Should Equalizers make a comeback?


Some like warm, some like bright, some like neutral. Should hardware equalizers make a comeback? Basically aren't Marantz and Rotel amps just rolled off a tiny bit in upper end? In the recording world, you can buy a one box Focusrite mic preamp emulator that seeks to recreate the classics from the past (I'm sure it lacks in pure sound quality from the originals). Would something like this work for audiophiles?
aberyclark
I finally used an EQ that I can live with. It's the EQ that comes with the Amarra pro music software. This is professional and very transparent. I've been deadset against EQ for at least 20 years, and this one not only works, it sounds great. A big improvement if you tweak it right. I have a spectrum analyzer and decent mike to do the analysis.

A BIG advantage of using a computer as a source, not to mention the Hi-res file capabiliity.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Aberyclar, I will answer your question with a question. Do you want to listen to music the way you want to listen to it or the way you think the engineer who cut the CD/Album want you to listen to it? I don't own an EQ but my choice is the first one. I like listening to music the way I want to listen to it. Sorry but I have tons of recordings (CD, LP, Digital downloads) that don't sound good. Years ago I visited Cello (Mark Levinson) and listen to some of my recordings though the Audio Palette. Man if I could have only been able to afford that thing!
Audioengr, thanks for the information about Amarra pro music software. It may may replace iTunes, I just hate paying for software.

Shadorne, I agree a 100 percent. A little goes a long way.
As I stated in another forum, I have not owned amplification equipment for well over 20 yrs that had either balance or tone controls. In my advancing years, though, my hearing accuity has deteriorated making it necessary to either start wearing hearing aids (I've tried this twice), buy amplification that does have these controls or add an equalizer. I don't like the aids and the amps I'm interested in don't have these controls, so I added EQ's which I know is an affront to the sensibilities of many audiophiles.

It's the best single choice I've made in quite a few years; I can now accommodate, at least to some extent, challenging listening room issues as well as correct for my hearing loss which mostly occurs above 3500Hz.

Relatively few of us hobbyists have ideally designed listening rooms and, with age, many of us will experience some level of hearing loss so, yes, IMO, the use of good EQ's is appropriate, even important, for some applications.