Equalization
mhp129 -- Fri, 05/29/2009 - 22:16
As a classical music lover and concert-goer, I find that many recordings benefit from tonal correction. More than a few have steely violins, some jazz discs have too much bass, and many others sound best just as recorded. The too-bright ones are notable, as I listen mostly to CD and often find CD sound slightly irritating in the violin or cymbal range. Holt's Law, while not inevitable, applies often enough to be important here.
My front end is currently a Meridian G98 player, used as a transport into a Tact 2.2X digital preamp, which includes a digital equalizer. I have noticed several recent reviews of CD players that are said to sound considerably better than older units. (For example, the Bryston and the Esoteric X-05, which even does SACD.) It is tempting to try one of those new CD players, replace the Tact with a conventional preamp (my room is acoustically treated), and enjoy.
But then I'd lose the transparent, remote controlled, tonal correction abilities of the Tact.
I am dubious about giving up tone controls. Are there any first-rate conventional preamps with tone controls?
Suggestions or comments -- including other approaches to resolve my digital unhappiness -- would be welcome. (With my musical interests and limited space, I don't think moving to LP would be a good approach.)
Mike
P.S. The rest of the system is a Bryston 14B SST, a pair of Revel Ultima Studios, and a pair Fathom F112. The Tact is a digital preamp, tone control, digital crossover, and room-correction unit.
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Tone controls tend to be included in lower-priced preamps rather than in top-end units. I don't see why manufacturers couldn't include a couple of gentle curves (that could be switched out) that roll-off the treble (few recordings are not bright enough), and boost or cut the bass. I also have some recordings that would benefit from a treble shelving filter.
There's a divergence of opinion among the editorial staff regarding the merits of room equalization. You have to ask yourself how wedded you are to equalizing recordings.
Robert, I appreciate the reply. I am more wedded to equalization of some recordings (mainly, the adjustments you have noted) than to overall room equalization. I don't re-equalize everything, but rising treble or boomy bass are unpleasant. As to room eq, I like much of what it does, but I miss the slightly better transparency of my pre-room eq system on the best recordings.
After reading REG's analysis of room correction systems, I decided to try some low-cost experiments on my own. I found a freeware program called DRC (http://drc-fir.sourceforge.net/doc/drc.html#htoc30) which works on the same principles of commercial systems: starting from the measured impulse response of the listening room this software will calculate some reverse corrections, both in the frequency and time domains. The results in my opinion are remarkable: all I can hear is a slight lessened transparency in the sound of my Aesthetix Calypso preamp, compensated by a much cleaner and balanced frequency response, and a huge improvement in the bass. A result, I understand, of the correction in the time domain which makes the woofers really sing together.
Of course a little hands-on experience with computers is required, and you'll also need a decent measuring microphone (I bought one from Behringer) and a hopefully very good sound card. This is where TAS' assistance would become very helpful: I now use a M-Audio Profire 610 unit, but I would gladly upgrade if I knew what to buy. The computer interface market is quite dissimilar from high end, and unless you're so lucky to count a dealer among your friends you'll have to buy what you want to try. I understand this is a marginal subject for TAS, but computers stand probably at the heart of tomorrow's music reproduction. Any shoot-out of such devices in sight, Mr. Harley?
Tony
Rovigo, Italy
Tony, your experience is interesting. I agree that addressing room acoustics, whether with physical treatments or electronically (I use both), will pay dividends. So far, I have not had the time or inclination to roll my own DRC with a dedicated computer, but I'm approaching retirement, and I will have more time to give it a try. Mike
Dear Mike
Accuphase still builds high-end preamplifiers with tone control, especially the C-2410 offers all the possible tone controls one can think off.
Look at http://www.accuphase.com/model/c-2410.html
Regards
Dirk
Dear Dirk, thanks for mentioning this. I'll look into the Accuphase units. Mike