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Does a graphic equalizer show where your amp is lacking?

 I am a fringe relatively unknowledgeable audiophile. I purchased a year ago on  Audiogon both a Technics SUG700 integrated amp and Canton 9k reference speakers with shaker cables, my source is a Marantz CD player all interconnects are 35-year-old monster cable. It is a very revealing system. Having said that I recently purchased a Schiits Loki equalizer and was surprised at the amount of added detail it provided to the music most noticeable in the higher frequencies i.e. violins have more sparkle and inner detail.  My question does this mean the sug700 is lacking in that regard.Also since the Loki alters the sound is this like having different speakers simply by altering the sound signature of the Cantons by boosting or suppressing its various frequencies? What is the downside to equalizers other than adding another piece of gear the signal travels through?

As an aside I read a post on here about Chinese knock-off audio goods so for the fun of it my price of admission was around $20 for a pair of knock-off Van din Hull interconnects normally costing a few hundred bucks. Well, I got what I expected JUNK wrapped in a Van din Hull cover. It played ok until I turned up the volume when my amp told me "signal overflow" whatever that means( clipping ?). Anyway removed the ripoff and attached my old Monster interconnects and no more signal overflow just sweet music. If these were the real deal they are defective as evident when taking it apart, just sloppy workmanship! One example the center pin on one RCA interconnect was not only poorly coated but half of one pin was cut through! The copper strands were sloppily crimped with many strands not where they should be  and no soldered connections just press fit. 

scott22
Post removed 
newbee
4,767 posts
 

Regarding the use of your Loki, in order to improve your high frequencies did you actually rotate your high frequency control or did it just sound better plugged into the circuit? If you did, how much?

Your present interconnect and speaker wire could be a major impediment to good sound. On the more inexpensive side I would suggest you get some IC's from Blue Jeans and some new speaker wire as well, perhaps the Canare 4s11. Don't even think about whether or not your amp is adequate yet (if ever) until you have at least put in some decent economy wires.

nekoaudio's avatar
nekoaudio
489 posts
 

A graphic equalizer boosts or cuts certain frequency ranges in volume. It has less control over the frequency range than a parametric equalizer (which, as the name indicates, allows you to set parameters on the boosts and cuts).

So it is kind of like changing the music to make certain parts of it sound louder or softer. This is not really analogous to changing the speaker, in the same way you might ask a pianist to play certain keys harder or softer but it will still sound like the same piano.

Since it is easier to hear louder things, and harder to hear softer things, just because you now notice something more does not mean that what you were hearing before was incorrect or that your equipment was lacking. (Like above, same piano, just some notes louder or quieter now.) Without doing a measurement of your speaker's frequency response in your room, you can't really say for sure that the boosts or cuts you have added are making things more correct or actually less correct, even if it sounds better to you.

fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,546 posts
 

Erik got that one right.

helmholtzsoul
111 posts
 

If I had issues with any frequency, I would look at the source first. I have a difficult time with some of my older media, THEN the room. I say that tongue in cheek. Both have to be right to make a call for tone control. If the room and source are good, I have to do very little with a full range speaker. Set the controls to flat and away I go.

I use GR servos and DSP Bass management I also use Helmholtz tuning with 2 100cf tuning resonators on the front wall and 4 adj traps on the side walls.

I EQ the room just like a graphic and parametric. I can actually notch single or multiple spots or tune around to lower SPL with a lower region. It can’t correct for suck-out or combing but if the room is tuned 1/2 way right you won’t have that problem.

If all else fails, tone control or a graphic EQ will work just fine.

Loudness trim is what made Mcintosh controls so nice. My personal favorite if I’m using a NON "Line stage pre". Currently I’m using a SLP-05 Cary.. There is ZERO tone control there. Most of the media is working out well enough. I still have LPads via speaker XO for treble and mids. I have a little wiggle room. 280hz and below has always been the greatest challenge in any of my rooms. Once I clean that up, the mids and highs are easy..

Helmholtz the only way to fly..

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