I have been reading the strong opinions about the 3.5 equalizer that I eliminated from my system by using a subwoofer so I tried it back in my system again. I get the same result as before. The midrange is a bit more veiled and the instruments, voices and over all image appear slightly larger, When I go back to my arrangement with the Velodyne sub and no equalizer the midrange seems cleaner and the bass is tighter.
I would conjecture that the slightly larger image that the equalizer produces in my system is due to a lack of overall focus. I can't be sure if this would apply to all 3.5 systems because: a. I am dealing with room responses that I can't really alter; but others could; b. I have a 100-watt tube amp that may be bloating the boosted bass load from the equalizer that a larger, solid state amp could better handle; c. the tighter bass due to the massive solid state amplifier and active feedback in the Velodyne system may be doing less smearing and enlarging of the midrange image or maybe not; and d. the midrange driver is no longer getting carry over of the boosted bass through it's first order, 400-hz crossover.
The Stereophile review of the CS3.5 has a graph of the equalizer response that indicates it only affects the frequencies below 300 hz so I question the notion that it is somehow improving the midrange response and image. In my situation i think it is an extra link in the signal chain that adds an extra layer of veil to the sound. So much to know, so little time.
I would conjecture that the slightly larger image that the equalizer produces in my system is due to a lack of overall focus. I can't be sure if this would apply to all 3.5 systems because: a. I am dealing with room responses that I can't really alter; but others could; b. I have a 100-watt tube amp that may be bloating the boosted bass load from the equalizer that a larger, solid state amp could better handle; c. the tighter bass due to the massive solid state amplifier and active feedback in the Velodyne system may be doing less smearing and enlarging of the midrange image or maybe not; and d. the midrange driver is no longer getting carry over of the boosted bass through it's first order, 400-hz crossover.
The Stereophile review of the CS3.5 has a graph of the equalizer response that indicates it only affects the frequencies below 300 hz so I question the notion that it is somehow improving the midrange response and image. In my situation i think it is an extra link in the signal chain that adds an extra layer of veil to the sound. So much to know, so little time.