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I like my system flat, no tone controls, no eq..........what is your preference, and why.

A poster on another thread here has encouraged me to post this. Been an audio professional and a hobbyist for 50 tears. I had my time with eq, tone controls ( even reverb and time delay units ). I am currently at the point where I need nothing to alter the recordings I listen to, nor to compensate for room aberrations. I have spent lots of money on equipment , had equipment on loan, of all types ( pretty much a bit of everything, for the most part ) and I have tweaked, and tweaked, and tweaked. I have recently tooled down to a much simpler and less expensive system, and I find I am the happiest I have ever been. Might be my amp, my passive unit, my speakers...…….yes, all of that. Yes, all of that is important, but it is the system synergy that has made me realize that changing anything with an eq or tone controls took me further from that synergy, that balance. I accept, and enjoy my recordings for what they are. Some better than others ( sq ). But, I am enjoying the brilliance of all the studio work put into them,  exactly as they were intended to be listened to. This is me. I do not believe in right or wrong, better or worse, newer vs older, yada yada yada. I have believed, and have stated, particularly in this hobby, to each his own. I hear fuse differences, power cable differences, etc. Some believe I was born a bat. I am happy of my gift, not just hearing well, but through the years, teaching myself " what it is I like ", which is the key for most of us. I am not sure where this thread will go, but I put it out there, and hope folks will drop in, even though much of it might have been stated before in other threads. Thank you A'gon family, be well, and Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
gibsonian
73 posts
 

I listen to old school FM radio, to CD's, and phonograph.   From mono recordings pressed in the 50's to compressed over bassed CD's from today.    I would not be able to listen to all of that on one system without eliminating some recordings if I did not have tone controls.   Sitting thru some of the modern CD's without being able to turn down the bass a smidge to alot, or increasing bass on some really thinly recorded albums would not be enjoyable.   I'd rather turn a knob 10 degrees and enjoy it than listen to it as recorded or pitch it in the trash is my take on this subject.


Most recordings require nothing, and usually those are the best overall to listen to.


I think there were some fine artists making fine music that did not receive the proper service from the folks who handled their music once they placed it in the air.

beetlemania
841 posts
 
Tone controls? Isn't that just admitting that your gear/room are crap or that you prefer colored music?
jbhiller's avatar
jbhiller
1,444 posts
 
Like Wolf, I shelled out the $150 for the Loki.  I use it sparingly between my DAC and my tube integrated.  When using it, it's most often to push the bass up a tad (to about 1 or 2 o'clock) in the form of a makeshift loudness button when I'm listening at lower levels.  Other times, I dial the treble down from noon to about 11 o'clock to deal with overly bright recordings.  Rarely do I ever do more than that. That little difference though can help with quieter late night listening levels, add some realism to a solo piano, warm things up or cool things down.  

I do not use the Loki when playing vinyl--less of a need for me, but I suppose I could. 

I pretty much listen without controls, but boy are they nice to have for certain situations.  

The Loki is a great little toy.  You cannot go wrong for the money.  It's well made, dead quiet to my ear, and cheap Schitt.  

Great thread!
ron17
607 posts
 
Hey Mr.D nice thread,

I use EQ because of the room/speaker interaction not to compensate for poor recordings. I have measured a peak @ 42hz in my room that I have not been able to eliminate by speaker placement or room treatments.....When a bass player plays an open E (lowest note on a conventional stand up or electric bass is 41hz) and that note plays louder than all of the other notes being played, it's very annoying. If you are lucky enough to have a good sounding room that needs no room treatment or EQ I envy you!   I think adjusting tone controls for every recording would drive me nuts. I hear huge differences between poor recordings, great recordings, heavily compressed recordings etc... I just don't get the uneven deep base I use to.
mrdecibel OP
3,065 posts
 
Ron17, I was prompted to start this thread because of the viper experience on WC’s amplifier / speaker thread, as you know quite well. As I have said so many times, and yes it has become repetitive by me : anything we audio folks need to do ( whether it be eq, cables, fuses, whatever ), to get us ever closer to that musical nirvana we are all chasing, so be it. I would not consider myself lucky, per say. My room is nothing special, but my speakers and my listening chair are all away from walls, and I played and played and played, tweaked and tweaked and tweaked, until I was happy. My biggest challenge was finding, and blending, a pair of subwoofers with my Lascalas, which I accomplished years ago. I am with you, as eqing for each recording would drive me nuts. I accept each and every recording, as they are, as I enjoy all of them. The greatest upgrade I made was to go passive, using a Luminous unit, the best they have ( rca ), as they also do xlr. It works for me. I am really enjoying the feedback on this thread, and find we are all a bunch of passionate music listeners, not satisfied with the sound coming from a Bluetooth speaker. There are many roads to take, as no two of us are the same. Enjoy ! MrD.
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