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Go get out your pitchforks, I’ve done a sacrilegious thing. . .

. . . I’ve added an EQ!

A Loki Max to be exact - and so far, I love it!

I believe in the purist approach for the most part, and I have a main system that that’s all about, but this system, this is my fun house system, but my room acoustics are not great in my living room.  But that doesn’t mean I want crap sound in it either. The wife won’t let me treat the room, but frankly, that isn’t even the main reason I did it. 

The system is basically Klipsch Forte III’s, Balanced Audio VX 3ix pre-amp, ARC balanced V35 tube amp, Bifrost 2 DAC getting sound from a Marantz ND8006 streamer.  I put the EQ between the DAC and the preamp.

It’s dead quiet, and I can’t discern the difference in bypass mode either. 
 

I figured it’s was a lot easier, and cheaper, to add this one component and get the exact sound I want versus going through a bunch of cables or changing out other equipment. 

Soundstage is great, and there doesn’t paper to be any aberrations, but keep in mind this isn’t the most reveling system, another reason I wasn’t too worried about adding an EQ.

All in all, a good investment and make my music more enjoyable!

 

 

last_lemming
jwei
134 posts
 

I’ve used equalizers for room correction. I’ve settled on a couple Rane ME60s for two of my systems. They do the job -- 30 sliders per channel at 1/3 octave intervals. Great pro build quality with minimal unwanted impact on sound quality.

asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,266 posts
 

I've got 2 8024 Behringers...one 'listens' to the room while the other corrects for it.  Both digital, both leave no trace of being in the path.

But I'm one of those heretics' that believe fancy cables are just esoteric eq....*L* 

dafox
38 posts
 

What are some of the settings that you are using? 

Boosting bass and treble for low volume listening?

Rolling off the top end?

Boosting the midrange for added warmth?

dinov's avatar
dinov
789 posts
 

I don’t know why we or some audiophiles shun equalization. Same thing for the dreaded loudness switch that I lived for when I was young. Equalization is liberating. Embrace it and have fun! That’s what the hobby is all about, at least for me. 

oldrooney's avatar
oldrooney
165 posts
 

I have an original Loki, and I find it useful in my main system as a tone control, mostly for rolling off the highs that hurt my ears on certain recordings, but also for ‘taming’ voices (usually male) that grate a bit, and finally to boost, or quell the bass, again, to ‘tune a track’ or ‘tame an artist (or album).’ If I’m having problems with the room, I’ll use the balance control. Otherwise I’ll ‘adjust my ears,’ if you know what I mean. 
 

I don’t find the Loki to be dead quiet in my main system, a bit of graininess pops up when I switch it into the system, which I attribute to it’s solid-state construction, it raises the noise floor just a little. It is a relatively small price to pay considering its benefits, and especially considering the price I paid for it. I’ve wondered whether or not to step up to the Lokius or the Loki Max. I can switch my Loki in and out with my main system remote, but it would certainly be nice to make adjustments from the listening position. Perhaps then I could join you in employing it for room correction. 🙂

I must admit that I can’t really make sense out of Schiit’s technical explanation of the Loki Max circuit topology except for the description of their fancy inductors, although I am intrigued by the fact that it seems mostly passive. 
 

Thank you for sharing your experience. 

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