place.

I’m using the equalizer capability of Plexamp app on my iPhone when streaming via airplay to my upstairs family room system, which has far from optimal acoustics,  and it brings that system much closer in sound to my 2 main systems downstairs.

Sometimes eq done right with an assist from a sound meter can be the easy path to glory for sure.

I used a white noise stream to measure the room response using decibel sound meter app on my iPhone then did the adjustments indicated needed in Plexamp and ta da, a big time step forward!

While both equalization and acoustic treatment address room problems, they are not interchangeable for the most part. Try fixing an echo with EQ or a dip at 1.5 kHz with acoustic panels. Company like Altitude insists that you address your room acoustic before using their class leading room equalization system. To get good bass, you will need to use both unless you’re blessed with an outstanding room. Purists look at both as shortcuts but they are wrong, those are necessary tools that should be in every audiophile arsenal. 

Notice to ALL... be careful with White Noise. Turned up too loud you can blow a tweeter because of equal db's at all frequencies. Better to use Pink Noise that has a roll-off of the highs.

1. Fletcher Munson, infrequent and temporary need.

Separate from basic match to your room. (Stupidly named ’Loudness’, it was for ’Lowness’ the opposite of loudness).

Fletcher Munson is a separate eq curve needed ONLY for very low listening, best if implemented automatically with volume reduction. If not automatic, then when listening at very low volume, manually raise the bass tone control, or engage the ’loudness’ circuit in your unit.

2. EQ to Match the Speakers to the Room. YES! Implemented HOW?

"In the Old Days":

1st a mono Radio, mono speaker with a mono amp; next, Stereo, add a second speaker with it’s own mono amp (thus dual mono). next add a preamp for moving magnet cartridges, Phono needs ’automatically engaged’ RIAA EQ and ’automatically engaged’ tape EQ if just a tape deck.

FM was Mono, then Armstrong solved Stereo FM. MPX EQ had to be added for FM Stereo, beginning with external mpx units, later MPX circuits added to preamp’s FM inputs.

Almost ALL that era’s speakers came with LEVEL controls,

i.e. 3 way had two level controls: ’Presence’ and ’Brilliance’.

You adjusted your SPEAKERS to both your space AND your ’taste’. Move them, re-adjust the LEVEL controls.

3. Next, Speakers no longer came with Level Controls,

thus Pre-amps were used to ’adjust the SIGNALS’ sent to the amps thus sent to the Speakers to adjust the sound for the space and/or your taste.

Basic signal adjustments included: balance; bass; treble controls.

Fully equipped preamps or receivers added:

Filters: Rumble; Phase (normal or reversed); automatic FM Muting between stations; Low Frequency Filter (acoustic feedback or noisy records); High Frequency (scratch or tape hiss); Some units included a ’Loudness’ (Fletcher Munson EQ) circuit, (mostly manual, automatically engaged Loudness came later).

Some units let you pre-match the separate component’s signals levels so the main volume would be the same when changing input devices.

Some units included MODE switches for: Stereo; Stereo Reverse; MONO; L+R to L; L+R to R; L to L+R; R to L+R

Later, more tone controls were added to some units, i.e. Treble. Mids, Bass. Or, more bands, like mini-equalizers in the preamp.

Next, separate Equalizers, with more bands to adjust individually, units had various # of bands, of various ranges of their assigned frequency.

Equalizers: Popular, then unpopular, then ’straight wire with gain’, which leaves you with zero adjustments in the space or your taste: (no controls in the speakers themselves, or to the signals sent to the amp/speakers).

Note: some modern hi-end speakers included EQ modules, located near but outside the speakers, to adjust the speakers to the space.

................................................

Well, let’s add room treatments!

 

 

Sound Meter: Yes.

Speaker/Signal Level Controls: YES

basic, more specific frequencies, a lot of frequencies. Depends on your space, and taste, and need for 'good enough' or perfection

EARS: yes, last,

find a preferred adjustment to the 'best flat' you achieve with meter/controls. Old dog, hear less highs, perhaps boost highs beyond what the meter 'hears'. Wife with ears that hear highs more than you do: cut the highs a bit.

Bass: seems weak, or muddy, no matter what the meter 'hears', boost or cut bass a bit.