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Using a Studio EQ for Vinyl playback

I’ve never understood the audiophile aversion to EQ..... especially having simple good tone controls on a preamp. Sadly... most tone controls really do sound bad. But unless you plan to play exclusively audiophile pressings, I feel some EQ is essential to really enjoy popular music. Since my preamp does NOT have tone controls, I have used several different studio quality EQ’s between my phono pre and main preamp. (....no, NOT graphic eqs) Having this control has never failed to increase my enjoyment of sub-par records. So why is EQUALISER such a bad word in audiophile circles??

Most studio EQs are dual channel. You have to tweak both channels separately, and it’s a bit cumbersome. There are a few that are stereo program EQs with one set of controls for both channels. I’ve recently discovered one that is working very well for me... The Vintage Audio M3D ($1300). It’s a 6 band EQ with VERY wide bell curves, and thus minimal phase shift. It has a true bypass, so it’s really out of the path when bypassed. The downside for home audio is that it runs at +4dB levels, and has balanced XLR connectors. I’ve forged ahead and use it anyway, and it’s working well for me. The noise floor is still lower than that of my phono pre (a Parasound JC3, with XLR outs) so that just means I have a ridiculous amount of headroom. I’ve made my own -10dB pad cables to convert the balanced output to RCA and it’s working great. A simple adapter will not work with the M3D.

Great pressings don’t need EQ, but older popular music pressings benefit greatly from some EQ.   Isn’t that what it’s all about? Making the music more enjoyable??
mirolab
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
EQs are used daily in recording and mastering studios worldwide. If it makes your music more enjoyable, I say knock yourself out.

You will hear from the "purists" and "techies" that EQ will create and add "unwanted" distortion and phase anomalies. As if only playback should remain absolutely unfettered and unadulterated. There is no such thing as a recroding without EQ of some type; the first transducer (microphone) imparts equalization at the very beginning of the recording > media > playback chain. That's why microphone selection is such a big deal to engineers everywhere.
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,542 posts
 

I like them if done right. I used to have a Luxman integrated that had selectable cut off freqs that was a blessing for late night condo listening as I could add a little bottom end with out messing up the mids-highs. I really wish equipment manufacturers would bring them back but in an updated way. seems only the Japanese are still doing using them thinking Luxman, Acuphas.

 well I suppose they are with room correction becoming more popular." Duh!" Homer moment.

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
If you need an EQ in high-end system then something wrong with the system, normally in a very well balanced system you will forget about knobs and disappear in the music with a smile on your face. Remember that musicians and mastering/cutting engineers already prepared your vinyl media to sound as the master tape which is the reference.

In mediocre system EQ will help to adjust the weakness a bit, but in reference system EQ must be avoided. Normally we can still add different flavour to the music with different cartridges, speakers, cables etc.

Some phono stages comes with different RIAA EQ curves for different vintage records, but all new records must have standard RIAA curve.

I think the main target for audiophiles is neutrality of the audio system, but the EQ is like cooking with too much salt, paper or sugar.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,152 posts
 
Normally we can still add different flavour to the music with different cartridges, speakers, cables etc.
Why do this when you can use a well designed EQ?
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