Tone controls- to use or not?

Mr C- Once upon a time the definition of, "audiophile" implied one that did as little harm to the original signal as possible. Basically- your straight wire with gain types(no tone controls, EQs, etc.). Of course, that term was coined back in the early 80's, and has been watered down to nothingness. Everyone with a system better than a Bose radio believes they're an audiophile. Who cares? If using the tone controls on your system gives a presentation that you like: What do you care what anyone else thinks about it? When I am running a sound board, setting up an acoustic venue, or recording(in my capacity as a Sound Technician): it's my job to present the music that is being created in as natural a tone, timbre and voice as possible(just louder when "plugged in"). That's providing the artists don't require something extra added, which(of course) is their artistic license. BUT: There is no "right" or "wrong" in your private listening environment. YES- Anything you add into the signal chain will degrade the sound to a degree. If you can live with the degradation, and the component utilized adds to your pleasure- DO IT!! What ever makes YOU happy!

Shadorne - all the sliders on those mixing tables are most likely level control. There are also, as far as I know, Equalizers but extremely expensive (for a reason). Typical tone controls in home amps use pots with very poor matching.

As for not caring by the artists about sound - many of them have their personal sound engineers for recording that replace one in studio wherever they're recording. Home system should replicate exactly what was recorded and not to improve it. Fixing shortcomings of the system or the room with tone control is a bad idea.

One more thing. Equalizers used in recording studio adjust each individual microphone/instrument BEFORE mix. They don't equalize mixed stereo image. Correct me if I'm wrong (any sound engineers here?).

Mr K- You are correct that each channel on a typical mixing board has it's own EQ. Used correctly, these can be adjusted to convey that instrument or vocalist with as natural a presentation as possible. There are also "pan" controls that can move the performers/vocalists around the sound stage at the technician's(or the artist's) whim. The entire mix is generally adjusted for balance, loudness and EQ'd(often distorted) during the "Mastering" process(nowdays mostly utilizing computerized digital editors). Then too- You almost never get back what you send to the people that produce and press the records or CD's(those guys love their compressors/limiters). My personal philosophy has always been, "Less is Better!" with regard to signal manipulation. To me the best results are always accomplished with a really good setup in the studio, and as little after-tweeking as possible.

hi rodman99999:

there is no definitive definition of audiophile. there are many definitions. it's all subjective. "supposed to be" is but an opinion, since it is neither true nor false.

your idea of sonic degredation may be someone's audio nirvana, which follows from the adage "one person's trash is another person's treasure".

i will admit that using tone controls by definition alters the signal and creates inaccuracy. that's another issue.

even if your hypothesis is: accuracy is the hallmark of a high quality stereo system, it is but one of many methods for assessing the merits of stereo systems.