2. analog
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Go get out your pitchforks, I’ve done a sacrilegious thing. . .

. . . I’ve added an EQ!

A Loki Max to be exact - and so far, I love it!

I believe in the purist approach for the most part, and I have a main system that that’s all about, but this system, this is my fun house system, but my room acoustics are not great in my living room.  But that doesn’t mean I want crap sound in it either. The wife won’t let me treat the room, but frankly, that isn’t even the main reason I did it. 

The system is basically Klipsch Forte III’s, Balanced Audio VX 3ix pre-amp, ARC balanced V35 tube amp, Bifrost 2 DAC getting sound from a Marantz ND8006 streamer.  I put the EQ between the DAC and the preamp.

It’s dead quiet, and I can’t discern the difference in bypass mode either. 
 

I figured it’s was a lot easier, and cheaper, to add this one component and get the exact sound I want versus going through a bunch of cables or changing out other equipment. 

Soundstage is great, and there doesn’t paper to be any aberrations, but keep in mind this isn’t the most reveling system, another reason I wasn’t too worried about adding an EQ.

All in all, a good investment and make my music more enjoyable!

 

 

last_lemming
last_lemming OP
638 posts
 

I get it. You don’t like EQ’s. Not sure that’s relevant. 

theaudioamp
221 posts
 

Sacrilege would be saying most tube amplifiers are nothing but glorified equalizers. Did I say that out loud? I did, didn't I. It has already passed through any number of analog and digital equalizers, most with cheap by phile standard electronics before it got to you. I would not worry too much about one more. If you are listening to music in a room, you already have the most nasty, colorful, distorted equalizer one can buy, namely your speaker in your room. Worst necessary evil in all of audio. Anyone who shuns an equalizer must plug the speaker cables right into their head. Use that equalizer and use it proudly. It is probably doing far more good than bad.  I equalize. I would be a fool not to. Fixes things that can't be fixed any other way.

 

sokogear
1,095 posts
 

You pays your money, you chooses your distortions.

I had an equalizer some 40 years ago and couldn't believe the sound improvement when I unplugged it. I am sure they have gotten better over the years, and if you like the way it makes your system sound in your room, more power to you.

johnk's avatar
johnk
1,975 posts
 

I had all 3 Schitt EQs they are extremely useful things if you have the need. The Loki is kind of veiled and you can hear this enough that it greatly limits its use. The Lokius and Max are far far less intrusive. Not like EQs of old. And are very easy to do quick adjustments with. I once tried the max on a full-range driver speaker and it it worked well to increase lower and upper ranges while decreasing a bit of shout. Still, I only insert them into systems on occasion not always in- most systems I run don't require EQ. But I will end with for what they cost these EQs are well worth investigating. 

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