Thread: Equalizer presets... oh the headache!

Originally Posted by veetid

All you have to do is set your EQ like you want it, then click presets, then click the "+" sign, then give your new preset a name...

this will save your preset... you can also come back later and delete it if you want with the "-"...

david

Hrm, I didn't see a + or a -... maybe I just didn't pay attention... I'll check it later.

Anywho - got a recommendation for a good setting? Also - I think it would be a neat idea to add dB readouts whenever you press one of the toggles to change the output dB in the EQ... that way we know the exact values things are set at.

The plus and minus signs are inside the Presets menu on the right side.

Depending on how particular you are about sound, it's unlikely that you'll get desired results with onboard sound and the CF EQ alone. As a recording engineer, I'm pretty picky, probably more so than the normal person, so I've got a combination of EQ'ing in CF, EQ'ing in my headunit, plus a USB sound card that uses DSP enhancements. I personally need the combination to get the desired sound I want. Also remember that if your speakers aren't good, no amount of sound coloring will help. I'm not implying that your speakers aren't good.

The one thing that I hope to see developed sooner than later is a DSP Enhancement plugin for CF. I might try and do it myself. We'll see. In the end, too much EQ'ing is worse than none at all. Try to use the rule that cutting frequencies is much better than boosting frequencies. Especially when talking about mp3 files, trying to boost frequencies that aren't there to begin with will typically result in digital distortion and ear-fatiguing artifacts.

Originally Posted by veetid

Nola111: Your DSP idea is not out of the question... The normalization and fading is essentially a DSP I have written internally...

I have considered and have it on my future features to add support for either Winamp DSP's, or my own custom DSP... probably would stick with Winamp format since there are already so many available...

but that will be added later after a few other key features, but on the list for sure...

david

Would you consider adding frequency readout for the EQ I.e. when the mouse hovers above the button for a specific band it would actually show the dB?

Nola: I ended up cutting frequencies and playing with the setting on my deck. I have pretty good speakers (fullrange JL speakers on a PPI 4 channel amp and a jl amp/sub combo).

David, Winamp's DSP's would be great. There are a couple really good ones out there that I've tested. The normalization feature is definitely a good one, and a necessary feature for MP3's, but it addresses only one of the several shortcomings of digital music. The key, in my opinion, to great sounding MP3's, is harmonic excitation, which is a blend of EQ and compression over 2 to 4 band groups on the audible spectrum.

I could go on and on for quite some time about sound enhancement and processing, but I won't do that here.

Comrade, yep, your speakers are definitely NOT the problem!

Originally Posted by Nola111

David, Winamp's DSP's would be great. There are a couple really good ones out there that I've tested. The normalization feature is definitely a good one, and a necessary feature for MP3's, but it addresses only one of the several shortcomings of digital music. The key, in my opinion, to great sounding MP3's, is harmonic excitation, which is a blend of EQ and compression over 2 to 4 band groups on the audible spectrum.

I could go on and on for quite some time about sound enhancement and processing, but I won't do that here.

Comrade, yep, your speakers are definitely NOT the problem!

Is there any advice you can give me for the DB rating for the EQ in centrafuse? I copied approximately what Winamp had for the ROCK setting, then lowered all the frequencies a bit... sounds OK i guess.

Originally Posted by ComradeJew

Is there any advice you can give me for the DB rating for the EQ in centrafuse? I copied approximately what Winamp had for the ROCK setting, then lowered all the frequencies a bit... sounds OK i guess.

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking here. Are you trying to ascertain what intervals each change to a particular frequency slider applies to the sound, in db's? If so, my understanding thus far of CF's EQ is that it's a passive EQ, in which case, there is only a global gain applied to the overall spectrum, regardless of what frequencies you're adjusting.

As far as copying settings: it'll never happen that way. Different software is going to use different algorithms for sound processing. Even for something that seems as straightforward as EQ'ing, you're dealing with soft EQ's, so the results will never be identical, even if it appears that you're adjusting the same frequency in two different processors.

I'm sorry if that wasn't much help. My advice to everyone always is "season to taste." Everyone has different needs and perceptions for "great sound."

Originally Posted by Nola111

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking here. Are you trying to ascertain what intervals each change to a particular frequency slider applies to the sound, in db's? If so, my understanding thus far of CF's EQ is that it's a passive EQ, in which case, there is only a global gain applied to the overall spectrum, regardless of what frequencies you're adjusting.

As far as copying settings: it'll never happen that way. Different software is going to use different algorithms for sound processing. Even for something that seems as straightforward as EQ'ing, you're dealing with soft EQ's, so the results will never be identical, even if it appears that you're adjusting the same frequency in two different processors.

I'm sorry if that wasn't much help. My advice to everyone always is "season to taste." Everyone has different needs and perceptions for "great sound."

Haha I guess its up to my ears!